Caribbean Conservation Trust CUBA BIRD SURVEY Cuba’s Western Mountains, Zapata Swamp, and Northern Archipelago November 6-17, 2015

Blue-headed Quail Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) Refugio de Fauna Bermejas November 11, 2015 Michael J. Good, MS

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Caribbean Conservation Trust CUBA BIRD SURVEY Cuba’s Western Mountains, Zapata Swamp, and Northern Archipelago November 6-17, 2015

About this report:

The Cuba Bird Survey report covers each day of the program from November 6-17, 2015. A summation of the entire trip is followed by the eBird location summaries used to generate this data. The first section is a summary for all the locations in Cuba during our 12 days in the field. The second section has a map of our birding locations followed by description of each location that includes bird numbers seen, heard and recorded, as well as some highlights and notes of interest. You will also see a unique web location for each list. The fourth section is a compilation of total birds seen and species totals. All birds found in Cuba on this survey have been entered into eBird, a real-time, online checklist program launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, which provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Each eBird list is followed by a specific location marker (e.g., CU-01) www.ebird.org. There is a photo section with some images from our trip, and lastly, I added a small recently published story about Zapata Rail entitled “Rare glimpse of elusive rail”. Unfortunately, there are still no known photographs of this bird, so this news, although compelling, falls short of being a verifiable sighting.

This report was compiled and written by Michael J. Good, MS, who also took the photographs presented herein ([email protected]). The report is edited by Gary Markowski, founder and director of the Caribbean Conservation Trust. Participants: All participants were U.S. residents with an overall high degree of birding experience.

Western and Central Cuba

Cuba is an archipelago consisting of the island of Cuba, the Isla De La Juventud ( Isle of Youth) and 4,195 other cays and islets. The archipelago lies at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, 48 miles from Haiti, 87 miles from the Bahamas, 90 miles from Jamaica, 112 miles from Florida and approximately 130 miles from Cancun. This strategic location places Cuba directly in the path of migratory Neotropical species making their way to Central and South America and the West Indies. Cuba is comprised of 42,827 square miles (110,922 square kilometers) and is the largest island in the Caribbean. It is 744 miles long with a population of 11 million people of mostly Spanish, African, and Asian descent. More than 2 million people live in Havana, the Capital city. There are no poisonous plants or animals in Cuba. Remarkably, four percent of the world’s plant species are represented here including 6,370 plants species with 52% endemics. There are 284 designated protected areas accounting for 11% of Cuba’s total 11 million hectares. The climate is subtropical moderated by the trade winds, a wet season (May through October “estacion de las lluvias”) and dry season (November through April “estacion de la seca”). We experienced a couple of tropical rain downpours but overall there was little rain during the 12 field days that interfered with our work.

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuba’s Birds According to BirdLife International, which has designated 28 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Cuba, “Over 371 bird species have been described and recorded in Cuba, 30 are now considered endemic to the island and 29 considered globally threatened”. Due to its large land area and geographical position within the Caribbean, Cuba represents one of the most important countries for Neotropical migratory birds – both those passing through on their way south (76 species) and those spending the winter on the island (86 species).

“Worldwide, the most important places for habitat-based conservation of birds are the Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs). Most species are quite widespread and have large ranges. However, over 2,500 are restricted to an area smaller than 50,000 km2, and they are said to be endemic to it. BirdLife has identified regions of the world where the distributions of two or more of these restricted-range species overlap to form Endemic Bird Areas.”

“EBAs contain nearly all of the world's restricted-range bird species – only 7% of restricted-range species do not overlap with other such species and therefore do not occur in EBAs. The EBAs also support many of the world's more widespread bird species. Half of all restricted-range species are globally threatened or near-threatened and the other half remain forever vulnerable to the loss or degradation of habitat owing to the small size of their ranges. The majority of EBAs are also important for the conservation of restricted-range species from other animal and plant groups. For example, there is an overlap of 70% between the location of EBAs and areas which are similarly important for endemic plants globally. The unique landscapes where these species occur, amounting to just 4.5% of the earth's land surface, are high priorities for broad-scale ecosystem conservation. Cuban endemism is 7.7% of Cuban birds (26 endemics) and 62% of the birds in the West Indies occur on Cuba making the island an area of great importance.

The natural habitat in most EBAs (83%) is forest, especially tropical lowland forest and moist montane forest. Altogether, remaining suitable habitat within the EBAs now covers only 7,300,000 km2, a small proportion of the Earth's land area. Geographically, EBAs are often islands or mountain ranges, and they vary considerably in size, from a few square kilometers to more than 100,000 km2, and in the numbers of restricted-range species that they support (from 2 to 80). EBAs are found around the world, but most (77%) of them are located in the tropics and subtropics.” (source: Birdlife International)

In accordance with Birdlife International’s outline of Endemic Bird Areas, the Caribbean Conservation Trust Cuba Bird Survey program is committed to the conservation of native and migratory birds and their habitats in the greater Caribbean region, specifically in Cuba, and including all islands within the Caribbean basin. The CCT’s regional scope includes the study of neo-tropical migrant bird species moving between North America and the greater Caribbean region, focusing on birds from the east and mid-west of the United States. Our field trips involve legally authorized participants who are dedicated to accurately identifying birds in the field. In addition to fulfilling our authorized obligation to identify and record birds in the field, CCT programs focus on designated Important Bird Areas (as identified by BirdLife International above), covering diverse parts of the country, and providing opportunities to interact with some of Cuba’s most talented naturalists and bird experts. We work directly with Cuba’s leading ornithologists and biologists to provide an important conservation link to this endeavor, benefitting the Cuban people and environment.

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Trip Summary: November 6-17, 2015

Data compilation, text and photos by Michael J. Good, MS ([email protected])

A total of 154 species of birds were observed during November 6-17, 2015. Our group tallied 6,192 individual birds, including 23 endemics of the 26 recognized endemics (3 future endemics were also recorded: Cuban Meadowlark, Giant Kingbird and Cuban Bullfinch). A total of 57 locations were surveyed, comprising almost 1150 miles of Cuban countryside. The November 2015 Cuban Bird Survey team exhibited excellent field observation skills, which contributed to our trip total and the discovery of many important fall migrant birds, giving us a more complete understanding of the Cuban ornithological landscape for the locations visited.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Zapata or Cuban Sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) La Turba MJGood

November 6, 2015: Day 1 - Miami to Havana, Cuba The entire survey team gathered at the Miami Airport prior to our Cuba departure.

After taking a shuttle at 5:00 AM from our hotel to Miami International Airport, the Cuba survey team assembled as a group at the Marazul check-in counter where Michael and Luis Silva took passports and documents for processing and preparation for our Cuba flight. Everything went smoothly. Our flight arrived safely at José Marti Havana Airport at 11:30 AM. After landing and moving through customs in Jose Marti Airport we meet Natalie, our bilingual Cuban guide, and Mariano, our driver.

After leaving the airport we headed into Havana and stopped at the Hotel Nacional, where we exchanged money at the Cadeca (acronym for Casa de Cambio). We encountered our first endemic bird species, Cuban Blackbird, taking a bath in the hotel water fountain. Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger)

We then visited retired museum curator, ornithologist, and author, Orlando Garrido, for a discussion about our itinerary focusing on Cuban endemic birds we might encounter, their habitats, distributions, and their unique plumage and behaviors. Orlando also shared anecdotal stories about ornithologists Juan Gundlach and James Bond, as well as a few personal stories about each of the endemics described before signing copies of our field guides. The opportunity for our group to learn about some of these birds prior to our field experience provided valued insight that would help our efforts to identify and understand the birds we encountered in the field. For example, Orlando pointed out important descriptions, such as the difference in eye color between the otherwise similar Cuban Blackbird (black eyes) and the Greater Antillean Grackle (yellow eyes). We also briefly discussed the races of Cuban Green Woodpecker, Zapata Sparrow, Great Lizard Cuckoo, and American Kestrel.

We stayed at the Hotel Palco near the river Quibu in western Havana. The Quibu river proves excellent for 13 species of warbler including Louisiana Waterthrush, Wilson’s, Tennessee, Black-throated Blue, Cape May, and Black and White Warbler. We also flushed a Merlin, Belted Kingfisher, Green Heron, Tricolored Heron, Snowy Egret, and Great Egret. At the end of our first day in Cuba we logged 1 endemic and 30 species, mostly found around Hotel Palco and our impromptu Quibu river walk.

Orlando Garrido book signing following the Cuban endemic demonstration

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

November 7, 2015: Day 2 – Travel from Havana to Maria La Gorda, PN Guanahacabibes.

We were joined after breakfast at Hotel Palco by our full-time Cuban biologist and author, Arturo Kirkconnell, and traveled towards the Sierra del Rosario mountain range in the provinces of Pinar del Río and Artemisa. This ecologically important Biosphere Reserve is located in the Guaniguanico Mountain Range in western Cuba. It became a protected resource for Cuba in February 1984. The entire bio-region was identified as an important bio-reserve by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an international organization dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. This area was Cuba’s first biosphere reserve. It protects a total area of 266.86 km2 (103.04 square miles) of tropical forests with evergreen and semi-deciduous environments - perfect habitat for warblers, flycatchers, raptors and various endemics. Some of the important birds found here included Cuban Tody, Cuban Trogon, Cuban Solitaire and Olive-capped Warbler, which we will see during stops later in the trip itinerary. The Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve is located at the eastern part of the mountain range, between the Pinar del Rio and Havana provinces of Cuba. This is one of the geographically narrowest portions of the island. On clear days, one can see both the north and south coasts.

Some parts of the range have exposures of Serpentine rock, and here, instead of forest, there is grassland and thorny xeromorphic thickets and scrub lands. This is the region of Cuba famed for cultivating high quality tobacco. Here you find tropical dry and deciduous forests in the hills covered by evergreen, semi-deciduous and coniferous forests with long- needled pines, and thorny xeromorphic thickets, many covered by thick Marabu, an invasive plant from Africa. There are many residential areas with agro-ecosystems of pasture and forest systems, much different from American agrarian land use.

We drove 1-½ hour west of Havana for our first bird survey location at La Chorrera Campismo. After a short walk Arturo pointed out our first target species, Cuban Grassquit, flitting about in the fruits of a tall Royal Palm tree that are often locations for nests as well. On a walk through the area we encountered several species, including endemic Cuban Oriole and Cuban Green Woodpecker. We heard Fernandina’s Flicker and found our first warblers, Red-legged Thrush and Loggerhead Kingbirds. The group located a total of 13 species and 4 endemic birds during this stop.

Our lunch break included some birding at Los Barrigonas but the remainder of the day’s trip was spent birding from the bus as we travel to Maria La Gorda Hotel, our final stop. As we travelled through Pinar del Rio province, we added Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed hawk, several American Kestrel, Smooth-billed Ani, and a handful of Antillean Palm Swift. We stopped at a lake near village Manuel Lazo, a few wetland habitats, and drove along the road to Maria La Gorda. The group added Anhinga, Northern Jacana, Eastern Meadowlark, and our first Cuban Crow to the species list. The Guanahacabibes National Park is a UNESCO Heritage site that includes 150, 000 acres of mangrove, pine and semi- deciduous forest. There are 15 endemic plants, 195 species of birds, 70 species of spiders, 12 reptiles and 3 frogs. The geology is about 1-15 million years old and is the same age as the Zapata.

