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The Birds of Puerto Rico

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The Birds of Puerto Rico The Birds of Puerto Rico Naturetrek Tour Report 2nd – 10th March 2020 Puerto Rican Tody Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo Loggerhead Kingbird Mangrove Cuckoo Report by Paul Tucker, images by Allen Worgan, Robin Duska and Paul Tucker Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Birds of Puerto Rico Tour participants: Gabriel Lugo (leader), Paul Tucker (Naturetrek) with nine Naturetrek clients Day 1 Monday 2nd March It was an early start for those of us travelling from UK on this inaugural trip to Puerto Rico. We needed to check in on time for our 8.50 Virgin Atlantic Airbus 350-1000 flight to New York's JFK airport where we transferred to Delta's flight to San Juan. In comparison to the prolonged immigration procedure at JFK, we waltzed through Baggage Reclaim at San Juan and, if we had not already met, soon became acquainted with the rest of our party before meeting our local guide, Gabriel Lugo, who whisked us off to Old San Juan’s Sheraton Hotel. Tom and Kristine from USA were in reception waiting to say 'Hello!’ It had been a long day! Day 2 Tuesday 3rd March Even so, the four hours difference between UK and PR times made it relatively easy for us to be up for breakfast at 6am, to meet Meret and Robin also from USA, and to load up our 12-seater bus at 6.45. After spotting Caribbean Martins wheeling overhead as we loaded the bus and some squabbling Greater Antillean Grackles on the road in front of us, we headed west on PR2 while, it seemed, thousands of commuters were heading east into San Juan. Cave Swallows were seen from the bus and, after a short journey, we stopped in a service station where Gabriel reckoned that we would see our first good list of birds. He was correct, as we soon ticked off White-winged, Common Ground and Zenaida Doves, Red-legged Thrush, more grackles and Shiny Cowbirds, and both male and female Puerto Rican Spindalis – the male looking resplendent in the low, still early morning sunshine. Having read the notes in our itineraries, we knew much about the importance and what to expect when we entered the karst region: holding the most extensive forest canopy cover on the island; harbouring the richest biodiversity in Puerto Rico, with more than 1,300 species of plants and animals found here; being prime habitat for most of the native and endemic species of wildlife, including 30 federally listed threatened and endangered species. We headed to Barceloneta and to Gabriel’s favourite ‘secret’ location – so important to him that he requested any e-birders not to divulge the exact location. Within minutes of stepping off the bus, we had spotted White-headed and Scaly-naped Pigeons, good views of Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Puerto Rican Flycatcher and Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo and, for some, one of the highlights of the entire trip, lovely close-up views of Adelaide’s Warbler – what a beautiful bird. Adelaide’s Warbler © Naturetrek July 20 1 The Birds of Puerto Rico Tour Report A short ride further to Arecibo took us to another of Gabriel’s secret places where we stopped at the top of a hill on a narrow lane. The search for an elusive Northern Parula was called off when shouts from Gabriel took us to good views of our first Puerto Rican Vireo. A little further on, we stopped by a pond which, according to Gabriel, may or may not have had anything good, but we were rewarded with West Indian Whistling Duck, Least and Pied-billed Grebes, Green, Great and Little Blue Herons, Bronze Mannikin and nice but distant views of Yellow-faced Grassquit. After lunch, a quick stop at Arecibo beach produced our first Brown Pelicans and Royal Terns and another pond stop at Camuny produced Blue-winged Teal, White-cheeked Pintail, hundreds of Black-necked Stilts and Glossy Ibis, African Collared Doves and hunting Peregrine and Merlin. A stop on the cliffs at Quedrabillas gave us views out to sea and three White-tailed Tropicbirds. By late afternoon, we reached our hotel at Hatillo and, for this participant, a cool swim in the pool. In temperatures between 80 and 90°F, it had been an eventful birding day. By the end of the trip, we will have listed 105 species. With Puerto Rican Oriole and Puerta Rican Bullfinch, 56 of those had been seen on our first day! Day 3 Wednesday 4th March It was a cloudy day with plenty of sun also but some showers and, after breakfast in a local bakery, we moved to Cambalache Forest Reserve. We soon saw terrific views of Puerto Rican Tody, probably the bird that all of us