Cuba jan/feb 2017 (1 Viewer)

[neilh]

Staying in the north east of Cuba near Guadalavaca at the Paradisus Rio del Ora for the last week of Jan and first week of Feb 2017. Not a birding holiday but a chance for some warmth !!! 30 degrees and blue skies full of Turkey Vultures !!

The hotel had well manicured grounds and was surrounded by woodland and scrub, best of all it bordered a saline lagoon which had a bridge across it leading though mangroves to another well manicured hotel complex and gardens, also a small sewerage works. I had a patch for 2 weeks !!
I went out everyday after breakfast for an hour about 8 o'clock, after parking the wife on a sunbed !!! Shorts, t-shirt and binoculars !!!

The hotel lobby was a roost site for Cuban and Tawny shouldered Blackbird and Grackles. The buffet had these and House Sparrows, so much so that. they employed a man to walk round with an American Kestrel on his wrist !!
I had 27 species within the hotel grounds, Red Legged Thrush and Mockingbird being the most obvious, I heard the machine gun rattle of Lizard Cuckoo but never actually saw it. Cuban Emerald was about on the flowers, and Smooth Billed Ani on the lawns. Warblers were aplenty but you had to look for them !! Mostly little yellow birds with varying spots and streaks !! I did my best and tentatively identified : Black Throated Blue, Black and White, Cape May, Palm, Prairie, Yellow Throated, Yellow, Northern Parula and American Redstart. Woodpeckers were around Cuban Green and Yellow Bellied Sapsucker although I had better views over the bridge at the other hotel.

The lagoon was best early morning, which I only did once, before the fishermen arrived. Herons and Egrets a plenty, Least Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Blue Winged Teal, Belted Kingfisher, Coot and Moorhen. Once or twice fishing Osprey and the odd Royal Tern. I had Anhinga flying over but never saw them land. 19 species in all for the lagoon.

Over the bridge, behind the stables was the small sewerage works, tip the guard a couple of peso and he lets you in. Three small lagoons of varying depth and cleanliness surrounded by sheep grazed lawns. Black Necked Stint, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Least and Spotted Sandpiper were there when I visited.

In the hotel gardens over the bridge I added Cuban Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, Zenieda and White Winged Dove, Yellow Faced Grassquit and Black Cowled Oriole.

We had two trip out to see the countryside and added Cuban Grassquit, Mourning Dove and Laughing Gull.

A lovely place for a holiday and relaxing birding in the sun. 59 species in total is probably poor for Cuba but I only stayed within walking distance of the hotel and I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, 17 lifers.

There are opportunities to go further afield if you book the services of Carlos through the holiday rep. I talked to some Canadians who'd been out with him and they praised him very highly !!

 

[Jhanlon]

Staying in the north east of Cuba near Guadalavaca at the Paradisus Rio del Ora for the last week of Jan and first week of Feb 2017. Not a birding holiday but a chance for some warmth !!! 30 degrees and blue skies full of Turkey Vultures !!

The hotel had well manicured grounds and was surrounded by woodland and scrub, best of all it bordered a saline lagoon which had a bridge across it leading though mangroves to another well manicured hotel complex and gardens, also a small sewerage works. I had a patch for 2 weeks !!
I went out everyday after breakfast for an hour about 8 o'clock, after parking the wife on a sunbed !!! Shorts, t-shirt and binoculars !!!

The hotel lobby was a roost site for Cuban and Tawny shouldered Blackbird and Grackles. The buffet had these and House Sparrows, so much so that. they employed a man to walk round with an American Kestrel on his wrist !!
I had 27 species within the hotel grounds, Red Legged Thrush and Mockingbird being the most obvious, I heard the machine gun rattle of Lizard Cuckoo but never actually saw it. Cuban Emerald was about on the flowers, and Smooth Billed Ani on the lawns. Warblers were aplenty but you had to look for them !! Mostly little yellow birds with varying spots and streaks !! I did my best and tentatively identified : Black Throated Blue, Black and White, Cape May, Palm, Prairie, Yellow Throated, Yellow, Northern Parula and American Redstart. Woodpeckers were around Cuban Green and Yellow Bellied Sapsucker although I had better views over the bridge at the other hotel.