The group looked for birds behind the hotel which is surrounded by semi-deciduous forests. We found a good variety of species during a short walk which included Cape-May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-throated, Yellow-headed and Yellow warblers and White-eyed vireo and Cuban vireo. The group secured good looks at Loggerhead Kingbirds, a handful of fast flying Scaly-naped Pigeon, our first Cuban Pewee, Cuban Oriole, and Cuban Emerald. We finished our long travel day with dinner at Maria la Gorda’s new restaurant with a bottle of wine, a good day’s bird list of 54 species recorded, 8 endemics seen or heard and a total of 75 species for our first two days in the field.

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

November 8, 2015: Day 3 – Travel to Cabo San Antonio, El Verraco and Caleta del Piojo

After breakfast we saw a Plain Pigeon sitting in a deciduous tree just outside the Maria La Gorda compound. We secured the trips best looks and photos of Plain Pigeon, one of several species in the family Columbidae we will encounter in Cuba. The Plain Pigeon are found mainly in lowland forest, mangrove and swampy areas in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Populations are threatened in all locations by hunting, logging and forest clearing for plantation agriculture combined with the devastating effects of large hurricanes. According to Arturo, the population has declined considerably in recent years. In Cuba today, the Plain Pigeon is thought to be restricted to six areas: Guanahacabibes (~100 pairs), the Zapata peninsulas, the Sierra de Najasa, Sierra del Chorrillo, cayos Romano and Sabinal, and the Esteros de Birama (an extensive delta wetland complex in eastern Cuba). (A. Kirkconnell, 1999)

The group picks up a few species like endemic Cuban Black Hawk as we travel along the loop road to La Bajada where we meet our local guide, Osmani. The coastal road takes us through a variety of vegetation to our first stop at El Berraco for target specie Bee Hummingbird. After a short walk we find 2 females foraging on red poncea flowers, flitting about so quickly that it was hard to photograph them. We saw the Cuban Bullfinch, several warblers, and the Cuban Tody. There is some trepidation in the scientific community about the Cuban Tody and other Cuban endemics because Island populations have limited range size and the island has been traditionally manipulated by modern civilizations. Any shift to reducing any endemics habitat will have a negative ripple effect on population size and health. We also observed the endemic species Cuban Green Woodpecker, Pygmy Owl, Vireo and Yellow-headed Warbler. There were excellent photographic moments with Scaly-breasted Munia producing 22 species for this stop.

From the checkpoint at La Bajada to the lighthouse on Cabo San Antonio is approximately 38 miles (61 km). On this leg of the trip, we traveled approximately 24 miles to Caleta del Piojo. This first section of beach to the south of the road is referred to as “La Barca,” home to nesting sea turtles and iguana. Woodland and mangroves cover much of the landscape, providing important habitat for a wide variety of bird species. Over 170 species have been reported here, along with deer, wild pigs, and iguanas. The landscape changes to exposed limestone cliffs rising 20 meters above the Caribbean Sea, where we found the marooned ship “Union Express” on shore.

Our final destination in Cabo San Antonio was Caleta del Piojo, a well known small wetland eco-complex where we saw 24 species including a notable Giant Kingbird in the scope, great observations of Blue Grosbeak, the Indigo Bunting, and a flyover Peregrine Falcon. A number of ducks were found along with American Coot and a good variety of shorebirds and waders. The group had close-up looks at a female Bee Hummingbird which sat for several minutes in excellent light. One Cuban Pewee was found eating a dragonfly.

“Union Express” near shore Coastal landscape of Cabo San Antonio Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

After lunch at Maria La Gorda, we ventured on to La Bajada and met Osmani. Three Greater Flamingo were spotted by Michael on the shore. Osmani said that this is possibly the first time Greater Flamingo were photographed along the shoreline of Cabo Corrientes. At La Bajada, we walked along the “endemic trail” behind the ranger station, which produced excellent views of La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Cuban Tody, and Cuban Trogon. The survey group saw tremendous scoped views of Cuban Green Woodpecker mobbing a Cuban Pygmy Owl, which they are known to do because the Pygmy Owl is thought to be a nest robber of Cuban Green Woodpecker.

We finished up our day at the La Bajada Lagoon where we observed many West Indian Whistling Duck mixed with American Coot, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, one Gadwall and many Blue-winged Teal, and a Black-necked Stilt. By the end of our third field day, we saw 488 individual birds representing 63 species, including 11 endemics. The trip total increased to 96 species.

November 9, 2015: Day 4 – La Bajada Lagoon, Camino de Hoyo de Palmar Sendero, Maria La Gorda and transfer to San Diego Be los Banos.

The day was sunny and warm and we went birding in Cabo Corrientes. Before morning breakfast, John and Paul reported seeing three Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) near the hotel. The group saw a Great Blue Heron, a Belted Kingfisher, and Cuban Crow that sang its unusual song for us . We departed Hotel Maria La Gorda for La Bajada to pick up local guide, Osmani. Today we planned to bird around La Bajada Lagoon where we located 22 West Indian Whistling Ducks and most of the birds seen yesterday but add Yellow-crowned Night Heron. One Merlin does a flyby over the Caleta then departs towards the east. On the Camino de Hoyo de Palmar Sendero, our second trail of the morning, there were several excellent observations of Cuban Tody and Cuban Trogon, we studied the Cuban Emerald, Western Spindalis and several warblers including Northern Waterthrush. Some in the group saw the Key West Quail Dove crossing the trail. After a brief stay on the Camino de Hoyo de Palmar Sendero, we travelled by bus to the La Bajada guardhouse to see if we could locate a possible Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Instead, we found a Giant Lizard Cuckoo, the uncommon transient Tennessee Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Palm Warbler, Northern Parula, and American Redstart. We had excellent views of Red-legged Honeycreepers, and three species of vireo: Yellow-throated, Cuban, and White-eyed. We finished our morning on the Maria La Gorda grounds, were we obtained excellent images of Cuban Vireo, Cuban Oriole, and a few views of Cape May Warbler. Travel days allow an opportunity to observe the Cuban landscape and make a few birding stops along the way. Today we transferred from Maria La Gorda to Hotel Mirador in San Diego de los Banos. During the first leg of the trip, we travelled by Los Palacios fish ponds, where several birds were added, such as Great Egret and Caspian Tern. Along the way, Natalie, one of our guides, gave us information about the First War of Independence (1868 to 1878) and talked about Jose Marti, perhaps Cuba’s most revered liberator. Our final destination today was Hotel Mirador which we reached at sunset. After a trip list review and some excellent food, we called it a day having broken 100 species recorded with 103. That day, we identified 63 species and 488 individual birds.

November 10, 2015: Day 5 – Cueva Portales, Los Pinos and transfer to Playa Larga

After a leisurely breakfast at Hotel Mirador we met local guide, Caesar Suarez, for a drive through historic Hacienda Cortina and eventually arrived at Cueva Portales. Along the way we added a Little Blue Heron, and a few Common Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Ground Dove. We drove through the rural Cuban landscape and saw the mogote limestone geology of the region. Cueva Portales was home to Che Guevara and his men during the Missile Crisis of 1962.

As soon as we stepped out of the bus we heard the magical calls of Cuban Solitaire, saw several Cuban Bullfinch and a few warblers as we walked towards the cave. We scoped out White-crowned Pigeon and Giant Lizard Cuckoo, got great looks at warblers and a Cuban Solitaire along the stream. Everyone heard the heavenly, ethereal call of Cuban Solitaire echoing around the cave while a Cuban Pygmy Owl added to the chorus. In one Cecropia tree along the stream we found 10 Red-legged Honeycreepers foraging with several warblers, including American Redstart. Cueva Portales produced 25 species and 8 endemics.

One more stop was planned for the morning at Los Pinos, a location in the mogote hills known for Olive-capped Warbler, of which we located 8 foraging in the long-needled Pines. One Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireo were found before we made our way back to Hotel Mirador for lunch.

Travel to Playa Larga After lunch we made the long drive through provinces Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, and Matanzas. A couple of birding stops were made along the way. The first stop was at La Chorrera Campisimo where we had good views of Cuban Grassquit for those who missed it during our first stop. The second birding location was 6 VIAS Reservoir where we counted 25 Ring-necked Duck, 150 Lesser Scaup, many Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, and a Great Blue Heron. Mariano maneuvered us through the complicated maze of Havana, past the University and Lenin Parque, and finally into less populated Mayabeque province. Once into Matanzas we were alerted by Arturo about a raptor in a Royal Palm Tree and spotted Gavilan del Monte (Red-tailed Hawk). There are fourteen recognized subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk, which vary in appearance and range. Naturalist Thomas Barbour 1935 named the lighter morph Cuban Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis solitudinus) which is thought to be found only on the Bahamas and Cuba. Like other races or subspecies, they do not overlap in range. There is yearly influx of migratory birds like the one we observed as well.

Around 7:10, we reached Hotel Playa Larga had a brief moment of relaxation before the evening birding list. At the end of travel day 5 we recorded 50 species, 1,124 individual birds, added endemics Cuban Solitaire, Olive-capped Warbler and had an opportunity to see the variety of landscapes traversed along the way. We have a grand total of 107 species to date.

November 11, 2015: Day 6 - Bermejas Refugio de Fauna, La Cuchilla and Caleta Buena We started this morning with a 5:30 AM breakfast and 6 AM departure to travel about 35 Km in the dark, along a well- traveled coastal road, searching unsuccessfully for a Barn Owl, while on the way to Bermejas Wildlife Refuge. The Bay of Pigs was on our right, framed by deciduous forest along the entire way south to Playa Giron. We passed through historic Giron and traveled northeast through several small hamlets, keeping our eyes open for Gundlach’s Hawk or other avian prizes.

Bermejas is an important bastion of ecological diversity and affords a glimpse of the role played by ancient forests that once covered Cuba, but were long ago cleared for agricultural cultivation and human habitation. Along the road we met our local guide and refuge warden, Orlando Ramirez, who led us through the trail maze with forest birds calling everywhere.

The first hour was spent in the forest waiting for and eventually finding both species of endemic quail dove. It was during these quiet times that other birds would approach us, such as the Zenaida Dove, Red-legged Thrush, Greater Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Antillean Grackle or the many warblers that descended on us, such as Ovenbird, Black-throated Blue and endemic Yellow-headed Warbler.

We observed many of the Columbidae family, including one Blue-headed Quail Dove at the blind, two Gray-fronted Quail-Dove, five Zenaida Doves, one Key West Quail Dove, one Ruddy Quail and a few Mourning Doves. The endangered Blue-headed Quail Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Cuba. The bird’s population has declined in the last century due to hunting and habitat loss. The subtropical forest ecosystems in which the Blue- headed Quail-dove resides are so severely reduced that it is considered a rare species due to its restricted geographical range and low abundance. The population status and ecology of the Blue-headed Quail-dove remain understudied mainly due to quail-doves shy and elusive behavior. The long, conspicuous, white line under the eye and black eye-line set off the iridescent blue on the top of the head. The black chest and metallic blue on the throat make this arguably one of the most beautiful birds on the island. The Cubans call it Perdiz for the sound it makes when it is flushed.

