Birdwatching — Dispaches — Destination: Wildlife™

Warning, You Can Only See These Birds In Puerto Rico

Kissed by both the Atlantic Ocean and by the Caribbean Sea, it is the beaches on the island’s 300 miles of beautiful coastline that usually bring visitors. But Puerto Rico is more than sunbathing and mega-resorts. Puerto Rico has 17 endemic bird species, eighteen if you count the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) about whom debate rages. Plus another 330+ species migrants, introductions, and accidentals. This is a birder's paradise. Hurricane Maria made a mess of Puerto Rico in 2017, flattening the vegetation as well as the buildings. But nature is amazing. The rainforest and wildlife are rebounding in miraculous ways.

Roberta KravetteJanuary 5, 2022Puerto Rico, Birdwatching Comments

Catching Up to the Birds in Warm and Wonderful, Northern Baja

The beautiful Sea of Cortez, barely a 90-minute car-drive from the United States border south on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, is a warm world away from most of North America’s December freeze. The Sea of Cortez, earth’s youngest Sea, is a long, thin strip framed by Mexico on three sides and home to a fantastic array of marine life and birds. Uninhabited islands, perfect for breeding shorebirds, dot the Sea, initially and sometimes still called The Gulf of California. We explored the coastline and estuaries in Baja’s northern half finding a few still-secret places with good birdwatching and photography opportunities. We especially recommend two, San Carlos on Baja’s Pacific coast side and Bahia de Los Angeles on the shores of the Sea of Cortez.

How to Find Whales with Tiny Bubbles and Brilliant Birds

Bubble-net feeding humpback whales. My first day on Prince of Wales Island, in Alaska’s Alexander Archipelago. was filled with wildlife, rafts of sea otters floated and played, seals lounged on the rocks, island hopping grey wolves appeared in camera traps, I explored my first tide pools full of tiny marine creatures, and there were birds, lots of birds. But it was the brilliant white gulls bobbing on the water’s surface that held the greatest surprise. It seems these smart birds know a thing or two about humpback whales and a free lunch. Watch the birds, Michael said. They point the way to bubble-net feeding humpback whales.

Roberta KravetteOctober 2, 2019Humpback Whales, whale, Birdwatching, Prince of Wales Island Comments

10 Rare Birds Worth the Search in Surprising Namibia

Namibia is not only the perfect place for a Big-5 wildlife safari, it is also a fabulous place for birdwatching. Namibia is a land of contrasts and surprises, from the red sand deserts to the lush Caprivi Strip. These ecologically diverse areas provide habitat for over 670 different bird species, from raptor to waders, bee-eaters to larks with 14 near endemic species rarely found elsewhere. Come, discover the rare birds of Namibia!

Roberta KravetteAugust 7, 2019Namibia, Birdwatching Comments

Migrants in Central Park, The Warblers Are Coming!

Spring is the time for migrants in Central Park. Tiny wood warblers, many of them Threatened or Endangered species, come by the hundreds migrating from their winter homes in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America. They follow the ancient route we moderns now call the Atlantic Flyway. Central Park is a vital resting area for these migrating warblers and others, earning its designation as an Audubon IBA or Important Bird Area. Simultaneously, birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, and nature lovers from around the world also arrive in Manhattan. In early May, the Park becomes a month-long party of enthusiastic birders from casual observers to international experts, trading tips, sightings, and stories. Join the fun.

The Best Place in New York City to See Warblers

Audubon has called New York’s Central Park one of the best places in the United States for birding. During the spring warbler migration this is the place to be. Hundreds of bird watchers gather here to see the warblers, like tiny jewels, resting high in the trees. The endangered cerulean, the sun-shiny yellow warbler, and the gorgeous Blackburnian warbler are a few that I look for as they pass through every spring - but then there are accidentals, like the Kirtlands that arrived suddenly last year! These are some of my favorite wood warblers to see in Central Park and the surrounding areas. They will only be resting here a short while, don’t miss them!

Roberta KravetteJanuary 24, 2019Spring warbler migration, Warblers, Birdwatching, Birds, Central Park, New York, New York State, New York CityComment

Rescue for the City Weary, Treehouses in the Rainforest

Here, In the last rainforest in the United States, legend says that Yuquiyú, the Taino people’s ancient god of light and life, walked among the trees and cloud covered peaks of the El Yunque forest in Puerto Rico. Today, only a short flight from New York, the Yuquiyú, garden and treehouses are an oasis for city-weary couples and solo travelers.

There are just four comfortable artisan-crafted treehouses situated high among the palms here. Each one sleeps one or two guests only. There are never more than 8 guests on the entire property at one time. Ylang-ylang perfumes the air. Three words describe Yuquiyú: Serenity, Beauty, Renewal.

Roberta KravetteDecember 19, 2018Puerto Rico, Birdwatching, treehouse, romantic weekend Comments

He's Free! Short-Eared Owl Returns to the Wild

He’s Free! Just hours away from death, a young endangered short-eared owl was rescued by a quick-thinking shop keeper. It took a village of dedicated samaritans to give him his future. But, it is the decades-long work of the Friends of the Washington County Grasslands’ that may determine the fate of his and many other species. Amazing images of the short-eared owl’s release back into the wild and a second chance at life.

Found! Waterfalls in a Secret Natural Paradise in Florida.

An oasis of crystal clear natural springs, waterfalls, and peaceful walking trails hides just a short drive from Florida's usual tourist stops. It is home to 60+ bird, 40+ butterfly species. Rainbow Springs was a privately owned tourist trap until the interstate by-passed it by in the 1970s. Today, locals and the few savvy travelers who know Rainbow Springs State Park near Dunnellon, Florida swim in the crystal clear waters, drink in the beauty of the waterfalls and hold the secret close to their hearts. Shhhhh! Don't tell.