RBT Cuba I Trip Report Cuba Trip Report. Caribbean Endemic Birding I 21 st February to 1 st March 2015 (9 days)

Transcription

1 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Cuba Trip Report Caribbean Endemic Birding I 21 st February to 1 st March 2015 (9 days) Cuban Nightjar by Clayton Burne Trip report compiled by tour leader: Clayton Burne

2 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Our first 2015 Rockjumper tour of Cuba started after a relaxed breakfast. A crew of excited birders jumped onto our huge tour bus and exited Havana heading west towards Pinar del Rio Province. We proceeded all 5 yards before the first 'stop' of the tour; the endemic and attractive sub-species of Red-legged Thrush foraged on the lawn of our hotel. Making our way through rush hour 'traffic', or lack thereof actually, we made another short stop at a roadside lake for some of the commoner waterfowl including Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Ringnecked Duck, Lesser Scaup and Snail Kite. An hour up the road and our real birding adventure began at the communityrun Las Terrazas Biosphere Reserve. Cleared and terraced of all vegetation forty years ago, the entire property has now been reforested to exacting standards, providing good trails and Cuban Tody by Clayton Burne birding habitat. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker started the day's windfall, followed swiftly by Cuban Bullfinch and Cuban Emerald. Cuba's National Bird was the next endemic of the morning, the exquisite lattice tailed Cuban Trogon. La Sagra's Flycatcher, Cuban Pewee and Loggerhead Kingbird sought out the early morning insect activity as we continued our search for endemics. A little effort was needed for a rather uncooperative Cuban Tody that eventually obliged, but we needed far less effort for Yellowheaded Warbler. A short trip to the bar for a welcome drink was in order before moving further into the park. Our quest for the gorgeous Cuban Grassquit had us jumping across a rocky river and walking a birdless trail for half an hour. Persistence paid off when a delightful male descended to the ground for a quick snack. Walk away views of both male and female birds were eventually had! The introduced Red-legged Honeycreeper made it onto the list next, an iridescent male sitting for scope views. The unusually cold weather had not relented, the sun only managing intermittent exposure through the largely grey, overcast skies. We had no sooner sat for a delightful lunch when a West Indian Woodpecker was seen from the table; the vocalising Indian Peafowl would not make it onto the list however. Wood Warblers had been ever-present this morning with variable numbers of Palm, Black-throated Green and Black-and-white Warblers, Northern Parula and American Redstart, most of whom were entering perfect breeding plumage. Exiting Las Terrazas, we headed further west to the town of San Diego de los Banos. After checking in at our hotel, we headed out to the ruined La Güira colonial mansion - though it is currently undergoing restoration. The birding started very slowly, with some improved views of Red-legged Thrush and Cuban Trogon before we saw anything new. Sharp eyes found a single Tawny-shouldered Blackbird partially hidden in the canopy before we added Cuban Blackbird nearby. The last target species of the day was the near endemic Olive-capped Warbler. A tiny grove of pine trees play host to a small flock that responded immediately. Unusually, they remained fairly stolid and allowed excellent views of the bright yellow throats and even their olive caps Cuban Trogon by Clayton Burne