Quail Doves typically require a little patience because they are shy of humans, probably in part due to hunting. We heard the hurried “hup-hup-hup” of the endangered Grey-fronted Quail Dove (Camao), eventually locating it calling from a nearby roost. Dark-gray above and gray below, the male Gray-fronted Quail Dove has a rich metallic blue mantle with a hint of purple iridescence, and a delicate dull-gray crown, especially around the chest and head, as we saw in the scope.

It was delightful to hear Cuban Vireo simultaneously calling with many Cuban Trogons, Cuban Todys, and Green Woodpeckers, as well as the variety of wintering birds vocalizing in this rich habitat. The vibrant diversity of flora and fauna provided a contrast to the stark and quiet North American winter most of our group recently left behind. There were birds preening, feeding, or drinking at waterholes, which provide a critical resource and focal point for forest birds. One of the day’s delights was a white-morph American Kestrel calmly perched along the road for all to see and photograph.

Palm trees provide welcome roosts for Cuban Pygmy and Bare-legged Owls. Both birds are Cuban endemics and were found after checking a few known locations. The Cuban Pygmy Owl communicated its location to us. The owl with “eyes in the back of his head” made quite an impression on all of us when we saw it in Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes! One of the best events of the morning was finding not one, but three, Bare-legged Owls peering out of their roost opening in an old hollow palm tree. Initially we were greeted with one then two round faces sitting inquisitively at the top of the open palm trunk before they flew off and out of sight. The Owls disappeared quickly into the under-bush so we searched another known location, this time we had excellent close views of the Cuban endemic Owl with bare-legs.

Bermejas Refugio de Fauna is an immensely productive stop yielding 40 species, 12 endemic birds and a walk of about 5 miles through these musical forests. Our next location, La Cuchilla, allows us to find target species Red-shouldered Blackbird male and female. We also added a calling Limpkin, Sora, and Least Bittern along with a three actively flying Crested Caracara.

As temperatures rose towards 90F, we headed to our all-inclusive lunch stop at Caleta Buena, a small protected inlet and cenote where we also took some time to survey birds. Today’s temperatures gave us good reason to enjoy a dip in Caleta Buena. While many snorkeled and searched for seabirds, others in the group found a few species of warblers as well as a Cuban Vireo. This time of year, the habitat around Caleta Buena is dry and karstic coastal shrub habitat with a mixture of invasive Maribu, creeping cactus, and deciduous trees growing on exposed limestone bedrock. One wonders how anything survives, but the nutrients are somehow available to the dense undergrowth suitable for warblers, vireos and flycatchers. Stygian and Cuban Pygmy Owls also have been found here. Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Relaxing after lunch and entertained by darting Cave Swallows we eventually depart for the open palm speckled plains of Sopillar in search of endemic Fernandina’s Flicker, which is known to utilize many species of Palm Tree for nests. We counted 11 species of birds at both Sopillar stops including Northern Jacana, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis and one Limpkin. As we exited the bus at Sopillar we were serenaded by 2 Cuban Parrots who were immediately well seen in the scope but we missed Fernandina’s Flicker.

By the end of this day, we saw or heard 56 species, 16 Cuban endemics, and had a new total of 135 species for the trip. The day ended at Hotel Playa Larga with an exquisite sunset over the Bay of Pigs, an evening bird list and dinner.

Sunset over Bahia de Cochinos Tres Amigos: Orlando, Frank and Arturo

November 12, 2015: Day 7 - La Turba, Criadero de Cocodrilos, Sopillar, Tiki Paladar, and Las Salinas

Breakfast started at 5:30 AM, followed by a 6:00 AM departure for La Turba with Frank, our local guide. Zapata Wren and Zapata Sparrow were the first highly sought after species for the morning. The Wren was easily seen briefly during the 45 minutes we spent with a calling male near the La Turba canal edge. Several Black-crowned Night Heron departed past us and we heard 2 Spotted Rails and Common Gallinule as we waited.

The mosquitoes were a minimal bother today as we walked three miles to a known location for endemic Zapata or Cuban Sparrow. One Gundlach’s Hawk flew by, and we also observed Northern Waterthrush, American Restart, Northern Parula and Ovenbird. The group located 3 Cuban Sparrows, which descended on us from the surrounding trees and approached amazingly close, preening and feeding along the trail. Our success at La Turba allowed us to depart early for a quick walk around La Boca Criadero de Cocodrilos for Purple Gallinule before heading back to Sopillar.

Mariano dropped us off at 10:51 am in Sopillar which started our search for possible Stygian Owl and target species Fernandina’s Flicker. Along the way we encounter Giant Lizard Cuckoo, Northern Jacana, a migratory Northern Flicker, not to be confused with endemic subspecies “chrysocaulossus”. There are five subspecies of Northern Flicker: the yellow-shafted flicker, the red-shafted flicker, the gilded flicker, the Guatemalan flicker, and the Cuban flicker. We also had excellent observations of La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Green Heron, Gray Catbird, and a couple Cuban Tody.

After a close encounter with a female Summer Tanager our luck changes when Frank speaks to another park guide leading us to a distant Ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) or Kapok tree surrounded by thick and impenetrable underbrush, all the while being teased by a calling Fernandina’s Flicker male frustratingly hidden. Frank excitingly locates a female Fernandina’s Flicker, startling her from the north side of the Ceiba to an open view not far away. Another endemic added to the list bringing the total at this time 20 Cuban Endemics seen and plenty of good birding to come. Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) was one of my personal favorites because they are not commonly found nesting on Mount Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Desert Island and it was my first seen on Cuba. This lush tropical canopied forest is a perfect mirror image of the norther deciduous and conifer forests of Maine and their breeding range.

We enjoyed a fine lunch at the Tiki Paladar from 12 to 1 PM. Dotting the sky were 2 Brown Pelican, one Neotropic Cormorant and 3 Greater Flamingo. After Kenna Sue retrieved Howard from Playa Larga we departed for our drive along the Sendero Salina de Brito, making three stops along the way at towers built for observation and study of the mangrove salt flats. We experienced the bio-rich mangrove habitat of Las Salinas and had opportunities to walk along the road searching for the Caribbean race of Yellow Warbler.

Noteworthy is that the water level is high due to recent rain making it difficult to find mudflat shorebirds. We did not see any American White Pelicans, a species whose numbers have significantly increased in Cuba during the last five years. We did find an assortment of water birds, including 329 American Flamingos standing like Christmas ornaments on the flats, filtering the shallow water for brine shrimp. We observed no Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork or ducks but found 12 Caspian Terns, 1 Tricolored Heron, 8 White Ibis and both Night-crowned Herons were all seen. Total numbers for the Ardeidae family are low as well. We spotted 6 Cuban Black Hawks and 2 Clapper Rails, 1 Willet and 1Greater Yellowlegs against the mangrove backdrop. We returned to Playa Larga with a colorful sunset ending our day with a bird list and dinner at Enrique’s Paladar in Playa Larga… this time without a band, but the food was delightful. Today in Cienaga de Zapata we added 7 new birds for a total of 142 species to date.

November 13, 2015: Day 8 - Travel day from Playa Larga to Cayo Coco and the Northern Archipelago

A little birding begins the day at Playa Larga with 4 Cuban Parrots, large flocks of Greater Antillean Grackle, a dozen White Ibis, a handful of Warblers and a total of 21 species all before breakfast and check out for our transfer to Hotel Cayo Coco and the northern archipelago.

Traveling along the Autopista to Cayo Coco we added an Osprey in Cienfuegos Province, along with several species of heron, Crested Caracara and a Red-tailed Hawk. Our stop for lunch at Rio Azul produced Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue and Yellow-throated Warbler before leaving for the northern archipelago. We made excellent time reaching the Cayo Coco causeway 2:45pm. After crossing the 17-Km causeway we began our birding on Cayo Coco and the Jardines del Rey (Gardens of the King). The causeway road traverses shallow coastal waters and produced 3 Brown Pelican, 65 Double-crested Cormorant, Crested Caracara, Laughing Gull, and Royal Tern before our first glimpse of the cays to our north.

Our first birding stop on Cayo Coco started at 3:14 pm generating one curious Crested Caracara, several Cuban Bullfinch and endemic, Oriente Warbler, (Teretistris fornsi) whose natural habitats are dry forests, lowland moist forests, montane moist forests, and xeric shrublands. Perhaps one of our best birds of the afternoon was the Lesser Black- backed Gull found at 22.26803/-78.17374. This is my second recorded Lesser Black-backed Gull which is considered a vagrant on Cuba. This Gulls range is expanding so it is of interest that we found a new bird on Cayo Coco. We tallied 33 species and 565 individual birds today, have now recorded 21 Cuban endemics and a total of 145 species. We made our way to Hotel Sol Cayo Coco and our first night on northern Cuba.

November 14, 2015: Day 9 - Cayo Romano and Paredon Grande, Playa Coloradas and Cayo Guillermo

Day 9 started with an early morning coffee for a 6:00 AM departure with a local guide, Paulino Lopez Delgado. Our target species today are endemics Oriente Warbler, Cuban Gnatcatcher and Thick-billed Vireo on Cayo Paredon Grande. We traveled from Cayo Coco to Cayo Romano, the largest island in the northern archipelago, and finally reached our Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey destination of Cayo Paredon Grande. Along the way, we saw the impact of future hotel development on these pristine and sensitive landscapes. The road traverses mangrove salt flats where we found 3 Cuban Black Hawks, a white morph American Kestrel and a Mangrove Cuckoo flying over the road. On Cayo Romano we find a couple small flocks of Semipalmated Sandpiper and 11 Lesser Yellowlegs. Shorebird numbers are very low for our trip due impart to the high water levels found in most of the coastal mangrove flats.

After a 25-minute drive over Cayo Romano we cross the bridge to Cayo Paredon Grande. The northern cays rounded out our Cuban experience and bird list with several target species, Thick-billed Vireo, several Oriente Warblers and 6 Cuban Gnatcatchers, bringing our total to 24 endemic species for the trip. During our walk at the northern end of Paredon Grande, there are 2 (eastern) Willet with 5 Killdeer and we found a couple of very gregarious Cuban Black Hawks calling “Batista” near the lighthouse, which was constructed in 1859. We encountered 9 species of warblers including wonderful views of Cape May, Black and White, Black-throated Blue and Oriente Warbler. We found 2 Cuban Green Woodpeckers near the Thick-billed Vireo in dry coastal shrub habitat mixed with thick stands of Silver palm. Natalie spotted a gray Cuban Boa which was extensively photographed. While driving off the island, we spot Reddish, Great and Snowy Egret, 2 Tricolored and 2 Great Blue Heron which brought our tally of species seen on Paredon Grande to 38.

We made our way back to our hotel for a late breakfast, then ventured off to Playa Los Coloradas where we hoped to but did not find endangered Piping Plover due to the high tide. On the beach we discovered 35 Ruddy Turnstones, 63 Sanderlings, a Black-bellied Plover and 2 Brown Pelicans. We came back later in the day and located 4 Piping Plover at low tide. One bird sports a silver leg band.

