Birding in Cuba - February, 2024 - Part 7

24 February, 2024

Trinidad - Carretera Trinidad - Río Higuanojo - Río Higuanojo - Pedraplén Cayo Coco - Entrada de Cayo Coco

     Everyone looked well rested and refreshed as they straggled from their rooms for breakfast, taken very agreeably in the courtyard; a fine start to the day.

    

     Before long, it was time to go, and we loaded up the cart to deliver our luggage to the bus.

     

     Kathy looked all set to face whatever challenges the day might bring!

     Rocío and her charming young man, Ernesto, came to say goodbye.

     It has been a great pleasure for me to see her grow up from the child I first met, to a confident and beautiful young woman. Perhaps one day she will be able to visit us in Canada.

     We had not been long on the bus when the gauge showed that one of the tyres was flat, so we were offloaded at a park while Jovany went to get it repaired. Ironically this was not our original bus. It had been showing mechanical issues and a replacement vehicle had been delivered.

      Just before we left, Rocío and Ernesto paid us another visit.

     It was actually quite pleasant to spend a little time in the park enjoying Cuban companions, and it was not long before we were on the road again, a large nail having been extracted from the tyre and the hole plugged.

     We stopped along the highway a short distance from Trinidad where Cuban Palm Crow (Corvus minutus) is known to favour a stand of palms, and within minutes of disembarking from the bus, there they were!

     Very agreeably, Cuban Crows (Corvus nasicus) were also present, with one species on each side of the highway, permitting an examination of behavioral and vocal differences.

     The two species are quite similar in plumage, but their calls are different from each other. Cuban Palm Crows have a habit of flicking their tails and, unlike Cuban Crow favour landing on the ground.  

     Unfortunately, I do not have a picture to memorialize this encounter.

     We moved on to our next stop, where our target bird was Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis)

      This is a very robust flycatcher, characterized by its huge bill; it didn't take us long to find it.

         It was very agreeable to also find a familiar bird from home, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), perhaps vacationing in Cuba just as we were!

     A Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) was no less captivating - but it is certain we will not see this beauty in Ontario.

     It was productive to cast an eye on the river where an Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) waited for an opportunity to pursue its next meal.

     No doubt it will be vying for fish with Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum).

     We drove on, getting ever closer to Cayo Coco, but not before stopping for lunch.

     This seemed like a unique way to display bottles of wine (or rum); perhaps I need one in my house.

     I know that Virgil can "make anything" so I expect that he is working on it as we speak.

     Fresh flowers are a delicate touch anywhere, but to have them bedeck the restrooms elevated a bio break to a whole new level of enjoyment!

     After an excellent lunch, we set a course for Cayo Coco, with no further dallying along the way - until we saw some interesting birds, that is!

     Just before entering the causeway, we spotted this huge congregation of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus).

     In Alan's picture above an American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) has "photo-bombed" the stilts, and in the bottom right corner a Willet (Tringa semipalmata) may be seen.

     There were stilts - and more stilts!

     It always seems to me that Cuba is too far south for Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus), but the evidence proves me wrong. There they were!

     If your eyes are sharp you can also detect Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) and Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) loafing along with them.

     Kathy managed this excellent picture of a Royal Tern in flight.

     A Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) looked especially grand.

     The causeway beckoned!

     

     There are wonderful birds to be seen on Cayo Coco and we enjoy going there, but we wish there were alternatives to the all-inclusive "resorts" where we have to stay, these monuments to crass commercialism, synthetic jollity, always on a path to decay and disrepair from the moment they are opened, lacking in charm, devoid of character - but stay there we must.

     This is Pullman Cayo Coco, our home for three nights.

     In the evening, when we met to "do the list", a time-honoured ritual for birders, it was always difficult to find a secluded spot, and even more difficult to escape constant noise.

     One could only long for the peace and quiet of Damita's dining room, with a Barn Owl to keep us company.

     Those were the days!

     Photographic credits: Alan, Beth, Ernesto, Kathy, Virgil - and a few pictures of my own.