Cuba 2024

Cuba Trip Report                    by Sue Bryan

 

                                          April 10th – April 19^th 2024

Introduction

In 2018 I received an email from www.cuba360tours.com asking if they could put a link on my website promoting the wonderful birding opportunities in Cuba. I glanced through it and kept it stored away in a file as a possible future birding trip. In 2021 I received another email explaining the opening up of Cuba after the pandemic. Once again this sparked my interest as I am still trying to complete my quest of seeing all the birds in the Tropical Birds Brooke Bond tea card album, in which the 50 cards I collected as a child feature. After a few recent trips I had seen 46 of them. One of the remaining birds left to see was the Cuban Trogon, an endemic bird only found in the island of Cuba. There were two other birds I wished to see: Bee Hummingbird, as this is the smallest bird in the world and another endemic, the Cuban Tody which is such a pretty little bird.

Before the pandemic struck, a friend had expressed an interest in joining me on a birding trip but after some time had passed, illness meant that it became impossible. Another fellow American traveller that I enjoyed a trip to the Pantanal with, asked if he could join me but after extensive hurdles put in his way by the U.S.A authorities, due to Cuba’s embargo problems, meant that he too had to drop out. I began to despair as Cesar of www.cuba360tours.com  did everything that he could to facilitate my trip by connecting me with others on possible small group trips as John had done an extensive Cuban trip many years ago and wasn’t keen to have another visit. However, seeing the difficulty that I was in and our liking for foreign birding trips, John eventually agreed for a short trip so that I could see the 3 birds that I wanted to see. Negotiations with Cesar took place as we also wanted to have some free time to ourselves in Old Havana to see the sights and enjoy a ride in one of the classic cars that Cuba is famed for.

Eventually after many emails, using local guides with very limited English and staying in simple casa-style accommodation, with full board, transport/driver and an English speaking guide with a keen interest in birds, we eventually came up with a package  and costing to our liking.

Guides: Isidro Rodriguez main guide and translator, Francisco Gonzales (Vinlaes), Marietta Punales (Playa Larga and Zapata N. P.) Alex (cultural guide in Havana) Ricardo (tour driver and acting guide on 17^th April)

Itinerary

10^th April  Gatwick – Madrid – Havana

11^th April   Havana – Vinales

12^th April Vinales

13^th April Vinales- Playa Larga, Zapata N.P.

14^th April   Las Bermejas – Playa Larga

15^th April   Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.

16^th April  La Turba, Zapata N.P. – Havana

17^th April   Havana Botanical Gardens

18^th April   Havana – Madrid

19^th April   Madrid – Gatwick

Flights

International flights were booked through www.trailfinders.com with Europa Airlines for £855 each

Costs

Tour price, including all accommodation, food, taxi transport, services of guides £1443 each.

We spent about £420 between us on meals, services for a guide, taxi and entrance to the botanical garden on 17^th April and another classic car ride on 18^th April.

Visa

We applied online for our tourist cards 2 months in advance of our departure at a cost of £30.50 each. These are separate pieces of paper that are posted to you and stamped upon entry in Cuba at the airport so that no stamps are stamped in your passport.

An online Advanced Passenger Information form has to be completed no more than 2 days before departure. This produces an QR code which has to be printed out and handed in at immigration before you are allowed into the country.

Money

Warning: Credit and Debit cards are not accepted in Cuba at any restaurants, shops or services. It is vital to take US$ or Euros to pay for anything that you may wish to buy.

Cuban money, CUP pesos cannot be bought outside Cuba. The few banks or ATMs (we only saw a couple in Old Havana, none in the towns) offer a very low exchange rate, which is the official exchange rate at all restaurants and shops of 120 pesos to 1 US$. Money lenders on the streets of the main shopping street (Obispo Street) offered us 320 pesos to 1US$. Sadly we only realised this on our last day so paying for our meals in dollars that we had taken with us cost us dearly! Exchange any dollars you have to pesos with a money lender at the start of your holiday, but make sure you are not left with any pesos at the end!

Internet/Mobile Phone network

Wi-Fi/internet was practically non-existent. A few places sell a card with a code costing US$ 1 for an hour’s use. Neither of us could access network roaming data. A local sim card would be necessary which was being sold at the airport.

Climate

It was extremely hot and sunny, reaching 30 degrees Celsius plus every day.

