I have recently returned from an excellent tour of northern Colombia for Quest Nature Tours. This was my fourth time guiding for Quest here, in the birdiest country in the world. Birdiest may be a bold claim, but eBird shows 1,956 species recorded for Colombia, while the Colombian Committee of Ornithological Records lists 1,969 species. Second and third place fall to Peru and Brazil, respectively, though neither country has reached 1,900 species yet. I've spent more time in Colombia than any other Latin American country, and I love coming back for more!  Glaucous Tanager This tour was a short and sweet ten days visiting the Santa Marta mountains and the Caribbean coast in the far northern reaches of Colombia. One advantage of this tour is that it focused on a relatively small geographic area, meaning that we had no internal flights and minimal long drives. If you are going to pick just one area of Colombia to visit, this would be a pretty good one due to the high number of endemic species; that is, species found found just here and nowhere else in the world. The Santa Marta mountains present an interesting study in biogeography as they have been isolated from the main Andean chain for 10-15 million years. Many of the bird species found here (at least 28 species) are endemic to these mountains. A high ratio of endemism is found with its many plants, lizards, frogs, insects, and more.  Vermilion Cardinal (male) Orange-chinned Parakeets In total we found nearly 340 bird species during our tour including a high percentage of the Santa Marta endemics. We also spent some time in the varied habitats along the north coast of Colombia, from the desert scrub of La Guajira to dry tropical forest of Tayrona National Park, from mangrove-lined estuaries filled with flamingos and shorebirds to productive freshwater marshes full of life. And of course there was so much to see besides the birds - we enjoyed endemic primates, a nice array of lizards and frogs, countless butterflies and beetles and abundant plant life. I set up my moth lights in a few montane locations which attracted quite a bounty. All in all it was a fantastic trip.  Scaled Dove Cope's Ameiva (Ameiva bifrontata) Blue Ground-Dove We met up as a group at our hotel during the evening of March 13 for our welcome dinner, and discussed the possibilities of what the next week and a half would bring. It was good to reconnect with Cristian Daza who was to be our local guide for the duration of the trip. I have worked with Cris on numerous occasions in the past and it was wonderful to catch up with him.  Before dawn the next morning we were on our way. Our first stop was a famous birding road called the Kilometre Four Road, just outside of a small village called Palermo.  Russet-throated Puffbird Kilometre Four was a great way to kick off the trip. The habitats here consist of open farmland, stands of woodland, agricultural plots and wetland, and bird diversity is very high. In just a couple of hours we tallied around 90 bird species with our local guide, Omar. Many of them are localized to this region, including Colombian endemics like Turquoise-winged Parrotlet, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca and Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, as well as other localized species such as Caribbean Hornero, Stripe-backed Wren and Northern Screamer. We also found a Belted Kingfisher here at the southern part of its wintering range. Black-crested Antshrike Chestnut-winged Chachalaca Northern Screamer Cattle Tyrants on a domestic buffalo  Caribbean Hornero Stripe-backed Wren Our next stop was a boardwalk traversing through mangroves at Isla de Salamanca National Park. We improved our views of the localized Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, and found some other interesting species like Bicolored Conebill, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Golden-green Woodpecker and Red-rumped Woodpecker. Several Prothonotary Warblers were flitting around the mangroves. In just a matter of days they will likely be winging their way north, perhaps as far north as where I live in southern Ontario.  Birding at Isla de Salamanca Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird Golden-green Woodpecker We found a Spectacled Caiman and a Colombian Slider at Isla de Salamanca as well. The latter was a new species for me, so I was pretty happy with that! Butterfly and dragonfly diversity was also relatively high at this site.  Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) Colombian Slider (Trachemys callirostris callirostris) Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) By midday we had exhausted our birding options here (it had been a successful morning) and so we drove east to Riohacha, our base for three nights. As we traveled along the coast past the imposing Santa Marta mountains to our south, the forests became noticeably drier and sparser, eventually turning to desert scrub before we reached Riohacha. This is the most arid part of Colombia and it shares many unique species with northern Venezuela. We had two full days to take in the sights and sounds here.  