3 RBT Cuba I Trip Report when perched suitably. A very satisfying start to our tour indeed! Our second day started with a relatively early breakfast and a drive to the famous Cuevas de los Portales. The limestone caves once played host to Ernesto Che Guevera during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but these days it is better known for hosting the endemic Cuban Solitaire. First up, we enticed the very cute Cuban Pygmy Owl into a close tree, escorted very closely by a Loggerhead Kingbird. The owl carefully looked us over, but allowed excellent views before retreating to denser scrub. A small flock of Cuban Martin flew overhead, while we watched a feeding pair of Cuban Oriole. We ventured further down the road searching for Cuban Solitaire, where some had a short, but good scope view. Soon enough we entered the forests growing around the cave system and ended up having staggering views of a single Cuban Solitaire, no more than 6 feet from us - perched on an exposed branch! Cuban Solitaire by Clayton Burne A short lakeside stop gave up more common wetland species before we headed back to the hotel for lunch. While most of us sat on the bus awaiting departure, a Great Lizard Cuckoo was found feeding nearby. Everyone was hauled back off the bus to see the bird before we left San Diego de los Banos behind and headed east and then south to Parque Nacional Cienaga de Zapata. We arrived in Playa Larga just after 16:30, enough time to head out to the nearby forests and see what birds we might add. This turned out to be one of the best few hours birding I've ever done in Cuba. We started off with a mixed flock of warblers and some more Great Lizard Cuckoo before both Blue-headed and Grey-fronted Quail-Doves walked across the track in front of us. The Grey-fronted gave much better views than Blue-headed, but it was rather incredible to get both species so early on in the tour. Our local guide then changed gears and started steamrolling the path ahead, our group of ardent birders soldiering along in good spirits. Cuban Crow perched up for easy scope views before we trudged out to a new Bare-legged Screech Owl roost for some up-close-and-personal shots. On a hunch, our local guide then headed off into the surrounding thickets, while we remained in the more open areas. A pair of Cuban Amazon made for fabulous viewing while Tawny-shouldered and a small number of Red-shouldered Blackbirds took to their nearby roosts. Our local guide eventually returned with some good news: the target bird was in position. Without revealing its identity, I lead the troops deeper into the bush. After what felt like a route march, the dwindling light forging us quickly ahead, we came to a stop. There, some 15 yards above us was an adult Stygian Owl! A tricky bird across its entire range, we made sure to enjoy this stunning owl, before we headed back out and into the open areas to search for Cuban Nightjar. Luck was again on our side; a number of individuals perched on the road, one of which allowed us to within 6 feet before flying off to feed. There was still one decent bird in store however: as we returned to the lodge, a pair of Yellow-crowned Night Herons flushed from the road near our accommodation. Cuban Pewee by Clayton Burne

4 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Arising early for breakfast, we departed under the cover of darkness for Santa Tomas - deep in the Zapata Swamp. A rough track on the marsh edge bought us to our first stop where no less than three Zapata Sparrows gave us fantastically close views. Two Red-shouldered Blackbirds flew over our heads, while more trudging along the tricky track only turned up a distantly vocalising Zapata Wren. Returning to the small village, we entered the drier forest to find more Grey-headed Quail-Dove cavorting through the leaf litter. A Wormeating Warbler perched for unusually extended views. The nearby calls of Cuban Parakeet alerted us to their presence, and we were able to get excellent views of a small flock as they fed only a few feet above our eyeline. As the day grew warmer, we headed back to the main road and the small tourist trap of La Boco de Guama. The lure of ice cream was strong, but the prospect of a nesting Fernandina's Flicker irresistible. As it happened, not everyone had made it off the bus when the flicker went into the scope. A male sat on a near horizontal bough, bathing in the sun for us to marvel at. A West Indian Woodpecker rudely interrupted the show by chasing the flicker, who in turn chased the woody Fernandina's Flicker by Clayton Burne back, then bashed away at its nest hole for a short while. We had our fill of this magnificent woodpecker before it departed to the safety of the high canopy for good. Ice creams were now well deserved, the ride back to Playa Larga uneventful. A few afternoon hours were spent along the Salinas de Brito road that runs deep into the southern mangroves. Water levels were unusually high meaning nearby activity was disappointingly low. Nonetheless, we managed a decent list of waders as well as excellent views of our primary target, the endemic Cuban Black Hawk. Massive flocks of distant American Flamingo were complimented by fishing American White Pelican, Reddish Egrets, a few Roseate Spoonbill and a single Wood Stork - a rare resident in Cuba. Cuban Black Hawk by Clayton Burne

