BIRDING PUERTO RICO

2010-07-14T09:17:00.002-04:00

We have a new home at the Internet, BIRDING PUERTO RICO and a page on FaceBook

Testimonials - November, 5, 2009

2009-11-15T02:45:00.000-04:00

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

2009-11-15T02:26:00.002-04:00

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

2009-11-15T02:19:00.002-04:00

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

2008-12-27T02:23:00.004-04:00

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)

PR Bullfinch (male)
PR Tody (male and female)
PR Tanager
PR Elfin Woods Warbler
PR Lizard Cuckoo (flying)
PR Vireo
PR Pewee (H)
PR Spindalis (male and female)
PR Flycatcher (H)
Antillean Euphonia
Black and White Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler (male and female)
Northern Parula (female)
Black-faced Grassquit (male)
Red-legged Thrush
Gray Kingbird
Loggerhead Kingbird (H)
Bananaquit
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk

LA PARGUERA (10)

Yellow-shouldered Black Bird
Shinny Cowbird (male and female)
Ringed Turtle Dove
House Sparrow
Common Ground Dove
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-necked Stilt
White-cheeked Pintail
Northern Waterthrush (H)
Common Moorhen

LAGUNA CARTAGENA (19)

West Indian Whistling Duck
Red Bishop
Masked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Purple Gallinule
Sora
Common Moorhen
Glossy Ibis
Blue-winged Teal
Green Heron
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Osprey
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
Magnificient Frigratebird
American Coot
Caribbean Coot
Smooth-billed Ani
Common Ground Dove
Black-necked Stilt
Great Blue Heron
Bronze Mannikins

Short stop at Mayagüez coast...

2008-12-16T01:02:00.002-04:00

Female Puerto Rican Tody - Luquillo, Puerto Rico

2008-12-11T18:31:00.002-04:00

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.

2008-11-28T21:25:00.003-04:00

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.

PR Tody
PR Woodpecker
PR Tanager
PR Spindalis
PR Lizard Cuckoo
PR Oriole
PR Emerald
PR Green Mango
PR Bullfinch
PR Elfin Woods Warbler
PR Vireo
PR Pewee (H)
Smooth-billed Ani
Bananaquit
Black and White Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Shiny Cowbird (H)
White-winged Dove
Rock Pigeon
Zenaida Dove
Cattle Egret
Great Egret
Antillean Euphonia
American Kestrel
Greater Antillean Grackel
Black-faced Grassquit
Red-tailed Hawk
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Unidentified Grebe (Añasco)
Gray Kingbird
Northern Mockingbird
Common Moorhen
Scaly-naped Pigeon
Black-whiskered Vireo (H)
Turkey Vulture

BIRDING NOVEMBER 6 - 10, 2008

2008-11-16T20:30:00.003-04:00

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:

PR Tody

PR Woodpecker

PR Tanager

PR Spindalis

PR Lizard Cuckoo

PR Oriole

PR Emerald

PR Green Mango

PR Yellow-shouldered Black Bird

PR Bullfinch

PR Elfin Woods Warbler

PR Vireo

PR Adelaide´s Warbler

PR Nightjar (H)

Smooth-billed Ani

Bananaquit

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Mangrove Cuckoo

Shiny Cowbird

Common Ground Dove

White-winged Dove

Rock Pigeon

Zenaida Dove

... Dove

West Indian Whistling Duck

Cattle Egret

Great Egret

Caribbean Elania (H)

Antillean Euphonia

American Kestrel

Magnificient Frigratebird

Greater Antillean Grackel

Black-faced Grassquit

Yellow-faced Grassquit (H)

Least Grebe

Green Heron

Little Blue Heron

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Red-tailed Hawk

Unidentified hawk (Maricao)

Gray Kingbird

Loggerhead Kingbird

Antillean Mango

Bronze Mannikin

Nutmeg Mannikin

Northern Mockingbird

Common Moorhen

Northern Parula

Brown Pelican

Scaly-naped Pigeon

Solitary Sandpiper

House Sparrow

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Red-legged Thrush

Troupial (H)

Black-whiskered Vireo (H)

Turkey Vulture

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Orange-cheeked Waxbill

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesse Yellowlegs

Black-necked Stilt

Northern Waterthrush (H)

Lousiana Waterthrush (H)

Yellow Warbler

2008-11-16T19:54:00.001-04:00

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

West Indies Whistling Duck - November 8, 2008

2008-11-08T23:59:00.002-04:00

A close encounter with a WIWD.

