Best of the Lesser Antilles

Our “Best of the Lesser Antilles” birding tour starts with a welcome dinner at our lodgings on the beautiful island of St. Vincent. We should encounter our first birds of the tour around our lodgings, perhaps Eared Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Ground-Dove, the ubiquitous Tropical Mockingbird, Smooth-billed Ani, Carib Grackle and Gray Kingbird, while out in the bay Brown Boobies fish the nearby reef. Overnight on St. Vincent.

The small mountainous island of St Vincent lies south of St Lucia and west of Barbados and still retains extensive forests in the interior of the island. First we drop in on the nearby suburbs of Prospect where we will encounter our first island endemic - the recently split but strikingly different sounding St.Vincent Wren. We spend the remainder of the morning in the foothills of the Vermont Forest Reserve in the south-central part of the island. Here we look for the endemic Whistling Warbler, a difficult species after a population decline caused by recent volcanic eruption and a major hurricane. We also look for two species found only on St Vincent and Grenada - Grenada Flycatcher and Lesser Antillean Tanager, as well as Scaly-naped Pigeon, three species of hummingbirds – Purple-throated and Green-throated Caribs, and the widespread Antillean Crested Hummingbird - and the strange-looking black morph of the Bananaquit (which predominates here and on Grenada). In the afternoon we will drive north to a location that affords good viewing of St.Vincent Amazons as they begin to congregate for the evening roost. Overnight on St. Vincent.

In the morning, we catch a flight from St. Vincent to St. Lucia, one of the most scenic islands in the Lesser Antilles, with its spectacular conical volcanic peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton rising from the sea. St. Lucia is the richest island for birds, holding seven endemic species and many Lesser Antillean endemics. Overnight near Castries.

We spend some time on the Des Cartier Forest Trail in south-central St Lucia where we target in particular two island endemics: St. Lucia Amazon and St. Lucia Black Finch; and the regionally endemic Rufous-throated Solitaire (a superb singer). On the same day we will visit the south-east coast of the island for the dry forest at Micoud. Goodies here include Gray Trembler, Scaly-naped Pigeon, St.Lucia Oriole and the very rare St.Lucia Thrasher. Lesser Antillean and Caribbean endemics which we missed on St.Vincent will be searched for on St. Lucia, perhaps Scaly-breasted Thrasher, Spectacled/Bare-eyed Thrush and Black-whiskered Vireo.
On our other day we will concentrate our efforts around Bouton Road and Soufriere, in the vicinity of the impressive Gros and Petit Pitons. Birding in this area will present further opportunities for St.Lucia Black Finch and St.Lucia Oriole together with regional endemics such as Lesser Antillean Saltator, the three hummingbird species, and the endemic St. Lucia Wren which is very different from the wrens that we encounter on both St.Vincent and Dominica. We will also target the very distinctive form of the Lesser Antillean Pewee, possibly a future split. At dusk we may search for the St Lucia Nightjar (considered potentially specifically distinct from the Rufous Nightjar of South America). St Lucia once had an additional endemic species, Semper’s Warbler, but this ground-foraging warbler is now thought to be extinct, possibly a result of predation by introduced mongooses. Nights near Castries.

In the morning, we catch a flight to Dominica (Domineeka!) - the “nature island” - discovered by Columbus in 1493 on a Sunday, hence its name. Dominica is among the most important of the Lesser Antilles, as it still preserves large expanses of luxuriant native forest in mountain and rain forest scenery and the island is renowned for its rich land and marine fauna. During our stay here, we explore most of the island, and we have time for relaxing and taking things easy.

On one or more days, depending on our rate of success, we head to the Northern Forest Reserve, on the flanks of Morne Diablotin, at 1450m (4750ft) the island’s highest peak and the highest mountain in the Lesser Antilles. Our targets here are the two endemic parrots: the widespread, gaudy Red-necked Amazon and the critically endangered Imperial Amazon, the latter the largest of the genus Amazona. We leave our lodgings early, to reach the look-out in time to watch the parrots leave their overnight roost and fly to foraging areas in the lowlands. We should obtain excellent views of Red-necked Parrots as they fly overhead or sit perched at the tops of trees catching the early morning sun. Imperial Parrots are much scarcer and we will spend considerable time watching and waiting for the species to appear as we give ourselves plenty of time to find this highly sought-after endemic.
We explore rain forests in the Northern Forest Reserve and perhaps also at Cabrits National Park, searching for such goodies as Forest Thrush, a difficult to find range-restricted species, plus many other Lesser Antillean endemics such as Lesser Antillean Swift, Blue-headed Hummingbird (only found here and on Martinique), Lesser Antillean Pewee, Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, Kalinago Wren (the third of the very distinctive species recently split from the Southern House Wren), Scaly-breasted Thrasher, Brown Trembler, Lesser Antillean Saltator and Plumbeous Warbler (only found here and on Guadeloupe).

On top of the Dominican and the Lesser Antilles endemics are a group of Caribbean endemics which include Caribbean Elaenia, Red-legged Thrush (Dominica is the only island of the Lesser Antilles where this fine thrush is found, possibly a recent introduction), Pearly-eyed Thrasher, Black-faced Grassquit, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch and Lesser Antillean Euphonia. Overhead we might be fortunate to find cruising Black Swifts, recently arrived from wintering grounds in South America. Other species include Broad-winged Hawk, Green-throated and Purple-throated Caribs, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Mangrove Cuckoo, Black-whiskered Vireo, Mangrove Yellow Warbler and Caribbean Martin. Along the coast we look for White-tailed Tropicbird, Magnificent Frigatebird, Royal Tern and Brown Booby. Nights in Roseau.

Our delightful Best of the Lesser Antilles birding tour ends today. We will arrange for a transfer to the international airport in the morning, but you are welcome to leave at another time, but you will be responsible for paying for transportation if you do not travel with the group.