5 RBT Cuba I Trip Report An early start saw us heading to the nearby forests of Playa Giron along the Bay of Pigs coastline. A local farmer has been putting birdseed down to attract some of the trickier dove species for some years now. The area has thus become one of the most reliable sites to see Cuba's many quail-dove species. As dawn broke, we were already in position behind a makeshift blind, waiting for the action to start. A number of Zenaida Doves patrolled the wide trail while up to 4 Cuban Trogons called vociferously overhead. The action warmed up a little when a Key West Quail-Dove wandered onto the path some 40 yards away. This was a good start, but the tension mounted slightly as the minutes ticked by without further success. The tension dissipated shortly though, as first one, then a second Bee Hummingbird by Clayton Burne Blue-headed Quail-Dove moved onto the path. They were a little too far away for good photographs, but we enjoyed watching the pair perform a full body 'bounce/dance' while feeding. With the sun rising slowly, we exited the forest and crossed the road to search for another mega endemic, the smallest bird in the world. It took less than seconds to find one, and what a find it was. The very first Bee Hummingbird for most of us was a male in full-blown breeding plumage. He sat and vocalised from an exposed perch, the sun occasionally striking him at the right angle to expose the iridescent red of his crown and gorget. Some morning it was turning out to be! With so much birding time in the bank, we headed further up the road in an attempt to improve in some of our previous sightings. High on the priority list was the Red-shouldered Blackbird, only seen well by some of us. As with the Bee Hummingbird, we had barely made it off the bus when we heard birds vocalising. We stood on the broad, but barely used asphalt road to scan. A number of all-black females could be seen before we picked out a male with large red epaulettes. Further exploration of the roadside turned up some distant Broad-winged Hawks, Cuban Black Hawk and a lone Snail Kite. Cuban Tody was seen well again, as were Fernandina's Flicker and Cuban Green Woodpecker. We had one more target species for the area, so back on the bus we climbed for a short drive. We clambered along a karst limestone trail until we found a pair of Western Spindalis feeding on a small fruiting bush. We were so close to the birds that some were unable to get images of them! Such a successful morning deserved some sort of reward, so we took lunch at an all-inclusive beach side resort nearby. For our afternoon birding we made a trip back to Soplillar. No new species were recorded, but we did improve on our views of Cuban Tody and Yellow-headed Warbler. A long travel day awaited us, but first we had to deal with 'Zapata Wren' pressure. Actually, it was perhaps the little wren than had to deal with the pressure. Over the last few days, over 5 groups and numerous independent birders had Key West Quail-Dove by Clayton Burne

6 RBT Cuba I Trip Report attempted to find the wren without much success. The educated assumption was that a 'dip' was the probable outcome, and with the thick mist hanging over the swamp, my mood hardly improved. Dawn having broken, we found ourselves traversing the narrow access road into a marshy section. Two Cuban Nightjars flew in front of us, seemingly oblivious to the time of day. Putting on my positive face, we exited and started walking the bank listening for the distinctive vocalisation of this distinct little wren. Our local guide had barely taken ten steps when we heard a nearby call. We quick marched the next 50 yards, Western Spindalis by Clayton Burne drawing level with the call and finding a gap amongst the tree lined swamp. Everyone tucked in, forming a neat scrum while we attempted to lure the bird into view. A short response call was heard, the bird was even seen flying towards us by some... then nothing. Our driver heard another wren calling further down the track, so I disappeared to investigate leaving our local guide to carry on the search for the original bird. I missed the successful moment unfortunately, for the vocally unresponsive wren had crept in quietly to the edge of the reedbed allowing for stunning views. High fives all round were the order of the day. Now we would take advantage of our early success and start the long drive east. A few hours later we stopped for a short while in Santa Clara, the imposing statue of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara triumphantly tall above us. We still had many hours to drive, so there was to be no hanging about here. Eventually we reached Finca la Belen in the late afternoon, with just enough time to spend a productive hour on the dry trails. Plain Pigeon had kindly pitched up just before we entered the property, as well as showing fairly well during our walk. Cuban Palm Crow vocalised and walked for us. (Cuban Crow hops, Palm Crow walks). The main purpose of coming to La Belen is to see the endemic Giant Kingbird, but this normally easy bird was proving to be difficult. In the interim, we had very good sightings of Cuban Amazon and Cuban Parakeet, a nearby Limpkin and a few more of the very smart local subspecies of American Kestrel. A pair of Giant Kingbird vocalised nearby, leading us to another very good endemic sighting (though I personally did my best to convince everyone that they were in fact Loggerhead rather than Giant Kingbird). With all the major endemics secured, our bus driver had found a Summer Tanager for us, a rather rare migrant to Cuba. Dinner was followed by a Western Barn Owl twitch, only the owl had missed its appointment to show up. Tomorrow we would spend the morning around La Belen looking for one of Cuba's most difficult endemics, Gundlach's Hawk. We woke at the unusual hour of 07:00, very late for a birding tour you may say... After breakfast we headed off for a gentle hike towards the supposed Gundlach's territory. Along the way we had stunning views of Cuban Amazon, Cuban Pygmy Owl and various wood warblers. Our stakeout was fairly basic. We took refuge from the Giant Kingbird by Clayton Burne