The lagoon was best early morning, which I only did once, before the fishermen arrived. Herons and Egrets a plenty, Least Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Blue Winged Teal, Belted Kingfisher, Coot and Moorhen. Once or twice fishing Osprey and the odd Royal Tern. I had Anhinga flying over but never saw them land. 19 species in all for the lagoon.

Over the bridge, behind the stables was the small sewerage works, tip the guard a couple of peso and he lets you in. Three small lagoons of varying depth and cleanliness surrounded by sheep grazed lawns. Black Necked Stint, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Least and Spotted Sandpiper were there when I visited.

In the hotel gardens over the bridge I added Cuban Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, Zenieda and White Winged Dove, Yellow Faced Grassquit and Black Cowled Oriole.

We had two trip out to see the countryside and added Cuban Grassquit, Mourning Dove and Laughing Gull.

A lovely place for a holiday and relaxing birding in the sun. 59 species in total is probably poor for Cuba but I only stayed within walking distance of the hotel and I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, 17 lifers.

There are opportunities to go further afield if you book the services of Carlos through the holiday rep. I talked to some Canadians who'd been out with him and they praised him very highly !!

In April-May 2009 I stayed at this same hotel on my honeymoon during a two week visit. I don’t normally go for all-inclusive package deals but was very impressed with the establishment – it really did seem like Paradise! Like you I did a walk each morning and got a fair list of birds though I don’t recall reaching the sewage works. I’m sure we could smell them as I remember my new wife naming the place, ‘Poo Lagoon’, as we walked along the bridge, watching some fishermen netting tilapia in it.

I saw many of the same species that you did and after bumping into a local birder outside the hotel who taught me how to imitate Cuban pygmy owl, I went round making this sound everywhere but never managed to locate one – though it was a useful trick for pulling in the delightful little Cuban emeralds, the only hummingbird species I’ve seen. I wandered beyond the hotel grounds a few times and picked up various bits and pieces including Cuban trogon on a nearby wooded hillside the birder had given me directions to.

We also had 3 days in Central Havana, where birding was more limited although I managed to snap a few species from the balcony, including a 1st summer Mississippi kite on our first morning – I later learned that this no doubt under-recorded species had only ever been recorded once before in the country and only twice in the whole Caribbean region!

We tried out horse-riding, speedboating, archery, had a couple of scuba diving lessons and went snorkelling (a lionfish was the highlight I seem to remember). The beachside restaurant had bats flying through it at dusk as we dined (I got through many lobsters and pina coladas on the trip!) and various birds could also be seen from the breakfast table, sometimes even stealing food from the buffet.

A great trip, and I managed around 120 species, which of course would have been more had I had a birding partner. We’re still together, despite the fact that yes, I was indeed birding from the hotel balcony on our very first morning, and yes, I even dragged her straight to Dungeness from Gatwick upon our return, just to see a crested lark (which had departed that morning and which I still haven’t seen in this country).

A great place to stay and we have fond memories. There are photos of the birds in the Cuba album on my Flickr site – you can access it through my website below (sorry, don’t have the direct link to the album as I can’t remember my Flickr password!).

 

[neilh]

Paradise indeed !! I also succumbed to the lobster and pina colada !!!! 120 was a good score, I guess time of year helped ?? All the birders I spoke to where Canadian or Dutch. Wouldn't mind trying the cays one day ??

 

[trw]

Lucky you- we were slumming it at the Luna Y Mares!
Wish we'd stayed at your hotel.
We had a great holiday mind you.I loved the birdwatching round there especially not having to go far,use a guide or hire a car
There weren't any fishermen on the lagoon when we were there.
Didn't know you had to tip the sewage man- I just walked in every day giving him a wave.
The woodlands either side of the road to the Luna Y Mares are well worth exploring- great for Todys and a lot of other species.
If you want any info on Cayo Guillermo let me know.

 

[neilh]

Hi, Pratincole, I looked in the woods by the Lunes when I was trying to find the sewerage works, but it was very quiet, probably too late in the morning. I found the poor dolphins instead, they sounded like they were crying, very sad. I'd like to try the Cays for the flamingos etc but the wife thinks they're a bit too far out !! Some work to do I think !!!

