Escaping England with its icy-cold blasts of wind and snow, the group landed in Havana early evening. With a warm sunny evening to greet them, most of them had gone from sub-zero to 30 degrees celsius in 9 hours!
Our base for the first part of the tour was in the west of Cuba around the coffee and tobacco growing areas of Pinar del Rio. Our first birding next morning started at the excellent La Guira National Park and provided a perfect introduction to some of the species we would see on a daily basis but also to those whose range is restricted to this area.
Walking towards the caves at Los Portales provided us with our first endemic of the trip as a handsome La Sagra’s Flycatcher was perched atop trackside vegetation.
A little further along was our first looks at the national bird; sporting the colours of the Cuban flag, the superb Cuban Trogon showed well replete with a beautifully ornate tail, which almost gives the impression it has been cut like lace. After the original bird had been admired we located at least another 4 during the morning. Nearby a fruiting tree held both Cuban and Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds as well as two cracking male Cuban Orioles. Great Lizard Cuckoo was next to delight us, with at least 3 birds showing and scolding us with their angry sounding call.
On the stream by the cave entrance, a Louisiana Waterthrush gave great views whilst overhead a vocal West Indian Woodpecker was busy excavating a nest hole in a tall palm tree. Walking through into the cave, the loud, ringing, almost ventriloquial call of the Cuban Solitaire echoed around the cave walls. These birds can be tricky to locate but we soon had a male sitting in full view. Once the solitaire had been seen by all we set about locating another songster belting out a catchy, playful, and almost laughter-like call. After a short while, the culprit was located atop a tall distant palm; the sought-after and very localised endemic Giant Kingbird!
Over the next hour or so, many of the special birds of this region were noted, with the often elusive Scaly-naped Pigeon showing well; Cuban Pygmy Owl gave great views as it was constantly mobbed by one of many American Redstarts; Black-throated Green Warbler showed well only a few feet from the redstart, and our first looks at Cuban Tody - wow…a tiny bright green bird with pink underparts, bright red bill and blue chin, watched as it fizzed excitedly around the vines and understory, joined on one occasion by Yellow-headed Warbler and Northern Parula.
At the rear of the caves we set down to scan the skies for raptors, with both Broad-winged and Red-tailed Hawk of the Cuban form soaring overhead with Turkey Vultures, several small flocks of Cave Swallows and the odd Cuban Martin mixed amongst them. Leaving the caves and heading towards La Guira National Park, we soon came across another range-restricted species whose range extends from Cuba to Grand Cayman, the subtle but highly sought-after Olive-capped Warbler. We watched up to 4 birds in low pines where they were briefly joined by a male Western Spindalis, a very striking appearance with bright colours, broad supercilium, white tertial edgings and broad double white wing-bars, so definitely not subtle!
At Hacienda Cortina we enjoyed great views of red-morph American Kestrel, a handful of American Purple Gallinules, and another 2 Olive-capped Warblers. Just outside the Pinar del Rio region we enjoyed fabulous views of Cuban Grassquit; a species whose numbers are declining due to the cage bird trade. The striking male Cuban has a jet black face and broad yellow collar, so easily picked out amongst the numerous Yellow-faced Grassquit which shows a yellow supercilium and small black throat patch. On our way east, roadside pools produced 30 Snail Kites, several Caspian Terns, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, Osprey and a few American Coot
Our journey along the causeway to Cayo Coco is normally enlivened by many female/immature Red-breasted Merganser feeding alongside, and of course often hundreds of Caribbean Flamingo feeding in the shallows. This year however, it was clear that Hurricane Irma had taken its toll on the habitats adjacent to the causeway and neither species was noted, that is until we arrived at the first shallow lagoon on the north side of the causeway where upwards of 250 Red-breasted Merganser had congregated, and for the first time ever on this tour, a smart drake was present.
The trail of destruction left by Hurricane Irma was very evident out on the northernmost cays, with the normal thick green thorn scrub reduced to a dust-bowl with grey dead branches showing hardly any new growth in sight. It has to be said, it was a very sad sight. However, the birds here are nothing if not resilient and we managed to locate singles of our main targets Thick-billed Vireo and Bahama Mockingbird, whilst smaller numbers of Cuban Gnatcatcher, Oriente Warbler, 2 Cuban Sparrows and a beautifully confiding Cuban Green Woodpecker showed well. Nearby, a handful of West Indian Whistling Duck were noted in floodwaters sitting alongside the dusty and sparsely vegetated track.
Nearby at Cayo Guillermo the lagoons were full of shorebirds with thousands of Short-billed Dowitcher joined by smaller number of both yellowlegs, Willet, Stilt Sandpiper and a few Least Sandpipers. Careful searching also produced at least 2 Red Knot, coming into breeding plumage, whilst on the beach a group of Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and Semipalmated Plover were joined by at least 5 of the much rarer Piping Plover.