Desert scrub in Camarones  During both days we drove west for half an hour to the village of Camarones, home of the Wayuu people, an indigenous group found in the Guajira peninsula of Colombia and Venezuela. With our local guide Alvaro we got to work finding the special birds of this region. During both days we spent the early morning hours birding the scrub, finding specialties like Tocuyo Sparrow, Chestnut Piculet, Buffy Hummingbird, Orinocan Saltator and a selection of flycatchers.  Orinocan Saltators Calephelis laverna, a type of metalmark butterfly Tocuyo Sparrow Melocactus curvispinus, a type of turk's-cap cactus Double-striped Thick-knee Opuntia caracassana, a type of prickly pear cactus One morning, we visited the property of local birding guide Jose Luis who I first met in 2015 during my inaugural Colombia trip (Jose had guided myself and a few friends in the Camarones area). Now, Jose has established a bird feeding station where the incredible Vermilion Cardinal appears regularly. This is a flagship species of the region and we couldn't have asked for better view of El Rey de la Guajira. Sipping cold drinks in the shade while watching the cardinals and other birds was not a bad way to spend a couple of hours! Vermilion Cardinal (male) Vermilion Cardinal (female) Black-faced Grassquit (male) Black-crested Antshrike (male) Camarones is positioned at the edge of a large wetland that drains into the Caribbean. As you can imagine from the town's name, shrimping is a productive industry here and we made sure to get our fill of camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp) at local restaurants here. We also went for a boat trip into the mangrove-lined wetland one day. Seeing many hundreds of American Flamingos was a highlight, but I was more excited to see my first Mangrove Rail for Colombia. Of course the heron and shorebird diversity was quite high here as well. Sailing near Camarones American Flamingos American Flamingos Mangrove Rail  We ventured back west towards the Santa Marta mountains, breaking up the drive with a morning spent in the beautiful forests of Tayrona National Park. Tayrona is very close to the mountains and receives more rain than the Camarones area, leading to a much higher forest canopy. Our main target was the critically endangered Blue-billed Curassow. Our local guide Wilson found one for us, but it remained heard-only, unfortunately.  Gray-headed Tanager Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) Colombian Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus) Our morning at Tayrona was quite productive. Many of the birds here are shared with Central America and this would be our only chance for them during this trip. We teased out many interesting species including Pale-bellied Hermit, White-necked Puffbird, Military Macaw, Plain-brown Woodcreeper and Lance-tailed Manakin, to name a few. We also had wonderful experiences with Colombian Red Howler Monkeys and the recently-split Santa Marta White-fronted Capuchin, while I had fun chasing down and identifying various lizards and frogs.  Santa Marta White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus malitiosus) Gaige's Rainbow Lizard (Cnemidophorus gaigei) Milk Frog (Trachycephalus macrotis) Gaige's Anole (Anolis gaigei) Argiope submaronica, a type of orbweaver spider Having done quite well in the coastal areas, it was time to trade in our Mercedes Sprinter van for 4x4 Toyota Land Cruisers for four days in the Santa Marta mountains. During our first morning we found ourselves at the Gairama reserve, listening to the last Rufous Nightjar of the night while waiting for dawn to break. The scenery along this road is outstanding and we tallied a number of dry-forest birds here including Black-backed Antshrike, Long-billed Gnatwren, Whooping Motmot and White-bearded Manakin, while we also enjoyed a pair of Military Macaws.  Sunrise birding at Gairama Reserve Astraptes sp., a type of skipper Black-backed Antshrike Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Next on the agenda was breakfast at a little finca further up in the hills beyond Minca. We enjoyed our scrambled eggs, arepas, cheese, fresh fruit and coffee, all while watching an active feeder setup that was attended by Golden-winged Sparrow, Blue-black Grosbeak, Blue Ground-Dove and a plethora of hummingbirds and tanagers. We even had some flyover raptors including Great Black Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, King Vulture and a distant Black-and-chestnut Eagle.  