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Hi All,
=A0
In March my wife and I took a trip to Varadero Cuba. While the primary purp=
ose was rest and relaxation a little birding does that as well. At the nort=
h end of the Varadero Penisula there is a nature reserve. When I was talkin=
g with the cafe host at the reserve he put me in touch with a personal guid=
e, Ernesto Reyes.
=A0Ernesto Reyes pedro@sagua.hlg.sld.cu=A0or 0 45 912049
=A0
Ernesto contacted me at my hotel and we arranged=A0a guided trip down to th=
e zapata penisula (national park area). This is a prime spot to pick up man=
y of the Cuban endemics. Highlights included the Cuban Todys, Cuban Trogans=
, Cuban=A0Pygmy Owls, a variety of quail doves, woodpeckers, and other cuba=
n and greater antillian birds. Also with migration starting a large number =
of warblers and other migratory birds were moving through so I picked up a =
few new north american species as well.=20
=A0
You have a choice of renting your own car 135 cuban pesos (a peso is about =
1.15 CAD) or Ernesto's neighbour is a taxi driver and he will pick you up a=
t your hotel and drive you for the day (150 pesos). So we had Angelo pick u=
s up at 6am at our resort and he drove for just over an hour to pick up Ern=
esto and we continued on to Zapata. Ernesto speaks very good English and An=
gelo very passable. The early morning ride is a little breath taking as dri=
ving the back highways (everything was paved and for the most part smoother=
than Nova Scotia secondary highways) there are numerous forms of transport=
ation from pedestrains, bikes, tractors, horse drawn carriages, cars, bus, =
and truck. All at various speeds which were near the fastest and some of it=
very poorly lighted. The return trip was much more enjoyable.
=A0
In Zapata we had a stop at a water hole that was filled with almost all the=
herons, ibis=A0and egret species you can see including a stork as well as =
others. We then continued with the odd stop when something interesting flew=
or landed near the road before arriving at our key destination. Here we me=
t Alessandro the local warden and he led us for a 3 - 4 hour walk in the wo=
ods. While Alessandro does not speak english he was an excellent birder and=
he new his patch of woods. At one point he came up to a palm had as wait a=
distance a way and with a little knocking coaxed a Cuban Screech Owl to po=
ke his head out of a hole. There were also certain watering holes that cert=
ain species come at certain times of day so we came to the same spots at di=
fferent times on the loops to catch these additional species.
=A0
On the return trip we stopped at a cafe for lunch, a few more places, and t=
hen were invited into both the taxi drivers home for coffee and then the gu=
ides home for mojitos. Returned to Varadero for about 6pm
=A0
For the day we saw over 65 species and only 2 were not identifyable by myse=
lf as they were quick flybys. We also go to see and experience the non tour=
ist side of Cuba. There were at least 15 endemics to cuba and probably anot=
her 20 that were Caribbean only.
=A0
Total cost for the day including tips were Taxi - 160, Ernesto - 70, Allesa=
ndro 20 plus I bought lunch 13 pesos. The only Varadero based tour that got=
into the mountains/wooded areas were we might have seen some of the specie=
s was=A095 pesos per person.
=A0
My total count for the week was 90 species with about=A040 lifers as I also=
picked up things like a yellow throated warbler from my hotel room and San=
dwich Terns on a day trip to Havana.=A0 During my visit Palm warblers were =
as common as chickadees here and Mockingbirds were like robins. Catbirds we=
re also very common in wooded areas. My count without the Zapata trip would=
have been about 55 species.
=A0
So if you are heading to Varadero or Havana I would definately contact Erne=
sto to arrange a trip.
=A0
Rob Woods
Georgefield
=A0
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--0-1625144466-1209047095=:61675
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<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"><BR><BR>
<DIV style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 5px 0px 5px 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"><BR>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Hi All,</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">In March my wife and I took a trip to Varadero Cuba. While the primary purpose was rest and relaxation a little birding does that as well. At the north end of the Varadero Penisula there is a nature reserve. When I was talking with the cafe host at the reserve he put me in touch with a personal guide, Ernesto Reyes.<BR><BR> Ernesto Reyes pedro@sagua.hlg.sld.cu or 0 45 912049</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Ernesto contacted me at my hotel and we arranged a guided trip down to the zapata penisula (national park area). This is a prime spot to pick up many of the Cuban endemics. Highlights included the Cuban Todys, Cuban Trogans, Cuban Pygmy Owls, a variety of quail doves, woodpeckers, and other cuban and greater antillian birds. Also with migration starting a large number of warblers and other migratory birds were moving through so I picked up a few new north american species as well. </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">You have a choice of renting your own car 135 cuban pesos (a peso is about 1.15 CAD) or Ernesto's neighbour is a taxi driver and he will pick you up at your hotel and drive you for the day (150 pesos). So we had Angelo pick us up at 6am at our resort and he drove for just over an hour to pick up Ernesto and we continued on to Zapata. Ernesto speaks very good English and Angelo very passable. The early morning ride is a little breath taking as driving the back highways (everything was paved and for the most part smoother than Nova Scotia secondary highways) there are numerous forms of transportation from pedestrains, bikes, tractors, horse drawn carriages, cars, bus, and truck. All at various speeds which were near the fastest and some of it very poorly lighted. The return trip was much more enjoyable.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">In Zapata we had a stop at a water hole that was filled with almost all the herons, ibis and egret species you can see including a stork as well as others. We then continued with the odd stop when something interesting flew or landed near the road before arriving at our key destination. Here we met Alessandro the local warden and he led us for a 3 - 4 hour walk in the woods. While Alessandro does not speak english he was an excellent birder and he new his patch of woods. At one point he came up to a palm had as wait a distance a way and with a little knocking coaxed a Cuban Screech Owl to poke his head out of a hole. There were also certain watering holes that certain species come at certain times of day so we came to the same spots at different times on the loops to catch these additional species.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">On the return trip we stopped at a cafe for lunch, a few more places, and then were invited into both the taxi drivers home for coffee and then the guides home for mojitos. Returned to Varadero for about 6pm</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">For the day we saw over 65 species and only 2 were not identifyable by myself as they were quick flybys. We also go to see and experience the non tourist side of Cuba. There were at least 15 endemics to cuba and probably another 20 that were Caribbean only.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Total cost for the day including tips were Taxi - 160, Ernesto - 70, Allesandro 20 plus I bought lunch 13 pesos. The only Varadero based tour that got into the mountains/wooded areas were we might have seen some of the species was 95 pesos per person.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">My total count for the week was 90 species with about 40 lifers as I also picked up things like a yellow throated warbler from my hotel room and Sandwich Terns on a day trip to Havana. During my visit Palm warblers were as common as chickadees here and Mockingbirds were like robins. Catbirds were also very common in wooded areas. My count without the Zapata trip would have been about 55 species.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">So if you are heading to Varadero or Havana I would definately contact Ernesto to arrange a trip.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Rob Woods</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Georgefield</DIV>
<DIV class=Section1> </DIV></DIV><BR>
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