After finding target species Piping Plover we continue on the road to Cueva de Jabali, which wanders erratically through Uva sea-grape and Silver Palm, along the northern coast of Cayo Coco. We have a water drip set up near the cave which is well known as a birding location for Quail Dove and warblers. These days the cave is a disco by night and daytime home of Long-eared Bats. We situated ourselves between two water drips set up years ago by Paulino and before long we had 3 Key West and 1 Ruddy Quail Dove in front of us. The habitat around the cave is always species rich and produces an Ovenbird, Northern Parula, male and female Hooded Warbler, Cape May, Palm and Black-throated Blue Warbler near the water drip. We had a difficult time pulling ourselves away from this stop, but dinner beckoned, so we departed the site after an hour and a half of birding.

We ended the day’s bird list with 23 endemics, 51 species seen, 371 individual birds and a total of 153 species counted. After our birding experience on the northern cays, we perhaps gained an appreciation of the importance of the northern archipelago to an amazingly diverse number bird species.

November 15, 2015: Day 10 - Cayo Coco, Travel to Santa Clara and Villa La Granjita

Another early morning, 6:00 AM departure with local guide Paulino for Cayo Guillermo. Weather is a concern today with strong northeast winds and threatening skies. Our target species for the morning is Bahama Mockingbird which has been subjected to recent habitat loss and fragmentation which may be hampering our efforts to find this species. We drove 35 Km west to Cayo Guillermo where we obtained our best images of Loggerhead Kingbird’s often not seen orange-crown strip sitting next to La Sagra’s Flycatcher for comparison. (see photo section)

Weather becomes a factor as we drove to a known site for Brown Booby but encounter strong sustaining northeast winds blowing on shore. Instead of Brown Booby we located the Caribbean “ridgwayi” subspecies of Osprey which has a distinctive white head and is considered a subspecies. It is a resident found in the Bahamas, the Cuban cays, the Yucatan and Belize. There has been some discussion about splitting at the species level for the Old World Ospreys. This sub- species is so distinctive and should be the basis for any future discussion about splits. I did manage a few good Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey photographs which can be found at the end of this report. The threat of rain provided incentive for moving to the Cayo Guillermo lagoons where once again we found high water and very little avian diversity. We located 6 Greater Flamingo, 4 Reddish Egret, a Magnificent Frigatebird, a few Blue-winged Teal and a Merlin as we leave Cayo Guillermo. No shorebirds were seen.

We decided to check out the Cayo Coco sewage lagoon #746 with some admirable results including 6 West Indian Whistling Duck, 30 Blue-winged Teal, 4 Northern Shoveler, 25 Lesser Yellowlegs, 28 Black-necked Stilt and 8 species of warblers. One the way back to Sol Cayo Coco we stopped for 3 Clapper Rail behind Sol Cayo Coco and a few Northern Waterthrush. Despite the inclement weather we finished off the morning with a great list of about 35 different species.

With checkout at noon for a 2:00 pm departure, the group had time for some birding around the hotel grounds. We tallied 2 Brown Pelicans diving near the beach, Common Ground Dove, 4 Cuban Emeralds, a Northern Flicker, a few warblers and a Cuban Vireo before leaving. Travel to Santa Clara and Villa Granjita from Cayo Coco was uneventful, except for several hundred Cuban Blackbirds seen on the outskirts of the city of Moron along with 10 Cuban Parrots momentarily flying alongside the bus. Driving across the Cayo Coco Causeway we observed 2 Brown Pelican, many Double-crested Cormorant, 4 Magnificent Frigatebird followed by our 154 species and only Roseate Spoonbill crossing directly in front of the bus as a farewell gift. The day ends with a respectable 49 species and 774 individual birds for a grand total of 154 species for the trip.

November 16, 2015: Day 11 - Villa Granjita to Che’s Memorial to Havana

Waking up to Antillean Palm Swifts and Limpkin on the expansive Villa Granjita grounds was a welcome treat this morning. We departed late morning and made our way to the Che’ Guevara Memorial and museum for a 20–minute tour in a tropical shower. Only 17 species and 125 individual birds were recorded before we made our way to one of the jewels of the Caribbean, Habana Viejo, and lunch and music at Café Taberna. The band was excellent today as we enjoyed our last Cuban lunch and heard the Che Guevara song “Hasta Siempre Comandante” and others performed by the Cafe Taberna band. We do see a few Laughing Gull and one Magnificent Frigatebird on our way to this evenings accommodations at H10 Habana Panorama. We closed out our Cuba Bird Survey with a farewell dinner on the Rio Almendares with views of Havana and the sea.

November 17, 2015: Day 12 - H10 Habana Panorama and departure for Miami

A few Cuban Blackbirds and Greater Antillean Grackles were our farewell birds before departure to Miami from Jose Marti airport. We observed 15 of the 25 threatened species recorded in Cuba during our bird survey. Knowledge of the wintering ranges and ecology of these and other species is critical to understanding apparent declines in their populations. What is needed are defined studies and field work that focus on collecting habitat-specific, demographic and site-fidelity data to help assess habitat preferences for Neotropical migrants during the non-breeding season.

During the 12-day November 2015 Cuban Bird Survey we recorded a total of 21 species and 424 individual members of the Parulidae family. Common eastern North American migrants included daily records for Palm Warbler, Black- throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Cape May Warbler. Palm Warbler was by far the most numerous species encountered with 199 seen during the trip. Also observed were Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina), considered and uncommon transient, Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis), and rare Wilson’s Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus). We easily located the endemic Oriente, Yellow-headed and endemic sub-species Olive-capped Warblers, Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey each in its respective habitat. CCT data continue to clearly demonstrate that Cuba is vital to myriad migratory species, and supports a large population of wintering Neotropical and eastern North American breeding birds.

Our Cuban Bird Survey program is coordinated under U.S. government authorization by the Caribbean Conservation Trust, which is based in Connecticut. Along with Michael J. Good, our team also included Arturo Kirkconnell, Curator of Ornithology at Cuba’s National Museum of Natural History, Natalie, our bilingual Cuban tour guide, and our driver, Mariano.

Vintage Cuban automobile Natalie and Arturo

November 6-17, 2015 Cuban Bird Survey Team: Arturo Kirkconnell and Michael J. Good (leaders); John Bellmon, Michael Catania and Jan Rosenfeld, Julie Gonella, Ann Linder,, Paul Lombardi, Karen Pfeifer, Renée Marth and Bill Voss, Diane Smith, De Sunderland, Kenna Sue and Howard Trickey, Susan Westervelt. Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuba Bird Survey Locations:

The green circles indicate locations surveyed by CCT since 2002.

November 6, 2015 Havana, Cuba 26 species

Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1 Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) 1 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 9 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 4 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 3 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 7 Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1 Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) 2 Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2 Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 6 Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 1 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 7 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 3 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 18 Bill sitting in a carved Barrigonas Palm Nov 7 2015 Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) 3 Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1 all yellow bird with black in the wings no black on the head. Small bill and Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Ciudad de La Habana black eye. Yellow under tail no white Nov 6, 2015 3:30 AM - 4:00 AM Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) 2 Protocol: Traveling Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 10 0.1 mile(s) http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25729047 6 species November 7, 2015 Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) 2 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 20 Today begins our field work for the Cuban Bird Survey Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral driving to Cabo Corrientes through Guaniguanico, also Pigeon)) 25 known as Cordillera de Guaniguanico, a mountain range of Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 1 western Cuba that spans from the center-west of Pinar del Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2 Río Province to the western area of Artemisa Province, Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 10 approximately 99.4 miles. It is formed by the subranges of http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25729090 Sierra del Rosario and Sierra de los Órganos. Campismo La Chorrera and Che’s cave are located in the Sierra del Hotel Palco, La Habana, Ciudad de La Habana, CU Rosario in Parque Nacional La Guria. The cordillera covers Nov 6, 2015 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM an area from the town Guane, in the west of Pinar del Río Protocol: Traveling Province, to the Alturas de Mariel, near Mariel, in the 2.0 mile(s) Artemisa Province. The two subranges composing it, Sierra de los Órganos (west) and Sierra del Rosario (east), are

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey divided in the middle by the Río San Diego which flows seen along the road close to this stop sitting on the electric through the village of San Diego De Los Banos where we lines. spend one night. The highest peak of this range is the Pan Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 2 de Guajaibón (699 m), located between the municipalities American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 3 one white morph of Bahía Honda and La Palma. (source: wikipedia) Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 11 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25908194

Pinar del Rio Province, Travel to Maria La Gorda, Pinar del

Río, CU Campismo La Chorrera, La Habana, CU Nov 7, 2015 12:05 PM - 2:25 PM Nov 7, 2015 8:32 AM - 9:27 AM Protocol: Traveling Protocol: Traveling 95.0 mile(s) 0.3 mile(s) Comments: This leg of the trip took us from Las Comments: Campismo La Chorrera was our first stop of Barrigonas Paladar to Sandino, Cuba along the the trip to find some endemic species on our travels to Autopista. We found one Red-tailed Hawk and a few western Cuba, the Guaniguanico Mountains and finally to other species as we traveled to Maria La Gorda. The trip Cabo Corrientes Maria La Gorda hotel. We had luck with wanders through the Pino de Rio countryside where the Cuban Green Woodpecker on this stop, Cuban Oriole and best tobacco in the world is grown and harvested each Cuban Grassquit, our target species at this year. Tobacco drying barns can be seen dotting the location. Several years ago we found out that this location has a resident population of Cuban Grassquit making it an landscape but the tobacco was harvested many months ideal location for birds as we make our way to Maria La ago. Gorda on the western peninsula. 10 species 13 species Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 5 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 345 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 150 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 100 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 10 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 7 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 2 Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 3 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 15 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 white morph American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 2 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 2 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 6 Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) 2 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S2590838 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 4 Travel from Sandino to Guanahacabibes National Park, Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 2 Pinar del Río, CU http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25908056 Nov 7, 2015 2:28 PM - 3:45 PM Las Barrigonas Paladar, Km 122, Autopista Nacional #694, Protocol: Traveling Pinar del Río, CU 35.0 mile(s) Nov 7, 2015 11:03 AM - 12:03 PM Comments: We have traveled from Sandino to the Protocol: Traveling outskirts of Guanahacabibes National Park and our final 0.1 mile(s) destination of Maria La Gorda hotel on Bahia de 6 species Corrientes. We stopped at a lake near Manuel Lazo, a few wetland habitats and driving along the road to Maria La Great Egret (Ardea alba) 10 Gorda. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 250 12 species Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 320 These were Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 2 Vireo close by Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) 4 These were found in the Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 seen and heard well by reservoir near the town of Manuel Lazo were we made a the group short stop Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 one of my favorites for Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 their unique and interesting calls. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 4 Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 2 Dark, with white Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 seen and heard flank stripe and red bill and forehead shield cat-calling Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) 1 A distinctive rufous Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1 brown body and black neck with a yellow forehead shield Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2 and bill Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 5 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 5 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 1 Seen by several Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 in the group. Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1 Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1 distinctive Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 26 white outer tail feather seen flying in open fields. Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 6 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 4 Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) 3 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25908597 Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) 3 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 5 PN Peninsula de Guanahacabibes --Cabo Corrientes, Pinar Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 3 del Río, CU http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25910991 Nov 7, 2015 5:21 PM - 6:06 PM Protocol: Traveling November 8, 2015 0.4 mile(s) PN Peninsula de Guanahacabibes--Cabo Corrientes, Pinar Comments: Maria La Gorda Hotel birding after arriving del Río, CU this afternoon. The weather was perfect. The group birded Nov 8, 2015 8:10 AM - 8:25 AM behind or east of the hotel in the low semi-deciduous Protocol: Stationary forests that one finds on three sides of the hotel. Many Comments: We found Plain Pigeon sitting in a deciduous good birds to start our trip on Cabo Corrientes. We found tree just outside of the Maria La Gorda compound at the a good variety of species during a short walk. start of our first full day in Park Nacional Guanahacabibes. 26 species 5 species Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4 these birds remain during our stay. Here is one photo of a beautiful bird Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 a nice found in the parking lot flyby Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 5 the post in the Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) 1 water are a good place to find these birds roosting Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 1 Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa) 5 several Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 10 bird took off from the tree top behind the generator Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) 1 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25951270 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 2 Cabo San Antonio, travel to Caleta Del Piojo, Pinar del American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 white morph Río, CU Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 2 very nice Nov 8, 2015 10:49 AM - 11:15 AM looks at this small yellowish bellied empid Protocol: Traveling Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 4 12.0 mile(s) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 1 seen by all. An Comments: The birds recorded in this list were seen immature bird with a dark eye but compared to a Cuban Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey along the road to Caleta del Piojo from El Verraco. The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 2 stretch of beach is referred to a La Barca, home to nesting Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1 sea turtles. Woodland and mangroves cover much of the Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1 landscape, providing important habitat for a range of Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1 species. Over 170 species of birds have been reported Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2 here, along with deer, wild pigs, and iguanas. The Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 2 landscape changes to exposed limestone cliffs rising 20 Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) 2 meters above the Caribbean Sea where we found Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) 45 marooned ship called the Union Express on the shore. 15 species View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25932754 Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) 2 Cabo San Antonio, Caleta Del Piojo, Pinar del Río, CU Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 5 Nov 8, 2015 11:27 AM - 12:12 PM Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 7 Protocol: Traveling Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1 0.2 mile(s) Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 Comments: Caleta del Piojo is an interesting wetland Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 7 habitat near the tip of Cabo San Antonio. This stop White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 2 produced Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, endemic Giant Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) 7 Kingbird, and a host of water birds. A Peregrine Falcon Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 passed overhead and we were treated to an excellent Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 1 observation of a Bee Hummingbird female. Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) 2 24 species American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 3