 

[trw]

Hi, Pratincole, I looked in the woods by the Lunes when I was trying to find the sewerage works, but it was very quiet, probably too late in the morning. I found the poor dolphins instead, they sounded like they were crying, very sad. I'd like to try the Cays for the flamingos etc but the wife thinks they're a bit too far out !! Some work to do I think !!!

You are probably best being on the mainland but Cayo Guillermo is linked to Cayo Coco so it is big enough to enjoy without going on the mainland.They have a hop on hop off bus linking the two calling in at all the hotels.
It was outstanding for waders, flamingos,egrets, ducks and waders.
If I go back I'm deffo going to your hotel!The Luna Y Mares is a bit downmarket although the Luna side is actually quite pleasant and quiet compared to the Mares side.
I've pasted a copy of my report if your're interested.

Playa Esmeralda, Guardalavaca, Holquin - Cuba - 26th March - 2nd April 2014

The Blue Bridge Lagoon

Within 3 minutes of leaving the hotel you can access the blue bridge and across the lagoon. Always full of birds including an impressive 200 Northern Shovelers. The most numerous egret was the Snowy Egret. A Belted Kingfisher was seen regularly. Other birds on the lagoon included Pied-billed Grebe, Least Grebe, Moorhen, American Coot, Neotropic Cormorant[numerous], Black-crowned Night Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron, Tricoloured Heron, Great Egret and Green Heron. A Least Bittern was reported one day. Other birds seen around the lagoon were the inevitable Turkey Vulture, White-winged Dove and Mourning Dove. The nearby population of Cuban Martins would often fly over but only in the morning. I recommend a scope for this area as it is a fair sized lagoon.

The road to the Blue Bridge.

It is easy to head straight to the lagoon and ignore the potential for birds either side of the public road. Well worth a look, however, in the trees and shrubs either side. I was surprised to find a Cuba Pygmy Owl in a tree just before the bridge. There was a Black-throated Blue Warbler in the shrubs just before the bridge entrance one afternoon. Killdeers were generally running around on the grass here. The most common warbler around here was the Palm Warbler. Apart from the ever present Northern Mockingbird, Cuban Blackbird, grackles, Gray Kingbird, House Sparrow there were the common Cuban Red-legged Thrush, White-winged Dove and Ground Dove. One morning my attention was grabbed by two Smooth-billed Ani calling in the trees by the Blue Bridge. Yellow-faced Grassquits are very common in the whole area and usually some would be seen near the horse ranch. The Black-whiskered Vireo were always around. If you are not familiar with it's monotonous song you will be by the end of the week!

The Sewage Works.

Definitely worth a daily visit. Just next to the ranch before the Blue Bridge Lagoon, you will find the blue gated entrance. Generally there was a member of staff around who would let you in[no charge!] There are three tanks each warranting a look. Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Turnstone, Killdeer and Blue-winged Teal were ever present. On the last day a Least Sandpiper turned up. There were some shrubs and trees along the western boundary. Palm Warbler was regular and there was one American Redstart during the week. The sewage tanks also supported a large number of Turtles which emerged in the midday sun.

The Bahia De Naranjo track.

