A whole lot of years in the past, there was speak of “semimythical islands” that existed someplace west of Europe. To get to those islands, one must courageous the rolling waters of the mighty Atlantic for a number of weeks with seemingly solely a hunch that there was a vacation spot. These islands have been termed “Antilia”, and when the Spanish laid eyes on them for the primary time, they have been then referred to as “Antillas”. Right now, we name this numerous group of islands “Antilles” – comprising all of the islands of the Caribbean besides The Bahamas. The bigger islands to the north are the Better Antilles: Cuba, Hispañola, and Jamaica; the Lesser Antilles are the remainder of the island arc heading south, ending at Grenada.
The Lesser Antilles aren’t the preferred of locations: inform anybody that you just’ve been to Dominica they usually’ll seemingly say “Oh yeah I’ve at all times wished to go to the Dominican Republic”. It’s subsequently little shock that there are a selection of birds which might be scattered throughout these idyllic islands that aren’t discovered wherever else on the planet – and sometimes are tragically severely threatened if not already extinct. I had luckily been tasked with guiding birders throughout the Lesser Antilles earlier this yr on an epic multi-island odyssey searching for all of the endemics of the area – and whereas the mass of gathered adventures is just too a lot to share (I did the journey twice), I’ve determined to condense the expertise to a bite-size spotlight reel right here.
Antigua and Barbuda
Unseasonal winds prevented us from going to Barbuda each instances (though we bought to so far as the dock on the January journey) so there was sadly no Barbuda Warbler so as to add to the record. Nonetheless Antigua offered ample alternative to discover at leisure, some people went snorkelling, others loved poking round a pair wetlands – the one true ones of the journey. Somebody even discovered a Western Reef-Heron hiding out within the mangroves. Different, way more common suspects have been round together with Little Blue Heron, Inexperienced Heron, Yellow (Golden) Warbler, Pied-billed Grebe, and White-crowned Pigeon. Doves have been widespread all through the area, as I discovered it is a consequence of their endurance and willingness to make use of their superior flight capabilities to discover new, distant lands.
White-crowned Pigeon
Barbados
An island nation replete with non-native species, from inexperienced monkeys to Eurasian Collared Dove and Ring-necked Parakeet, this Atlantic member of the Caribbean now boasts its very personal endemic fowl: the Barbados Bullfinch. There are additionally endemic subspecies for the nitpickers amongst us, the Carib Grackle involves thoughts. Nonetheless, this sun-kissed and windswept island was the ultimate vacation spot on each journeys, white sand seashores beckoned and served as an acceptable cooldown after a busy two weeks.
On neither of the journeys this yr did I take away my digicam from the bag whereas on Barbados, so right here’s a Bajan Scaly-naped Pigeon from a earlier go to.
Dominica
One of many wildest islands within the area, the self-proclaimed “Nature Isle” actually deserves its popularity. With most of its forest nonetheless intact, Dominica’s inexperienced northern mountains attracts a misty curtain round its fastidiously guarded secret: the Sisserou, its nationwide fowl. Discovered solely on this island, it’s Critically Endangered and arguably one of many hardest birds on the planet to get a have a look at. It’s the largest of the Amazona genus and goes by an equally spectacular moniker: Imperial Amazon. This fowl is the explanation we spend three days on this attractive island, the explanation we tolerate getting soaked in a number of the Caribbean’s coldest showers, and the explanation why we generally ignore different unimaginable endemic species like Plumbeous Warbler and Crimson-legged Thrush. There have been instances the place we drove previous feeding Blue-headed Hummingbirds in an ardent quest to get to the lookout level to spend a number of hours scanning the adjoining hills for even a fleeting glimpse of this large parrot. Even Dominica’s different endemic parrot (sure there are two!) has to placed on its finest present to tear us away from the hunt for the Imperial Amazon. I’ve by no means thought-about myself a fortunate man, however I’ve since seen this fowl 3 times out of three visits to Dominica – so by that metric alone I ought to begin investigating a lottery.
An Imperial Amazon is sitting on this bunch of palm fruit on the appropriate aspect of the trunk. Considerably higher view than what I bought after I first visited.