7 RBT Cuba I Trip Report sun under an old horse feeding trough, and waited. We had anticipated being there for the long haul - perhaps 2-3 hours, but less than 10 minutes into our sojourn, and our local guide shouted and pointed frantically - and there it was, cruising over the horizon and into view was an adult Gundlach's Hawk! Though the bird never landed, nor did it ever get truly close to us - the characteristic features were self-evident to us all. A measure of ecstasy and bewilderment coursed through us. The toughest viable endemic in Cuba had fallen on something of a fishing expedition. To put this into some form of perspective, I had personally led a few tours and birded in Cuba myself for almost 40 days without seeing this species. Back to the ranch we went, the ladies getting a ride in a donkey cart while the rest of us walked a little more. A long drive took us to the northern keys for the remainder of the tour. Arriving in Cayo Coco late in the day, we Cuban Gnatcatcher by Clayton Burne headed out to bird the gardens and surrounding lake. A few sorties were required to find the flock of West Indian Whistling Duck and minor explanations were made to some inquisitive tourists about our intent, before we headed back to the gardens to take a punt for Oriente Warbler. It only took a few seconds for the first response, but everyone had very good views of a somewhat poorly lit Oriente Warbler as it perched in the open and sang for us. We were 26 out of 26 endemics at the end of the day, only Cuban Gnatcatcher to come, but it would be the Gundlach's Hawk that would be talked about for long after this tour. There was a leisurely start to the morning, driven mostly by the breakfast time of our all-inclusive resort (very late!). A short walk near the tidal lagoon started with a great sighting of our last Cuban endemic, as a pair of Cuban Gnatcatcher posed as only gnatcatchers can, furtively. We made a good attempt for Mangrove Cuckoo, a vocalising bird seen only by one of us though. With only a few target species left, we made our way further east to Cayo Paredon Grande. The sun baked down on the white sand road making life uncomfortably hot and the glare almost blinding. After much effort, we found a pair of Thick-billed Vireo in the adjacent mangroves. A species that never sits completely unobstructed, we were all very happy with good views of this near endemic. As so often happens, a successful sighting was followed by an explosion of song all around us - it seemed we were being serenaded by hordes of Thick-billed Vireos that had refused to budge only 20 minutes earlier. Our local guide speculated that we may have a shot at finding Bahama Mockingbird in the area - fully 3 islands away from my normal hunting grounds. Success was almost instantaneous, with a pair of these skulking birds showing well at point blank range. Slightly less streaked than their Jamaican brethren, they are distinctly different from the very common Northern Mockingbird. Cuban Parakeet by Clayton Burne

8 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Lunch and a rest beckoned before our last afternoon birding session took us to Cayo Guillermo. En route we picked off small numbers of American Wigeon and the northern sub-species of Zapata Sparrow just for good measure. Wader and waterfowl numbers were disappointingly low, the usual flocks of American Flamingo and Roseate Spoonbill reduced to dribs and drabs. Nevertheless, we made good progress amongst the small shoals of waders, finding more of the western sub-species of Willet, 4 Dunlin (fairly rare in Cuba), plenty of Short-billed Dowitcher and a few Ring-billed Gull. Cuban Oriole by Clayton Burne Our last morning in the keys was spent looking for the pesky Mangrove Cuckoo. It was a wind-blown morning, with low activity. What was thought to be a responsive individual actually turned out to be a set of branches rubbing against each other much to everyone's amusement - such are the vagaries of birding... There was to be no further luck on the cuckoo front, the wind keeping everything below decks. A long drive saw us heading back to Havana for our farewell dinner. Our day, and the tour itself, came to an end in Havana s old city. A short walking tour was followed by a very enjoyable meal at a local restaurant. A combination of good luck, some good local knowledge and the exceptional teamwork of a fantastic birding group made this the joint most successful Rockjumper Tour to Cuba - with every viable endemic and near endemic recorded, almost all with extended, excellent views. Total Species recorded: 155 (27 Endemics, 12 Near Endemics) Annotated List of species recorded Nomenclature and taxonomy follows IOC (Version: 5.1): Gill, F. and Wright, M. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press. List powered through the report generator of our partner igoterra. Status codes: E = Endemic, NE = Near-endemic, I = Introduced IUCN codes: CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, EW = Extinct in the Wild, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient Ducks, Geese & Swans Anatidae West Indian Whistling Duck (VU) Cayo Coco American Wigeon Cayo Coco Dendrocygna arborea Anas americana Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Niña Bonita Lake 21.2, La Turba 25.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2.

