Guadeloupe April 16 - 18, 2001

Forming part of a wider West Indian trip (Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), this short leg gave a taste of the Lesser Antilles endemics.The country itself (if you were to ignore its tropical setting) is very reminiscent of France.

The trip was a success with nearly all of the available Lesser Antillean endemics (the only exception being the Swift) being seen, including the islands only endemic, the Woodpecker.

The trip was undertaken with Barry Reed and Mick Ilett.

Weather
Very hot but with occasional heavy downpours.

Places Visited
Maison de la Forêt This area of wooded hillside on Basse-Terre in the Guadeloupe National Park is the best place for all the endemics. There are several access roads to the various picnic sites.

Pointe des Chateâux
This rocky outcrop is a good sea-watching point and in summer houses a Sooty Tern breeding colony.

Lagoons north of Port-Louis
After visiting Pointe de la Grande Vigie for a disappointing sea-watch, these lagoons were visited briefly.
Pointe de la Grande Vigie

Itinerary
16/4 Flight from Santo Domingo to Pointe-â-Pitre via San Juan; drive to Maison de la Forêt; overnight at Vernon.
17/4 Maison de la Forêt; Pointe des Chateâux; Pointe de la Grande Vigie; Lagoons north of Port-Louis; overnight at Vernon.
18/4 Flight from Pointe-â-Pitre to San Juan.

Birds (34 species, 21 ticks)
Red-billed Tropicbird - Two (possibly the same bird) off Pointe des Chateâux on 17th.
Great White Egret - One at Port-Louis on 17th.
Snowy Egret - Two at Port-Louis on 17th.
Cattle Egret - Common.
Green Heron - One in a field in Maison de la Forêt on 17th.
Osprey - One at Port-Louis on 17th.
Royal Tern - Three at Pointe de la Grande Vigie on 17th.
Bridled Tern - Around fifty at the Sooty Tern colony at Pointe des Chateâux on 17th!
Sooty Tern - Possibly three amongst the Bridled Terns at Pointe des Chateâux on 17th.
Scaly-naped Pigeon - Two at Maison de la Forêt on 17th.
Collared Dove - Two at Point-â-Pitre airport on 16th.
Zenaida Dove - Common.
Common Ground-dove - Many at Point-â-Pitre airport on 16th.
Bridled Quail-dove - Two at Maison de la Forêt on 17th.
Mangrove Cuckoo - Two at Maison de la Forêt and one at Pointe-Noire on 17th.
Black Swift - A flock of around thirty at Maison de la Forêt on 17th.
Lesser Antillean Swift - A possible at Maison de la Forêt on 17th.
Purple-throated Carib - A pair at Maison de la Forêt on 16th and several there and elsewhere the following day.
Green-throated Carib - A pair at Maison de la Forêt on 16th.
Antillean Crested Hummingbird - Fairly common at Maison de la Forêt.
Guadeloupe Woodpecker - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Caribbean Elaenia - Several at Maison de la Forêt and Pointe-Noire on 17th.
Lesser Antillean Flycatcher - One at Maison de la Forêt on 16th.
Grey Kingbird - Common.
Caribbean Martin - One seen whilst driving from Pointe des Chateâux to Pointe de la Grande Vigie.
Scaly-breasted Thrasher - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Pearly-eyed Thrasher - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Brown Trembler - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Forest Thrush - Common at Maison de la Forêt although elusive.
Yellow Warbler - Common in coastal scrub.
Plumbeous Warbler - Singles at Maison de la Forêt on 16th and 17th.
Bananaquit - Common.
Lesser Antillean Saltator - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch - Common at Maison de la Forêt.
Carib Grackle - Common.

Mammals
Bat spp. - One small (Pipistelle size) species and one large (wingspan around 30cm) species seen whilst spot-lighting.
Small Asian Mongoose - One seen on 17th.