Picture of the WIWD

2008-10-25T12:25:00.002-04:00

This picture was taken today to one of the four West Indian Whistling Duck in Mayagüez.

Enjoy it!

West Indies Whistling Duck

2008-10-23T20:08:00.002-04:00

For those of you visiting the West side of Puerto Rico, today we spotted two WIWD in one pond that was created after the heavy rain during the beginning of the Summer. With this discovery, we now have three sites in the West where we can see this duck.

Vieques Island Christmas Bird Count

2008-10-17T00:57:00.002-04:00

Vieques Island CBC will take place on January 3 and 4, 2009. If you are interested in going as a volunteer, you must make hotel reservation as soon as possible. We will provide transportation and snacks.

For more information, please contact Hilda at ask.us@adventourspr.com with Vieques CBC on the subject line.

Flamingos

2008-10-06T20:51:00.001-04:00

For those visiting Puerto Rico in the next days, the two flamingos are still around.

Mayagüez Bay

2008-10-04T13:14:00.008-04:00

Mayagüez is located at the west side of the mainland of the Archipelago of Puerto Rico. During the summer, I had the opportunity to take pictures of some of the birds that visit our coast, Oystercatchers, Brown Booby, Brown Pelican, Magnificient Frigate Bird, shorebirds, gulls, egrets, among many other species.

UPDATE - XMAS BIRD COUNTS AND MORE

2008-09-26T13:37:00.004-04:00

I´m back and hopefully with the new computer I can update this blog on a frequent basis.

What´s new?

Xmas Bird Count 2008 dates coordinated by the Puerto Rican Association of Interpretation and Education, Inc. (December 13 - Mayagüez; December 14, Maricao).
I uploaded information of the scheduled birding packages for 2009 (Sounds of Puerto Rico and Endemic Bird Trail) on our website.
Photo & Video Gallery - we have added a new detailed section for the Endemics Birds of Puerto Rico.
2008 Elderhostel Birding Trips - we were able to see for the first time in Puerto Rico (Caribbean) the Aplomado Falcon.
Migratory warblers and other bird species are back!

MARICAO CBC

2007-12-22T13:59:00.000-04:00

December 22, 2007 - Weather conditions: WINDY.

Just a short note before we publish the list of today´s bird count results at Maricao. The small town of Maricao is blessed as one of the best habitats for our endemic birds. Upon arrival to the Forest, we heard four PR Screech Olws.

When we finished at the old camping areas, we hit the road downtown. We were counting birds when we saw some movement in a branch: a PR Bullfinch. This was the first of a little gift we received from Heaven this morning. At the same spot we had the following endemic species and subspecies:

Bullfinch
Tanager
Tody
Lizard Cuckoo
Oriole
Flycatcher
Green Mango
Emerald
Vireo
Elfin Woods Warbler
Spindalis
Woodpecker
Adelaide´s Warbler
Oriole
Pewee (s/e)
Bananaquit (s/e)

RÍO GRANDE, LUQUILLO, EL YUNQUE

2007-12-21T00:15:00.000-04:00

December 20, 2007 - Birding El Yunque National Forest, Río Grande

10 hrs., clients from California.

Weather conditions: heavey rain at noon, sunny the rest of the day.

Gray Kingbird
Rock Dove
PR Woodpecker
Prairie Warbler
PR Adelaide´s Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
PR Flycatcher
Mangrove Cuckoo
Common Ground Dove
Spotted Sandpiper
Royal Term
Royal Egret
Green Heron
Bananaquit
Loggerhead Kingbird
White-winged Dove
Zenaida Dove
Scaly-naped Pigeon
Nutmeg Mannikin
Orange-cheek Waxbill
PR Tody
Red-tailed Hawk
PR Green Mango
PR Oriole
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Greater Antillean Grackle
American Redstart
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Black-faced Grassquit

EL YUNQUE NATIONAL FOREST

2007-12-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

December 18, 2007 - Birding El Yunque National Forest, Río Grande
10 hrs., clients from California.
Weather conditions: sunny day.

