Day 2 / March 2 – Don’t let the title fool you – ruins are spectacular places to visit! We began our morning with an hour of roadside birding, spending our time productively before the park opened at 8am. The road was buzzing with activity, featuring Groove-billed Ani, Plain Chachalacas, Ridgeway’s Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Yucatan…

Wildside’s booth I am having a great time talking with participants at the San Diego Audubon Bird Festival. Lots of great birding opportunities and I am making some fun, new friends! It took a while to get the above shot through the crowds! If you are at the show, be sure to stop by and say…

Day 1 / March 1 – My tour of the Yucatan began in Cancun, amid gorgeous sunshine and blue skies. Debbie and I met up with Bob Straub, rented our car, got stopped by a friendly motorcycle traffic cop within a few kilometers – he let us off with a warning,  and were finally off…

The Wright’s power of observation was stunning as seen in their aircraft designs. Over the holidays… yeah, two months ago… we visited my brother in Ohio. Dayton is home to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and its property includes the original fields in which the Wrights did all but their original few test flights –which…

Hoatzin An image from one of my favorite series of Hoatzin photo opportunities. This was taken in 2007 at Sacha Lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin. This odd vegetarian species is probably best explained through the description found on Wikipedia… The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), also known as the Hoactzin, Stinkbird, or Canje Pheasant, is an…

American Robin During my trips I am often asked, “What’s your favorite trip?” My standard reply, because its the truth… “Whatever trip I am on!” However, few people ask me, “Of all the places you have visited, where would you choose to live if… [insert qualification here]? There are so many great places to visit. I…

Spotted Salamanders Wood Frog Amphibian Season is nearly hear so get out your rubber boots and flashlights and help a few cross the road! Yes, that’s right… they need help safely crossing roads, avoiding traffic. Now, obviously, YOU must avoid the traffic as well, so please look for organized groups that do this on a…

Zebra Heliconia Our last full day began with the whole group going to ‘the overlook’ on the outer reaches of El Yunque in search of the nearly extinct Puerto Rican Parrot. No luck after a long search, so we split according to interests and part of the group went to visit Old San Juan for…

White-cheeked Pintails The early morning light as we left La Parguera made the pintail’s cheeks glow. The Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds were active along with all the expected species. We headed back to Laguna Cartagena to find the West Indian Whistling Ducks. Luck was with us! We had a long drive ahead, so we grabbed some fruit…

Smooth-billed Ani The fields around La Paguera are home to many Smooth-billed Anis, another introduced species. However, this morning we were on our way to find one of Puerto Rico most sought endemics. Elfin Woods Warbler In 1971, researchers took notice of an unassuming, smudgy black and white colored warbler. A plump body and short…

Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo  Day three began early, arriving at Cambalache Forest for sunrise. This is always a great location to find endemics and the Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo did not disappoint! Also making appearances were Puerto Rican Flycatcher, Puerto Rican Tody and Puerto Rican Woodpecker. Mangrove Cuckoo Specialties like the Mangrove Cuckoo (above) and…

Flight to Vieques The day after our Endemic Dash ended our next group arrived. Their plane landed after dark so we had dinner and an orientation and hit the sack to get a good rest for the coming adventures. The next morning we left early to enjoy some birding in the university’s botanical garden, then…