Eastern Caribbean cruise November 2023 (2 Viewers)

[cbutler]

I am cruising around the Eastern Caribbean visiting the following Islands,
Barbados
Curacao
Bonaire
St Lucia
Grenada
St Vincent
St Kitts
Antigua
St Maarten
Does anyone have any information on available guides at any of the ports or any suggestions regarding birding on these islands.
Obviously I will not be able to bird on them all as it is a family holiday so suggestions on the best islands would be welcome.
It looks as though I will be in Barbados for the full day so this would appear to give me the most time in any of the ports.
All suggestions welcome

 

[Steve Lister]

My ex-wife and I did a Caribbeann cruise many years ago and it was a great success for birding due to us being able to contact helpful people who guided us on Barbados, Antigua and Puerto Rico. The other islands we either used taxis or hire cars.
If you check Birdingpal you will find there are local birders willing to help on Barbados (the same guy who gave us a fantastic day, now weekends only), St Kitts and St Lucia. Plus professional guides on Antigua and St Maarten.
If you are unfamiliar with Birdingpal then it is based on local birders willing to help with advice etc and often able to guide you for expenses and maybe a meal rather than professionally.

 

[greer3]

I am cruising around the Eastern Caribbean visiting the following Islands,
Barbados
Curacao
Bonaire
St Lucia
Grenada
St Vincent
St Kitts
Antigua
St Maarten
Does anyone have any information on available guides at any of the ports or any suggestions regarding birding on these islands.
Obviously I will not be able to bird on them all as it is a family holiday so suggestions on the best islands would be welcome.
It looks as though I will be in Barbados for the full day so this would appear to give me the most time in any of the ports.
All suggestions welcome

Its a long time since we cruised there, but here are extracts from a bird report for three of the places you mentioned. Things may have changed though.
If you require any info for any other cruises or recommendations for good birdwatching cruises let me know.

St John’s Antigua:

Harbour: Brown Pelican,Magnificent Frigatebird, Royal Tern, Peregine Falcon, Laughing Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Cattle Egret,
Walk from St Johns to Dickinson Bay;
McKinnons Salt Pools at Dickonson Bay were well worth the walk from the ship through the car park as you turn left out of the cruise terminal.Then walk through the less than charming housing area before taking a parallel course to the cruise ships.You will soon reach either a roundabout or a road going north past the old football stadium and a school.Once you get away from the more densely housed area there are lots of birds to see. Aim first for the big sea inlet lagoon type area.[if you want to avoid this walk simply take a taxi direct to Dickonson Bay]: Yellow Warbler, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Green Throated Carib, House Sparrow, White Crowned Pigeon, Carib Grackle, Ground Dove,Zenaida Dove,Black Bellied Plover,Black Necked Stilt,
Mckinnon’s Pools: Brown Pelican,Magnificent Frigatebird,Great Egret,Snowy Egret,Cattle Egret,Green Heron,Little Blue Heron,Laughing Gull,Sandwich Tern,White Cheeked Pintail,American Coot,Common Moorhen,Ruddy Turnstone,Black Necked Stilt,Spotted Sandpiper,Semi Palimated Plover,Greater Yellowlegs,Lesser Yellowlegs,Black Bellied Plover,Bananaquit,Green Throated Carib.

Roseau Grenada.

In the harbour: Brown Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, Royal Tern, Laughing Gull. Green Heron,Yellow Crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Blue heron, Eared dove
Spice Farm on the way to Trafalgar Falls on a ship excursion: Yellow Bellied Seed Eater, Black Faced Grassquit, Carib Grackle, Cattle Egret, Lesser Antillean Tanager,Yellow Bellied Elania,Tropical Mockingbird.
Around Roseau: Gray Kingbird,Rock Dove,Gray Kingbird.

Phillipsburg St.Maarten;

Harbour; Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, Royal Tern, Laughing Gull.
Salt Ponds:[behind the main shopping street] Great Egret,Snowy Egret,Cattle Egret,Little Blue Heron,Laughing Gull,Lesser Yellowlegs,Black Bellied plover,Spotted Sandpiper,Ruddy Turnstone,Black Necked Stilt,American Coot,Common Moorhen,White Cheeked Pintail,Bananaquit,Common Ground Dove,Zenaida Dove,Gray Kingbird.

 

[njlarsen]

I am cruising around the Eastern Caribbean visiting the following Islands,
Barbados

I sent you a PM re Barbados.

Roseau Grenada.

The strange thing here is that the names here (Roseau and Trafalgar Falls) are in Dominica, but the bird list sounds more likely to be seen in Grenada.

Niels

 

[cbutler]

Thanks for all of the information, it is really appreciated

 

[dandsblair]

This might be useful from 18 months ago, although Covid restriction impacted us quite a bit. We used a guide (willow) in St Lucia who was very good.