Greater Antilles

A Greentours Itinerary

Days 1 - 3 Jamaica – The Blue Mountains & Strawberry Hill

An almost unprecedented one hundred and ten endemic of are expected to be recorded on this ambitious tour of all the Greater Antillean islands. Incredibly all the World’s Tody species should be encountered on just one trip and these delicately beautiful provide the inspiration for a tour that abounds with a host beautiful and often very rare birds, butterflies and reptiles. The five islands offer remarkably contrasting cultures as well as sublime scenery, from the misty Blue Mountains of Jamaica, to the swamps of Cuba’s Zapata peninsula and ’s forested mountains.

We start in Jamaica, where the island’s capital belies its sometimes awkward reputation by showing us a sunny persona of leafy suburbs abutting the blue . Behind the city is the impressive outline of the Blue Mountains and we’ll head straight for this famous landscape. Coral Vine is prominent along our route, and Cloudless Sulphurs and Julia butterflies flit across the road. As we rise into the hills red Achimenes erecta dominates roadsides whilst the yellow sprays of flowering Logwood illuminate the forest. Arriving at the stunning Strawberry Hills we’ll soon settle in. The impressive swallowtail Papilio andraemon flies round the garden almost the same size as the diminutive regional endemic Vervain Hummingbird, and the unusual Jamaican Owl is found at night close to the lodge. There are no less than twenty-eight bird species found only on Jamaica and several of them are really very beautiful birds, the two Streamertail hummingbirds perhaps the finest. The fantastic Red-billed Streamertail frequents the garden, and indeed is quite common in suitable everywhere. It is a gorgeous bird, the shimmering green plumage offset by the brilliant red beak, the two tail feathers streaming far beyond the rest of the tail. Nearby streams fall through broadleaf forests in pretty waterfalls as we admire Greater Antillean Bullfinch, Jamaican Oriole, and Bananaquit, whilst noisy Olive-throated Parakeets fly overhead

We’ll walk through Shola-like forests where the forest floor is dotted with John Crow Noses! For he (John Crow that is!) of the mountains is also commemorated in the local name of this strange root-parasite, scientifically Scybalium jamaicense, a member of the Balanophoraceae. Jamaican Woodpeckers noisily comment on our progress as Arrowhead Warblers flit through the boughs. Then our eyes suddenly focus on something brilliant perched on a low bough. The Jamaican Tody is a small bird, but a stunningly coloured one, the reds and greens clear and bright. Once found they are often confiding and allow close approach for photography. Almost as bright is the anole lizard, Anolis garmani, and of a similar hue is the impressively large and common Malachite butterfly. Terrestrial orchids with sprays of yellow flowers decorate the track edge where we’ll find some fine butterflies such as the Antillean Mapwing and the endemic swallowtail Papilio

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thersites. Large fruiting trees attract White-eyed Thrushes, Jamaican Euphonia, Orangequit, and Jamaican Spindalis.

The strangely-named settlement of Section, to the north of Hardwar Gap, is the most productive and well-known area for birds in the Blue Mountains. Here the upland forest is draped with many lichens and bromeliads, ferns and orchids (none in flower). Tree Ferns are prominent and varied, with some eighteen species in the area, whilst the alien ginger Hedychium gardnerianum dominates roadsides. The Antilles is home to some spectacular cuckoos, and here we’ll be introduced to two of them, the Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo and the even more impressive Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo. Begonias flower alongside the path with the gentian Lisianthus latifolius which has attractive tubular yellow flowers. Piper aduncum and the climbing bamboo Chusquea abietifolia scramble over Conostegias, Mecraniums, Merianias and Miconias, all members of the Melastomataceae. This is one of the best places to see the elusive and unobtrusive Jamaican Blackbird, an that forages in bromelaids and along mossy trunks.