Habitat

Cuba is an island of dry forests, moist forests, wetlands, grass and scrubby area, as well as mangroves and coral reefs. Much of what we saw in the northwest of the island was abandoned agricultural land that had reverted to scrub.

We were only birding in the northwest of the island and focused on dry forests, mangroves and wetlands as well as a few sparsely vegetated, old-fashioned agricultural areas 

Daily Log 

10^th April

We were up early and caught the shuttle bus to the airport and caught our flight to Madrid. After a 3 hour wait we caught our flight to Havana in Cuba where the immigration queue was horrendous. Luckily we had no issues getting into Cuba, after applying for our tourist card weeks ago and completing the online customs form early yesterday morning before I went to work. However the scanning of our luggage section after immigration was also very badly organised, so we had yet another long queue to endure! Our cameras (with big lenses) and telescopes caused issues as the inspectors did not understand what a telescope was.

Eventually we walked out into the hot humid air where Alex met us and we all jumped into our taxi that took us into Old Havana to our accommodation in a very narrow street at Casa Obrapia, Obrapia Street, Havana.

After a quick dumping of our cases in our room, we walked out into the narrow streets and found a restaurant that was still open. We enjoyed listening to a Cuban band as we ate our meal despite it being rather loud!

11^th April

 

We were up for 4am and after waiting for it to get light, we wandered around Old Havana and headed for a park using Google Maps, where saw Red-legged Thrush, Cuban Blackbird (E), Greater Antillean Grackle, Common Ground Dove, Eurasian Ground Dove, Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird and Grey Kingbird after admiring all the grand old buildings and cars in the streets.  Turkey Vultures swirled around overhead. Alex eventually arrived and guided us through the narrow streets to a rank of classic cars. He chose an old pink Chevrolet with driver. He took us on a tour of Havana in it, taking in the seafront along the harbour where we noted an Antillean Palm Swift. After a bit of a detour because of a blocked road, we eventually arrived at a cafe in the woods where I enjoyed the first of many pina coladas! Here we watched a Cuban Emerald, Cuban Blackbirds and Greater Antillean Grackles. It was a delightful ride in the classic car in the hot sun and I made the most of posing in it!

Our route back took us along the river where we noted Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Brown Pelican and Laughing Gull. 

After our classic car ride was over, we walked with Alex, who explained some of the history of Cuba and buildings back through Old Havana. We paused for lunch in an open-air cafe in the sun before walking back to our accommodation and met up with Isidro who was to be our bird guide for the next few days.

Our taxi driver, Ricardo, who was also keen to learn about the birds, drove us towards Vinales. We stopped en route at a cafe where we added Lesser Scaup and Snowy Egret to our lists. Somewhere near Pinar Rio we also added Cattle Egret too. We arrived at Vinales where after checking into our accommodation at Hostal Leyanis Y Jesus Alejandro, Vinales, we walked to the town for our evening meal. We were fascinated by all the horse and carts trotting up and down the street as we sat outside in the sun.

12^th April

Our serious birding few days were due to start today, where I was hopeful of seeing my 3 target birds that I had requested to see. However all birding guides know that serious birders always want to see endemic birds, especially on islands. There were potentially 27 endemic birds to see but one is thought to be extinct, one virtually extinct (and maybe it is, as it hasn’t been seen for sometime) and another heading for extinction. Two birds were too distant for us to travel to, in the time that we had available.

We had a slightly later start this morning and after sitting out on the terrace in our accommodation for breakfast, we were picked up by our driver, Ricardo and Isidro and drove to collect a local guide Francisco. We drove to the grounds of San Vincente Hotel, where after a short wander around we heard Cuban Trogon (E). I could not believe my luck as this was the whole reason for wanting to come to Cuba to try and see one of my last remaining birds in the Brooke Bond tea cards Tropical Birds Album. I had four tropical birds left to see.

We moved nearer to where the call was coming from and soon I had the bird in my sight. I was thrilled! We took many photos before we realised we were watching a pair at a nest hole with yet another trogon trying to muscle in on the act. I took far too many photos before we moved on our way, as there were lots of other good birds to see.

We watched White-crowned Pigeons, Loggerhead Kingbirds, White-winged Dove, West Indian Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Western Spindalis, Northern Flicker, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird and American Kestrel before following Isidro out of the garden and onto the farmland behind the garden.

We moved nearer to the cliff-face where we watched A Great Lizard Cuckoo that was being mobbed by a Grey Kingbird and a Cuban Pewee.