Brown Violetear Cocoa Woodcreeper Blue-black Grosbeak (pair) Golden-winged Sparrow King Vulture Our first night in the Santa Marta mountains was spent at a little ecolodge called Colores de la Sierra. The birding was quite good here and in a relaxed afternoon we found around 60 species which included Black-headed Tanager, Scaled Piculet, Bran-colored Flycatcher and Pale-breasted Spinetail. The scenic viewpoint with panoramic views was a nice setting for us to go over our bird list, enjoy a few cold beverages, and watch the sunset before listening to a Collared Forest-Falcon and a Tropical Screech-Owl. Life is good.  Doing our species checklist at Colores de la Sierra Bicolored Wren Swallow Tanager (male) Pale-breasted Spinetail Scaled Piculet One of the participants, Reiner and I also set up our insect-attracting lights at Colores de la Sierra and had a decent haul of moths and other insects to photograph. Copaxa multifenestrata, a type of silkworm moth Central American Paper Wasp (Apoica pallens) Dithecodes sp., a type of geometer moth Walker's Moth (Sosxetra grata), a type of cutworm moth Hylesia sp., a type of silkworm moth The next morning we ventured higher into the mountains, into the range of our first Santa Marta endemics. With local guide Jeider, we visited a local coffee farm called Finca Vista Nieves where a feeding station has been established for Black-fronted Wood-Quails. In recent days, a surprise Rufous-necked Wood-Rail has also been attending! This is a rare species that is typically found in coastal mangroves, not secondary forest high up in the mountains, and it was also a new species for both Cris and I. Though the Black-fronted Wood-Quails vocalized quite close to the feeding station, they just wouldn't come in. However, we did have excellent views of the Rufous-necked Wood-Rail and other endemics like Sierra Nevada Brushfinch, Santa Marta Brushfinch and White-lored Warbler, as well as a pair of Rusty-breasted Antpittas.  White-lored Warbler Rusty-breasted Antpitta Sierra Nevada Brushfinch A walk along the edge of the coffee farm produced more endemics - Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner and Antbird - as well as a pair of Groove-billed Toucanets, a Black-and-chestnut Eagle seen well in flight, and a stunning male Rosy Thrush-Tanager. The latter is the only member of its family (Rhodinocichlidae), where its closest living relatives are the longspurs/buntings of Calcariidae.  Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner Groove-billed Toucanet Highland Rubyspot (Hataerina cruentata) Rosy Thrush-Tanager We continued higher into the mountains, making birding stops along the way, until our arrival at the El Dorado Lodge situated at around 2000 m elevation. Upon arrival we were greeted by a pair of White-tipped Quetzals. Stunning birds, and a strong contender for bird of the trip. Santa Marta Blossomcrown El Dorado Lodge White-tipped Quetzal (male) White-tipped Quetzal (male) Anticipation was high the next morning. This would be the day that we explored the San Lorenzo ridge where many of the Santa Marta endemic species can be found. An early wake-up was in order, as the eight-kilometre drive takes just under two hours by 4x4. But the rough ride was worth it when we experienced an epic sunrise on the San Lorenzo ridge. Colombia's tallest peak, the snow-covered Pico Cristóbal Colón, loomed off in the distance.  Sunrise on the San Lorenzo Ridge Though the winds were high, we managed to connect with most of the endemic birds over the course of the morning. We managed exceptional views of both endemic antpittas (Sierra Nevada and Santa Marta Antpittas), Santa Marta Warbler, Yellow-crowned Redstart, and White-tailed Starfrontlet, to name a few. Black-cheeked Mountain-Tanagers showed well, though the other endemic tanager, the Carriker's Mountain-Tanager, remained heard only. A couple of cheeky Crab-eating Foxes were lurking around, hoping to share our breakfast. The plant life and butterfly diversity was quite enjoyable up on the ridge.  Southern Emerald-Toucanet (Santa Marta subspecies) Hermit Wood-Wren Sierra Nevada Antpitta Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) Pedaliodes phazania Birding at the San Lorenzo Ridge We really enjoyed our two-night stay at the El Dorado Lodge and we lucked out with an amazing sunset one evening and sunrise one morning, despite being fogged out for some of our stay here. The birding opportunities were great around the lodge; highlights included Rusty-headed Spinetail, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Lazuline Sabrewing and heard-only Barred Forest-Falcon. Some of the group had a lucky encounter with a Gray Tinamou, while an afternoon walk from the lodge back to the main road produced Gray-throated Leaftosser, Golden-breasted Fruiteater and Golden Grosbeak.  