Long-weekend trip; only three full days, but an amazing success in seeing all endemic species and the overwhelming majority of endemic subspecies. The only notable misses were: (1) the endemic race of Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum borinquensis), which - in retrospect and consulting the Sparrow & Bunting family guide - does not seem to be too distinct from other Caribbean races, (2) the endemic race of Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata wetmorei), which only differs in the intensity of its coloration and is sometimes considered invalid (fide HBW), (3) the monotypic Lesser Antillean centered Bridled Quail-Dove (Geotrygon mystacea), (4) the endemic race of Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus portoricensis), which is said (by HBW) to differ merely in tone of coloration and has often been synonymized with Hispaniolan and Cuban populations, and (5) the distinct all-Caribbean taxon of Black Swift (Cypseoloides niger niger).
Site list (only main sites listed):
Maricao (Ma): “elfin forest” (=scrub) on night of 28th and morning of 29th April
La Parguera (LP): lunch stop in degraded mangroves in town on 29th April
Laguna Cartagena (LC): afternoon of 29th April
Susua State Forest (Su): dry forest in early morning of 30th April
Rio Abajo State Forest (RA): karst forest on mid-day of 30th April
Humacao (Hu): wetlands in the early morning of 1st May
Fajardo (Fa): dry degraded scrub and gardens throughout the best parts of 1st May
Cidra (Ci): disturbed habitat on late evening of 1st and early morning of 2nd May
Species list:
1. Least Grebe - Tachypbaptus d. dominicus: 1 LC
2. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps antillarum: LC, Hu
3. White-tailed Tropicbird - Phaethon lepturus catesbyi: 1 off Quebradillas
4. Brown Booby - Sula l. leucogaster: c. 15 Fa
5. Brown Pelican - Pelecanus o. occidentalis: LP, Hu, Fa, Ci
6. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens: LP, Hu, Fa
7. Least Bittern - Ixobrychus e. exilis: LC 2
8. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias occidentalis: 1 Ci
9. Great Egret - Egretta alba egretta: cm
10. Snowy Egret - Egretta t. thula: Hu
11. Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea: 1 Hu
12. Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor ruficollis: m. 2 Hu
13. Western Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis: cm
14. Green Heron - Butorides striatus virescens: LP, LC, Hu, Fa
15. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax violaceus bancrofti: LP, Hu
16. West Indian Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna arborea: c. 20 LC
17. White-cheeked Pintail - Anas b. bahamensis: 4 Hu
18. Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris: 1 female LC
19. Ruddy Duck - Oxyura j. jamaicensis: c. 45 LC
20. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes a. aura: cm
21. Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus venator: 1 fly-by (well seen) Ma
22. Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus brunnescens: 1 RA (also vocalized)
23. Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo j. jamaicensis: RA, Fa, LP
24. American Kestrel - Falco sparverius caribaearum: 1 near Arecibo
25. Clapper Rail - Rallus longirostris caribaeus: 2 LP
26. Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinica: c. 10 LC
27. American Moorhen - Gallinula galeata cerceris: LC, Hu
28. American Coot - Fulica a. americana: m. 1 LC
29. Caribbean Coot - Fulica caribaea: c. 25 LC
30. Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus: 2 Fa
31. Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus himantopus mexicanus: 2 LC
32. Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia: Hu, Fa
33. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres morinella: 3 Hu
34. Laughing Gull - Larus a. atricilla: Hu, Fa
35. Royal Tern - Thalasseus m. maximus: Hu, Fa