A Yellow-faced Grassquit could be seen in the field as we walked back across the field adding Mourning Dove, Cuban Green Woodpecker (E), Scaly-naped Pigeon, Osprey and Cuban Oriole (E).

Our driver, Ricardo took us to several other areas that were dominated by Black-whiskered Vireos and Western Spindalis but the light for photography was awful. It was very humid and sapping our energy levels.

We stopped for delightful lunch at a restaurant in a very rural location and watched a variety of chickens, pigs and horses roaming around.

We drove to a higher elevation, in a pine forest and watched an Olive-capped Warbler, Cuban Bullfinch (E), La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Palm Warbler, Cuban Vireo (E) and a Pine Warbler before driving to a site where after a neck-breaking experience eventually saw a Cuban Solitaire (E) high up in a tree on top of a cliff face.

We then re-commenced our search for the elusive Cuban Tody which we had already spent time searching for in scrubby areas. Isidro thought he heard one calling and indeed he was right. After a short while we had a pair of Cuban Todies (E) right in front of us. What magical little birds they were. They were so obliging as I took far too many photos once again. It was an amazing experience deep in a narrow dried up river bed surrounded by thick vegetation.

We added Smooth-billed Ani and American Redstart to our lists walking back to the car. Once back to our accommodation, John and I dived into the small swimming pool where at last we could cool down from our wonderful day of our target species and several endemic birds.

We walked backed into town once again for our evening meal and watched the people of the town going about their business from the table we had chosen outside in the warm sun. It was such a delight.

13^th April

We had a long journey to complete today, the start of which took place on some badly pot-holed roads. Leaving after breakfast we had several stops along the way. Our first stop was to see an Eastern Meadowlark that was hiding in some long grass alongside where two oxen were being used to plough a field.

We stopped at Ricardo’s home to obtain some fuel that had been stored for our journey as fuel is rationed and hard to obtain.

Later we stopped at some fish ponds where we added Little Blue Heron, Common Gallinule, American Coot, Crested Caracara, Barn Swallow, Black-necked Stilts and many Snail Kites. We also watched a Killdeer here. With the sun beating down we stopped at a pre-arranged farm where a farmer put some seed out along a wall to attract Cuban Grassquit (E) to it. It took a while for the birds to arrive but eventually we had our quarry as well as watching a Palm Warbler that ate much of the seed.

As we walked back along the track back to the car we saw more Cuban Grassquits as well as seeing a Red-tailed Hawk. I stopped to take photographs of a Cuban Pewee and a Northern Mockingbird

At lunch we watched a Zenaida Dove before spending the next 3 hours in the car to get to Playa Larga where we stayed at Casa Ridel , Playa Larga near Zapata National Park.

14^th April 

We had an early start at 5am and drove to Las Bermejas Forest. However the road was covered in crabs trying to get to the water. We had to stop for Ricardo to clear a passage through without squishing them all. It was an amazing sight. We arrived at the forest where a baited area and screen had been set up, after picking up Marietta, a local guide. We waited for a Blue-headed Quail-dove (E) to appear, which it duly did, not long after first light. We walked the forest trails and watched Yellow-headed Warblers (E), Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstarts, Cuban Todies, Cuban Parakeets (E), and a Bee Hummingbird which was sat out in the open sun.

We got back in the car and stopped at a spot where Marietta knew Red-shouldered Blackbirds (E) would be. It took a while before we saw a couple of juvenile birds.

We drove along a road all covered with rice laid out to dry, along one side of the road. Here we watched a Short-eared Owl, Limpkin, Little Blue Herons and Cattle Egrets.

We returned to the forest and watched a Grey-fronted Quail-dove (E), Cuban Amazon, Ruddy Quail-dove, Common Yellowthroat and an Ovenbird.

It was now very hot and we enjoyed a lunch at a local restaurant tucked away at the back of a house down a track.

We returned to Play Larga where I went for a swim in a very warm sea with the sun beating down on the white sandy beach and turquoise-coloured sea. Bliss!

Later we met up with Isidro and walked along our street and went into a back garden of Ana’s Birding Garden which had many hummingbird feeders hanging in trees and feeding stations. American warblers were delighted and so were we. We watched Black-throated Blue Warblers, Cape May Warblers, Northern Parulas, Grey Catbird, West Indian Woodpecker and Cuban Emerald.  

