BIRDING PUERTO RICO

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Testimonials - November, 5, 2009

Hilda,

Thank you very much for a wonderful birding adventure. It was good to learn the bird calls as I was seeing the birds. The owl adventure was especially great--seeing AND hearing the owl. Wow! I will definitely recommend you to my birding friends.

Take care,

Jim Gruber

2009 Christmas Bird Counts

The Puerto Rican Association of Interpretation and Education, Inc. (APIE) announced the dates of the 2009 CBC.

December 12, 2009 - Mayagüez

• Highlights - Masked Duck, gulls, and terns, plus endemic, native, and migratory species, and Caribbean specialties.

December 13, 2009 - Maricao

• Highlights - Elfin Woods Warbler, plus endemic, native, and migratory species, and Caribbean specialties.

We have designed two birding packages. The first one (December 11 - 15, 2009) includes the Mayagüez and Maricao bird counts; the second (December 18 - 22, 2009), includes Caño Tiburones and El Yunque National Forest bird counts. Price based on a minimum of 4 participants @ $975 per person. This price includes double room with tax, daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, bottled water, and transportation on a 2008 Honda Pilot, plus complimentary pictures of birding trip.

We are a fully licensed tour operator. Our vehicles, drivers, and Guides comply with the necessary permits from local Government.

2009 Birding

This year has been an excellent one for birding. We have been following a small pond since the Summer with Masked and West Indian Whistling ducks.

Both the Screech Owl and Nightjar have been very cooperative with those that have gone with us on night adventures in search of these two endemic species at El Yunque National Forest (Screech Owl) and Guánica (Nightjar).

Laguna Cartagena

Today we went birding with a couple from Minnesota. We met at the Maricao State Forest hoping to find as many endemic species. as possible. In the afternoon we traveled to La Parguera, and Laguna Cartagena (Cartagena Lagoon). It was a beautiful day where we had the opportunity to see the following species.

MARICAO (20)

1. PR Bullfinch (male)
2. PR Tody (male and female)
3. PR Tanager
4. PR Elfin Woods Warbler
5. PR Lizard Cuckoo (flying)
6. PR Vireo
7. PR Pewee (H)
8. PR Spindalis (male and female)
9. PR Flycatcher (H)
10. Antillean Euphonia
11. Black and White Warbler
12. Black-throated Blue Warbler (male and female)
13. Northern Parula (female)
14. Black-faced Grassquit (male)
15. Red-legged Thrush
16. Gray Kingbird
17. Loggerhead Kingbird (H)
18. Bananaquit
19. Turkey Vulture
20. Red-tailed Hawk

LA PARGUERA (10)

1. Yellow-shouldered Black Bird
2. Shinny Cowbird (male and female)
3. Ringed Turtle Dove
4. House Sparrow
5. Common Ground Dove
6. Yellow-rumped Warbler
7. Black-necked Stilt
8. White-cheeked Pintail
9. Northern Waterthrush (H)
10. Common Moorhen

LAGUNA CARTAGENA (19)

1. West Indian Whistling Duck
2. Red Bishop
3. Masked Duck
4. Ruddy Duck
5. Purple Gallinule
6. Sora
7. Common Moorhen
8. Glossy Ibis
9. Blue-winged Teal
10. Green Heron
11. Great Egret
12. Cattle Egret
13. Osprey
14. Turkey Vulture
15. American Kestrel
16. Magnificient Frigratebird
17. American Coot
18. Caribbean Coot
19. Smooth-billed Ani
20. Common Ground Dove
21. Black-necked Stilt
22. Great Blue Heron
23. Bronze Mannikins

Short stop at Mayagüez coast...

Female Puerto Rican Tody - Luquillo, Puerto Rico

This picture of a female Puerto Rican Tody was taken through the window of my room in Luquillo. The tree is shared by many species, such as: Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Bananaquit, Pearly-eyed Trasher, Bronze Mannikins, Red-legged Thrush, Mangrove Cuckoo, and Northern Parula. During the night, we always have the visit of the Puerto Rican Screech Owl.