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 2 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 8 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 5 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3 Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) 18 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 4 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25950683 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 2 Cabo San Antonio, El Verraco, Pinar del Río, CU Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 4 Nov 8, 2015 8:50 AM - 10:50 AM Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 Protocol: Traveling American Coot (Fulica americana) 4 1.0 mile(s) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2 22 species Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) 2 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 6 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1 Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) 1 Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 2 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) 1 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1 Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) 2 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 1 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 3 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 2 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 2 Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis) 1 This was an Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 1 excellent find by Michael alerting Arturo we get the scope Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 on this bird sitting at the top of a deciduous tree about Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1 600 feet away. In the scope it was very discernable and an Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 excellent find for the morning. White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 2 serripennis) 3 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 8 La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 9 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 5 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1 Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 3 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 2 Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 12 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25951047 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26068735

Maria La Gorda American Flamingo, Pinar del Río, CU La Bajada Lagoon, Nov 8 2015, Pinar del Río, CU Nov 8, 2015 3:25 PM - 3:40 PM Nov 8, 2015 5:20 PM - 5:50 PM Protocol: Stationary Protocol: Stationary Comments: We located 3 American Flamingo as we Comments: Our last stop of the day at the La Bajada drove to pick up Osmani, our local guide. This is a rare bird lagoon where we had a delightful introduction to some of for this location and we were told that these are possibly the water birds of Guanahacabibes Peninsula. the first photo record for this species on the western tip in 13 species the National Park. 4 species West Indian Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) 23 Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1 one was seen well in the mix. American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 3 These White wing patch and speckled rump while dabbling. birds were observed as we drove from Maria La Gorda Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 125 along the shore road towards the northern end of the Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 4 Bahia Corrientes. According to the Park staff biologist Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 1 female Osmani, that these are the first photographs of Flamingo Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus) 5 on the shores of the Bahia. They have been loosely Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 recorded by children seeing flying birds. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 5 Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 4 Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 American Coot (Fulica americana) 51 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 5 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25811291 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 1 Estacion ecologica Guanahacabibes Endemic Trail, Pinar http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26068993 del Río, CU Nov 8, 2015 4:00 PM - 5:05 PM November 9, 2015 Protocol: Traveling PN Peninsula de Guanahacabibes--Cabo Corrientes, Pinar 1.0 mile(s) del Río, CU Comments: Caribbean Conservation Trust Cuba Bird Nov 9, 2015 6:45 AM - 7:45 AM Survey field trip to La Bajada station where we walked Protocol: Traveling along the forest trail before departing to the Lagoon. 0.2 mile(s) 10 species Comments: This list represents birds seen by members

of the Cuba Bird Survey which are recorded. Three Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) 1 This bird was Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) were reported by John and calling loudly and continuously as it was being mobbed by Paul near their hotel room. The remaining birds were seen a Cuban Green Woodpecker. as we traveled to La Bajada. Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 1 7 species Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 1

Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax percussus) 1 an amazing encounter with Cuban Green auritus) 1 found along the shore road to La Bajada. chasing a Cuban Pygmy Owl Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1 17 species Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 6 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) 10 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia) 1 one bird Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) 3 described by John and crossed in front of the group and seen by a few people Paul. Both have seen them during the past birding trips Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 4 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26071853 Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 3 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 3 La Bajada Lagoon, Nov 9 2015, Pinar del Río, CU West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Nov 9, 2015 8:28 AM - 8:58 AM Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 2 Protocol: Traveling Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1 9.0 mile(s) Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 4 Comments: drive to La Bajada Lagoon for another try at Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 water birds. A Merlin flies over the pond than departs. Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 2 One Yellow-crowned Night Heron added to the list with Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 good looks at Least Grebe, West Indian Woodpecker, and Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2 Northern Waterthrush. Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2 13 species Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 5

Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) 5 West Indian Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) 2 arborea) 22 counted and continuing birds seen http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26069415 yesterday. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 2 PN Guanahacabibes La Bajada Gate House, Pinar del Río, Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus) 5 Continuing birds CU from yesterday Nov 9, 2015 10:17 AM - 10:47 AM Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Protocol: Traveling auritus) 1 this bird was seen on the ocean side not the 0.1 mile(s) lagoon Comments: Today we stopped by the gate house to chase Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 after a possible Mangrove Cuckoo which did not Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) 1 materialize but we did find a great number of Warblers White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 5 continuing birds from and other forest species. yesterday 14 species Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 5 American Coot (Fulica americana) 51 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 1 Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 1 Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 1 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 1 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26069231 Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) 1 Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1 Camino de Hoyo de Palmar Sendero #705 Nov 9 2015, Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 1 everyone Pinar del Río, CU had good observations through the trees Nov 9, 2015 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1 Protocol: Traveling Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 5 0.8 mile(s) Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 3 Comments: Today we hiked along the Camino de Hoyo Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 3 de Palmar Sendero which is a semi-deciduous coastal Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) 2 forest rich with endemics and forest birds. Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 2 Cueva de los Portales, Pinar del Río, CU http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26069550 Nov 10, 2015 8:21 AM - 9:49 AM Protocol: Traveling PN Peninsula de Guanahacabibes--Cabo Corrientes, Pinar 0.2 mile(s) del Río, CU Comments: This stop allows the group an opportunity to Nov 9, 2015 10:50 AM - 11:20 AM hear the ethereal call of Cuban Solitaire, see hundreds of Protocol: Traveling Turkey Vultures and a plethora of Mogote forest species. 0.15 mile(s) 25 species Comments: This is the last list for Maria La Gorda as we finish up an excellent experience in Parque Nacional Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 200 Peninsula de Guanahacabibes. Several good photos were Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) 1 seen flying taken of Cuban Vireo and Cape May Warbler. with many TV 12 species Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 4

Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 1 when we first Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 arrived at the camp. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 1 Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) 1 calling from inside Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4 Continuing birds on the the cave area grounds. Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 3 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 6 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 1 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 1 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 2 Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 1 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 3 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 1 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 4 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 2 Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 4 Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) 1 heard Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 Cuban Solitaire (Myadestes elisabeth) 4 The tail Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 3 feathers on this roosting bird are reminiscent of Cuban http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26069648 Trogon, almost curled November 10, 2015 Travel to Zapata Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 3 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 3 Hacienda Cortina, Pinar del Río, CU American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1 Nov 10, 2015 7:59 AM - 8:19 AM Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 Protocol: Traveling Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2 8.0 mile(s) Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1 Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) 10 a 8 species mixture of males and females well seen in the scope Red legs and some males with purple still visible on their body. Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 3 Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) 2 White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 1 Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) 4 Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) 2 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 4 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 3 Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 2 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26034523 Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) 1 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 2 Parque Nacional La Guida Los Pinos cabins #710, Pinar Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 1 del Río, CU http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26034365 Nov 10, 2015 10:03 AM - 10:28 AM Protocol: Traveling 0.1 mile(s) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Comments: Our stop for target species, Olive-capped we could not attract this bird Warbler (Setophaga pityophila) which is found in this over- Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 1 cut Pine forest along the Hacienda Cortina Road. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26045474 4 species 6 VIAS Reservoir Travel to Zapata #713 Nov 10 2015, La

Habana, CU Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 1 Nov 10, 2015 2:49 PM - 3:17 PM White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 1 Protocol: Stationary Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) 1 Comments: This is a birding pit stop. Today numbers of Olive-capped Warbler (Setophaga pityophila) 8 Several ducks are low compared to other years. were found immediately in the Pinus tropicalis Morelet (Pino blanco; Pino hembra) 8 species http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26041772 Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 25 Pinar del Río, Travel to Zapata Nov 10 2015, Pinar del Río, Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 150 CU Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 17 Nov 10, 2015 12:30 PM - 1:18 PM Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 10 Protocol: Traveling Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1 15.0 mile(s) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1

Great Egret (Ardea alba) 17 7 species American Coot (Fulica americana) 120

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26045641 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 5 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 Matanzas Province, Travel to Zapata Nov 10 2015, Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 50 Matanzas, CU Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 9 Nov 10, 2015 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1 Protocol: Traveling Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 60.0 mile(s) Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 1 Comments: A Red-tailed Hawk turned us around briefly as http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26045270 Arturo saw it sitting in a Palm next to the road. Everyone was hoping for a Gundlach's Hawk. Campismo La Chorrera, La Habana, CU 6 species Nov 10, 2015 1:18 PM - 2:00 PM

Protocol: Traveling Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 0.2 mile(s) Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 Comments: Target species is Cuban Grassquit for the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 200 folks who missed it and Fernandina's Flicker. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 200 11 species Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 Photos show this

bird to be an adult. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 12 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 4 Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26045780 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 1 November 11, 2015 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 2 Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1 Refugio de Fauna Bermeja, Matanzas, CU Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 Nov 11, 2015 6:22 AM - 10:07 AM Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1 Protocol: Traveling Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) 6 5.0 mile(s) Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) 1 Male heard well but Comments: This is a long list of good birds for our trip Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey including Quail Dove, Cuban Parrot and Parakeet, Bare- Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 5 legged Owl and many others Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 11 40 species http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26006267

