Independent Jamaica: all 28 endemics in a week (1 Viewer)

[simmojunior]

Hi all,

I'm in Montego Bay airport waiting for my flight back to London after a successful last minute solo trip to Jamaica.

I found myself with a week's leave to take before the end of the year. Unwilling to waste it, I booked a last minute trip to Jamaica.

I hired a car and found all the endemics without too much trouble. The whole trip was pretty relaxing and low stress. Driving nothing like Colombia even if the roads are terrible. Jamaican Elaenia gave me the run around but got it today. A total of 51 lifers as also found most regional specialities including Plain Pigeon, Greater Antillean Elaenia, Northern Potoo and Bahama Mockingbird.

Two main pieces of advice:

• Jamaica is crazy expensive so be prepared for that. A tomato in the shops will set you back more than £1.50, while a fish lunch generally cost over £20.
• Contrary to advice I received and most trip reports, I'd advocate basing yourself in the Port Antonio/ San San area with good access to Ecclesdown Road and San San reserve. Hardwar Gap is at least an hour of potholed windy road from any accommodation option and you should get most endemics at Ecclesdown. Admittedly, it's a long drive to Hellshire Hills for the dry specialities. Maybe 4 nights Port Antonio and 2 Kingston / Hardwar Gap is best option.

Here is my ebird report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/177169

Attached are some photos: Mangrove Cuckoo, Loggerhead Kingbird, Bahama Mockingbird, Sad Flycatcher, American Redstart

 

[hgalbraith1949]

Hi Simmojunior,

Can tell us what field and finding guides you used? Also, any accommodations recommendations?

 

[foresttwitcher]

Thanks for posting, I've wondered about doing this. Did you feel unsafe at any time?

 

[simmojunior]

Hi Simmojunior,

Can tell us what field and finding guides you used? Also, any accommodations recommendations?

I used the Helm Birds of the West Indies 2nd edition (published in 2020). I did not use a finding guide but relied on ebird plus trip reports on cloud birders (Showler and Merrill are particularly good).

I really recommend All Nations Guest House next to the San San Reserve. It's very nice, relatively reasonably priced (Jamaica is crazy expensive), has a kitchen that can be used and I had Jamaican Owl and Barn Owl in the garden and Northern Potoo 100m away. I also stayed at Kingsworth B&B as recommended by Showler. However, I would recommend avoiding it. The food was terrible, there was building work going on, the pool was black, the wifi was erratic and it was more than a 75 minute drive to the Hardwar Gap birding area (or 20 minutes just to get off the road). I sacked off my third night there and stayed in a basic, overpriced resort on north coast (but good access to excellent, underwatched Stewart Town). Villa Royale was an ideal place close to the airport for my first night.

 

[simmojunior]

Thanks for posting, I've wondered about doing this. Did you feel unsafe at any time?

No, I had no safety issues nor saw or heard anything. I assume certain parts of Kingston are unsafe but I didn't visit them. I deliberately drove around rather than through Spanish Town when going from Old Harbour to the north coast but I've no idea if that was really necessary.

I was pulled over by the police once but it seemed just a routine check and after checking the license, let me go without making anything up. The roads are really bad but the driving was much better than in south america. Drivers are aggressive but fairly rational and most importantly there are not many motorbikes!

 

[simmojunior]

Some more photos:

• Caribbean Dove
• Greater Antillean Grackle
• Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo
• Northern Potoo
• Ovenbird
• Ring-tailed Pigeon

 

[simmojunior]

Final set of photos:

• Bahama Mockingbird
• Black-billed Parrot
• Brown Pelican
• Snowy Egret
• Stolid Flycatcher
• Turkey Vulture
• Vervain Hummingbird
• Wilson's Plover

 

[pbjosh]

Good stuff! I‘ve only been to Cuba and the desire is boiling ever higher to do a Jamaica / DR / PR trip… so good to hear some recent gen and reccomendations!

 

[Dyrlege]

Thanks for sharing! That was great!
Per

 

[simmojunior]

Good stuff! I‘ve only been to Cuba and the desire is boiling ever higher to do a Jamaica / DR / PR trip… so good to hear some recent gen and reccomendations!

DR and PR are definitely on my bucket list so interested how you get on. DR seems really good but only had a week and think 4x4 required!

 

[Andy Adcock]

Some more photos:

• 
  
• Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo

I think I'm correct in saying that this was the late John Hornbuckle's last tick.