Turks and Caicos

[eddwillis]

I have the chance to visit the Turks and Caicos islands in June does any one have any information about birding in the area

[Jon Turner]

I have the chance to visit the Turks and Caicos islands in June does any one have any information about birding in the area

I've been there three times. Mostly in February/March, before it gets really hot. I think I've generally missed the american northwards migration, but quite a few of the wood warblers over winter - Magnolia, Palm, Prairie, Yellow-throated to name a few. There is a hummingbird: Bahama Woodstar, which is quite a sparkler. Black-faced Grassquits are resident, but I'm not sure about the waders, which are there in good numbers in winter. Ospreys are resident breeders but they will have fledged by now.

Pearly-eyed Thrasher can be seen on Pine Key. Brown Pelicans are around. Various Herons seem fairly common. American Kestrels are common. White-tailed Tropic birds breed on Providenciales.

I'm currently in Spain til the end of the month, and will look at my trip reports and bird books for the islands when I get back, to see if I can get a better idea of what might be there in June.

I'll be back in touch.

Jon

[Jon Turner]

Just while I'm thinking about it:
Smooth-billed Ani
Thick-billed Vireo
Bananquit
White-cheeked Pintail
Greater Flamingo (North Caicos)
Belted Kingfisher (probably winter visitor)
Cuban Crow
Pied-billed and Least Grebes
Royal Tern
West Indian Whistling Duck (extremely rare)
Ovenbird (winter only?)
Gray Catbird (winter only?)
Upland Sandpiper (winter only)
Stripe-headed Tanager (never seen one!)
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Extremely rare and only on Middle Caicos I think)

Jon

[eddwillis]

wow quite enough there to keep me occupied then. Thanks for that Edd

[njlarsen]

The Raffaele field guide is probably the best you can get for the area; but that may not have been part of what you wanted to know ;)

Niels