Late afternoon we visited a site which although wind-damaged by Hurricane Irma, still held some very sought-after birds. After a nervous wait, at least 4 Key West Quail-Doves emerged from the thick vegetation to feed. They were joined briefly by both Indigo and Painted Buntings, and by several warblers including Hooded, Black-throated Blue and Ovenbird coming down to drink and bathe. A taiga Merlin also zipped through late on adding to a bird filled afternoon and a great way to finish the day.
Our next destination was La Belen, a dry forested area adjacent to an active ranch where several species are found that we would not see elsewhere. The first of this group are both crows; the Cuban Crow and the Cuban Palm Crow. Both were seen well, with the very entertaining Cuban Crow giving its incredible repertoire all around us. Its a difficult call to describe but probably best described as maniacal, musical and well, a cross between the gobbling of a turkey and the laughing policeman, so just plain daft!
Working our way around the trails produced yet more endemics including Cuban Parakeet, Cuban Parrot, and the shy and elusive Plain Pigeon, doing exactly what it says on the tin. We also got superb views of the Cuban form of Northern Flicker which has golden toned tail and primary shafts and is probably a very good split, so essential to make sure we got it, just as with the full species. Quite a few warblers were noted today with Prairie, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue and Yellow-throated all noted, as well as oodles of American Redstart. Returning to the paddock overlooking the forest we saw our third Giant Kingbird of the tour whilst scanning for the ever-unpredictable Gundlach’s Hawk. We put in two hours but it was not to be. You never know when or where this elusive raptor will appear on the trip, but we continued scanning all the same. That afternoon after a very hot and tiring day in the field, we rewarded ourselves with a well deserved ice cream!
Our journey west from Camaguey started with a very brief look around the old city. The well-preserved historical centre was made Cuba's ninth Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008 and in 2014 the city celebrated its quincentennial. We enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of the main square and the narrow streets bordering the pastel-coloured facades of old colonial buildings - oh, and you could also see where the only wifi hotspot for miles is located!
Just as with our journey heading east, we broke up the journey with a stop at Rio Azul, to see what migrants were moving through. This morning was quiet with singles of Cape May, Prairie and Northern Parula all noted as well as a brief Yellow-throated Vireo.
Joining the road to continue our journey west, a cursory scan of the sky produced a male Gundlach’s Hawk doing the classic flap, flap, glide flight of an accipiter. It stayed in view for less than a minute but in that time the whole group saw it and we were delighted. It once again proved that you never know where you’ll bump into it, but you will, eventually…
Heading south down to the Zapata peninsular, also known as the Bay of Pigs, Palpite is the first small village en route. We stopped here to pay homage to a creature with a truly amazing claim to fame; The smallest bird in the world, yes, this was the domain of the exquisite Bee Hummingbird! Watching such a tiny bird really puts into perspective the small birds we’d already noted on the tour, some of which now accompanied the Bee Hummingbird as it fed. Cuban Emerald, itself a beautifully sleek emerald green Hummingbird appeared large and sluggish, whilst the normally nimble-looking Black-throated Blue Warbler looked lethargic and ponderous by comparison. We spent around an hour admiring the Bee Hummingbirds as they whizzed back and forth, feeding, singing, preening, more feeding - it was exhausting just watching them…
The next morning found us heading out on punts at first light into Zapata Swamp. the journey along the stream was peaceful and quiet as we enjoyed early morning birdsong emanating from the swamps. The first of these songs was the cheerful Cuban Vireo which showed well, as did several Common Yellowthroats and numerous Northern Waterthrushes, and the odd Louisiana. Yellow-headed Warblers kept us entertained with their metallic buzzing calls and a pair of Zapata Sparrows gave great close views as they moved around the lichen covered branches overhanging the water. As we headed downstream several species flew across the water including a couple of Green Herons, a Limpkin, and a couple of Ruddy Quail-doves, the reddish wings looking very bright, almost rufescent, in the early morning light.
Eventually we arrived at the chosen spot to look for another incredibly range-restricted endemic. The Zapata Wren, thought to number only around 600 individuals is classified as Endangered by Birdlife International on account of its whole range being confined within Zapata. Over the years this species has proved elusive so I prepared the group and informed them that we might have to wait a while to get our first glimpses. This morning, I need not have worried as our luck was in, as within a few minutes of arriving at the chosen spot, a male was heard singing. A few minutes later we all enjoyed superb views of this normally very shy species, the barred upperparts, long bill and tail, and rich fluty song all noted. Great stuff!