Days 4 & 5 Jamaica – Ecclesdown Road & Port Antonio

Chirping Eleutherodactylus frogs provide the soundtrack to evenings at Goblin Hill, our base for exploring Jamiaca’s east coast. Navy Island sits offshore of Port Antonio, and this pretty town is surrounded by lush gardens, plantations and forest edge. Offshore is some great snorkelling and you’ll have as much opportunity to get your masks and fins on as you wish. The waters are clear and there’s good coral and a rich assortment of fish here. Back on land Zebra Heliconids flutter about the gardens of our hotel and we’ll see birds such as Rufous-tailed Flycatcher and Jamaican Elaenia. Greater Antillean Grackles are frequent and we’ll soon be introduced to the gorgeous Black-billed Streamertail, which replaces its red-billed cousin this far east.

The Eastern slopes of the John Crow Mountains still have much fine forest, here and there decorated with aliens such as Spathodea campanulata and Breadfruit. The Eccelsdown Road allows relatively undisturbed access to much fine habitat. Endemic Yellow-billed and Black-billed Parrots fly backwards and forwards. Quail- Doves are some of the region’s most sought after and difficult to see endemics as they are both very beautiful and very shy birds, so we’ll need to be quiet to stand a chance of seeing them. Here it is the neatly coiffured Crested Quail-Dove that we seek, a predominantly grey bird, with purplish wings, and a small crest. Male Jamaican Becards sing their lovely song as we watch Ring-tailed Pigeon and Greater Antillean Bullfinch.

Day 6 Jamaica – Hellshire Hills & Morgan’s Harbour

We drive along the coast towards Kingston, passing small harbours thronging with Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls. The distinctive silhouettes of Magnificent Frigatebirds are ever above us, and Short-billed Anis abundant along

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the roads. Inland of Kingston lie the Hellshire Hills, an arid peninsula of dry cactus scrub. Jamaican Mangos visit the flowering cacti. The striking bright green dragonfly Erythemis vesiculosa is quite common and there are many butterflies, notably the vivid Anaea portia, striking on the upperside, with cryptic undersides that blend very well with the branches on which they settle. We’ll look for the scarce regional endemic Bahama Mockingbird before moving on to Morgan’s Harbour in Port Royal. In a famous scene in Dr. No, James Bond is attacked by a tarantula in one of the rooms at this hotel. The book contains many scenes of Jamaica, the views of Port Royal, the road between there and the airport, and Morgan’s Harbour, as they were fifty years ago. There is of course the birding connection, that Ian Fleming took the name James Bond from the author of ‘Birds of the West Indies’.

Day 7 Grand Cayman to Havana

The flight to Grand Cayman passes over Cockpit Country giving fine views across the extensive verdant karst landscape of hills and holes! Then it is across the blue waters of the Caribbean to George Town on Grand Cayman. Cayman, a British overseas territory, is a well-known financial centre, and George Town a very popular cruise ship port. Grand Cayman is the largest of the three islands, fringed by fine reefs and beautiful beaches, with extensive undisturbed mangroves and scrub. We have just under three hours on Cayman, but that will be enough time to find Vitelline Warbler, endemic to Cayman and to Honduras’s Swan Islands. It is just minutes from the pleasant little airport to the strange mixed pine and mangrove flats where the endemic form of the Andraemon Swallowtail will also be on the agenda, often called the Cayman Swallowtail. We’ll return to the airport for the second leg of our journey across more clear blue Caribbean to Havana. Soon islets will appear, then Isla de la Juventud, to the south of the Cuban mainland, said to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’. Striking in the Cuban landscape are the many large circular agricultural fields. Once clear of airport formalities we’ll follow the convoluted route to our base for the next five nights, on the shore of the Bay of Pigs.

Days 8 - 10 Cuba – Zapata

Though the hotel which we stay in is nothing special it is superbly positioned to explore the wildlife wealth of Zapata, and its extensive grounds harbour plenty of fine species. Rose-throated Parrots, a beautiful species of Amazona, look fantastic in the early morning light whilst flowering Mahoe trees harbour warblers such as Palm, Prairie, Yellow-throated, Black-throated Blue, and Black-throated Green. Greater Lizard Cuckoos call as we wander past Hibiscus tiliaceus to a line of Sea Grape fringing the Bay of Pigs shore where we might see the striking red, black, and cream Geocarcinus ruricola, an endemic crab. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers work the palm trunks, and we’ll find the lovely Cuban Emerald. Careful examination of the shrubberies should reveal the beautifully marked Cuban Tree

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Frog. Offshore the reefs are close by and we’ll be able to accommodate plenty of snorkelling opportunities into our daily programme.

