Jamaica
Blue Mountain Isle
Thursday 28 February - Friday 7 March 2008 (9 days)
Join us on a Caribbean island rich in birds, with some fine hotels, excellent food and of course that lovely sunshine, for a trip that is just the perfect getaway from a grey British winter. Jamaica is an island particularly rich in endemic species, several of which are really beautiful birds, and our tour is designed to see most of these.
We start in the beautiful Blue Mountains, renowned for their coffee, and with their lush forested hillsides a haven for several of Jamaica’s endemic birds. We go on to stay at the excellent Mockingbird Hill Hotel on the north coast. Here we are in an excellent situation for reaching some great coastal habitats, the John Crow Mountains with new endemics, and to relax and birdwatch in the hotel grounds. Here the food is superb, and the swimming pool pretty tempting!
Price: £ 2,295
Single supp.: £ 375
Deposit: £ 400 per person
The price is per person and includes scheduled return flights London/Jamaica, airport taxes, ground and boat transportation as outlined above, accommodation on a full-board basis, admissions, local taxes, incidental tips, and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips to the driver and local guide, drinks, and other personal expenses.
This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays.
Leaders:
Keith Grant with local guides
Itinerary
Day 1
We take a direct afternoon flight from London to Kingston, arriving in the evening, and travel straight to our a quiet suburb where we overnight at the University Visitors Lodge, close to the Botanical Gardens.
Overnight Kingston
Days 2 - 3
We start birdwatching with an early visit to the Hope Botanical Gardens, the largest botanical gardens in the West Indies. Here we may see our first Jamaican endemic birds, such as Yellow-billed Parrot and Olive-throated Parakeets, the tiny Vervain Hummingbird and White-chinned Thrush, locally known as ‘Hopping Dick’. We may also find wintering North American warblers such as Northern Parula, American Redstart, Cape May, Black-throated Green and Black-and-White Warblers, whilst the small ponds may hold Masked Duck.
After breakfast we drive to Forres Park where we will get our first taste of birding in the Blue Mountains. At an elevation of 2,500 feet, the lodge’s Swiss chalet style fits with the cooler climate. The lodge is part of a working shade-grown coffee plantation, and its grounds and trails are packed with birds. Here we hope to see Jamaican Orioles, Orangequits and Stripe-headed Tanager, and there is the possibility of Jamaican Euphonia and Jamaican Tody. Overhead, Turkey Vultures and White-collared Swifts sweep broad arcs across the deep blue sky.
Next day we’ll enjoy breakfast with homemade plantain porridge and delicious Blue Mountain coffee, before venturing off the higher reaches of the mountains. We walk through small farm lands, forests with tree-ferns, and Caribbean pine. This is probably the best area for Jamaica’s endemic birds. The locals will no doubt enjoy pointing out the ‘Tourist Tree’ – a birch with red peeling bark.
After lunch we drive up into the Blue Mountains towards Abbey Green, where we should encounter Jamaican Woodpecker, Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher and Ring-tailed Pigeon - all endemic species - and we’ll keep a look out for the spectacular Crested Quail-Dove, though it needs a bit of luck to see one!
Two nights Forres Park
Days 4 - 7
We must make an early start - picnic breakfast in tow - to be in the forest for sunrise this morning, keeping an eye open for Jamaican Owl on roadside walls and trees as we go. We reach the Hardwar Gap ridge soon after sunrise when the high forest comes to life, and we listen to the beautiful dawn chorus - especially the flute-like call of the often elusive Rufous-throated Solitaire. With an annual rainfall of more than 100 inches, the forest hosts an array of fascinating ferns; some of the giant Tree Ferns reach a height of 30 feet!
Here we search for Arrow-headed Warblers, while other possible warblers wintering here from North America include Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue and Prairie Warblers, and American Redstart. Each White-chinned Thrush will be checked in the hope of finding White-eyed Thrush. Blue-Mountain Vireo and Sad Flycatcher are also possible along the roadsides, as are Jamaican Becard and Jamaican Blackbird. The latter is known locally as the ‘Wild Pine Sergeant’, and is the sole member of its genus, as well as being one of Jamaica’s most threatened endemics.
After a feast of forest birdwatching we take a much more leisurely drive on towards Mockingbird Hill Hotel with stops in the forest for Jamaican Pewee and Orangequit. Along the north coast, river crossings will give the opportunity to search for herons, egrets and waders, including Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, and Wilson’s Plover along the waterways and Green-rumped Parrotlet in the forests.
We arrive at Mockingbird Hill Hotel for a four-night stay, and, if time permits, add Black-billed Streamertail and possibly several other hummingbirds to our list - though this can be done from the bar as the sun sets over the Blue Mountains and the tree frogs begin to call.
The hotel is in a superb setting overlooking the coast, and is equipped with a fine swimming pool where you can float and watch hummingbirds in the trees above - we’ll return early on at least a couple of afternoons to give us time to enjoy it. The hotel grounds and surroundings are excellent for birds. In the past we have seen three species of cuckoo here in ten minutes: Mangrove Cuckoo, and the endemic Chestnut-bellied and Jamaican Lizard Cuckoos. We also hope for Caribbean Dove and Jamaican Oriole in the area.
Next day we drive along the north coast with sandy beaches lapped by the deep blue Caribbean Sea, to Ecclesdown on the eastern side of the John Crow Mountains. Here we search for the endemic Black-billed and Yellow-billed Parrots as well as Jamaican Elaenia and Jamaican Vireo. The loud calls of the Jamaican Crow should reveal another endemic. There is some lush forest here, where we look for Jamaican Becard and Zenaida Dove. After lunch, we head along the coast searching for sea birds and possible waders on estuaries before returning to the hotel.
On one day we’ll head for a fabulous rafting trip on the Rio Grande. No, this is definitely NOT white-water rafting, but a gentle float down the river on bamboo rafts at a rate that enables a very close approach to some of the numerous herons, egrets and kingfishers, and several species of wader including Killdeer. Waterbirds on the trip can include Yellow-crowned Night-heron and White Ibis. You also get the opportunity to buy cold beers as other rafts appear with cool boxes as you drift past! This is followed by an enjoyable lunch on a shingle bank by the riverside.
Four nights Mockingbird Hill
Day 8
We head for Kingston, with another stop at Hardwar Gap or around the east coast route for our final forest birdwatching, before catching an evening flight home, arriving on Day 9.
Accommodation and food is good to excellent throughout, in twin-bedded and single rooms which are all either en suite or have exclusive use of bathroom. Be prepared for some early starts.
Transport is by minicoach with local driver.
Walks are not strenuous, usually along forest roads and proceed at a leisurely pace.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients