Bird Watching ItineraryFor the bird-watcher, Jamaica has a great deal to offer.

Jamaica has the highest concentration of endemic bird species of all the Caribbean Islands.• 28 Endemics• 19 Endemic Sub-species.• 18 Caribbean Endemic species / sub-species.

51 of these (27 Endemics) (13 Endemic Sub-species) and (11 Caribbean Endemics) have been recorded on the Green Castle Estate alone. Altogether 171 bird species recorded at Greencastle!

In addition to these, Jamaica also hosts a large amount of Wintering North American Birds, 24 species of North American Wood Warblers for example.

Jamaica is the 3rd largest of all the Caribbean Islands with the highest Mountain Range, yet, it is still reasonably small by UK standards, from East to West….146 miles and from North to South at its widest point is 51 miles.

On this trip we are concentrating on the North Eastern side of the Island, this is lush green mountainous country (highest mountain range in the Caribbean) with many habitats and offering opportunity to see all the endemics at an easy going pace with leisurely birding. We intend to bird watch locally and to travel to other areas, no more than 2 hours drive away to catch up with specific species which are more localised such as the Crested Quail Dove.

We have an excellent local bird guide who is registered with the Jamaica Tourism Product Development Company an arm of the Jamaican Tourist Board, they will accompany us making birding a little bit easier and helping us to locate the more restricted species.

We want the trip to be enjoyable, we want you to see the beauty of Jamaica, experience the great local cuisine, great people and relish the Jamaican hospitality as well as superb bird watching.

Want to bring your non birding partners? No worries, Green Castle has a lovely pool with shaded Gazebo, tennis court, beaches and beautiful vistas, there’s nothing more relaxing. Take a tour of our farm, look into the Islands history, sample Jamaican food like Jerk Chicken and sip on cool Jamaican Rum or a Red Stripe Beer. There’s a lot of relaxing to do if you don’t fancy birding in the tropical climate, sit back, close your eyes, take a dip in the pool, rest in the hammock and be served cool drinks by our housekeepers.

Greencastle can cater for your every need, nothing is too much trouble. (Please advise if there are any vegetarians or anyone with food allergies in the group)

Welcome to Jamaica.

www.gcjamaica.com

Greencastle Birding Group Jamaican Oriole Garden Entrance Northern Jacana

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Montego Bay or Kingston Airports. Travel in air conditioned transport.

Depending on the time we may have the opportunity to stop at suitable habitat en route to Greencastle to get our first taste of Jamaican birding.

On arrival at the Estate House you’ll be welcomed by your Housekeeping Staff with a chilled scented towel and fresh local fruit juice (organically grown on the Estate), or if you prefer, our homemade rum punch with a hint of pimento, also organically grown on the Estate.

Light Dinner Greencastle Estate House.

Day 2

After yesterday’s long flight there is available a Pre breakfast of Coffee/Tea with local pastry/fruit and you can perhaps go for an early bird walk in the Estate House grounds if you desire.

Jamaican Breakfast 8.00-9.00

You will meet with your bird guide and have a relaxing half day birding and orientation on the Green Castle Estate. We will take the Waterfall Trail and spend all morning bird watching this impressive track, hopefully encountering a dozen or so endemics as well as numerous other species.

We have recorded 27 of the 28 Jamaican endemics as well as a large amount of the Endemic sub-species (Barn Owl, Jamaican Potoo, Northern Jacana, Olive-throated Parakeet) and Caribbean Endemics such as Vervain, Hummingbird, Jamaican Oriole and Greater Antillean Bullfinch.

A total of 171 species have been recorded at Green Castle.

Light Lunch at the Estate House.

Afternoon spent on the Estate in search of more birds.

Dinner at the Estate House.

Day 3

Early start with refreshments then 5.00am departure with packed breakfast.

Today with our Bird Guide we shall visit the Blue Mountains, approx 1½ hour’s journey time.

We will spend time at the Hardwar Gap area looking for more specialities of Jamaica and hopefully encountering endemics such as Jamaican Blackbird, Blue Mountain Vireo and, if we are lucky, the beautiful Crested Quail Dove.

We should see a huge amount of species at this site, many of which will be endemics.

Packed lunch in personal cooler.

Maybe break for a cup of Blue Mountain Coffee at the Hardwar Gap Café and purchase world famous Blue Mountain Coffee to take back home with you.

Afternoon spent Birding a little further up the road enjoying more of Jamaica’s Bird life.

Journey back to Greencastle.

Dinner at the Estate House.

Day 4

After yesterday’s busy day you can spend today exploring another section of Green Castles’ 1600 acre site.

6am Pre breakfast birding around the Estate House. Coffee or tea with local pastry/fruit available if needed, then return for…..

Jamaican Breakfast 8.00-9.00

Today you can look at the pools, Davey Hill, the Tower areas and the coast.

Lunch and Dinner at the Estate House.

After dinner our bird guide can take you for a walk for a spot of night birding and look for another Jamaican Endemic….the Jamaican Owl. We may also encounter Northern Potoo which is an Endemic Jamaican sub-species and a potential split in the future.

Day 5

Early start with refreshments then 5.00am packed breakfast in personal cooler.

Today with our bird guide we shall drive to the foothills of the John Crow Mountains, to an area called Ecclesdown Road.

Ecclesdown Road is a superb birding area and has good numbers of Endemics, the bird we are looking for today is the Black Billed Streamertail, it is endemic to a small area of Jamaica and a bird that we will not encounter anywhere else although it has been seen at Greencastle.

Lunch at a local Jerk Centre at Boston.

For the remainder of the day, bird watching in the various habitats, looking out for Jamaican Crow, Jamaican Blackbird, Jamaican Oriole, Jamaican Becard and Arrow Headed Warbler.

Then head back to Greencastle with maybe a visit to Happy Grove or Frenchmans Cove as White Tailed Tropicbirds are frequently seen here.

Dinner at the Estate House.

Day 6

Breakfast 7.30-8.00

Your final days birding will be spent on the Estate. Today you can take the trails that incorporate the Orchid Ginger Farm, reservoir/ dam, bird watching as you go.

You should encounter such species as the Red Billed Streamertail, Jamaican Tody, Jamaican Vireo, White-Chinned Thrush and Rufous-tailed Flycatcher to name but a few.

Light picnic lunch which can be eaten at the reservoir.

Free afternoon to relax at the pool or bird more trails, options open.

Dinner at the estate House.

Evening walk to search for Jamaican Owl and Potoo.

Day 7

If it is necessary to re-visit any sites then today is the day to do this.

OR

Relax around the Estate, take a trip out to Ocho Rios to Dunns River Falls or Mystic Mountain or just to do some shopping at the market. Or go birding, a day on the beach or by the pool……Today is your day to do what you like before tomorrow’s departure.

Dinner at the Estate House and…… maybe some final Night Birding to see the Jamaican Owl or Northern Potoo!

Day 8

Final day, pre breakfast walk.

Breakfast 8.00-9.00

Time can be spent packing, relaxing or birding around the gardens or trails before our transportation sets off to Montego Bay and your departure flight. On route to the airport, time allowing we can make a short stop at suitable habitat for our last experience of Jamaican birding.

Please note: There may be slight changes to the Itinerary due to weather conditions or unforeseen events to ensure maximum benefit is derived from your stay with us.

Birding at the reservoir/dam and parts of the Estate requires a reasonable level of fitness, otherwise, we can provide transport (please see website).