9 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Niña Bonita Lake 22.2 and Cayo Guillermo Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis Niña Bonita Lake Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 & 22.2 and Cayo Guillermo Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 & Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Coco Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis Niña Bonita Lake Helmeted Guineafowl (I) Finca la Belen 25.2 & Guineafowl Numididae Numida meleagris Grebes Podicipedidae Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus dominicus Las Terrazas 21.2 and Niña Bonita Lake Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps podiceps Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 & 22.2 and Salinas de Brito Flamingos Phoenicopteridae American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Salinas de Brito 23.2, Cayo Guillermo 27.2 and Cayo Coco Wood Stork Salinas de Brito Storks Ciconiidae Mycteria americana Ibises, Spoonbills Threskiornithidae American White Ibis Eudocimus albus albus Playa Larga 22.2 & 23.2, Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Paredon Grande Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Black-crowned Night Heron Finca la Belen Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli

10 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea bancrofti Playa Larga 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Green Heron Butorides virescens virescens Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Cayo Coco 26.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias occidentalis Salinas de Brito 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Great Egret Ardea alba egretta Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Reddish Egret (NT) Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Egretta rufescens rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor ruficollis Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Paredon Grande Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea La Guira 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Playa Giron 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Snowy Egret Egretta thula thula Niña Bonita Lake 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 and Cayo Coco American White Pelican Salinas de Brito Pelicans Pelecanidae Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 & 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Playa Giron 24.2, Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Guillermo Frigatebirds Fregatidae Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens Salinas de Brito 23.2, Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2 and Havana Cormorants, Shags Phalacrocoracidae Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus mexicanus Niña Bonita Lake 22.2 and Salinas de Brito Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus heuretus Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2.

11 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Anhinga La Boca de Guama Anhingas, Darters Anhingidae Anhinga anhinga leucogaster New World Vultures Cathartidae Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Niña Bonita Lake 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Playa Larga 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Ospreys Pandionidae Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus carolinensis Cuevas de los Portales 22.2 and Salinas de Brito Gundlach's Hawk (EN) (E) Finca la Belen Northern Harrier Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Coco Kites, Hawks & Eagles Accipitridae Accipiter gundlachi wileyi Circus hudsonius Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis levis Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 and Bermejas Cuban Black Hawk (NT) (E) Buteogallus gundlachii Salinas de Brito 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Cayo Coco 26.2 & Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus cubanensis Bermejas Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis umbrinus Las Terrazas 21.2 and Finca la Belen Rails, Crakes & Coots Rallidae Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans caribaeus Cayo Guillermo Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus Las Terrazas 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Finca la Belen Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata cerceris Niña Bonita Lake 21.2, La Boca de Guama 23.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Guillermo American Coot Fulica americana americana Niña Bonita Lake 21.2 & 22.2 and Cayo Guillermo 27.2.

12 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Limpkin Aramidae Limpkin Aramus guarauna pictus Santo Tomas 23.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Guillermo Stilts, Avocets Recurvirostridae Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus mexicanus Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Grey Plover Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Semipalmated Plover Cayo Guillermo Plovers Charadriidae Pluvialis squatarola Charadrius semipalmatus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus ternominatus Las Terrazas 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2, Cayo Guillermo 27.2 and Cayo Coco Northern Jacana Finca la Belen Jacanas Jacanidae Jacana spinosa Sandpipers, Snipes Scolopacidae Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Cayo Guillermo Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Willet Tringa semipalmata inornata Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Guillermo Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius La Guira 21.2 and Finca la Belen Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Cayo Guillermo Semipalmated Sandpiper (NT) Calidris pusilla Cayo Coco Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Cayo Guillermo Dunlin Calidris alpina Cayo Guillermo 27.2.

13 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Laridae Black Skimmer Rynchops niger niger Salinas de Brito Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla atricilla Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Guillermo Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Cayo Guillermo Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Cayo Paredon Grande Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica aranea Salinas de Brito Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Salinas de Brito Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus maximus Salinas de Brito 23.2, Cayo Coco 26.2 & 28.2, Cayo Paredon Grande Pigeons, Doves Columbidae Rock Dove (I) Columba livia Havana 21.2 & 28.2, Playa Larga 23.2 & 24.2, Santa Clara 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2, Cayo Coco White-crowned Pigeon (NT) Santo Tomas Patagioenas leucocephala Scaly-naped Pigeon Patagioenas squamosa Las Terrazas 21.2 and Cuevas de los Portales Plain Pigeon (NT) Finca la Belen 25.2 & Eurasian Collared Dove (I) Cayo Coco 26.2 & 27.2 and Havana Patagioenas inornata Streptopelia decaocto decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura macroura Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Guillermo Zenaida Dove Bermejas 24.2 and Cayo Coco Zenaida aurita zenaida White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica asiatica Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2 and Cayo Coco Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina insularis Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen and Cayo Coco 27.2 & 28.2.