Sunset at the El Dorado Lodge Masked Trogon  Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) Lazuline Sabrewing At night, some of the group was successful with hearing a Santa Marta Screech-Owl, while we also experienced several endemic frog and lizard species as well as an endemic tarantula. Reiner and I each set up our insect-attracting lights. The bounty was incredible and we photographed around 200 species of moths in just one evening. Sphinx moths in particular were well-represented, with over 100 individuals of at least twelve species.  Eulepidotis rectimargo, a type of erebid moth Sarosa helotes, a type of tiger moth Rhodochlora endognoma, a type of geometer moth Xylophanes titana, a type of sphinx moth Paromenia sp., a type of leafhopper Symphlebia citrarius, a type of tiger moth Wittinia zebra, a type of flannel moth  Xylophanes ceratomioides, a type of sphinx moth Pityeja histrionaria, a type of geometer moth Idalus herois, a type of tiger moth Bertholdia albipuncta, a type of tiger moth Our final morning in the mountains was spent cleaning up some targets, including the endemic Black-backed Thornbill and the endemic subspecies of Cinnamon Flycatcher, before heading back down to the coast.  Golden Grosbeak Black-backed Thornbill (immature male) City of Santa Marta, as seen through a hole in the clouds from the Santa Marta mountains Mimardaris aerata, a type of firetip skipper Cinnamon Flycatcher (Santa Marta race) Our last day of the tour was spent visiting Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta. This is the largest wetland in Colombia (over 4,200 km2). Highlights during our day here included a Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, several "trip birds" in American Coot, Cocoi Heron, Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Black-collared Hawk, and a visit to the floating village of Buena Vista where we enjoyed a lunch of fresh caught snapper with lentils, smashed plantain (patacones) rice and blackberry juice. That evening we returned to Barranquilla where we enjoyed our farewell dinner. It was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to return in the future! Floating village of Buena Vista Cocoi Heron

The winter of 2025-2026 is shaping up to be a proper one. Since basically the start of December we have experienced below average temperatures and an abundance of snow. We haven't had much respite from the cold, other than a brief warm spell in January quickly followed by an unrelenting Arctic blast. As I write this in early February we are mired in a long stretch with temperatures oscillating between -20 and -5 degrees Celsius. Most regions of southern Ontario have several feet of snow piled on the ground, and nearly every body of water (other than parts of Lake Ontario) is frozen solid.  Spruce Bog - Algonquin Provincial Park, Nipissing District In an attempt to stave off the seasonal depression that is common with many at this time of year, I have been spending more time outside this winter. One advantage of the crisp days is that the sun is often shining. Even on a bitterly cold day, the sun feels just a little stronger now than it did a month ago. And the days are growing noticeably longer, with today's sunset scheduled for 5:36 PM; a full 50 minutes later than what we were experiencing in late December. Red Squirrel - Algonquin Provincial Park, Nipissing District To continue reading on my other blog, click here.

In November I visited The Gambia along with ten travellers from Quest Nature Tours. Why The Gambia, you may ask? This tiny country is not well-known to the international community, but it is an attractive ecotourism destination. The Gambia is a stable, English-speaking democracy that has a relatively high diversity of species given its tiny size.  Egyptian Plovers Guinea Baboons (Papio papio) Its borders follow the Gambia River (with some buffer on either side) and it is surrounded entirely by Senegal. The Gambia is a popular destination for Brits and other northern Europeans due to convenient direct flights and beautiful beaches. While most tourists stay close to the resorts along the coastline, there is so much more to see in The Gambia by traveling up-country.  Scarlet-chested Sunbird Black-headed Lapwing In west Africa there is one distinct rainy season which usually occurs between May and September. This contrasts with east Africa which typically has two rainy seasons (one from March - May, and a shorter one from October - December). Our trip to The Gambia was timed to occur at the beginning of the dry season. Many birds were active and still in breeding plumage, while our days would largely be rain-free, making birding easier.  Beautiful Sunbird Greater Blue-eared Starling We began the tour with two nights at a resort along the Atlantic coast. Each day we were up early to make the most of our explorations before the heat of the day set in (but not too early, since sunrise isn't until 7 AM). We acquainted ourselves with some of the spectacular bird species that call this corner of Africa home. Our first morning at Brufut Woods was a bit overwhelming given the colour and diversity of the species. The vast majority were new for me as well, as this was my first time visiting sub-Saharan Africa. African Gray Hornbill Western Plaintain-eater Northern Red Bishop Hamerkop Some of the highlights from Brufut included Guinea and Violet Turacos, an exquisite African Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, Northern Puffback and four species of sunbirds. We enjoyed watching the antics of Rainbow Agamas and Gambian Sun Squirrels, too.  Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Northern Puffback African Pygmy Kingfisher Rainbow Agama (Agama agama) Gambian Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus) The coastal mangroves and scrubby areas were filled with interesting species as well, including Giant Kingfishers and our only Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters of the trip. Some other standouts included Blue-bellied Roller, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher and Little Bee-eater.  Giant Kingfisher Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Blue-bellied Rollers Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher Before commencing our journey up-country we stopped at Farasuto Forest. This community forest is found in the hometown of our local guide, Mustapha, and he is also a board member here. Farasuto came through with a roosting pair of Grayish Eagle-Owls, shown to us by a local guide. We also found a whole host of new species for us - Vieillot's and Bearded Barbets, great comparison views of both wood-doves, and our only Dideric Cuckoo, Beaudouin's Snake-Eagles and Striped Kingfishers of the trip. We also found a West African Banded Cobra (Naja nigricollis), a huge highlight for the herp enthusiasts in the group.  Grayish Eagle-Owl Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus) Bearded Barbet Dark Chanting Goshawk Blue-spotted Wood-Dove African Wood White (Leptosia alcesta) We drove east for a couple of hours towards Tendaba Camp. Located on the shores of the mighty Gambia River, and situated near the wild and vast Kiang West National Park, this would be our base for two nights.  Our morning boat trip up a mangrove-lined tributary was simply amazing. We set off shortly after dawn in an uncovered boat with our local guides and experienced a huge diversity of species throughout the morning. Mangrove boat trip at Tendaba Camp Reed Cormorant African Sacred Ibis Malachite Kingfisher with an Atlantic Mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus) Mouse-brown Sunbirds were feeding nestlings in their river-side nests, the air was filled with the songs of Brown-throated Wattle-eyes, and Blue-breasted Kingfishers were perched around every bend. We found our only African Blue Flycatchers of the trip and enjoyed our first views of Yellow-crowned Gonoleks, Malachite Kingfishers and both European and White-throated Bee-eaters.  Mouse-brown Sunbird Brown-throated Wattle-eye Blue-breasted Kingfisher White-throated Bee-eaters Among the high diversity of wading birds were specialties like White-backed Night Heron (on a nest!) and Goliath Heron, the world's largest heron species. The latter was a personal highlight as it represented my 5,000th world bird species. It was great to share the moment with everyone!  White-backed Night Heron  Goliath Heron The scrubby habitats around Tendaba and in Kiang West National Park were filled with a different subset of species. We tracked down our first White-crested Helmetshrikes and found a scarce Brown-necked Parrot, while we also enjoyed birds like Grasshopper Buzzard, Purple Roller and Bruce's Green-Pigeon. We loved watching the antics of Guinea Baboons, Green Vervet Monkeys and Patas Monkeys. Brown-necked Parrot Green Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) White-crested Helmetshrike We pushed further upriver by bus, reaching Janjanbureh Island for a two-night stay. The drive between Tendaba and Janjanbureh was made a touch longer as our bus got stuck on a muddy road. Thanks to some quick thinking by Mustapha and our driver, Momodou, we were able to source a tractor from a nearby town to free our bus, and we weren't delayed for too long. While we waited I took the group birding and we found African Green Bee-eaters and had incredible views of a Pearl-spotted Owlet.    