Our evening visit to the vast salt-pans at La Salinas was very productive. Not least for the hundreds of superb Caribbean Flamingos glowing in the early evening sun, something that in the past we’ve almost taken for granted whilst up on the northern cays. The Salinas also produced a host of other good Cuban birds including a small group of Gull-billed Terns, the Cuban form of Clapper Rail, several Mangrove Yellow Warblers and good views of White Ibis, Reddish Egret and numerous other more common herons including Tricoloured, Little Blue and Snowy Egret. Several Wood Storks were also noted here as well as another Taiga Merlin, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Harrier and a passage of swallows including Barn, Bank, Tree and our only Cliff Swallows of the trip.
The quail-doves are a medium sized family of doves with around 17 species described, and it is fair to say that wherever you look for quail-doves in the neotropics, they can be tricky, so just as with the wren, I warned the group about patience being required when looking for these elusive birds. Again, I need not have worried as on arrival at the site early morning, 2 beautiful Blue-headed Quail-doves were feeding with Zenaida Doves at only a few metres range - elusive - Pah! What wonderful views! With the pressure off for the time-being we set out to see what else we could find here. This resulted in a nice Yellow-throated Vireo feeding and calling overhead and nearby an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker showing well on a thin vine. All around us were calling Gray Catbirds, Cuban Trogons and Greater Antillean Grackles whilst the quail-doves were joined by a couple of Ovenbirds feeding on the track.
A short drive from here was chance of another sought-after endemic, the Red-shouldered Blackbird. Formerly considered conspecific with the North American Red-winged Blackbird until the mid 19th Century, these birds have several consistent differences, the two main ones being the fact that the female is wholly black, whereas the female Red-winged is brown with paler heavily streaked underparts, and the second difference being that both sexes sing, something not recorded in Red-winged. Our visit produced a nesting pair at close range where the male popped up a handful of times to sing, allowing us to see the often-concealed bright red wing coverts.
Our final quail-dove would be a more challenging situation, mainly as we happened across a pair walking through the forest. The Grey-headed (or Grey-fronted) has a beautiful purplish iridescence to the plumage which contrasts with the whitish-grey cap, but also breaks up their outline when they’re trundling along through the forest. Eventually we did get very good views of a feeding adult which showed long enough for all to admire before just vanishing into the undergrowth. The dry forest here is also home to many other dry leaf-litter specialists, and we enjoyed views of several Swainson’s Warblers, Ovenbirds and a feeding Worm-eating Warbler, twisting its neck into the curled up leaves to try and find a spider or caterpillar tucked away.
Further exploration of the forest produced excellent views of a rather sleepy-looking Bare-legged Owl, several Fernandina’s Flickers and numerous Zenaida Doves, Gray Catbirds, Red-legged Thrushes and the odd Northern Waterthrush. We worked our way to the furthest end of the forest looking in likely scrubby spots for Cuban Nightjar, and up in the tall trees for roosting Stygian Owl. The nightjar obliged with views both on the deck and in flight but the owl remained undetected despite all our efforts to find one. That evening we ventured out after dinner and birded the same area, looking and listening for the distinctive call of this large and impressive owl. We tried several spots but to no avail, and after an hour people were getting tired and wanting their beds. Our last attempt was at a site near the hotel where I’d previously seen them about 4 years ago. This time we were in luck as a male flew over the road and perched in full view, allowing us to see the prominent ear-tufts and those huge piercing orange eyes - superb!
Leaving Zapata and heading north via our last visit to the delightful Bee Hummingbird site, we were soon back in Havana where the impressive mix of architectural styles and old American cars dominate the senses. On the avian front, Antillean Palm Swift, Cuban Martin and Turkey Vultures patrolled the skies, and once we were in sight of the sea, many Magnificent Frigatebirds and Royal Terns were also noted, as well as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the palm groves, and 2 Yellow-crowned Night Herons in a wooded valley.
Our final morning was spent walking around Old Havana seeing the sites and sounds that make Havana such an interesting and special place to visit. With the expert knowledge of our guide, Alian, we enjoyed an overview of the history of Havana, the significance of selected buildings and of the four main squares, all of which are of historical importance. We finished our tour with a meal at Bodeguita del Medio, where we were able to enjoy the live music and soak up the vibes that make Cuba so friendly, so special, and so unique.
Once again we were met by so many friendly faces, and although we were in areas where the local facilities are basic, the hard work of our ground crew made our trip incredibly comfortable. Not only was Alian a fantastic and enthusiastic local guide, but Alejandro’ s driving was exemplary, even stopping for birds he had spotted, and at areas he thought there may be birds for us to look at!
At the end of the tour, Stu asked the group to nominate their bird of the trip. With so many iconic and often spectacular species, this was not an easy ask. 18 species received votes but the top 5 species were as follows:
