Birding in Cuba - November, 2023 - Part 5

 24 November, 2023

Playa Larga - Nearby Rural Area - Playa Girón - Playa Larga - Nearby Rural Area

     The excitement started early! Just before first light, while chatting before breakfast, the two American Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) returned from their nighttime foraging and we had fabulous views of these enigmatic birds. Tania was ready with her camera.

     Now that's guaranteed to get a birder's adrenalin pumping!

     We left for a rural area less than a half hour from Playa Larga, where our quest would be to locate Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops) and Fernandina's Flicker (Colpates fernandinae), two highly sought after Cuban endemics. 

     It turned out to be easier than we might have imagined! A mere five minutes out of the vehicle we found a tree dripping with parakeets - feeding, preening, squawking, quarreling - a psittacid extravaganza if ever there was one.

     We had no sooner torn ourselves away from the parakeets when a couple of Fernandina's Flickers came into view, and perched very obligingly.

     Easy-peasy birding! It bears remembering that most birders throughout the world will never see these species, and even for birders visiting Cuba a sighting is far from a slam dunk.

     Smugness was our default condition for the rest of the day!

     The following picture will convey the flavour of the area we were visiting.

     In this location there were several butterflies flittting around, but the only one I was able to photograph was a Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon). 

     I was very pleased when Trevor pointed out a White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) to me, and Brian was able to get a decent picture.

      This is not an exceptional rarity, but it is a notoriously shy species, and this view was my most satisfactory ever.

     A Great Antillean Grackle (Quicalus niger) seemed quite pedestrian by comparison.

     It was a rare day when we did not see a Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus), but it was always with great pleasure.

     A Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) is a very exciting bird and no one ever became immune to its charm.

     West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) is no less appealing, and its appearance sealed a three-woodpecker day.

     The tawny shoulder of the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) is not always visible, and the female does not have this feature in any event.

     There is never an occasion when Greater Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) fails to impress.

     We started the morning's birding with an owl, so it's fitting that we end with one, this time a very cooperative Cuban Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium siju). It was a delight for everyone and posed for pictures from every angle.

     What a fabulous little bird!

     We tore ourselves away from birding to go to Playa Girón, to visit the Museo Memorial, a mere rifle's shot away from the scene of the battle of the Bay of Pigs, an ill-conceived invasion orchestrated by the CIA, which resulted in humiliating failure and loss of life.

      The Cuban force was mainly made up of individual citizens, men and women, backed up by a small contingent of trained warriors. 

      A monument honours the memory of those who died.

     The tour of the museum was extremely interesting. The guide spoke so clearly and precisely that I could understand almost everything she said, but Mariana sprang into the breach without hesitation and acted as our interpreter. 

     She did a wonderful job and we were all very proud of her.

     It struck us that whenever the name of the Revolutionary Leader of Cuba was inscribed, or even mentioned,  it was simply "Fidel." There was no need to add "Castro." I can't think of other leaders who have achieved such universal and instant recognition.

     Across the street was a small market selling souvenirs of various kinds, and I think most of us bought a couple of items, more as a way of leaving a little money in the community rather than being taken by what was available for sale.

     Upon leaving we drove for several minutes along the shore of the Bay of Pigs where the presence of another hero of The Revolution was celebrated, known around the world to this day simply as Che.

     I found it quite touching in a way to be present at the very site where a botched invasion, landing at a mosquito-infested swamp, changed the course of history. Sadly, the grand ideals of the Revolution have not been realized, but one would be equally hard-pressed to make a case for democracy and capitalism today. There are those who would trade democracy and pluralism for autocracy and dictatorship in a heartbeat.

     We stopped for lunch in Soplillar at a finca called  Rancho Los Pintines; perhaps my favourite place to eat lunch in all of Cuba.

     It is a pristine farm where agroecology, permaculture, carpentry and sustainable resource management are practiced in harmony with nature. The food is organic, delicious and plentiful, and the hosts are kind, gentle people committed to their way of life.

     Everyone helps with the food.

        Well, I was about to, but Mary Ann twisted my arm and made me have a drink with her.

     Coffee anyone?

     Mary Ann, who comes from a farming background was especially interested in this place and plied the owner with many questions, becoming more entranced by the minute as she learned of their philosophy and the practices employed.

     It was of great interest to see their unique bee houses. 

     I made notes as to the type of bee and the reason for this unique structure, but I must have misplaced them or lost them, so I am unable to offer much clarification. I will try to re-educate myself in February.

     It was with a deep sense of satisfaction that we returned to our accommodation to rest for a while before going out once again to search for Grey-fronted Quail-Dove (Geotrygon caniceps), this time accompanied by Ernesto. Surely with two of Cuba's premier birding guides we could find this will-'o-the- wisp bird - well, that's what I thought anyway!

     Would we have to be content with a butterfly that eluded identification?

     Or a Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)?

      We scoured the terrain until darkness began to fall, without even a hint of our target.

      But if you think that even for a moment we were morose about this turn of events, let me assure you that we were of good spirits, enhanced by the discovery of a family of Bare-legged Owls (Margarobyas lawrencii) in a hole in a utility pole.

     Incredibly, there were five owls in this hole, and we were able to watch them one by one as they peered out at the world, and left to hunt for the night.

     To cap off the evening in grand style, a Cuban Nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis) perched on a post, and stayed there!

     I don't know how long we enjoyed its company, but I doubt that ten minutes would be an exaggeration, and it had not left its perch when we returned to the bus.

     I mentioned earlier that we had a three-woodpecker day, well now we could claim a three-owl day too. And a nightjar to boot.

     Not a bad day at all if you ask me!

Once again I need to express my deep appreciation to Andrew, Lorraine, Brian, Tania and Mary Ann for permitting me to use their pictures.