Jamaica

View from Negril beach, Jamaica

Escape the cold, dark days of winter and join Portland Audubon on this 10-day excursion into the heart of the Caribbean and onto the island of Jamaica.

Beaches of endless white sand… warm, turquoise-blue water… unforgettable sunsets and the hot, tropical sun are not all that await you in this island paradise: Jamaica is also home to no less than 28 endemic species of birds, making it a paradise for birders as well.

Destinations and Birds

We begin our trek in Montego Bay, where we’ll team up with the trip co-leader and President of Birdlife Jamaica, Ricardo Miller. We’ll then travel to a nearby a bird sanctuary that specializes in providing visitors with up-close views of some of the island’s most interesting inhabitants. The Red-tailed Streamertails, Grassquits and a host of other species will come to the feeders, so close you’ll be tempted to reach out and touch them.

We’ll then travel south, where we’ll spend our first night in the coastal town of Negril, famous for its seven-mile stretch of beach.  You’ll have time to stroll on the sandy shore and swim in the warm, gentle surf before we head out early the next morning on our circumnavigation of the island.

Jamaican Tody - Dominic Sherony

After leaving Negril, we team up with Dr. Ann Hayes-Sutton, the author of A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Jamaica, and head towards her historic estate called Marshall’s Pen, birding local hot spots like the Royal Palm Reserve and the Great Black Morass along the way. We’ll spend two nights and three days in Ann’s company, birding local areas in search of endemics like the Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo, the Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo and the Jamaican Owl, just to name a few. We then head to the Blue Mountains on the East side of the island, but not before searching the Portland Ridge area for the Bahama Mockingbird and the Jamaican Crow. Once in the highlands of the mountains, we’ll keep an eye out for montane endemics like the Blue Mountain Vireo and the Crested Quail-Dove.

From the Blue Mountains we head to the NE coast, where we’ll spend the next three nights enjoying stunning views from our private cabins nestled in along the rocky shoreline. Our hotel has its own beautiful sandy cove for it guests, allowing us to swim and relax in between outings. From here we are strategically located to bird the famous Ecclesdown Road, where we should be able to “clean up” on any of the endemics we may have missed, including the unique - and extremely cute - Jamaican Tody.

Red-billed Streamer Tail - Dominic Sherony

You’ll be sure to have time to shop for souvenirs or swim in the Caribbean one final time while in Ocho Rios, the town where we’ll stay our last night before heading back to Montego Bay to fly home.  We’ve designed this trip to give you a chance to escape the wet winter, while adding a host of new birds to your repertoire. Twenty-eight is an impressive number of endemics for any island, and we can just about guarantee to get them all!

Registration Details

Register: For more information and to register, please contact Portland Audubon Adult Education Manager Steve Engel at at 971-222-6119 or sengel@audubonportland.org.

Fee: Yet to be determined

Deposit: $1,200

Group Size: 14 participants and leaders

Leaders: Portland Audubon Education Director Steve Robertson and local guides

Fee is based on double occupancy and includes all lodging, ground transportation, all meals except some dinners, all guide fees, park fees and planned group activities, etc. Not included: Airfare to & from Portland, dinners and tips for guides. Remember, a portion of your fee is a tax-deductible donation to the Audubon Society of Portland.