La Cuchilla Cienaga de Zapata #718 Nov 11 2015, Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 20 Matanzas, CU Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 25 Nov 11, 2015 10:28 AM - 10:58 AM Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1 Protocol: Traveling Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1 found in the 0.1 mile(s) back wetland habitat Comments: Orlando, our local guide, had seen Red- Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1 same shouldered Blackbirds here yesterday. We also made a wetland as spotted stop for Fernandina's Flicker, another endemic on our list Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 4 to see. RSBB was found first located by call than seen well Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) 1 flying to a roost where we managed a few photographs. Ruddy Quail-Dove (Geotrygon montana) 1 10 species Gray-fronted Quail-Dove (Geotrygon caniceps) 2

Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia) 1 Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) 1 This low slow Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) 5 kukkukkuukku much like a Black-billed Cuckoo. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1 heard well Bare-legged Owl (Margarobyas lawrencii) 3 Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) 1 heard only but well by Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) 1 myself and Arturo Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 2 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 3 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 1 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 6 Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 3 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 3 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2 white morph one West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 2 seen well in the scope by several in Michael's scope Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 white morph Red-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius assimilis) 4 Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala) 3 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26028693 Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops) 60 This large flock of Cuban Parakeets spends time at this location. There have Caleta Buena/Playa Giron #719 Nov 11 2015, Matanzas, been larger flocks at this location and it is a stronghold for CU this species... thank goodness. Nov 11, 2015 11:46 AM - 1:46 PM Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 2 Protocol: Traveling La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) 1 0.2 mile(s) Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 Comments: Caleta Buena. The temperature was easily Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 3 90F, very dry and thorny around this location today. The Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) 1 water was a pleasant 80's with cold spurts of fresh water Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1 welling in from the land springs. Cave Swallows were Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 4 present, a Little Blue Heron was fishing on the reef and a Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 5 few other species were discovered on the grounds. American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 3 11 species Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 5 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 12 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 2 Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 2 Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) 3 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 1 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 1 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 1 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 heard well on a walk, Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 3 seen briefly West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) 15 The chestnut Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 seen well by forehead-patch and pale throat with numerous rictal everyone flying over the palms and at time landing bristles important for catching prey. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 1 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 18 Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26028959 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26029229

Sopillar, Matanzas, CU November 12, 2015 Nov 11, 2015 4:40 PM - 5:12 PM Zapata--La Turba, Matanzas, CU Protocol: Traveling Nov 12, 2015 6:06 AM - 9:50 AM 0.3 mile(s) Protocol: Traveling Comments: Sopillar searching for Fernandina's Flicker in 6.0 mile(s) two somewhat flooded open fields and savanna. We find Comments: The Zapata Wren was seen by only a few Cuban Parrots during our first stop which were seen well people today. Everyone heard its complicated song. Many and photographed. water birds, Warblers and other great birds were seen on 11 species this walk including Cuban Sparrow.

33 species Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 3 three white Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) 2 heard well at La Turba morph Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 5 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 30 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 5 White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 1 see photo. Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) 1 fly by for Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) 1 heard well by the group people in front of the group. Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 4 Sora (Porzana carolina) 2 both birds were heard Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 9 Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) 3 heard well by American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2 white morph many in the group Arturo and I heard these as well Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala) 4 Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 2 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 these birds were heard Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6 squawking and calling White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) 5 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 1 Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 2 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26029136 Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) 4 Sopillar, Matanzas, CU Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 5 Nov 11, 2015 5:31 PM - 6:00 PM Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 Protocol: Traveling Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 2 0.1 mile(s) Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) 1 Comments: Open fields and palm tree scattered in this Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 savanna for Fernandina's Flicker. We located two Jacana West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 and a Cuban Oriole. Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 3 11 species Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 4 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 3 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) 2 Zapata Wren (Ferminia cerverai) 2 one seen one heard Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 2 perfect locations for Northern Jacana. The rufous body, Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 black neck and throat and the brilliant yellow bill and Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 4 shield make this one of the most beautiful marshland birds Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 2 in Cuba. Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) 2 noveboracensis) 11 most all of these were heard Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 6 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) 2 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 3 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 1 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 2 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 3 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1 What a beautiful Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) 5 woodpecker captured in the forest of Sopillar as we Zapata Sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) 3 searched for Fernandina's Flicker. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25995927 Fernandina's Flicker (Colaptes fernandinae) 2 one seen one heard Criadero de Cocodrilos, Matanzas, CU La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) 1 heard only Nov 12, 2015 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 Protocol: Traveling Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 0.1 mile(s) Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) 1 Comments: This was a quick stop for ice cream and a Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 1 This bird is a new couple of Common Gallinule species for me in Cuba. This was only the 3rd time the 3 species Arturo Kirkconnell has seen this bird during a Caribbean

Conservation Trust birding trip and my first time. This Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 6 Thrush had distinctive malar strips, heavy dark speckling Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 2 on its chest and belly. It was found in the forest of Sopillar Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 1 as we searched the forest for Fernandina´s Flicker....which http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25995743 we later found. This is a confirmed sighting. Sopillar, Matanzas, CU Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 Nov 12, 2015 10:51 AM - 1:10 PM Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 Protocol: Traveling Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1 4.0 mile(s) Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) 7 Comments: Wood Thrush is a new species in Cuba for Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) 1 This female Summer me and a new trip bird. Today's Wood Thrush was found Tanager is a medium-sized, chunky songbird with big body foraging on the ground in a semi-deciduous forest and large head. She has a large, thick, blunt-tipped bill. commonly found here in Sopillar. The typical climate here which she was using to capture flies and other insects. is tropical with a three to six-month dry season and http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25809569 between 1000 to 1600 mm of annual rainfall. Perfect habitat for the Wood Thrush found today. One of our target birds today was Fernandina's Flicker Tiki Bahia de Cochinos Nov 12 2015, Matanzas, CU which we eventually located. A small number of people in Nov 12, 2015 3:36 PM - 4:36 PM our group saw this endemic woodpecker but everyone Protocol: Stationary heard its emphatic and continuous call. A summer Tanager Comments: A lunch break late in the day before we female was located frantically foraging in the mid-canopy. head off to La Salina. 19 species 7 species

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 3 flyby Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) 3 The fields around Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) 1 Sopillar are flooded from all the recent rains and are Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 2 PN Cienaga de Zapata--Las Salinas, Matanzas, CU Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1 Nov 12, 2015 5:11 PM - 5:36 PM Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 Protocol: Traveling Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1 0.15 mile(s) Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 20 Comments: field trip to La Salina. Our final stop. Clapper http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25996229 Rail, and other good water birds fill out our list for the day. 14 species Sendero Salina de Brito La Salina Stop 1, Matanzas, CU

Nov 12, 2015 4:04 PM - 4:24 PM American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 5 Protocol: Stationary Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) 1 seen flying to the north of Comments: This is our first stop along the road to La the station. Salina. The water is very high at the moment and this is Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 3 clearly having an effect on the number of birds we are Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2 seeing and the species diversity. Perhaps the highest water Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) 1 I have personally seen here. There has been a great deal of White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 1 rain and we hit a high tide as well. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2 7 species Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 3

Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) 2 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 2 ruber) 329 counted birds in our field of view. Willet (Tringa semipalmata) 2 Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) 6 Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 5 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 11 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 4 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 3 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 1 White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 7 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26006041 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 7 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 2 November 13, 2015 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25996297 Hotel Playa Larga, Matanzas, CU Sendero Salina de Brito La Salina Stop 2 Nov 12 2015, Nov 13, 2015 6:10 AM - 6:50 AM Matanzas, CU Protocol: Traveling Nov 12, 2015 5:11 PM - 5:31 PM 0.3 mile(s) Protocol: Stationary Comments: Michael birded the grounds of Playa Larga Comments: Our second stop along the road to La Salina. before breakfast as the sun was rising. The platforms along the road are excellent for scanning 18 species the flats and salt marshes. 8 species Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 4 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) 1 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 45 White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 14 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 12 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 white morph Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) 3 Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 2 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 one white morph Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 2 Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala) 4 Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 7 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) 2 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 3 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 3 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25996440 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 4 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 10 birding on Cayo Coco. It is only my second LBBG around Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) 5 this location. A medium size gray/black backed gull with Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 8 yellow legs and dark feathering around the eye. Bill yellow Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 298 with red spot near tip of lower mandible. The first LBBG Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 1 recorded here was spending most of its time near and http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25817142 around the Cayo Romano bridge and had a broken foot. Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 1 Criadero de Cocodrilos, Matanzas, CU Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 Nov 13, 2015 8:35 AM Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 1 photos taken and will Protocol: Incidental add later. Comments: This was a gas stop where we all had Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 15 excellent observations of the red morph American Kestrel. Oriente Warbler (Teretistris fornsi) 5 1 species Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) 1

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25816939 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 The sun was perfect to capture the images below. The red Cayo Coco--causeway, Ciego de Ávila, CU morphology of American Kestrel is thought to be found Nov 13, 2015 2:45 PM - 3:05 PM only on Cuba where there is both a white and red Protocol: Traveling morphology uniquely Cuban. (F. s. dominicensis) 9.0 mile(s) http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25981547 Comments: These are birds seen as we crossed to Cayo Coco Rio Azul Palador Nov 13 2015, Sancti Spíritus, CU 11 species Nov 13, 2015 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Protocol: Stationary American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 9 Comments: Caribbean Conservation Trust lunch stop on Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 66 our way to Cayo Coco. There are a few birds found in a Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 3 short stop after lunch. The best pork in Cuba. Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3 4 species Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 20

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 3 Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) 1 After Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 18 some phishing I found this bird first hearing it than seeing Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 22 it above the river chipping Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 4 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1 Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) 1 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 15 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 5 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25817066 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25981478 November 14, 2015

Cayo Coco, Ciego de Ávila, CU Cayo Coco Lesser Black-backed Gull, Ciego de Ávila, CU Nov 14, 2015 6:30 AM - 6:54 AM Nov 13, 2015 3:49 PM - 4:19 PM Protocol: Traveling Protocol: Stationary 8.0 mile(s) Comments: Lesser Black backed Gull found at this Comments: Travel to Cayo Paredon Grande. These are location. This is only the second record for me on Cayo birds seen along the transect to Cayo Romano. Coco. Photos will be added after my return. 13 species 7 species

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 1 This Lesser Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 2 Black-backed Gull was found at this location as we started Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 1 perfect. Sunny, 80F and a slight breeze from the east north Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 5 east. Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 38 species Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 1 Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 7 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 25 Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 1 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) 2 decaocto) 25 these birds were seen sitting on wires and Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) 1 white morph other structures in the locals temporary shelters Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 3 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2 Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 This bird Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor) 1 seen well flying sat on a branch and allowed us to approach very close over the road before flying off . Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 3 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 5 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 10 Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 3 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25978763 Willet (Tringa semipalmated) 1 one eastern Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 2 greenish legs and Cayo Romano, Ciego de Ávila, CU small peep Nov 14, 2015 6:54 AM - 7:19 AM Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 3 Protocol: Traveling Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 1 calling 6.75 mile(s) Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor) 2 heard by Comments: Target species for the morning were Thick- everyone not seen billed Vireo and Cuban Gnatcatcher. The birds in this Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 report were counted as we traversed Cayo Romano to the Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) 4 bridge on Cayo Paredon Grande. Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 11 species American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 3