Moving further afield we’ll soon find Cuba’s national bird, the Cuban , the blue, red and white in its plumage (which is also green and black), being the colours of Cuba’s flag. In open pastures butterflies such as White Peacocks are incredibly abundant and there are many of both Soldier and Queen around the asclepiads here. One of New World’s most potent avian symbols is the Bee Hummingbird, famous as the smallest bird in the world. This little powerhouse will be buzzing between flowers as it nectars furiously. Adelpha iphicla and Malachite will catch our eye as we watch the endemic Yellow-headed Warbler, a subtly beautiful species, and uncommon Fernandina’s Flicker. The butterflies are noticeable and varied with species such as Calisto herophile, Anaea cubana, Historis odius, and the impressive Prepona amphitoe or Silver King, all common. The attractive tall pink-flowered terrestrial orchid Bletia purpurea flowers along roadsides with yellow-flowered Triumfettas and as we enter wetter ground we’ll find ourselves amongst magnificent stands of Cuban Royal Palms. La Salina’s extensive salt pans, lagoons and mangrove swamps is home to the endemic Cuban Black Hawk, and the Cuban Green Woodpecker can be seen in the mangroves. Northern Caracaras, Ospreys and Northern Harriers patrol the lagoons. We’ll see lots of herons and egrets, notably Little Blue Heron, Tricoloured Heron and Reddish Egret as well as White Ibis, Wood Stork and beautiful Roseate Spoonbills. Prehistoric looking Anhingas perch on open snags whilst Royal and Caspian Terns fish over the pools. With luck we’ll see Clapper Rail and certainly a good assortment of New World waders and ducks. Three birds bear the name of the Zapata Peninsula, all endemic, and all difficult to see. We are unlikely to encounter the elusive Zapata Rail however both Zapata Wren and the local race of Zapata Sparrow should be seen. In the same sawgrass we’ll look for Cuban Nightjar.

Woodlands at Bermejas hold many of Cuba’s most sought after birds. A treat will be the delightful Cuban Tody, showing more extensive pinkish sides to the breast than the Jamaican species. Four quail dove species include Key West Quail Dove and the lovely Blue-headed Quail-Dove. Both Cuban Pygmy Owl and Bare- legged Owl are likely to be seen during our daylight visits. White-crowned Pigeons are conspicuous in trees draped with impressive bromeliads and we’ll seek La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Red-legged Thrush, West Indian Woodpecker, Cuban Bullfinch and Western Spindalis. We’ll also look for the now scarce Cuban Parakeet and the elusive Gundlach’s Hawk.

Day 11 Cuba – Havana

We’ll travel back to Havana in the morning and spend the afternoon exploring the old town. Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most distinctive cities on the planet. The imposing walls of the fort, San Carlos de la Cabaňa, dominate the waterside close to our hotel. Cobbled plazas, colonial buildings, churches, plazas, and parks provide continual interest.

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Days 12 - 16 The Dominican Republic – Barahona, Rabo de Gato & the Sierra de Bahoruco

For much of our flight the landscapes of Cuba will pass by below, and then we’ll see Jamaica again off to our right as the Hispaniolan coast comes into view. Deforested contrasts strongly with the densely forested Dominican Republic side of the border. We’ll head for Barahona, a bustling coastal town, and into the country beyond where we’ll settle into the lovely Rancho Platon for a four night stay. At dawn Palmchats were active in the trees outside my room. One of the first birds we’ll see in the grounds of the hotel in the morning will be the Palmchat, endemic to and representing an endemic family, the Dulidae. A stocky streaky species, its affinities are uncertain although the family is usually classified close to the waxwings. It forms noisy and conspicuous flocks that feed with the black, olive and grey Black-crowned Palm-Tanager on fruiting trees in the garden. The Dominican Republic is a great place for butterflies and lanes close by our hotel are alive with them, the ageratum common on roadsides attracting various hairstreaks, Florida White, Aphrissa statira, and the stunning Lycorea ceres, a beautiful tiger-patterned danaid. The superb Papilio machaonides, a fine large swallowtail, flies gracefully up and down the tracks. Sea Plum, Coral Vine, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis and many weedy Asteraceae provide a wealth of nectar sources for these butterflies – the skippers are many and varied - we’ll encounter Common Long-tail Skipper, Aguna Skipper, Haitian Burca Skipper, Common Dusky Wing, Haitian Dusky Wing, Dolores Skipper, Three-spot Skipper, Striped Skipper, and Sugar Cane Skipper, as well as impressive Great Tawny Skipper. Grey Crackers disappear onto tree trunks as the powerful Orion flashes its orange-marked uppers as it whizzes by. Photographers will be hoping the impressive Prepona amphitoe opens its wings and shows its mesmerising metallic blue bands.

