JAMAICA: Endemic Jam

The Jamaican Woodpecker is just one of 28 endemics we will seek. Photo by Bob Lockett

This island nation, the third largest island and the fourth largest country, sits 90 miles south of Cuba. It is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and cities are located on the coast. Chief towns and cities include the capital Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Ríos, Port Antonio, Negril, and Montego Bay. The Kingston Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. There are several tourist attractions scattered across the country, including Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann, YS Falls in St. Elizabeth, the Blue Lagoon in Portland, and Port Royal, which was the site of an earthquake that helped form the island's Palisadoes.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION to our PUERTO RICO ENDEMIC DASH APRIL 16 - 20, 2011
and an additional option to continue on to our South Florida and Dry Tortugas tour!

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Arrival at MONTEGO BAY’s Sangster International Airport from Miami at approximately noon. We’ll receive a warm Jamaican welcome by our JUTA-certified driver and van who will be accompanying us around the island. After picking up our luggage and smelling the salt air, we’ll first travel to nearby Rocklands Bird Sanctuary for close encounters and excellent photographic opportunities with some of Jamaica’s unique bird species. There will be delightful opportunities to hand-feed Red-billed Streamertails and Grassquits, both Yellow-faced and Black-faced as well as enjoy the property’s lush gardens. We’ll then drive (less than 3 hours) to Marshall’s Pen near Mandeville where we’ll be met by renowned ornithologist/conservationist Dr. Ann Haynes-Sutton, coauthor of the new field guide, “A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Jamaica” and the owner of this lovely estate. Marshall’s Pen is an historic 300-acre working family-owned cattle ranch and nature reserve with lovely gardens and forested trails that offers fine introductions to many of the island’s endemics, including Chestnut- bellied Cuckoo and Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo. We’ll have 3 evenings to look for Jamaican Owl. Night at Marshall’s Pen.

DAY 2 A day with Dr. Ann Haynes-Sutton exploring the Black Morass, Jamaica’s largest wetland. This scenic region provides fine viewing of ducks, herons, waders and rails. We’ll be especially looking for West Indian Whistling Duck, Caribbean Coot, Yellow- breasted Crake, Limpkin, and Least Bittern along with local crocodile populations. After dinner, Ann will share with us some of the long history of the British colonial presence in Jamaica and particularly Marshall’s Pen. 2nd night at Marshall’s Pen.

DAY 3 Today, Ann Haynes-Sutton will be leading us north/northwest into the wet limestone forest and karst landscape of Cockpit Country, home to many endemic species including Black-billed and Yellow-billed parrots and Jamaican Crow. The habitat is stunningly unique and the birds won’t disappoint! 3rd night at Marshall’s Pen.

DAY 4 Early risers can make one last bird walk at Marshall’s Pen before the group drives eastward with Ann to Portland Ridge, an unexpectedly dry scrubby desert habitat ringed with coastal mangroves. This is the only location in Jamaica to see the regionally endemic Bahama Mockingbird. Other species to look for will be Caribbean Dove, Stolid Flycatcher and, in the nearby wetlands, Clapper Rail. We’ll then say farewell to our wonderful host and drive toward Kingston where we’ll rendezvous with another fine guide, Mr. Ricardo Miller. Ricardo, an excellent birder currently serving as President of BirdLife Jamaica, and a field investigator at Jamaica’s National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA), will navigate us into the scenic Blue Mountains and introduce us to the highest forests in the country. After dinner, he will share the state of conservation efforts in Jamaica and the Caribbean. A delightfully cool night at Starlight Chalet.

DAY 5 Ricardo will be our expert guide today as we explore Silver Hill Gap, one of Jamaica’s prime spots for seeing montane endemics. Target species include Crested Quail-Dove, Jamaican Blackbird, and Blue Mountain Vireo. We’ll bird our way down from the mountains into Kingston, then wend our way north through the Wagwater River watershed to Jamaica’s north coast. The scenery will be lovely, the sights along the way “authentic Jamaica.” We’ll end our day in Portland, known as the Green Parish, for 3 nights near the Caribbean Sea. We’ll be joined by Peace Corps Volunteers (and birders) Bob Lockett and Adrienne Wolf-Lockett who will share with us information about Peace Corps efforts in Jamaica.

DAY 6 Ecclesdown Road’s reputation as one of the most scenic places to see Jamaica’s “28th endemic,” Black- billed Streamertail, is well deserved. This gently rolling, quiet rural track winds through the misty foothills of the John Crow Mountains where we’ll spend the better part of the day with Bob and Adrienne looking for island specialties such as parrots, Jamaican Becard, and Jamaican Elaenia. Rain is possible as this region is the wettest in the country, with upwards of 130 inches of rain in some parts. A stop at picturesque Long Beach or at the famous Boston Jerk Center enroute. Time for a late swim or snorkel.

DAY 7 Day 7 will be a special day for our group. We may return to Ecclesdown Road to “clean up” on target bird species or travel up the north side of the Blue Mountains through the
scenic Buff Bay Valley, now home of the Maroon peoples. Maroons are of West African slave heritage who were brought to Jamaica by the Spanish; some escaped, then resisted the British in the 1700s, hiding out in the Blue Mountains. If our timing is just right, we may be able to meet with a British lay researcher to witness a hatch of Hawksbill Turtles in St. Mary Parish. We could snorkel or swim at Frenchman’s Cove, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Or, if we haven’t had our fill of traditional Jamaican jerk, we’ll stop again at the familiar Boston Jerk Center.

DAY 8 Travel to KINGSTON or MONTEGO BAY for departure to USA.