African Green Bee-eater Pearl-spotted Owlet One highlight of our time at Janjanbureh Island was a long boat trip along the Gambia River. This particular vessel was quite comfortable with an open upper level, covered lower level, bathroom and a cooler full of cold drinks. Though we were unable to find any African Finfoots (a scarce resident along the Gambia River), we found around 70 bird species including White-backed Vulture, Rüppell's Griffon, Palm-nut Vulture, Levaillant's Cuckoo and Woodland Kingfisher.  Birding from the upper deck Borassus akeassii palms Rüppell's Griffon Palm-nut Vultures We also found Western Red Colobus monkeys along the riverside and spent some time with a few West African Chimpanzees. These chimpanzees were introduced here many decades ago and they have a self-sustaining population along some of the river islands.  Wesern Red Colobus (Piliocolobus badius) Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) My next post will cover the remainder of the trip. Stay tuned.

I have recently returned from an eight-day blitz of the Dominican Republic with my wife, Laura, and good friend, Daniel Riley. Now October isn't really an ideal time for a birding trip to the Dominican Republic for a few reasons. First, October is the off-season and few birds are breeding. This means that bird song is relatively quiet and playback doesn't work very well since most species couldn't be bothered with the idea of defending a territory. Second, October is one of the hottest months of the year, especially compared to January or February which is when most birders visit the country. This makes birding in the lowlands that much more uncomfortable, especially for us Canadians who are used to the cold. And third, October is well within the window for hurricane season. Though the 2025 hurricane season had been relatively quiet prior to our trip, this would change halfway through and would cause us to change our itinerary. More on that later! That being said, we still had an amazing trip and found almost everything that we hoped to. The birds did not give themselves up easily, but we persisted and prevailed with almost every species. And the herping was phenomenal with many snakes, lizards, and frogs. Certainly, the rainier conditions assisted us in this regard. The mothing was also fantastic. As birds are only one of our interests, missing a couple of bird species in exchange for better herping and mothing conditions seemed to be a reasonable trade-off. Ashy-faced Owl - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic   October 18, 2025 One of the reasons why we picked the Dominican Republic in the first place is because of how easy it is to visit from Canada. Each day, there are multiple direct flights from Toronto and this was important as we only had an eight-day window to complete our trip. Laura's work rotation has a suitable gap, and so this was an opportunity for us to get away on a trip without her having to use any vacation time. Our flight arrived on time and we quickly sorted out the rental vehicle through Enterprise at the airport. By 3 PM we were on the road, heading north along the coast towards the town of Sabana de la Mar and Parque Nacional Los Haitises. We had added our first lifers while procuring the rental car, species that would prove to be common throughout our week in the DR: Hispaniolan Woodpecker was a lifer for Laura and I, while Antillean Palm-Swift was a new one for just Laura. Dan had been to a resort in the Dominican Republic previously and so he had already seen some of the common bird species.  The drive was uneventful and we kept a close eye on the clock as we slowly made our way through coastal towns with their innumerable speed bumps. The high clearance SUV was necessary for the speed bumps alone! By 5:30 PM we arrived at Paraíso Caño Hondo, our hotel at the edge of the national park. Unfortunately the drive had taken too long to manage much birding before dark, and so our number one target species, the Ridgway's Hawk, would have to wait until the following morning. Still, it was exciting to walk around at dusk and see new species, such as Bark Anole (Anolis distichus) and a neat mantis called Gonatista major.  Bark Anole (Anolis distichus) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Gonatista major - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic We checked into the hotel, set up the moth sheet, and went for a quick stroll around the property to familiarize ourselves with the area and to figure out where we needed to hike the following morning to search for the Ridgway's Hawk. Yellow Split-Toed Frogs (Eleutherodactylus flavescens) and Common Stout Anoles (Anolis hispaniolae) were quickly discovered. Both of these species are endemic to the island of Hispaniola. We also found our first of many tarantulas. This is one of the species in Phormictopus, a genus which is limited to Cuba and Hispaniola.  