A level track takes us into the beautiful forest of the peaceful Sierra de Bahoruco close by the Haitian border. Noisy endemic Hispaniolan Parrots will keep us busy and we’ll see the now scarce Hispaniolan Parakeet. Hispaniola is the only island to host two todys, and we’ll see both Broad-billed Tody and Narrow-billed Tody in this exceptional forest. Blue-capped Antillean Euphonias feed in mistletoes above the todys. Male Purple Emperors (Doxocopa thoe), all shimmering purple, certainly give their European namesakes a run for their money in the beauty stakes. Zebra and Julia are as usual common, and we’ll see the Fiery Sulphur, Cuban Crescent Spot and the diminutive Antillea pelops, which as the name suggests represents an endemic Antillean . We’ll meet the Silver King and the Cuban Dagger, no, not part of the cast of the Pirates of the Caribbean, but two rather striking nymphalid butterflies! Shy White-fronted Quail-Doves frequent the tracks and Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo are frequently seen. Shimmering green Hispaniolan Emeralds nectar on trackside flowers, and we’ll see Hispaniolan Woodpeckers, Hispaniolan Oriole and the Antillean Siskin. Anole lizards are numerous, among them a greenish lichenose species, whilst dragonflies include a fine powder-blue species.

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Moving higher into the Zapoten area the forest changes character and becomes more montane with delicate endemic Calisto butterflies, the sister Adelpha gelania, and hopefully the clearwing Greta diaphana. Hispaniolan Trogon is rather common and we’ll look for the rare Golden Swallow, a name that promises so much…. actually it is a beautiful little swallow, and really very uncommon, but the moniker is not really a good one! The scarce Bay-breasted Cuckoo is found in this area, although this difficult species is far from guaranteed, nor is a sighting of the Rhinoceros Iguana, a magnificent reptile, their head shape eerily reminiscent of a rhino! Other species in this fantastic area include Flat-billed Vireo, Greater Antillean Elaenia, Green-tailed Ground-Tanager, Hispaniolan Highland Tanager, Hispaniolan Spindalis, and Hispaniolan Crossbill, as well as the cute little Antillean Piculet.

There is some excellent snorkelling near Barahona in the Bahia de Neiba with the possibility of swimming amongst Manatees. Many waterbirds are found at the extensive Lago Enriquillo, including flocks of Flamingoes, and in the trees are both White-necked Crow and Hispaniolan Palm Crow. On our last afternoon in the Dominican Republic we’ll make our way back to the capital, Santo Domingo, and the Hotel Embajador. The grounds are renowned for the large Hispaniolan Parakeet roost, by dusk this is truly remarkable sight as thousands gather in trees outside the hotel.

Days 17 & 18 Puerto Rico - Guanica State Forest

It is just a forty minute flight over yet more blue Caribbean dotted with forested islets to the island of Puerto Rico. The tropical dry coastal forest at Guanica is protected as a UNESCO site due to the significance of this rare habitat. A beautiful coast route takes us along lushly vegetated narrow lanes through coastal scrub. The vegetation here is wonderfully different, the Gumbo Limbo trees with distinctive peeling bark, a lovely purple-flowered shrub with spiky spherical fruits and large branched cacti. It is another cactus though that takes the plaudits here, the extraordinary Turk’s Cap Cactus, its barrel body surmounted by the strange ‘turk’s cap’. We should see its beautiful carmine blooms too.