Bee Hummingbirds were zipping in and out of the garden but they were extremely hard to photograph as Cuban Emeralds kept chasing them away. As any photographer will tell you it takes a lot of patience and lots of practice to get a photo that is not blurred of a flying hummingbird! It was sheer pleasure in the sun and hot shade of the day, as we both enjoyed our photography (except for a few expletives now and again!)

Eventually I managed to obtain a few photos of the Bee Hummingbird after many attempts and we called it a day before walking back to a restaurant where we enjoyed a lobster meal all washed down with a beer and a pina colada. Happy days!

15^th April 

After breakfast we set off at 7am and drove all along the coast through the mangroves at Las Salinas in the Zapata National Park. Waterbirds, especially herons and egrets were everywhere. We stopped at the first lagoon and watched a Clapper Rail running like the clappers! Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper (with spots), Lesser Yellowlegs, Neotropic Cormorant and Ruddy Turnstones were soon on our lists as was a Tricoloured Heron. A Common Yellowthroat showed quite well in the bushes.

We drove on a little further but stopped to admire some American Flamingoes, Roseate Spoonbills, and a party of Black-necked Stilts. Reddish Egret, Great Blue Heron and American White Ibis and Willet were also soon on our lists. However our quarry was a perched Cuban Black Hawk (E) which we saw calling out to an overhead Osprey. A Yellow Warbler and a Yellow-headed Warbler were in the mangroves as we added Belted Kingfisher, Green Heron, Grey Plover, Northern Harrier and Northern Rough-winged Swallow to our day list. A Cuban Green Woodpecker posed nicely for us all too.

We headed back to Playa Larga and visited another hummingbird feeder garden, that unfortunately was packed with tourists that got in our way and so we did not stay long, as photography was almost impossible as we watched Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds, American Redstarts, Bee Hummingbirds and Cuban Emeralds.

After a lunch back at Playa Larga, with a pina colada and a beer, John and I enjoyed a swim in the turquoise coloured sea in the warm Caribbean. It was so relaxing and refreshing!

After a break back in our room, we were picked up and taken to Soplillar where we walked through woodland to see a Cuban Pygmy Owl (E) and a Bare-legged Owl (E) in its hole in a Palm Tree.

We also watched Great Lizard Cuckoo, Grey Catbird and a Cuban Tody.

We waited until dusk and saw two Cuban Crows, Antillean Nighthawk and Cuban Nightjar (E). Our evening meal was rather late but we had enjoyed an excellent day’s birding once again thanks to our guides.

16^th April

 Our guides picked us up from our accommodation at 7am and drove us deep through woodland along a track in mangroves to La Turba in the Zapata National Park. We were here for another two endemic species. There are arguably 27 endemic species on Cuba depending which authority that is followed, two of which are probably extinct and one likely to be quite soon. To see the remaining 24 would take a longer holiday than I had holiday allowance for, so I targeted Cuba Trogon, Cuban Tody and Bee Hummingbird and as many other endemics in the short time that I had available as John and I also wanted to play tourist in this historic country. By now we had seen 18 endemics.

After leaving the car, Isidro, Marietta, John and I walked down a bund between two mangrove channels with high vegetation. It took a long time before we heard Zapata Wren (E) singing. Luckily it flew towards the speaker and promptly disappeared. During another long wait, we watched two Zapata Sparrows (E) hopping along the ground, before flying up into vegetation.  The Zapata Wren sang twice more and each time gave only flight views, which as time was pressing, we had to be satisfied with. We saw a Northern Waterthrush and a Loggerhead Shrike on our way back to the car.

As we drove out of the woodland we flushed a Gundlach’s Hawk (E) that flew down the track in front of us. John was delighted as this was the only new bird of the trip for him. This gave us 21 endemics for the trip.

We stopped for photo of the crab at the entrance to Playa Larga, to remind us of all the crabs on the road  before arriving back at our accommodation. We bid goodbye to Marietta after thanking her for all her efforts, packed our bags and had another lobster and crab meal all washed down with a pina colada and a beer before heading back to Havana where we spent the night.

17^th April

As we had an extra day to ourselves we had a private arrangement with our driver, Ricardo, to drive and stay with us for the day in the Havana Botanical Gardens, which is about an hour’s drive from the centre of Havana. After being charged more for our entrance than the adult rate, because we had binoculars and cameras with us as well as being tourists, we parked the taxi and having spoken to a guide at the entrance, he kindly showed us the nest of a Gundlach’s Hawk. The chick peered over the edge at us as we watched it.