The picture was cropped for publishing purposes. Of course, all pictures in this blog are copyrighted.

Today we went birding with a couple from Alabama. We had the opportunity to watch or hear (H) the following species during the first day of birding in Maricao and Añasco.

1. PR Tody
2. PR Woodpecker
3. PR Tanager
4. PR Spindalis
5. PR Lizard Cuckoo
6. PR Oriole
7. PR Emerald
8. PR Green Mango
9. PR Bullfinch
10. PR Elfin Woods Warbler
11. PR Vireo
12. PR Pewee (H)
13. Smooth-billed Ani
14. Bananaquit
15. Black and White Warbler
16. Black-throated Blue Warbler
17. Shiny Cowbird (H)
18. White-winged Dove
19. Rock Pigeon
20. Zenaida Dove
21. Cattle Egret
22. Great Egret
23. Antillean Euphonia
24. American Kestrel
25. Greater Antillean Grackel
26. Black-faced Grassquit
27. Red-tailed Hawk
28. Orange-cheeked Waxbill
29. Unidentified Grebe (Añasco)
30. Gray Kingbird
31. Northern Mockingbird
32. Common Moorhen
33. Scaly-naped Pigeon
34. Black-whiskered Vireo (H)
35. Turkey Vulture

BIRDING NOVEMBER 6 - 10, 2008

We went birding with a couple from Florida during five days (two full birding days at Piñones State Forest, El Yunque National Forest, Cabo Rojo salt flats, Boquerón State Forest, Guánica State Forest and many other birding spots. `

We had the opportunity to watch or hear (H) the following species:

1. PR Tody


2. PR Woodpecker


3. PR Tanager


4. PR Spindalis


5. PR Lizard Cuckoo


6. PR Oriole


7. PR Emerald


8. PR Green Mango


9. PR Yellow-shouldered Black Bird


10. PR Bullfinch


11. PR Elfin Woods Warbler


12. PR Vireo


13. PR Adelaide´s Warbler


14. PR Nightjar (H)


15. Smooth-billed Ani


16. Bananaquit


17. Orange-fronted Parakeet


18. Mangrove Cuckoo


19. Shiny Cowbird


20. Common Ground Dove


21. White-winged Dove


22. Rock Pigeon


23. Zenaida Dove


24. ... Dove


25. West Indian Whistling Duck


26. Cattle Egret


27. Great Egret


28. Caribbean Elania (H)


29. Antillean Euphonia


30. American Kestrel


31. Magnificient Frigratebird


32. Greater Antillean Grackel


33. Black-faced Grassquit


34. Yellow-faced Grassquit (H)


35. Least Grebe


36. Green Heron


37. Little Blue Heron


38. Yellow-crowned Night Heron


39. Red-tailed Hawk


40. Unidentified hawk (Maricao)


41. Gray Kingbird


42. Loggerhead Kingbird


43. Antillean Mango


44. Bronze Mannikin


45. Nutmeg Mannikin


46. Northern Mockingbird


47. Common Moorhen


48. Northern Parula


49. Brown Pelican


50. Scaly-naped Pigeon


51. Solitary Sandpiper


52. House Sparrow


53. Pearly-eyed Thrasher


54. Red-legged Thrush


55. Troupial (H)


56. Black-whiskered Vireo (H)


57. Turkey Vulture


58. Black-throated Blue Warbler


59. Cape May Warbler


60. Chestnut-sided Warbler


61. Orange-cheeked Waxbill


62. Greater Yellowlegs


63. Lesse Yellowlegs


64. Black-necked Stilt


65. Northern Waterthrush (H)


66. Lousiana Waterthrush (H)

Yellow Warbler

This picture of a yellow warbler was taken in Cabo Rojo, at the entrance of Club Deportivo.