Colorful Hispaniolan Parakeets frequent the grounds of our hotel in Santo Domingo. Photo: Chris Wood
Site of the oldest European city in the New World, the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Greater Antilles. Dominated by the highest mountains in the Caribbean and ringed by a startlingly beautiful coastline, this varied landscape is home to no less than thirty-two endemic bird species, including Palmchat, the single representative of the monotypic family Dulidae. Our search for the endemics and regional specialties will take us to the cloud forest and thorn scrub of the rugged Sierra de Bahoruco, as well as to the bizarre cactus forest of the Lago Enriquillo basin, which is home to Palm and White-necked Crows, American Flamingos, and various herosn, shorebirds, and waterfowl. A side trip to the island’s very differentn northern shore will allow us to try for the extremely rare Ridgway’s Hawk. Our visit to the Dominican Republic will be enriched by the gracious hospitality of its people and their excellent Spanish-style cuisine.
Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. Our hotel is close to the center of colonial Santo Domingo, allowing any early-arriving participants to explore the many colonial buildings and museums nearby. We’ll start this first evening with a visit to a nearby roost of Hispaniola Parakeets. Night in Santo Domingo.
Day 2: We’ll begin our first full day with a visit to the extensive and beautifully maintained botanical garden, centered on a densely forested canyon. A morning walk here provides an excellent introduction to the island’s birds. In addition to the ubiquitous Hispaniolan Woodpecker, we should find Vervain Hummingbird (generally accounted the world’s second-smallest bird), Antillean Palm-Swift, the adorable Broad-billed Tody, Red-legged Thrush, Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, and Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo. We can also expect to see the bizarre Palmchat, in a family unto itself, which builds enormous communal nests in palm trees. With some luck we may happen upon West Indian Whistling-Duck, which can sometimes be found along a small stream in the gardens. After lunch and some shopping for picnic supplies, we’ll make the long drive to Barahona on the southwestern coast. Night near Barahona.
Day 3: We’ll make a very early start over a rough mountain road to visit the northern slopes of Sierra de Bahoruco National Park. Our main target just after dawn will be the very local La Selle Thrush, which lives in a beautiful but restricted patch of cloud forest. Other highlights might include Hispaniolan Emerald, Hispaniolan Parrot, Hispaniolan Trogon, Narrow-billed Tody, Green-tailed Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Western Chat-Tanager, Hispaniolan Spindalis, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch. We’ll gradually work our way back downhill into drier forest, where we’ll search for the peculiar Antillean Piculet—the only member of its genus—as well as Flat-billed Vireo and the very rare and endemic Bay-breasted Cuckoo. Night near Barahona.
Day 4: Today we’ll focus on the south side of the Sierra de Bahoruco. Our morning will begin with a leisurely breakfast beside Oviedo Lagoon, where we might encounter American Flamingo, Roseate Spoonbill, and a nice array of shorebirds and waders. We also hope to find Mangrove Cuckoo and “Golden” Yellow Warbler lurking in the mangrovies. From here we’ll head to the paved Alcoa Road and extensive upland pine forest. This forest recalls the longleaf pine forests of the southeastern US, but here we’ll be looking for Hispaniolan Crossbill, Golden Swallow (now found only on Hispaniola), and Antillean Siskin. Night near Barahona.
Day 5: We’ll leave early once again for a second visit to the north slope of Sierra de Baoruco, arriving before dawn to try for Greater Antillean Nightjar and other nightbirds. We’ll then search for any dry forest species missed during our previous visit, and have lunch in a beautiful, lushly vegetated draw with large trees, where we’ll have our best chance at seeing Key West Quail-Dove and Bay-breasted Cuckoo. We’ll also visit Lago Enriquillo. Lying more than 120 feet below sea level, this intensely saline lake is the remnant of a channel that once divided Hispaniola into two islands. Our primary goal is Hispaniolan Palm Crow, but we may also see an interesting assortment of migrant warblers and possibly Plain Pigeon. In the afternoon we’ll return to our hotel near Barahona. Night near Barahona.
Day 6: Today will be flexible, allowing us to return to one of the areas visited over the preceding few days to search for any missed species. If road conditions permit, we’ll make a short trip to look for Eastern Chat-Tanager on the eastern side of the Sierra. Just after dark, we’ll check for Northern Potoo and Ashy-faced Owl on the way back to our hotel. Night in Sabana del Mar.
Day 7: After breakfast we’ll head east to Sabana del Mar, pausing in Santo Domingo for lunch. We’ll have a good chance at encountering the local Ashy-faced Owl near our hotel if we’ve failed to find it in the southwest. Night in Sabana del Mar.
Day 8: Today we plan to search for the critically endangered Ridgway’s Hawk. This formerly widespread species is now extremely local and infrequently seen. By this time of year, adults are usually engaged in nest building, and we hope to have a nest site pinned down. Getting there will likely involve a relatively short but sometimes steep walk—well worth it for the chance of seeing this wonderful raptor at its nest! In the flowering trees we should also see the Hispaniolan Oriole—soon to be split—and we often encounter Ruddy Quail-Doves in the understory. If time and conditions allow, we may also take a boat trip out onto the bay, stopping to look for White-crowned Pigeon, Hispaniola Parrot, and various waterbirds. In the afternoon we’ll drive back to Santo Domingo. Night in Santo Domingo.
Day 9: The tour ends this morning in Santo Domingo.
Updated: 31 March 2010
Prices
- 2012 price not yet available
- (2010 price about $2,890)
Notes
Maximum group size 4 with one leader, 8 with two leaders.