We walked around a big loop watching Grey Kingbird, Eastern Meadow Lark, American Kestrel and several West Indian Woodpeckers, all nesting in trees and telegraph poles. It was getting rather hot and we returned to the entrance where we were told we had to reserve a table if we wanted lunch at the Japanese Garden restaurant. We duly did so and were given driving instructions on how to get to the Japanese Gardens. Having got lost once this morning en route, Ricardo was less than sure we would arrive, as the map given to us was useless! However having ignored all no entry signs on our way, we found it. We had an hour walking around the gardens and watched Least Grebes on their nests, Killdeer and several West Indian Woodpeckers.

At lunch we sat by a nest hole and were entertained by a pair of West Indian Woodpeckers as they continually brought food in for their chicks. After lunch we drove another route in the park and Ricardo heard a Northern Bobwhite calling. We stopped the taxi and located where the call was coming from.  We eventually saw the bird as it flew over us.

Having found our way back to the entrance by following our location on Google Maps, we stopped by the entrance gate and watched American Redstarts, Black-and-white Warbler, Palm Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Cuban Green Woodpeckers. By 2pm it was 30 degrees and sapping our energy levels. We left the park and drove to a reservoir where we watched Brown Pelicans, Least Grebes, Caspian Tern, Osprey, Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, Red-tailed Hawk and many Turkey Vultures.

Ricardo drove us back to Havana where we bid him goodbye and thanked him for his services throughout our visit to this very interesting country.

18^th April

John and I had the day to ourselves and so after breakfast we walked to find the Granmar Boat, the one in which Che Guevara and Fidel Castro returned to liberate Cuba after being in exile. There were other military exhibits on display, guarded by soldiers. We continued down to the coastline admiring the historic buildings and classic cars going by.

By the riverside buildings we stopped to watch Cuban Martins, Palm Warbler, Caspian Tern, Red-legged Thrush, Greater Antillean Grackle and Cuban Blackbird besides the regular Collared Doves and House Sparrows.

After walking along the riverside we stopped for some lunch and then treated ourselves to another classic car ride, this time in an open red car (my favourite!) for a tour around the city of Havana. It was to include a trip to include Revolution Square, which was extremely hot when we got there! It was a wonderful afternoon with lots of opportunity for posing!

After our car ride we returned to our accommodation to cool down with a shower and get packed. We had a last meal in the city before Alex and a taxi picked us up to take us to the airport for our flight to Madrid. It had been a wonderful trip and very good value for money. We had had very good views of my 3 target birds and enjoyed the weather and excellent food. We had been very well looked after by all our guides.

19^th April

We flew from Madrid to Gatwick where John and I arrived at Gatwick late in the afternoon and drove home after a horrendous delay at the M23/M25 junction.