14 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Grey-fronted Quail-Dove (VU) (E) Soplillar 22.2 & 24.2, Santo Tomas Key West Quail-Dove Bermejas Ruddy Quail-Dove Bermejas Blue-headed Quail-Dove (EN) (E) Soplillar 22.2 and Bermejas Geotrygon caniceps Geotrygon chrysia Geotrygon montana montana Starnoenas cyanocephala Cuckoos Cuculidae Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Niña Bonita Lake 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen and Cayo Coco Mangrove Cuckoo Cayo Coco Coccyzus minor Great Lizard Cuckoo Coccyzus merlini santamariae: Cayo Coco merlini: San Diego de los Banos, Pinar del Rio 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, 1 heard La Turba 25.2 and Finca la Belen Bare-legged Owl (E) Soplillar Owls Strigidae Margarobyas lawrencii Cuban Pygmy Owl (E) Glaucidium siju siju Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, 1 heard Soplillar 24.2 and Finca la Belen Stygian Owl Soplillar Asio stygius siguapa Cuban Nightjar (E) Soplillar 22.2 and La Turba Nightjars Caprimulgidae Antrostomus cubanensis cubanensis Swifts Apodidae Antillean Palm Swift Tachornis phoenicobia iradii La Guira 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Playa Larga 23.2 & 24.2 and Finca la Belen Hummingbirds Trochilidae Cuban Emerald Chlorostilbon ricordii Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & 28.2.

15 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Bee Hummingbird (NT) (E) Bermejas Mellisuga helenae Trogons Trogonidae Cuban Trogon (E) Priotelus temnurus temnurus Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Finca la Belen Kingfishers Alcedinidae Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon La Guira 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2 and Salinas de Brito Todies Todidae Cuban Tody (E) Todus multicolor Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, 1 heard Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and 1 heard Finca la Belen Woodpeckers Picidae West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris superciliaris Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius Las Terrazas 21.2, Salinas de Brito 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco Cuban Green Woodpecker (E) Xiphidiopicus percussus percussus Las Terrazas 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus chrysocaulosus Santo Tomas 23.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Fernandina's Flicker (VU) (E) La Boca de Guama 23.2 and Bermejas Colaptes fernandinae Caracaras, Falcons Falconidae Northern Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Cayo Guillermo American Kestrel Falco sparverius sparverius: Bermejas 24.2 and Finca la Belen sparverioides: Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Finca la Belen 25.2, Cayo Guillermo 27.2 and Cayo Coco Merlin La Guira Falco columbarius columbarius

16 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Parrots Psittacidae Cuban Parakeet (E) Psittacara euops Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Cuban Amazon (NT) Amazona leucocephala leucocephala Soplillar 22.2 & 24.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae Cuban Pewee Contopus caribaeus caribaeus: Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Guillermo morenoi: Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Bermejas Giant Kingbird (EN) (E) Finca la Belen 25.2 & Tyrannus cubensis Loggerhead Kingbird Tyrannus caudifasciatus caudifasciatus Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande La Sagra's Flycatcher Myiarchus sagrae sagrae Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2 and Cayo Coco Thick-billed Vireo Cayo Paredon Grande Vireos, Greenlets Vireonidae Vireo crassirostris cubensis Cuban Vireo (E) Vireo gundlachii gundlachii Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, Cayo Guillermo 27.2 and Cayo Coco Cuban Palm Crow (E) Finca la Belen 25.2 & Crows, Jays Corvidae Corvus minutus Cuban Crow Corvus nasicus Soplillar 22.2, 1 heard Playa Larga 23.2, 1 heard Soplillar 24.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Tree Swallow Soplillar 22.2 & 25.2 and Cayo Coco Cuban Martin Cuevas de los Portales 22.2 and Bermejas Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae Tachycineta bicolor Progne cryptoleuca Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva cavicola Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Playa Giron 24.2 and Havana 28.2.