Merlin (Falco columbarius) 2 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 3 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) 2 Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) 2 first of the trip La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) 1 A great White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 18 one flock of 15 and opportunity to see the detail of La Sagra's three individual birds. Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) 6 Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 2 Cuban Gnatcatcher (Polioptila lembeyei) 2 Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 8 a Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 small flock near the road across from the new facility on Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 2 Cayo Romano. Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2 Willet (Tringa semipalmata) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 2 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 7 Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 3 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2 Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 3 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25978700 Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1 Cayo Paredon Grande, Ciego de Ávila, CU Oriente Warbler (Teretistris fornsi) 2 Nov 14, 2015 7:09 AM - 9:09 AM Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) 4 Protocol: Traveling Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) 3 0.7 mile(s) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) 2 Comments: This was our only stop on CPG for Thick- Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 5 billed Vireo and Cuban Gnatcatcher. The weather was Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) 1 0.3 mile(s) http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25824166 Comments: Our stop this morning took us to Cayo Guillermo and the entrance to Playa Pilar where we were Las Coloradas Playa, Ciego de Ávila, CU searching for Bahama Mockingbird. The sad thing is that Nov 14, 2015 10:47 AM - 11:22 AM two hotels are being built in this location and there is a Protocol: Traveling good chance that the combination of all this activity and 0.15 mile(s) the rainy windy weather had a negative effect on our Comments: We happened to hit a high tide this morning ability to locate Bahama Mockingbird. We saw several so the species count was a little low. Piping Plover was not Northern Mockingbirds which are competing for territory found at this time. and will add to the demise of the Bahama Mockingbird. 6 species 14 species

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 2 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 5 Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 1 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 6 Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 2 Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) 1 Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 36 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 Sanderling (Calidris alba) 63 These were counted birds Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 along the shoreline Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) 4 Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 3 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 15 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25978354 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 2 November 15, 2015 La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) 1 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) 1 The Travel to Cayo Guillermo Nov 15 2015, Ciego de Ávila, CU orange crown patch of Loggerhead Kingbird was seen this Nov 15, 2015 6:30 AM - 6:55 AM morning and depicted in the photos below. Protocol: Traveling Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) 2 7.0 mile(s) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 5 Comments: This morning’s weather was threatening rain Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 10 and steady high winds from the northeast cause issues for Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 6 birding. We did manage to pick up 3 Limpkin at the old http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25968446 Cayo Coco airport. 10 species Hotel Meliá, Cayo Guillermo, Ciego de Ávila, CU Nov 15, 2015 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) 1 Protocol: Traveling Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1 0.2 mile(s) Great Egret (Ardea alba) 5 Comments: We stopped here to find Brown Booby but Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1 the weather was not cooperating. High winds from the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 1 northeast and the threat of rain ended our quest but we Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2 did manage to have some excellent observations of a Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) 1 ridgewayi Osprey and a few photos before the sprinkles Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) 3 These birds were found started. near the roads edge at the old Cayo Coco airport 7 species White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) 1 Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 3 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25968534 Osprey(Pandion haliaetus ridgewayi) 1 as the group left the hotel grounds PN Cayo Guillermo, Ciego de Ávila, CU Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 64 Nov 15, 2015 7:06 AM - 7:41 AM Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 6 Protocol: Traveling Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) 1 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 4 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25968267 Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 Hotel Sol Cayo Coco/Melia Nov 15 2015, Ciego de Ávila, Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 4 CU Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 5 Nov 15, 2015 10:40 AM - 10:55 AM http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25967974 Protocol: Traveling 0.2 mile(s) Cayo Coco--causeway, Ciego de Ávila, CU Comments: We stopped at this location and walked Nov 15, 2015 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM along the western side of Sol Cayo Coco where there are Protocol: Traveling very productive Mangrove thickets for Clapper Rail. We 17.0 kilometer(s) found three and some hidden views. Comments: This was our final trip across the Cayo Coco 6 species causeway and fortunately we found our only Roseate Spoonbill flying from east to west over Bahia Perro. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 2 10 species Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) 3 a few decent views and one bird that started climbing up the bank before Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) 4 scurrying back to the cover of the Mangroves. Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 38 Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 4 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 2 Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 10 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 40 on the south and north http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25968111 end of the causeway not in the middle. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) 1 one beautiful pink Cayo Coco Lagoon Nov 15 2015, Ciego de Ávila, CU bird flew across our field of view and onto our checklist as Nov 15, 2015 10:02 AM - 10:27 AM number 154. Protocol: Traveling Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 8 0.2 mile(s) Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 8 Comments: This lagoon is a very productive location for a Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 4 diversity of avian species especially water birds and http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25956538 warblers. 18 species Travel to Moron Nov 15 2015, Ciego de Ávila, CU Nov 15, 2015 2:25PM - 2:53 PM West Indian Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) 6 Protocol: Traveling Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 30 15.0 mile(s) Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 4 Comments: Birds seen and counted from the Cayo Coco Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 30 causeway to Moron. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 28 8 species Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 1 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 45 all of these birds were Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 10 camped out at the Moron fish ponds. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 25 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 115 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1 Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral noveboracensis) 1 Compare the buffy flanks of NOWT Pigeon)) 25 to Louisiana which is much whiter Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) 3 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 4 Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala) 10 one flock Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey seen as we drove along the highway near Moron. 0.1 mile(s) Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 125 This may be Comments: Our visit to Che's memorial was cut short by an under count as we saw many Cuban Blackbirds rain but not before we saw a few birds. 3 species gathering together just outside of the city of Moron'. This is a high Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 flyby Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 5 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25956926 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 8 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25956400 November 16, 2015 Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro, Ciudad de La Hotel La Granita, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, CU Habana, CU Nov 16, 2015 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM Nov 16, 2015 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM Protocol: Traveling Protocol: Traveling 0.5 mile(s) 10.0 mile(s) Comments: This morning we walked around the Comments: Caribbean Conservation Trust Cuban Bird compound looking for last minute birds and enjoying our Survey final bird list for our trip from Santa Clara. These final moments in the field. It was a glorious Cuban blue sky birds were close to this location and are reported here as morning with Antillean Palm Swifts and a few Cuban birds seen in Havana province during the last leg of this Blackbirds flitting about. Early this morning we had a journey. Limpkin calling but we missed our Barn Owl due to a rainy 11 species evening.

16 species Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1

Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) 5 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 10 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 15 Mourning Dove (Caribbean) (Zenaida macroura Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) 2 both birds heard calling macroura) 1 through the evening. The only member of the Aramus Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 37 genus, these birds are typically seen foraging around the American Kestrel (Cuban) (Falco sparverius La Granita. sparverioides) 1 white morph Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 2 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 1 Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 1 Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 2 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) 30 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 5 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) 2 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) 1 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 15 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 4 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26306785 Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2 Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) 4 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) 12 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) 20 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 16 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25956330

Memorial Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, CU Nov 16, 2015 9:20 AM - 9:35 AM Protocol: Traveling Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) Maria La Gorda

Caribbean Conservation Trust Cuba Bird Survey: Species Totals

Report Details

Total # of Species: 154 Date range: Nov 6 to 17, 2015 Total # of 57 Checklists:

Location(s): 6 VIAS Reservoir Travel to Zapata #713 Nov 10 2015; Cabo San Antonio, Caleta Del Piojo; Cabo San Antonio, El Verraco; Cabo San Antonio, travel to Caleta Del Piojo; Caleta Buena/Playa Giron #719 Nov 11 2015; Camino de Hoyo de Palmar Sendero #705 Nov 9 2015; Campismo La Chorrera; Cayo Coco; Cayo Coco #737 22.26803/ -78.17374 Lesser Black-backed Gull; Cayo Coco Sewage Lagoon #746 22.31249/ -78.27556 Nov 15 2015; Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cayo Coco--causeway; Cayo Paredon Grande; Cayo Romano; Criadero de Cocodrilos; Cueva de los Portales; Estacion ecologica Guanahacabibes Endemic Trail; Hacienda Cortina; Hotel La Granita, Santa Clara; Hotel Meliá, Cayo Guillermo; Hotel Nacional de Cuba; Hotel Palco, La Habana; Hotel Playa Larga; Hotel Sol Cayo Coco/Melia Nov 15 2015; La Bajada Lagoon, Nov 8 2015; La Bajada Lagoon, Nov 9 2015; La Cuchilla Cienaga de Zapata #718 Nov 11 2015; Las Barrigonas Paladar, Km 122, Autopista Nacional #694; Las Coloradas Playa; Maria La Gorda American Flamingo; Matanzas Province, Travel to Zapata Nov 10 2015; Memorial Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara, Santa Clara; PN Cayo Guillermo; PN Cienaga de Zapata--Las Salinas; PN Guanahacabibes La Bajada Gate House; PN Peninsula de Guanahacabibes--Cabo Corrientes; Parque Nacional La Guida Los Pinos cabins #710; Pinar del Rio Province, Travel to Maria La Gorda; Pinar del Río, Travel to Zapata Nov 10 2015; Refugio de Fauna Bermeja; Rio Azul Palador Nov 13 2015; Sendero Salina de Brito La Salina Stop 1; Sendero Salina de Brito La Salina Stop 2 Nov 12 2015; Sopillar; Tiki Bahia de Cochinos Nov 12 2015; Travel from Sandino to Guanahacabibes National Park ,; Travel to Cayo Guillermo Nov 15 2015; Travel to Moron' Nov 15 2015; Zapata--La Turba

Summary Nov Nov Nov Nov

1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20

Number of Species -- 107 122 17 = 154

Number of Individuals -- 3,362 2,705 125 = 6192

Number of Checklists -- 26 29 2 = 57

Total Number of Birds (sample size)

Nov Nov Nov Species Name 6-10 11-15 16-20

45 6 West Indian Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) -- (2) (1)

1 Gadwall (Anas strepera) -- -- (1)

133 35 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) -- (2) (2)

6 4 Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) -- (2) (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

25 Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) -- -- (1)

150 Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) -- -- (1)

18 Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) -- -- (2)

10 Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus) -- -- (2)

10 Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) -- -- (1)

3 422 American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) -- (1) (7)

4 6 Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) -- (2) (3)

8 Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) -- -- (3)

5 105 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) -- (4) (3)

4 1 Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) -- (1) (1)

2 16 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) -- (2) (9)

3 Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) -- -- (2)

4 5 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) -- (4) (3)

38 83 Great Egret (Ardea alba) -- (7) (9)

12 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) -- -- (5) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

5 32 Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) -- (4) (7)

1 3 Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) -- (1) (2)

7 Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) -- -- (3)

601 209 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) -- (5) (5)

2 6 1 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) (2) (4) (1)

5 Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) -- -- (1)

1 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) -- (1) (1)

10 42 White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) -- (2) (6)

1 Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) -- -- (1)

961 86 15 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) (11) (11) (1)

4 Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) -- -- (3)

1 Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) -- -- (1)

1 Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) -- -- (1)

3 11 Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) -- (3) (7)

1 Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) -- -- (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

2 1 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) -- (2) (1)

5 Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) -- -- (2)

2 Sora (Porzana carolina) -- -- (1)

3 Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) -- -- (1)

8 35 Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) -- (3) (4)

