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| Cayo Coco Cuba http://lbcarchive.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15651 |
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| Author: | Chris Grimshaw [ Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Cayo Coco Cuba |
Spent two weeks holiday at the Melia Hotel on Cayo Coco Cuba. Managed to get out to do some birding each day but was unable to travel to Guillermo to see if I could find the Bahamas Mockingbird because of illness to Ann All my birdwatching was dome within about 5 miles of our base. The habitat was generally wooded or inpenetrable mangrove. To wander off the beaten track was to offer yourself on a plate for the mosquitos. The beach was about four of five miles long and it didn't take long to be alone. There was a largish lagoon by our hotel which produced herons, egrets and birds of prey but only in small numbers. There was only one real viewing area so this area didn't really live up to its potential. Still 82 species were seen and several others that I couldn't identify I did go on an organised birding trip which topped up my numbers. I did manage 16 lifers and saw 6 species seen at home tis year In no particular order birds seen were turkey vulture - virtually every day - 22 in one flock cuban emerald (hummingbird) - most days in small numbers around the pool northern mockingbird - everywhere in good numbers - unmissable collared dove - lots of these around loggerhead kingbird - small numbers most days laughing gull - good numbers on the beautiful beach and on the lagoon by the hotel - confiding black headed blue warbler - fairly common in the area great white egret - in small numbers most days - one flock of 75 zenaida dove - singles seen twice royal tern - every day over the beach and lagoon - confiding turnstone - lots on the beach sanderling - lots on the beach wilsons plover - good numbers on the beach piping plover - good numbers on the beach grey plover - up to 4 seen on eight occasions magnificent frigatebird - seen most days in small numbers but did see one flock of 15 common black hawk - lifer - most days giving close views red legged thrush - seen every other day in small numbers. Unlike Dominican Republic - secretive common ground dove - common scarlet ibis - lifer - one flew over the lagoon green heron - common around the lagoon and mangroves northern waterthrush seen on three occasions belted kingfisher fairly common greater antillean grackle - noisy and common spotted sandpiper - seen once on the lagoon, once on the beach and twice at a small reservoir white crowned pigeon - seen once in the hotel gardens yellow rumped warbler - twice at least around the hotel yellow wabler seen twice around the area great lizard cuckoo seen on my bird watching tour - showed well but not well enough to photograph pine warbler just once on the birdwatching trip cattle egret - only seen three times with the hotel not really in suitable habitat nothern parula - another star of the birdwatching trip on a very rainy day cuban (crescent eyed) peewee occasinal birds were not difficult to see greater flamingos - distant view of thousands on the causeway from Cayo Coco to the Cuban mainland cuban vireo - just seen once at the small reservoir on my bird watching trip la sagras flycatcher - lifer - seen three times in woodland palm warbler -lifer - fairly common zapatta sparrow -lifer - (star of the show) just one on the bird watching tour which took some finding. thankfully my guide knew where to look indigo bunting - lifer - two found by my guide at a cave which doubles up as a disco in the jungle blue winged teal - seen twice and the only ducks I saw willet - lifer - two seen on the beach on my first early morning walk grey kingbird - seen twice house sparrow - not noticed until late in the holiday but with good numbers near the hotel entrance short billed dowitcher - lifer - with the willet on the beach on the same day I got a text from Katherine about the one at Frieston grasshopper sparrow - around the hotel nutmmeg manakin - two together just seen once lesser yellowlegs - one seen at the small reservoir cuban green woodpecker - one seen at the small reservoir greater antillean oriel - seen once near the lagoon cape may warbler - seen several times around the hotel grounds black necked stilt seen twice at the small reservoir yellow legged grassquit - seen around the hotel grounds regularly killdeer - up to eight seen on three occasions double crested cormorant - occasionly over the sea, 20/30 from the causeway and when looking in vain for a cuban gnatcatcher on my birdwatching trip american kestrel - common around the hotel and the roads leading to it western spindalis (westernern stripe headed tanager) - seen three times northern flicker - lifer - heard before seen but fairly commom great blue heron - fairly common aroud the lagoon and in the mangroves at the eastern end of the beach oriente warbler - although elusive not difficult to see with patience reddish egret - saw this attractive bird twicwe, once from the causeway and once at the lagoon tricolored heron - one and twos common around the lagoon baltimore oriel - lifer - this attractive bird was seen four times close to my bedroom semi palmated sandpiper seen singles twice yellow throated warbler seen twice cuban tody lifer - seen twice. last time I went to Cuba I spent hours looking for these with no lock. This time I was walking down a road when four flew across the road. very attractive and unmistakeable. I saw another one a week later in a different location cuban bullfinch - saw these on three consequtive days but not subsequently prairie warbler - fairly common bicknells thrush lifer - saw one skulking in the bushes close to where I saw the todys american redstart - common one day absent the next - present in good numbers when you did see them common yellowthroat - this attractive bird was fairly common in the hotel garden crested caracara - this attractive bird of prey was fairly easy to see in the area little blue heron - fairly common around the lagoon scaly naped pigeon - saw one in the gardens near our room smooth billed ani - this strange looking bird was fairly common and noisy yellow crowned night heron - three differnt birds - with two juveniles giving superb views brown pelican - several up and down the beach and many more on the causeway black faced grassquit lifer - just seen once in the garden snowy egret - around the lagoon and causeway |
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