Phormictopus sp. - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Yellow Split-toed Frog (Eleutherodactylus flavescens) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Common Stout Anole (Anolis hispaniolae) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic The vast majority of the plant life was unfamiliar to us as well. I snapped a few photos, mainly of ferns that were growing along an embankment.  Pyramid Maidenhair (Adiantum pyramidale) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Fragile Maidenhair (Adiantum pyramidale) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Tropical Resurrection Fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic We wolfed down the hotel's buffet dinner (our first real food since breakfast) before procuring our gear for our first proper birding of the trip, a spotlighting session for Ashy-faced Owl. This species is closely related to the familiar and cosmopolitan Barn Owl, though it is restricted to the island of Hispaniola. Ashy-faced Owls are not particularly rare or range-restricted, but we hoped to find one here since the owling conditions were good this evening and a healthy population of owls resides in this area. If we struck out tonight, we would have to devote valuable evening or early morning hours later in the trip; hours better spent looking for boas, for example. Armed with flashlights, headlights and a thermal camera we headed out by car along the entrance road, making various stops to hunt for our target.  The thermal camera picked up numerous heat signatures. Black Rats were the default culprits, though we also located a Black-whiskered Vireo, Limpkin and Bananaquit in this manner. Black Rats are introduced on Hispaniola and the population here sure seems to be quite healthy. I wonder if the Ashy-faced Owls are taking advantage of this relatively new food item on the menu.  Black Rat (Rattus rattus) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Finally, after over an hour of searching, we heard the characteristic hissing shriek of an Ashy-faced Owl. Success! Seeing them would prove difficult, but eventually a couple of dark shapes glided over the road, sihouetted by the moonlight. Our spotlight illuminated the pair of Ashy-faced Owls.  Ashy-faced Owls - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic We couldn't have asked for better looks of this handsome owl species and we took a few photos of them lit up by the spotlight beam. Owling can be difficult, even with the assistance of a thermal camera, and any victory is one to be celebrated. Happy with our excursion, we returned to the hotel.  Ashy-faced Owls - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Though we were all pretty tired due to the early wake-up required to make our morning flight, we still had one task to complete before our beds beckoned. Mothing!  (moths) It was obvious to us that this corner of Hispaniola had received a fair bit of rainfall recently as the vegetation was lush and the streams were flowing quickly. In our experience, increased rainfall has a positive correlation with diversity on the moth sheet. This evening was another data point in that favour as the sheet was dripping with moths.  If only we had more time to stay out later, as many new moths were appearing even as we were taking the sheet down. But we needed some rest before the Ridgway's Hawk search began, and that took priority.  October 19, 2025 Sunrise at this time of year arrives late, yet by 6 AM all three of us were geared up and raring to go birding. We sipped a coffee at the hotel while the sky slowly lightened and the morning's first birds called out from the darkness: Bananaquits, Palmchats and Hispanoiolan Woodpeckers. Finally, by 6:30 AM it was light enough to see the birds.  Palmchat - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic The Ridgway's Hawk is a species of Buteo that is most closely related to the Red-shouldered Hawk of Canada, the United States and Mexico. While formerly widespread across Hispaniola, this species has experienced a steady decline brought on by two strong factors: habitat loss (deforestation), and direct persecution by humans. When the hawks are hanging around homesteads and farms with chickens, they are often shot. The truth is that a fully-grown chicken is much too large a meal for a Ridgway's Hawk and these diminutive hawks primarily subsist on lizards, snakes and introduced rodents, but the unfair stigma has contributed to their decline. To make things worse, a botfly parasite has been found infecting Ridgway's Hawk chicks, causing reproductive rates to be barely sustainable to begin with. Only a few hundred Ridgway's Hawks survive in the wild with the population stronghold being Parque Nacional Los Haitises. In recent years, the Peregrine Fund has helped establish two introduced populations. One is thriving in the Punta Cana area, while the other has been recently set up in Los Brazos.    