17 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Zapata Wren (EN) (E) 1 heard Santo Tomas 23.2 and La Turba Wrens Troglodytidae Ferminia cerverai Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea caerulea 1 heard Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Cuban Gnatcatcher (E) Cayo Coco Polioptila lembeyei Mockingbirds, Thrashers Mimidae Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Bermejas Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos orpheus Havana 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, observed 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2, Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2 and Cayo Coco Bahama Mockingbird (NE) Cayo Paredon Grande Cuban Solitaire (NT) (E) Cuevas de los Portales Thrushes Turdidae Mimus gundlachii gundlachii Myadestes elisabeth elisabeth Red-legged Thrush Turdus plumbeus schistaceus: Finca la Belen rubripes: Havana 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Cayo Paredon Grande 27.2 and Havana Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Passeridae House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus Havana 21.2, San Diego de los Banos, Pinar del Rio 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Playa Giron 24.2, observed 25.2 and Cayo Coco New World Warblers Parulidae Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla furvior Las Terrazas 21.2, Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Cayo Coco Worm-eating Warbler Santo Tomas Helmitheros vermivorum Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla Las Terrazas 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Bermejas Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Las Terrazas 21.2, Soplillar 22.2 & 24.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Finca la Belen 26.2.

18 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Las Terrazas 21.2, Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina Niña Bonita Lake 22.2, La Boca de Guama 23.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Northern Parula Setophaga americana Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Mangrove Warbler Setophaga petechia gundlachi Salinas de Brito 23.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens Playa Larga 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Olive-capped Warbler La Guira Setophaga pityophila Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, La Turba 25.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens Las Terrazas 21.2, Soplillar 22.2 & 24.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Finca la Belen Family Uncertain Incertae Sedis Yellow-headed Warbler (E) Teretistris fernandinae Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Soplillar Oriente Warbler (E) Cayo Coco 26.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Eastern Meadowlark Niña Bonita Lake Baltimore Oriole Finca la Belen Teretistris fornsi fornsi Oropendolas, Orioles & Blackbirds Icteridae Sturnella magna hippocrepis Icterus galbula

19 RBT Cuba I Trip Report Cuban Oriole (E) Icterus melanopsis Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2, Finca la Belen 26.2 and Cayo Coco Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius humeralis humeralis La Guira 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Soplillar 24.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Red-shouldered Blackbird (E) Agelaius assimilis assimilis Soplillar 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Bermejas Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis minimus Havana 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Cuban Blackbird (E) Ptiloxena atroviolacea La Guira 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Finca la Belen 25.2 & Greater Antillean Grackle Quiscalus niger caribaeus: Cuevas de los Portales gundlachii: Havana 21.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2, Finca la Belen 25.2 & 26.2 and Cayo Coco 27.2 & Zapata Sparrow (EN) (E) inexpectata: Santo Tomas varonai: Cayo Coco Red-legged Honeycreeper Las Terrazas Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies Emberizidae Torreornis inexpectata Tanagers and Allies Thraupidae Cyanerpes cyaneus Cuban Bullfinch Melopyrrha nigra nigra Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Cuban Grassquit (E) Las Terrazas Tiaris canorus Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus olivaceus Las Terrazas 21.2, Cuevas de los Portales 22.2, Santo Tomas 23.2, Bermejas 24.2 and Finca la Belen Western Spindalis Bermejas 24.2 and Cayo Paredon Grande Summer Tanager Finca la Belen Indigo Bunting La Guira 21.2 and Finca la Belen Spindalis zena pretrei Grosbeaks, Saltators & Allies Cardinalidae Piranga rubra Passerina cyanea

20 RBT Cuba I Trip Report REPTILES Cuban Racer (E) Soplillar 22.2 and Cuban Green Anole Playa Larga 23.2 and Santa Clara Cuban Brown Anole Playa Giron Cuban Brown Curly-tailed Lizard (E) Playa Giron MAMMALS Small Asian Mongoose (E) Cuevas de los Portales Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (E) Cuevas de los Portales Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat (E) Cuevas de los Portales AMPHIBIANS Cuban Treefrog Cayo Coco Cubophis cantherigerus Anolis porcatus Anolis sagrei Leiocephalus cubensis Herpestes javanicus Tadarida brasiliensis Artibeus jamaicensis Osteopilus septentrionalis Rockjumper Birding Ltd c/o Summit Trust Mtius Ltd Suite 3 Grand Baie Business Park Grand Baie Mauritius Tel (USA & Canada) toll free: info@rockjumperbirding.com Alternative rockjumperbirding@yahoo.com Website: