[stevieb]

Hi all,

I am heading for the DR on 10th November. Anybody got a recommendation for the best field guide to take?
Unfortunately I will be based in the North in Puerto Plata. Anybody birded around that area?
Any useful gen gratefully appreciated

Many thanks

[rob stoff]

Field Guide to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, by Steven Latta et. al.(Helm, 2005); or if you wanted a book covering the whole region the compact version of The Birds of the West Indies, by Herbert Raffael et al. (Helm, 2003) would do, it covers all the DR stuff and the plates are a little better in my opinion.

Most of the key endemics are only really accessoble in the far SW near the Haiti border and are a pain to get to even if you stay nearby. Should be some decent wintering warblers etc and if you can get into any decent native forest south of the coastal strip you should pick up the Trogon and maybe the endemic warblers and a few other bits and pieces. Palmchat is everywhere, little else is.

Rob

[stevieb]

Thanks for that Rob,

It was a toss up between Field Guide to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, or The Birds of the West Indies. I reckon I'll go with the DR and Haiti.

I was aware that the best birding are in the SW but family constraints meant me being based on the North coast! I reckon I'll just have to head inland as you suggest and see what pitches up.

Thanks once again for the quick reply

[Conorbirda2]

Just got back (last friday) from DR and found the 'Birds of DR and Haiti' book more than ample. I stayed in the SE and had 5 endemics, four within the Hotel grounds! (White-necked Crow on Soana Island) One of the local papparazi told me that Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo is good to eat, a bit salty and used for sick babies!!
Beware: outside of the hotel complex i found the place like a third world country! Rubbish on the sides of the 'roads' (not quite roads, half of them!), awful living conditions for locals, undernourished livestock, lots of mozzies and maniac drivers! I was told that if you run someone over in your car then to back up over them and make sure they are dead!! because you have to pay for the upkeep of their family and loss of earnings etc whilst they recover in hospital!! There is building work and part finished roads everywhere causing lots of scars on the habitat. I managed about 47 species, all but a few inside the hotel complex.

[rob stoff]

Originally Posted by Conorbirda2

Just got back (last friday) from DR and found the 'Birds of DR and Haiti' book more than ample. I stayed in the SE and had 5 endemics, four within the Hotel grounds! (White-necked Crow on Soana Island) One of the local papparazi told me that Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo is good to eat, a bit salty and used for sick babies!!
Beware: outside of the hotel complex i found the place like a third world country! Rubbish on the sides of the 'roads' (not quite roads, half of them!), awful living conditions for locals, undernourished livestock, lots of mozzies and maniac drivers! I was told that if you run someone over in your car then to back up over them and make sure they are dead!! because you have to pay for the upkeep of their family and loss of earnings etc whilst they recover in hospital!! There is building work and part finished roads everywhere causing lots of scars on the habitat. I managed about 47 species, all but a few inside the hotel complex.

didn't like to say anything before you went but DR is the nastiest place I've ever been too, soulless and largely birdless! Cuba is infinitely better for anyone wanting to investigate that part of the world

Rob

[J. Moore]

Originally Posted by Conorbirda2

outside of the hotel complex i found the place like a third world country!

Well, that is what the Dominican Republic is considered to be, so it is not surprising that you found it so! Were you expecting something else? (Of course, the other half of the island is occupied by Haiti -- one of the poorest countries in the world.)

Best,
Jim

[stevieb]

Originally Posted by rob stoff

didn't like to say anything before you went but DR is the nastiest place I've ever been too, soulless and largely birdless! Cuba is infinitely better for anyone wanting to investigate that part of the world

Rob

Hey Rob,

Not sure I agree with your remarks. I have just returned from the DR and found the people really friendly and the country (North coast) quite spectacular.

Heres my trip report. I hope you find it interesting.
Steve

Dominican Republic North coast.doc

[tupelo080135]

Originally Posted by stevieb

Hey Rob,

Not sure I agree with your remarks. I have just returned from the DR and found the people really friendly and the country (North coast) quite spectacular.

Heres my trip report. I hope you find it interesting.
Steve

Attachment 170432

I have booked a holiday in Dominic Republic for September and have just looked at threads about DR. I was just about to start feeling that I have made a bad choice when I read your thread. I am on holiday with the wife but your report will encourage me to take my bins and scope. I am in the same area you were and if I only see some off the birds you did I will bwe happy. Good report. Any advise will be welcomed for birding.

[caribemotion]

Originally Posted by tupelo080135

I have booked a holiday in Dominic Republic for September and have just looked at threads about DR. I was just about to start feeling that I have made a bad choice when I read your thread. I am on holiday with the wife but your report will encourage me to take my bins and scope. I am in the same area you were and if I only see some off the birds you did I will bwe happy. Good report. Any advise will be welcomed for birding.

Unfortunately most people come unprepared to the island. Where exactly will you be staying? I'll give you some locations close by to see at least a dozen endemics easily.
Jurgen
www.birdsofhispaniola.com

[stevieb]

Originally Posted by caribemotion

Where exactly will you be staying? I'll give you some locations close by to see at least a dozen endemics easily.
Jurgen
www.birdsofhispaniola.com

Hi Tupelo,

Looks like Jurgens got his finger on the pulse out there.
Feel free if you want to PM me though.

[tupelo080135]

Originally Posted by caribemotion

Unfortunately most people come unprepared to the island. Where exactly will you be staying? I'll give you some locations close by to see at least a dozen endemics easily.
Jurgen
www.birdsofhispaniola.com

I will staying at Puerto Plata. I just recieved my field guide today. I want to do as much birding as my wife will allow me.

[caribemotion]

There will be of course a lot of waterbirds. Around your hotel you'll see also White-crowned pigeon, Greater Ant. grackle, palmchats, Antillean mango, Vervain Hummingbird, Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo, Hispaniolan woodpecker, Black-crowned palm tanager, Hisp. Oriole, palm swift, . If you take a cable car ride up to Isabela mountain (south of Puerto Plata) you'll find todies, Hisp. Emerald. If you take to Cabarete you'll easily see Flat-billed vireo.
Enjoy!

[Acanthis]

Originally Posted by caribemotion

There will be of course a lot of waterbirds. Around your hotel you'll see also White-crowned pigeon, Greater Ant. grackle, palmchats, Antillean mango, Vervain Hummingbird, Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo, Hispaniolan woodpecker, Black-crowned palm tanager, Hisp. Oriole, palm swift, . If you take a cable car ride up to Isabela mountain (south of Puerto Plata) you'll find todies, Hisp. Emerald. If you take to Cabarete you'll easily see Flat-billed vireo.
Enjoy!

My wife and I are just back from DR. Marvellous place! Not a full-on birding trip - my wife doesn't bird.
I saw most of the above around our hotel (not Vervain Hummingbird or oriole!) plus Zenaida Dove, Village Weaver, Grey Kingbird, Red-legged Thrush, Shiny Cowbird, Ovenbird, Yellowthroat, Louisiana Waterthrush, West Indian Whistling Duck, Nutmeg Mannikin among others.
Ok the country is very poor but we found the Dominicans the warmest people we've met on our travels and I can recommend trips out to the capital Santo Domingo and a visit to the countryside (by Outback Safaris) to see something of the real DR.
Other points: we visited Pico Isabel de Torres by cable car which was great but unfortunately around midday when birds were difficult to find. It was part of a Puerto Plata tour so it was a very brief visit (1 hr) and apart from the Turkey Vultures gathering on the radio mast I only saw 1 other bird - a brief unidentifiable hummingbird. My tip would be to do it yourself and go early.
Best times to bird: first thing in the morning and midafternoon to sunset. The rest of the time chill out on the beach or by the pool but keep your bins handy as there's still some bird activity through the day.
If your getting a drink from the poolside bar etc. get something sweet too for the Bananquits. We got some down for photos using a cup of 7up!

In a perfect world everyone's partner would bird too and then we could all blitz the island and see all the endemics etc, but if like me you of necessity must make compromises then I can recommend the DR because of it's well established tourist infrastructure, welcoming people, and fantastic suite of great birds.