Grenada
The southernmost island of the Lesser Antilles arc doesn’t get a substantial amount of visitors, however the little it does is commonly directed to the mountainous north of the island – to a picturesque nationwide park strewn with massive, bromeliad-laden bushes. For many guests, the principle attraction here’s a inhabitants of Mona monkeys, additionally launched from West Africa by way of the horrific transatlantic slave commerce not dissimilar from the inexperienced monkeys of Barbados. For birds, nonetheless, the principle attraction is within the dry south, the place Grenada’s nationwide fowl, the Critically Endangered Grenada Dove, continues to wrestle to carve out its existence.
Grenada Dove
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an island that is known as a pair of islands linked by a pair nicely constructed bridges. One is distinctly wilder than the opposite – and it’s inside this verdant paradise the place we’re inundated with sightings of Brown Trembler and Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, together with Pearly-eyed Thrasher and its smaller cousin Scaly-breasted Thrasher. Our primary goal right here was the Guadeloupe Woodpecker that after all, is just present in Guadeloupe – and is the one woodpecker within the Lesser Antilles! Nonetheless, there have been different birds that have been arguably extra coveted than this distinctive trying woodpecker. Secretive forest dwellers endemic to the Lesser Antilles which might be close to unimaginable in different islands had been staked out, and on each journeys we subsequently loved charming views of Forest Thrush and Bridled Quail-Dove.
Guadeloupe Woodpecker
Martinique
The second of two French abroad territories (Guadeloupe being the opposite), Martinique additionally revels in European infrastructure in a Caribbean setting. Slim however well-paved roads carve their approach by way of the mountains, and nationwide parks are nicely maintained and monitored. Blue-headed Hummingbird and the completely drop-dead attractive Martinique Oriole have been pretty easy within the mountains, however the frightfully endangered Martinique Thrasher was solely current within the dry forest on a 5 sq. kilometre peninsula, and required a little bit of a stroll. It was refreshing to see quite a lot of traps set out for invasive mongoose and rats. Now, if Grenada would take a web page out of this ebook.
Martinique Thrasher
Montserrat
Arguably essentially the most charming of all of the islands we visited, the go-slow on Montserrat is clear from the second one arrives on the island. Which we did in components – because of the plane solely having six seats. Immigration was a single officer behind a desk, and customs was nonexistent on the primary go to and on the second, a good-looking, gangly man that waved us alongside. The breeze was cool, constant, and Caribbean – but there was a palpable, unspeakable but quiet vitality round. Our goal was singular, a view of one other endangered fowl: Montserrat Oriole. To be honest, there was one other goal – however this was the explanation for a lot of the quietness on the island: Soufriére Hills, the still-steaming volcano that poured lava and ash everywhere in the capital metropolis in 1995.
Montserrat Oriole
St. Lucia
Of all of the islands within the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia is the one with essentially the most endemic birds. From the just lately declared St. Lucia Wren to the St. Lucia Black Finch, St. Lucia Thrasher, St. Lucia Oriole, St. Lucia Warbler and St. Lucia Amazon, there have been greater than sufficient avian targets to maintain us busy for 3 days. Whereas it could appear that the wren can be the simplest having previously been lumped along with the Home Wren complicated, this white-chested model was clearly by no means meant to be related to homes and proved to be essentially the most troublesome fowl on each journeys. The warbler was pretty ubiquitous, and we loved this one in lieu of its Barbuda counterpart (they have been as soon as thought-about to be conspecific and should finally return to that state). Thrashers have been additionally powerful cookies, as have been the black finches. On the primary journey many of the group missed the oriole solely, although we had some fleeting encounters. The second journey there was a St. Lucia Oriole that foraged instantly overhead, even tossing a number of dry twigs on us. Regardless of all of those points of interest, the star of the island is undoubtedly the multicoloured St. Lucia Amazon, the nation’s nationwide fowl.
St. Lucia Amazon
St. Vincent
One other nation with a parrot as its nationwide fowl, the St. Vincent Amazon additionally carries the nation’s nationwide colors in its plumage. Its story is one in all measured success, with concerted conservation efforts bearing fruit within the type of a steadily rising inhabitants. The destiny of the a lot smaller, duller, and much much less typically encountered Whistling Warbler is a bit totally different, nonetheless. Confined to moist forest on volcanic hillsides, this unusual trying warbler is doubtlessly one of the vital troublesome of the choice of regional birds to seek out.
On one of many journeys we encountered a (comparatively) large flock of greater than 20 St. Vincent Amazons. A Broad-winged Hawk flew over as they have been feeding on the bushes round us they usually all erupted in a whirling, squawking mass that left everybody overwhelmed.
See some extra highlights from my adventures within the Lesser Antilles right here.