Gray Kingbird

Great Antillean Grackle

White-winged Dove

Bananaquit

Northern Parula

PR Lizard Cuckoo

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

PR Woodpecker

PR Spindalis

PR Bullfinch

PR Green Mango

PR Oriole

PR Tody

Zenaida Dove

Nutmeg Mannakin

Orange Cheek Waxbill

Smooth-billed Ani

PR Pewee*

PR Tanager

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Common Ground Dove

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Loggerhead Kingbird

Red-legged Thrush

Northern Mockingbird

Osprey

Black-faced Grassquit

House Sparrow

*Birding by ear.

BIRDING IN LUQUILLO AND EL YUNQUE

2007-12-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

December 18, 2007 - Birding Luquillo, El Yunque National Forest

4 hrs., clients from California.

Weather conditions: wind from the East.

Brown Pelican

Gray Kingbird

PR Woodpecker

Bananaquit

White-winged Dove

Great Antillean Grackle

House Sparrow

Black-faced Grassquit

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Bronze Mannikin

Loggerhead Kingbird

Northern Mockingbird

Yellow-faced Grassquit

Red-legged Thrusher

PR Tody

American Redstart

PR Spindalis

PR Bullfinch

PR Tanager

Zenaida Dove

Rock Dove

Scaly-naped Pigeon

PR Lizard Cuckoo*

Smooth-billed Ani

Shiny Cowbird

PR Emerald

PR Green Mango

Black-whiskered Vireo*

Northern Parula*

Antillean Euphonia*

Red-tailed Hawk

Merlin

PR Screech-Owl

Unidentified Parakeets

Unidentified Dove

Unidentified Swallows

EL YUNQUE XMAS BIRD COUNT

2007-12-16T20:43:00.000-04:00

December 16, 2007 - El Yunque National Forest, Bisley Route (Road)

4 hrs., clients from South Carolina.

Weather conditions: subtropical storm in the area one week before bird count.

PR Screech Owl

Gray Kingbird

PR Flycatcher

Mangrove Cuckoo

Northern Parula

PR Woodpecker

Scaly-naped Pigeon

Red-legged Thrush

Bananaquit

Loggerhead Kingbird

Cape May Warbler

Zenaida Dove

Magnolia Warbler

PR Tody

PR Lizard Cuckoo

PR Tanager

PR Emerald

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

PR Bullfinch

PR Spindalis

Black-whiskered Vireo

Black-faced Grassquit

Northern Mockingbird

Great Egret

Nutmet Mannakin

Chestnut Warbler

Greater Antillean Grackle

Unidentified duck

BIRDING - EL YUNQUE - December 1, 2007

2007-12-08T16:35:00.000-04:00

December 1, 2007 - Birding Luquillo, El Yunque National Forest, and Río Grande
4 hrs., clients from Texas.
Weather conditions: showers; heavy rain the night before we went birding.

Cattle Egret
Greater Antillean Grackle
Gray Kingbird
Mangrove Cuckoo
PR Woodpecker*
Bronze Mannikin
Nutmeg Mannikin
Bananaquit
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Loggerhead Kingbird
Rock Dove
Zenaida Dove
White-winged Dove
Louisiana Waterthrush
Black-faced Grassquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit*
PR Tody
PR Flycatcher*
PR Tanager*
Red-tailed Hawk
Scaly-naped Pigeon
PR Spindalis (female and male)
Black and White Warbler
Black-whiskered Vireo*
Northern Mockingbird
Lesser Antillean Pewee
Red-legged Thrush
Smooth-billed Ani
Hummingbirds (unidentified)

*Birding by ear

Christmas Bird Counts

2007-11-14T14:25:00.001-04:00

As part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of AdvenTours we founded in 2002 a non-profit association, Asociación Puertorriqueña de Interpretación y Educación, Inc. (APIE, Puerto Rican Association of Interpretation and Education). Through APIE, we coordinate three bird counts; these are not yet official counts for Audubon.

MAYAGÜEZ - TBA
MARICAO - December 22, 2007
VIEQUES ISLAND - January 26-27, 2008

Other Audubon Christmas Bird Counts:

FAJARDO AND EL YUNQUE NATIONAL FOREST - December 16, 2007
CABO ROJO - TBA

Welcome to our BirdingBlog!

2007-11-14T14:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our BirdingBlog dedicated to all birders that want to come to Puerto Rico, share your experiences or just post your pictures and reports of your birding trips in Puerto Rico.