wanted to see most and, at the end of the trip, it was voted ‘favourite bird’. There was one other particular bird on Gabriel’s mind, and it took some patience to find it as we walked very steadily and quietly along a track through the forest. At quite a distance ahead of us, we saw it as it moved shyly away from us. There was also an Ovenbird which was a first, but the bird that was top of the list was Key West Quail-Dove. Stealthily, we moved closer, but the bird stayed well ahead. Then, all of a sudden, another was right next to us, flew alongside and over the track giving us hardly a glimpse. As we got back on our bus and just moving out of the reserve, a few Smooth-billed Anis were seen on the grass. Another treat awaited and, for some another highlight, when Gabriel took us to Utuado and the home of his friends, Pepe and Fela. This was an amazing place. Pepe and Fela have created their own private mini reserve with a veranda overlooking a wooded garden that slopes away and with sugar liquid feeders scattered around. There are also feeders placed around the veranda. Bananaquits (of course) were plentiful but we really wanted to see the hummingbirds and were not disappointed: Green Mangos abounded and Puerto Rican Emeralds, though fewer, gave us close-up opportunities to see the differences between the two, especially in size. Pep’s and Fela’s hospitality was superb with soft drinks, coffee and biscuits and we were all just so absorbed in this wonderful haven. Green Mango Puerto Rican Emerald 2 © Naturetrek July 20 The Birds of Puerto Rico Tour Report During the afternoon, we reached our next overnight destination, the wonderfully and atmospherically named Hacienda Juanita. We settled in very quickly with time enough to wander around the gardens. Pearly-eyed Thrasher was a new tick for the trip followed by Antillean Euphonia and, down in the valley below us, a large flock of the introduced Orange-cheeked Waxbills. A male American Kestrel amused(?) and fascinated us as it perched in a tree very close by and, bit-by-bit, tore apart and devoured a lizard. After dark, dinner was taken al fresco and we all then went the short distance in the grounds where we did not have a long wait to find the Puerto Rican Screech Owl which eyed us curiously but remained non- perturbed by our presence. Puerto Rican Screech Owl Day 4 Thursday 5th March After breakfast in a local bakery in Maricao, we had a short drive to a road-side pull-in, an Área Natural Protegida, where we saw two similar birds that gave us a great opportunity to see the differences. The endemic Elfin Woods Warbler showed well, and we were reminded that this species was first observed in 1968 by Cameron and Angela Kepler while they were conducting observations on Puerto Rican Parrot and Puerto Rican Tody. On May 18, 1971, a specimen was captured in El Yunque National Forest. A year later Kepler and Parkes described and named the species making it the most recent addition to the large and familiar genus Setophaga. It was the first species described in the Caribbean since 1927 and the first Puerto Rican species described in the 20th century. The species name, angelae, is a tribute to Angela Kepler. Reinita de Bosque Enano (little queen of the dwarf forest) is the Spanish name. Close by, we found the similar Black-and-white Warbler displaying its habit of climbing on tree trunks similar to our European Treecreepers. Puerto Rican Tanager was another nice species to add to the list before we paid a quick visit to the Visitor Centre but were a bit disappointed that the local Sharp-shinned Hawk was not around. Not to worry, there was plenty more to see today. We drove on towards the Cabo Rojo salt flats but, just out of the corner of his eye, Gabriel saw something that made him stop quickly. Not exactly a housing estate but with houses all around and, flying all over were a flock of Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds. Gabriel had not seen them there before but one of the locals said they were always around and in his garden. A nice and surprising find. Cathryn left us for the afternoon in La Parguera to go diving and the rest of us had an excellent lunch at Rest. El Turrumoto. Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds © Naturetrek July 20 3 The Birds of Puerto Rico Tour Report Driving towards the lighthouse and on the road across the salt flats, we parked up at Bosque Estatal de Boqueron Area Natural Los Morrillos – El Faro to find the target bird of the area, Caribbean Elaenia, a remarkably nondescript bird but with the two white wing bars differentiating it from the other flycatchers that we had seen.
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