36. Cabot’s Tern - Thalasseus a. acuflavidus: Fa many
37. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa: Ma, Ci, RA
38. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto: LP, Fa
39. White-winged Dove - Zenaida a. asiatica: cm
40. Zenaida Dove - Zenaida aurita zenaida: Su, RA, Hu, Fa, Ci
41. Mourning Dove - Zenaida m. macroura: LC
42. Common Ground-Dove - Columba passerina portoricensis: cm
43. Key West Quail-Dove - Geotrygon chrysia: 1 Su
44. Ruddy Quail-Dove - Geotrygon m. montana: 1 Ma
45. Canary-winged Parakeet - Brotogeris versicolurus: c. 10 Lajas
46. Puerto Rican Amazon - Amazona vittata: RA c. 6 wild individuals (and dozens of caged ones)
47. Mangrove Cuckoo - Coccyzus minor: LC, Hu, Su
48. Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo - Saurothera vieilloti: Ma 2
49. Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani: LC, Hu
50. Puerto Rican Screech-owl - Megascops n. nudipes: 4 seen Ma (and en route); more heard
51. Antillean Nighthawk - Chordeiles g. gundlachii: nighthawks seen at dusk at Ci (1) and LC (many), but only 2 at LC vocalized briefly, while the silent ones may have been C. minor
52. Puerto Rican Nightjar - Caprimulgus noctitherus: 3 seen Su, more heard
53. Antillean Mango - Anthracothorax dominicus aurulentus: 1 LC, 2 Fa, 1 Su
54. Green Mango - Anthracocthorax viridis: 1 Ma, 1 RA
55. Green-throated Carib - Eulampis h. holosericeus: 1 Hu, c. 3 Fa
56. Antillean Crested Hummingbird - Orthorhyncus cristatus exilis: 1 pair Fa
57. Puerto Rican Emerald - Chlorostilbon maugaeus: Ma
58. Puerto Rican Tody - Todus mexicanus: Ma, RA
59. Puerto Rican Woodpecker - Melanerpes portoricensis: Ma, Hu, Fa, Su
60. Caribbean Elaenia - Elaenia martinica riisii: 1 LC
61. Puerto Rican Pewee - Contopus blancoi: Su, RA
62. Puerto Rican Flycatcher - Myiarchus antillarum: 2 LC
63. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus d. dominicensis: cm
64. Puerto Rican Loggerhead Kingbird - Tyrannus taylori: Ci, Ma, LC; split follows Garrido (2009)
65. Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis: cm
66. Cave Swallow - Petrochelidon fulva puertoricensis: cm
67. Eastern Red-legged Thrush - Turdus a. ardosiaceus: Ma, Su, RA, Fa, Ci
68. Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos orpheus: cm
69. Pearly-eyed Thrasher - Margarops f. fuscatus: Ma, Ci, Fa
70. Puerto Rican Vireo - Vireo latimeri: c. 4 Ma
71. Black-whiskered Vireo - Vireo a. altiloquus: cm
72. Northern Parula - Parula americana: 1 Ma
73. Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia cruciana: c. 4 LP, 1 LC
74. Adelaide’s Warbler - Dendroica adelaidae: LC, Su, RA, Fa
75. Elfin Woods Warbler - Dendroica angelae: c. 5 Ma
76. Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis t. trichas: 2 LC
77. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola portoricensis: cm
78. Puerto Rican Euphonia - Euphonia sclateri: 1 Ma, 1 RA
79. Puerto Rican Spindalis - Spindalis portoricensis: Ma, LC, Su, RA, Fa
80. Puerto Rican Tanager - Nesospingus speculiferus: Ma
81. Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivaceus bryanti: LC, Ci, Fa, Su
82. Black-faced Grassquit - Tiaris bicolor omissus: Ma, Su, LC, Hu, Fa
83. Puerto Rican Bullfinch - Loxigilla portoricensis: cm
84. Yellow-shouldered Blackbird - Agelaius x. xanthomus: LP, c. 5
85. Greater Antillean Grackle - Quiscalus niger brachypterus: cm
86. Shiny Cowbird - Molothrus bonariensis minimus: LC, RA, Ci, Fa
87. Puerto Rican Oriole - Icterus portoricensis: 1 Ma
88. Troupial - Icterus icterus: Su 3
89. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus: cm
90. Orange Bishop - Euplectes franciscanus: LC 1 male in partial breeding plumage; numerous females should have been this species - at least in part - but may have been other bishop species
91. Orange-cheeked Waxbill - Estrilda melpoda: LC, Ci
92. Bronze Mannikin - Spermestes cucullatus: LC