Bird List

1. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis    11/04/2024        Havana
2. Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus 17/04/2024 Havana Botanical Gardens
3. Antillean Nighthawk Chordeiles gundlachii 15/04/2024 Soplillar
4. Cuban Nightjar Antrostomus cubanensis 15/04/2024     Soplillar
5. Antillean Palm Swift Tachornis phoenicobia 11/04/2024 Havana
6. Bee Hummingbird Mellisuga helenae 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
7. Cuban Emerald Riccordia ricordii 11/04/2024 Havana
8. Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani 12/04/2024 Vinales
9. Great Lizard Cuckoo Coccyzus merlini 12/04/2024 Vinales
10. Rock Dove Columba livia 11/04/2024 Havana
11. White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala 12/04/2024   Vinales
12. Scaly-naped Pigeon Patagioenas squamosa 12/04/2024 Vinales
13. Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto   11/04/2024 Havana
14. Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina     11/04/2024 Havana
15. Blue-headed Quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
16. Ruddy Quail-dove Geotrygon montana 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
17. Grey-fronted Quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
18. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 12/04/2024  Vinales
19. Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita 13/04/2024 Las Terraza
20. White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 12/04/2024        Vinales
21. Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans 15/04/2024        Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
22. Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
23. American Coot Fulica Americana 13/04/2024    La Pila, San Christobal
24. Limpkin Aramus guarauna 14/04/2024   Las Bermejas
25. Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus 17/04/2024 Havana Botanical Gardens
26. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
27. American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
28. Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
29. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
30. Killdeer Charadrius vociferous 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
31. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
32. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
33. Willet Tringa semipalmata       15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
34. Turnstone Arenaria interpres 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
35. Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
36. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 11/04/2024 Havana
37. Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus 11/04/2024 Havana
38. Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla 11/04/2024 Havana
39. Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
40. Neotropic Cormorant Nannopterum brasilianum 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
41. American White Ibis Eudocimus albus 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
42. Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
43. Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
44. Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
45. Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
46. Snowy Egret Egretta thula 11/04/2024 Havana
47. Green Heron Butorides virescens 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
48. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 11/04/2024 Pinar del Rio
49. Great White Egret Ardea alba 12/04/2024 Vinales
50. Great Blue Heron Ardea Herodias 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
51. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis   11/04/2024 Havana
52. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura  11/04/2024 Havana
53. Osprey Pandion haliaetus 12/04/2024   Vinales
54. Gundlach’s Hawk Accipiter gundlachi 16/04/2024 La Turba, Zapata N.P.
55. Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
56. Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
57. Cuban Black Hawk Buteogallus gundlachii 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
58. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 13/04/2024 Las Terraza
59. Bare-legged Owl Margarobyas lawrencii 15/04/2024        Soplillar
60. Cuban Pygmy Owl Glaucidium siju 15/04/2024 Soplillar
61. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
62. Cuban Trogon Priotelus temnurus 12/04/2024 Vinales
63. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
64. Cuban Tody Todus multicolour 12/04/2024 Vinales
65. West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris 12/04/2024 Vinales
66. Cuban Green Woodpecker Xiphidiopicus percussus 12/04/2024 Vinales
67. Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 12/04/2024     Vinales
68. Crested Caracara Caracara plancus 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
69. American Kestrel Falco sparverius 12/04/2024 Vinales
70. Cuban Amazon Amazona leucocephala 14/04/2024        Las Bermejas
71. Cuban Parakeet Psittacara euops 14/04/2024     Las Bermejas
72. Cuban Pewee Contopus caribaeus 12/04/2024 Vinales
73. Grey Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis 11/04/2024        Havana
74. Loggerhead Kingbird Tyrannus caudifasciatus 12/04/2024        Vinales
75. La Sagra’s Flycatcher Myiarchus sagrae 12/04/2024 Vinales
76. Black-whiskered Vireo Vireo altiloquus 12/04/2024 Vinales
77. Cuban Vireo Vireo gundlachii 12/04/2024 Vinales
78. Cuban Crow Corvus nasicus 15/04/2024 Soplillar
79. Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca 18/04/2024 Havana
80. Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
81. Swallow Hirundo rustica 13/04/2024 La Pila, San Christobal
82. Zapata Wren Ferminia cerverai 16/04/2024        La Turba, Zapata N.P.
83. Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 14/04/2024        Playa Larga
84. Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 11/04/2024  Havana
85. Cuban Solitaire Myadestes Elisabeth 12/04/2024 Vinales
86. Red-legged Thrush Turdus plumbeus 11/04/2024 Havana
87. House Sparrow Passer domesticus 11/04/2024  Havana
88. Zapata Sparrow Torreornis inexpectata  16/04/2024        La Turba, Zapata N.P.
89. Western Spindalis Spindalis zena 12/04/2024 Vinales
90. Yellow-headed Warbler Teretistris fernandinae  14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
91. Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna 13/04/2024        Pinar del Rio
92. Cuban Oriole Icterus melanopsis 12/04/2024 Vinales
93. Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius humeralis 12/04/2024 Vinales
94. Red-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius assimilis 14/04/2024        Las Bermejas
95. Cuban Blackbird Ptiloxena atroviolacea   11/04/2024        Havana
96. Greater Antillean Grackle Quiscalus niger 11/04/2024 Havana
97. Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
98. Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 16/04/2024 La Turba, Zapata N.P.
99. Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 14/04/2024 Las Bermejas
100. Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 14/04/2024   Las Bermejas
101. American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 12/04/2024 Vinales
102. Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina 14/04/2024 Playa Larga
103. Northern Parula Setophaga americana 14/04/2024 Playa Larga
104. Yellow Warbler Setophaga aestiva 15/04/2024 Las Salinas, Zapata N.P.
105. Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens    14/04/2024 Playa Larga
106. Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum    12/04/2024        Vinales
107. Olive-capped Warbler Setophaga pityophila 12/04/2024 Vinales
108. Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 12/04/2024 Vinales
109. Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus 12/04/2024        Vinales
110. Cuban Bullfinch Melopyrrha nigra 12/04/2024 Vinales
111. Cuban Grassquit Phonipara canora 13/04/2024 Las Terraza