Sunrise at Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic The vast majority of birders who cross paths with Ridgway's Hawks either do around the resorts in Punta Cana, or they visit the Caño Hondo area at the edge of P. N. Los Haitises. We were more interested in seeing the "wild" birds, which is why we added a night here at the start of our trip. We set off on a wide trail near the hotel complex which accessed the mosaic of woodland and pasture home to a pair of Ridgway's Hawks.  Searching for Ridgway's Hawks - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Early on our search was unsuccessful, but the birding was exciting nonetheless. After all, we were in a novel environment and many of the species were new and interesting to us.  Western Cattle-Egret - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Some were familiar to us - the Western Cattle-Egrets working the fields and the Gray Kingbirds twittering from dead snags, for example.  Gray Kingbird - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Others, such as the Plain Pigeons that flew overhead all morning, were new for Laura and Dan. I had seen this species previously in Cuba, but it was nice to be reacquainted with them.  Plain Pigeon - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Laura picked out a Hispaniolan Pewee, a lifer for all three of us. Drab flycatchers are not at all her favourite (who can blame her?) and so I was quite proud of her correct identification of the pewee! We were feeling anxious as the minutes ticked by and the sun rose higher in the sky. We had only budgeted one night here, and if we missed the Ridgway's Hawk this morning then it would be impractical to change our itinerary to spend an extra night. But Dan came through. His scanning of a distant hillside produced a curious small hawk sitting in a cecropia. Indeed, it was our first Ridgway's Hawk! Ridgway's Hawk in Trumpetwood (Cecropia schreberiana) - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Here is a slightly closer photo of the same bird. Though the views were a little bit distant, we were thrilled to see such a rare species. We heard a second Ridgway's Hawk vocalizing from the edge of a pasture and headed over there for a peek, but it vanished. As did the original one before we could approach for a closer view. That was all we were going to get from the birding gods, but our Ridgway's Hawk experience was much better than nothing. Ridgway's Hawk - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic We all had more spring in our step as we headed back to the hotel for a well-deserved breakfast. Many other birds came out of the woodwork - Louisiana Waterthrushes along the creek, Yellow-faced Grassquits buzzing from the grasses, and White-winged Doves feeding on a fruiting tree.  Louisiana Waterthrush - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Yellow-faced Grassquit - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic White-winged Dove - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic I even stopped to take a photo of one of the ubiquitous Turkey Vultures. It is definitely a bird species that gets better looking the further away it is.  Turkey Vulture - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Another highlight was a group of Caribbean Martins cruising overhead. These birds vacate Hispaniola in October, though small numbers can hang around, and it was one species that could be easily missed on our trip.  Caribbean Martin - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic We also saw a few of the common endemic bird species including Hispaniolan Mango, White-necked Crow and Broad-billed Tody. The todies are a well-loved family of birds that only contains five living species, all found in the Greater Antilles. Todies are most closely related to the clade that includes motmots and kingfishers. Laura's favourite bird family is the motmots, so it was no surprise that she was enamoured by her first tody, too. Broad-billed Tody We enjoyed a hearty breakfast, packed up and headed out under blue skies and hot temperatures. We had a long driving day ahead of us but made sure to make a few birding stops along the entrance road to Caño Hondo. This paid off as Dan noticed a few Tricolored Munias feeding on roadside grasses, a life bird for him. This was the first time that Laura and I had seen this adaptable species outside of southeast Asia.  Tricolored Munia - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Tricolored Munia - Caño Hondo, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic Our time at the edge of Parque Nacional Los Haitises had been brief, but it had been immensely productive. Ashy-faced Owls and Ridgway's Hawks, lifer frogs and lizards, and even a great mothing session. The clock was ticking, and it was now time to drive through Santo Domingo to the southwestern part of the Dominican Republic.