226 American Coot (Fulica americana) -- -- (4)

5 2 Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) -- (3) (1)

8 46 Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) -- (3) (2)

2 Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) -- -- (2)

10 Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) -- -- (2)

4 Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) -- -- (1)

12 23 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) -- (4) (6)

1 5 Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) -- (1) (2)

1 Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) -- -- (1)

16 Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) -- -- (4) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

4 Willet (Tringa semipalmata) -- -- (3)

27 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) -- -- (2)

55 Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) -- -- (3)

88 Sanderling (Calidris alba) -- -- (2)

4 Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) -- -- (2)

101 Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) -- -- (4)

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) -- -- (1)

1 12 Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) -- (1) (2)

5 29 Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) -- (1) (7)

25 25 Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) -- (1) (1)

5 Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa) -- -- (1)

10 6 White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) -- (1) (2)

1 Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) -- -- (1)

25 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) -- (1) (1)

19 9 1 Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) (5) (4) (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

1 Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) -- -- (1)

1 Ruddy Quail-Dove (Geotrygon montana) -- -- (1)

2 Gray-fronted Quail-Dove (Geotrygon caniceps) -- -- (1)

1 1 Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia) -- (1) (1)

3 White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) -- -- (2)

11 9 Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) -- (3) (2)

333 13 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) -- (5) (5)

3 Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor) -- -- (2)

9 13 Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) -- (6) (6)

21 26 Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) -- (7) (6)

3 Bare-legged Owl (Margarobyas lawrencii) -- -- (1)

3 2 Cuban Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium siju) -- (3) (2)

41 5 30 Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) (5) (2) (1)

5 Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) -- -- (3)

11 8 2 Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) (6) (5) (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

9 7 Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) -- (5) (2)

8 5 Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) -- (4) (2)

7 11 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) -- (5) (4)

11 9 West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) -- (8) (6)

2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) -- -- (1)

9 5 Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) -- (6) (2)

1 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) -- -- (1)

2 Fernandina's Flicker (Colaptes fernandinae) -- -- (1)

15 Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) -- -- (9)

13 14 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) -- (8) (8)

4 6 Merlin (Falco columbarius) -- (4) (4)

1 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) -- -- (1)

21 Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala) -- -- (4)

60 Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops) -- -- (1) Commented [1]: Made a comment

5 Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) -- -- (4) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

3 11 Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) -- (3) (5)

1 4 La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) -- (1) (4)

13 3 Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) -- (7) (3)

1 Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis) -- -- (1)

4 White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) -- -- (3)

6 Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) -- -- (1)

14 9 Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) -- (7) (6)

3 2 Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) -- (3) (2)

16 6 Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) -- (5) (3)

3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) -- -- (1)

8 3 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) -- (1) (1)

15 Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) -- -- (1)

2 Zapata Wren (Ferminia cerverai) -- -- (1)

1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) -- -- (1)

2 Cuban Gnatcatcher (Polioptila lembeyei) -- -- (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

4 Cuban Solitaire (Myadestes elisabeth) -- -- (1)

1 Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) -- -- (1)

13 6 1 Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) (5) (2) (1)

2 3 Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) -- (2) (3)

19 12 4 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) (6) (4) (1)

1 7 1 Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) (1) (2) (1)

2 1 Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) -- (1) (1)

4 13 Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) -- (3) (3)

6 2 Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) -- (4) (1)

2 Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) -- -- (2)

2 14 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) -- (2) (5)

1 Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) -- -- (1)

9 11 American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) -- (4) (5)

10 3 Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) -- (3) (1)

24 9 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) -- (9) (5) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

1 1 Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) -- (1) (1)

1 Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) -- -- (1)

5 10 2 Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) (3) (6) (1)

73 58 3 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) (10) (7) (2)

8 Olive-capped Warbler (Setophaga pityophila) -- -- (1)

3 6 4 Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) (1) (2) (1)

2 Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) -- -- (2)

8 2 Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) -- (4) (2)

1 Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) -- -- (1)

25 12 Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae) -- (4) (2)

7 Oriente Warbler (Teretistris fornsi) -- -- (2)

12 Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) -- -- (2)

3 Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) -- -- (1)

9 Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) -- -- (3)

21 5 Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) -- (2) (1) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

10 5 Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) -- (3) (2)

9 3 Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) -- (4) (1)

3 Zapata Sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) -- -- (1)

1 1 Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) -- (1) (1)

3 Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) -- -- (1)

2 2 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) -- (1) (1)

2 Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) -- -- (1)

4 Red-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius assimilis) -- -- (1)

2 3 Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) -- (1) (1)

1 Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) -- -- (1)

43 141 20 Cuban Blackbird (Dives atroviolaceus) (7) (6) (2)

10 398 20 Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) (4) (13) (1)

12 3 Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) -- (5) (3)

6 16 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) -- (1) (1)

45 Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) -- -- (1)

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Bibliography:

Birdlife International: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/eba

Craves, J.A. and Kimberly, H.R. Notable Bird Sightings from Cuba, Winters 2002 and 2003. Spring 2003 Journal of Caribbean Ornithology Vol. 16 No.1

Niles Navarro, 2015 Endemic Birds of Cuba. A comprehensive Field Guide. Ediciones Nuevos Mundos

Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell, 2000 Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Cornell Un. Press

Wallace et.al. 1996 Winter Surveys of Forest-dwelling Neotropical Migrant and Resident Birds in Three Regions of Cuba. The Condor 98: 745-768

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuba Bird Survey Avian Photography by Michael J. Good, MS

DAY 1 November 7 2015 Travel to Cabo Corrientes

Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) Campismo Chorrera

Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) Campismo La Chorrera Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

The love of a Father and Son at Los Barrigonas Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Bill sitting in a carved Barrigonas Palm

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 2 November 8, 2015 PN Guanahacabibes

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Maria La Gorda

Anartia jatrophae Munroe, 1942 White Peacock Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) Campismo Chorrera West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris)

West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) Maria La Gorda Cuba Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Great Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini merlini) Maria La Gorda

DAY 3 November 9, 2015 Peninsula de Guanahacabibes

Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) El Verraco Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) Maria La Gorda

Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) El Verraco

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea ) female Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) El Verraco

Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus)

Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) Caleta del Piojo Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium siju) PN Guanahacabibes Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) Guanahacabibes

Cuban crow (Corvus nasicus) Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 4 November 9, 2015 La Bajada

Yellow-crowned Night-heron La Bajada Lagoon

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) Maria La Gorda

Endemic Bee Maria La Gorda Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Pewee ( Contopus virens)

Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Black-throated Green Warbler ( Setophaga virens) Bahia Corrientes La Bajada gate house

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Bahia Corrientes La Bajada gate house Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)

Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) La Bajada gate house Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) Maria La Gorda Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) Maria La Gorda Cabo Corrientes Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 5 November 10, 2015 Comandante Che Guevara

Cuban Solitaire (Myadestes elisabeth) Parque Nacional La Guira Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Olive-capped Warbler (Setophaga pityophila) Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)

Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) Campismo La Chorrera Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Black and White Warbler ( Mniotilta varia) Monotypic La Chorrera

Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) Campismo La Chorrera Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Old Fords and Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 6 November 11 2015 Zapata

Blue-headed Quail Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) Tawny-shouldered blackbird (Agelaius humeralis)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Bermejas Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Bare-legged Owl (Margarobyas lawrencii) monotypic Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) Caleta Buena

Curly-tailed Lizard Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) Caleta Buena Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) Caleta Buena

Cuban or Rose-throated Parrot (Amazona leucocephala Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 7 November 12 2015 La Turba

Zapata or Cuban Sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) La Turba Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Zapata or Cuban Sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) La Turba

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

The Zapata Cienaga from La Turba

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) La Boca

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) top Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (Sphyrapicus varius) female Sopillar Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) female Sopillar

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) Sopillar, Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) Cuban Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium siju) La Turba

DAY 8 November 13 2015 Playa Larga Travel Day

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) Rio Azul Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Cuban red race La Boca Cienaga de Zapata Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) Cayo Coco 1st stop

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Lesser Black-backed Gull on Cayo Coco

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus graellsii) Cayo Coco #737 22.26803 -78.17374 Nov 13 2015

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 9 November 14 2015 Cayo Paredon Grande

Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) Cayo Paredon Grande Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Cuban Gnatcatcher (Polioptila lembeyei) Cayo Paredon Grande

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) eastern Cayo Paredon Grande Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) Cayo Paredon Grande

Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) Cayo Paredon Grande Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) Cayo Paredon Grande Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) Cayo Paredon Grande Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Sanderling (Calidris alba) Playa Las Coloradas Cayo Coco

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Playa Las Coloradas Cayo Coco Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Playa Las Coloradas Cayo Coco Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Playa Las Coloradas Cayo Coco Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Key West Quail Dove (Geotrygon chrysia) Cueva Jabali Cayo Coco Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Key West Quail Dove ( Geotrygon chrysia) Cueva Jabali Cayo Coco Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Ruddy Quail Dove (Geotrygon montana) Cueva Jabali Cayo Coco

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) Cueva Jabali Cayo Coco Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) DAY 10 November 15 2015 Cayo Guillermo

Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) Cayo Guillermo Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi) Hotel Meliá, Cayo Guillermo Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) Cayo Coco Lagoon #746

Black-throated Blue Warbler ( Setophaga caerulescens ) Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

The dirty flanks of Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) Cayo Coco Lagoon #746 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) Cayo Coco Lagoon #746 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) Cayo Coco Lagoon #746 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) Cayo Coco Lagoon #746 Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

DAY 11 November 16 2015 Havana

Café Taberna Musicians Habana Viejo Hasta Siempre Che’ Guevara Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Baseball Diplomacy John Bellmon San Francisco hat exchange Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Diplomacy of Earnest Hemingway from a seat in La Bodeguita

El Morro with threatening skies from the Malecón

Caribbean Conservation Trust November 6-17, 2015 Cuba Bird Survey

Rare glimpse of elusive rail

Painting by Allan Brooks By Martin Fowlie, Mon, 02/03/2015 - 15:34 An ornithological search-team have caught a glimpse of one of the world’s most threatened water birds, the Critically Endangered Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai. The sighting is the first documented in more than four decades and offers hope to conservationists working to ensure its survival. First described in the early twentieth century, the only nest ever found was reported by ornithologist James Bond -a name appropriated by Ian Fleming (himself a birder) for 007- although even this report is considered doubtful. Little has since been discovered about its behavior and breeding ecology. Hopes were fading that viable populations of the Cuban water bird remained. The fleeting encounter, now made public, occurred in November 2014. After a series of coordinated surveys of south-west Cuba’s Zapata Swamp, ornithologists (including Andy Mitchell and staff from the Cuban Museum of Natural History) struck gold only after deciding to cut thin strips (rides) into the sawgrass to momentarily expose the secretive birds as they moved through the wetland. “In the first instance, the head protruded from the sawgrass at the side of the ride,” recounted Andy Mitchell. “After a few seconds the bird emerged slowly into the open, stopped for a few seconds before moving off into the sawgrass on the other side of the ride.” Now rediscovered, conservation efforts for Zapata Rail will target the wetland in which it was spotted, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area covering 530,695 ha of wetland in southern Matanzas province. A new project management plan will be developed to assess the species’ current population size, distribution and status. The sighting is the latest victory in Bird Life’s Preventing Extinctions Program, which aims to halt extinctions through rigorous science and practical conservation delivered by a range of partners on the ground.