On the western edge of the hotel there is a magnficent bay,the Bahia De Naranjo. It is bordered by a dense wood,
A path starts opposite the Las Guanas nature reserve It heads south along the edge of the bay through the wood. Eventually it meets the Conuco Monogvina Restaurant track. I walked this track every day.It is wonderful!Keep on dipping out of the densely covered path, when you can, to look across the bay. Royal Terns regulary rest on the Dolphinareum rails. There was a Brown Pelican one day as well as a report of a frigatebird. A Yellow-crowned Night Heron appeared one day as well as some Snowy Egrets. Ocassionally Turnstones were on the shoreline. Turkey Vultures liked to land and rest on any deserted beaches here. I nipped off the main track one morning and spotted a Yellow Warbler. Going back to the main forest track you will hear and hopefully see three birds in particular. The repetitive Black-whiskered Vireo, the 'machine gun' sound of the Cuba Tody and the ascending ka,ka.ka.ka.ka... of the Hispanolian Lizard Cuckoo. All three were regulars along here along with the Red-legged Thrush[Cuban], Ground Dove and Cuban Emerald. Oddly, I did not see one Cuban Red-legged Thrush in Cayo Guillermo last year. Here they were heard and seen throughout the walk. Apart from the numerous Black-whiskered Vireo I sometimes heard Cuban Vireos in the thickly wooded areas. A bird I missed in Guillermo last year was the Western Stripe-headed Tanager. I had two great sightings along the track though,this year. My only sighting of a Cuban Green Woodpecker was along this track. Palm Warblers were regulary seen and I caught a glimpse of a Blackburnian Warbler too. Eventually the track opens out into a large open area before it meets the restaurant track. This was an excellent area. The Cuban Loggerhead Kingbirds favoured this area. They like to perch on the fence posts along the track and it was good to compare them with the more common Gray Kingbird. This was a great place to see Black-and-white Warblers. I saw them around here regulary. A Cape May Warbler was spotted here one morning. Palm Warbler and Yellow-faced Grassquit were genearlly around. My only sighting of a White-crowned Pigeon was here. Another good area to see Cuban Emerald. There was a Greater Antillean Oriole here as well as a Northern Parula. Just hereabouts there were 2 Smooth-billed Anis. I generally carried on to the restaurant[look for a huge rusty tank and head west]. Without fail I saw or heard a Cuban Tody about 100 yards before the restaurant where they had cut the track through some rocks. As you head to the restaurant there is an abandonned zoo on your right. There is a steep concrete path leading to a hidden lagoon. Black-necked Stilt, White-cheeked Pintail and Blue-winged Teal were regulars here. There was a Northern Waterthrush one day. Tawny-winged Blackbirds seem to like this area too.

La Cueva trip

A local guide called Robert took a few of us to a cave in the hills just south of Playa Esmeralda. He wasn't a bird guide he just did tours.[£5 all in]. There were some Cave Swallows, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Cuban Emeralds and a Merlin around here. I saw another Black-and-white Warbler; obviuosly common around these parts. It was a Warbler I saw all week along with the other regular warbler; the Palm Warbler.

Roca Azul Biopark

Again we went with Robert. The trip including bus,free drink and guided tour was £3! The park is on the opposite side of Naranjo Bay and would warrant a lengthier bird watching visit. A great place for Cuban Emerald, Cuban Tody, Palm Warbler and Yellow-faced Grassquit.

Hotel Grounds

By far the strangest spectacle was a nightly show at the Animation Team Pavillion. No,it wan't another dreadful 'Hits of the 70's' spectacular. A Merlin appeared on the dot at 7.15 pm and started chasing emerging bats until it caught one of the poor creatures! Also saw Palm Warblers and a Cape May Warbler in the gardens. There was one Kestrel around a few Cuban Emeralds and the ocassional Yellow-faced Grassquit. Apart from the teeming sparrows, kingbirds, grackles, Cuban Blackbird. Tawny-winged Blackbird and mockingbirds there were lots of Lizards and butterflies as there were on our trips outside the hotel.

 

[neilh]

Brilliant report !! Wish I'd carried on a bit further down the track by the bay, I found it but it seemed very quiet !! Could have been the time of year I expect a bit earlier than yours ! You at least confirmed some of my ticks !! Thanks

 

[trw]

Brilliant report !! Wish I'd carried on a bit further down the track by the bay, I found it but it seemed very quiet !! Could have been the time of year I expect a bit earlier than yours ! You at least confirmed some of my ticks !! Thanks

Thanks Neil- I wish I'd known you were going so you could have seen it before you went.
Yes, it probably changes as you get into March and April when the migrants are passing through so maybe you could do a return visit.
We went to Cayo Guillermo the previous April and there were thousands of migrants to America passing through as well.
I was green with envy when I met the Paradisus guests on the bridge telling me about the wonderful food at your hotel- we were on a diet of varieties of beans,stewed meat of doubtful provenance and reheated offerings of yesterday's meals.
We still had a great holiday though- I loved the rural surroundings just outside both hotels.