It is fantastic to report that Puerto Rican Todies may be the most frequently encountered bird this morning! We’ll see Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoos and Puerto Rican Woodpeckers, Puerto Rican Flycatcher and a good number of Puerto Rican Bullfinch. Adelaide’s Warbler and the hummingbird, Antillean Mango, are two more endemic birds we’ll encounter. The gorgeous Florida Purplewing is not uncommon, and other butterflies include Byblis hyperia and the tailed blue Pseudochrysops bornoi. We’ll spend some time after dusk here, looking for Puerto Rican Screech Owl and Puerto Rican Nightjar. The latter was known from a single specimen taken in 1888, until it was rediscovered in 1961. They call after dusk all along one particular track.

Though only an hour from Guanica, Maricao State Forest offers a complete contrast with beautiful epiphyte laden montane forest. The Puerto Rican Tody

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though seems happy enough in both forest types! The Elfin Wood Warbler is found here as well as Green Mango and Puerto Rican Vireo. The native orchid Vanilla claviculata scrambles over trackside banks, the pretty endemic satyrid butterfly Calisto nubile fluttering amongst it.

Days 19 - 21 Puerto Rico - El Yunque & Bioluminescent Bay

En route across the island we’ll visit the small coastal lakes and mixed forest of Humacao Wildlife Refuge which supports some fine water fowl such as White- cheeked Pintail, Ruddy Duck and Caribbean Coot. The prettily-marked skink Ameiva exsul is common in the undergrowth as are impressively large Green Iguanas, introduced here.

We’ll settle in to the Fajardo Inn around lunchtime, time enough to enjoy two Lesser Antillean hummingbird species, Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green- throated Carib. In the afternoon we start our exploration of El Yunque National Forest. This is the only tropical forest in the US Department of Agriculture’s Forestry system. The road into the park is lined with Impatiens, and the luxuriant vegetation is made up of a wealth of tree ferns, ferns, palms and many epiphytes. There are Orchids and Begonias, and of course, endemic birds. We’ll see lovely Puerto Rican Emerald, Puerto Rican Spindalis, , Puerto Rican Tanager, and Puerto Rican Bullfinch, all easily seen and very approachable. We’ll reach an impressive lookout tower that provides fine views of the densely forested slopes. The dwarfed trees are covered in epiphytes, perfect habitat for Elfin Woods Warbler, one of the most local of the Puerto Rican endemic birds. It creeps like a treecreeper through the mosses, lichens and ferns that festoon the branches. Remarkably this species was not discovered until 1971, and it is a scarce and local species, especially threatened because of the limited extent of its habitat. The other bird for which El Yunque is particularly important is the Puerto Rican Parrot, one of the world’s rarest and most endangered birds. In 1975 numbers had dropped to a mere thirteen. Now increased somewhat due to intensive management and captive breeding programmes, there are a few wild birds in El Yunque. The chances of seeing this very special endemic are low, but certainly there is a small chance from one of several viewpoints across the wooded valleys here. Even if we fail we’ll surely see Scaly-naped Pigeon and the elegantly attired Red-legged Thrush.

The Fajardo area offers some excellent snorkelling opportunities, with beautiful reefs not far from shore and accessible by boat from close to the hotel. This will be an option on the tour, instead of a forest visit or two, and can easily be fitted in to the itinerary here. This is also an excellent place to witness the phenomenon of bioluminescent dinoflagellates on an evening boat trip amid the phosphorescent waters of Bioluminescent Bay.

We depart Puerto Rico around lunchtime on Day 21.

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Day 22 Arrive UK/Europe

Call 01298 83563 or visit www.greentours.co.uk for the latest trip report from our previous tours to the Greater Antilles. If you would like to ask about any other aspect of this holiday, please call 01298 83563 or email us at [email protected].

To Book a on this Holiday please fill in the booking form which you can download from www.greentours.co.uk (also found in the Greentours brochure) and post/fax to Greentours, Leigh Cottage, Gauledge Lane, Longnor, Buxton SK17 0PA, UK. Tel/Fax +44 (0)1298 83563. After booking your place you’ll receive a confirmation letter and a detailed information pack will be dispatched twelve weeks prior to departure. Flower, bird and butterfly checklists are available.

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