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Tour

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OUR ITINERARY

First Day - Botanical Garden And Villa Barrancolí

The morning begins with a walk in the Botanical Garden. This extensive garden offers an introduction to the common bird species in an almost wild and natural setting. Afternoon drive to Villa Barrancoli, where we will spend the night.



Second Day - Zapoten

Very early morning  (4:00 am) the guide will pick you up and depart for the north slope of the Sierra de Bahoruco. Very rough road where we only needed a 4x4 to get to Zapoten! We try to arrive pre-dawn in cloud forest at 1200 meters above sea level to search for the some of the endemic birds among other high elevation species.


Third Day - Rabo De Gato And Puerto Escondido

We take a morning walk on the local puerto escondido trail Rabo de Gato and or La Placa . This may be the best chance to see birds in transition forest. After lunch we will pack and drive towards Barahona where we will be staying at Hotel Quemaito which will be our base for one night. Here you can make the choice to go to Alcoa Road as one of our options.

Fourth Day - Cachote

Early morning (5:00 am)  the driver with a 4x4 Will pick you up at the hotel, to take you up to the cloud forest habitat to look for the Eastern Chat Tanager.  After Cachote we take a afternoon drive to Santo Domingo or you can go on directly to los Haitises,  we will stay at Hotel Paraiso Caño Hondo.  In the evening  the guide will take you to see the Ashy-Faced Owl.

Fifth Day - Ridgway's Hawk

This morning the guide will meet you early to look for the Ridgway’s Hawk’.  The Ridgway's Hawk is one of the rarest birds in the world and was under the threat of extinction. The Peregrine Fund started a survey to check the population. The bird was only found in Los Haitises. With extended research efforts and education the population has been expanding it is now possible to see the Ridgway's Hawk fairly close to the hotel. The guide will meet you in the morning to look for it.

The Peregrine Fund has been transferring young hawks to a site at the Punta Cana Resort and Ecological Foundation. The goal is to create an alternative population in a protected area. For several years, this was not successful but then thanks to the research of Thomas Hayes from The Peregrine Fund, and local vet, a veterinarian at the zoo the cause of the deaths of so many chicks in the nests has been discovered. The parasitic bot fly (Philornis sp) is laying eggs on the chicks and the larvae then killed the small birds. A treatment was developed and now the numbers of chicks surviving has greatly increased. New pairs have formed and have fledged chicks. Because of this, it is now possible to visit the hacking site and see the hawks. Reservations must be made with the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation. 809-959-9221. The new super highway to Punta Cana makes this a possible day trip. Keep up with he news in the Face Book page. Proyecto Conservación del Gavilan



Options

Afternoon opertunities at Caño Hondo

Another place to see the Hawk Los Limones

A morning drive from Santo Domingo Can be made to Los Limones, in the southern part of Los Haitises National Park. Here a local guide helps to monitor the hawk population and he will guide us to the closest active nest. Some bushwhacking involved. This is usually included as part of the regular tour, with an additional COST, $100 for the local guide fee.

Option Alcoa Road

The target species are Hispaniolan Crossbills and Golden Swallows, resident Pine Warblers and Antillean Piculet and Palm Crows. In the afternoon, we will visit a small wetland near Cabo Rojo for coastal and aquatic birds. We will make a brief stop at the Lagoon of Oveido to spot Flamingoes and Roseate spoonbills.

Option B

Day 6 and 7 We will drive directly to Hotel Paraiso Caño Hondo, which is located on the edge of Los Haitises National Park, outside Sabana de la Mar. Another target bird here is the Ashy-faced Owl. A local park guard keeps on the lookout for this bird and it may be seen not too far from the hotel and we will we will go out in the evening to look for it. In the morning we will be looking for the hawk. This is another place where the hawk’s population is being monitored and the nests seem to be closer to the hotel each year. In addition, there is a population of White-necked crows here, a bird which may not have been seen elsewhere on the trip. A boat trip down the river through the mangroves to the bay, with a view of the mogotes/islands, seabirds And a visit to some caves with Taino pictographs may be scheduled for the afternoon, before rerunning to Santo Domingo. Another night at the hotel also gives us a second chance for the owl.

Option C

Day 6 and 7 We will drive directly to Hotel Paraiso Caño Hondo, which is located on the edge of Los Haitises National Park, outside Sabana de la Mar. Another target bird here is the Ashy-faced Owl. A local park guard keeps on the lookout for this bird and it may be seen not too far from the hotel and we will we will go out in the evening to look for it. In the morning we will be looking for the hawk. This is another place where the hawk’s population is being monitored and the nests seem to be closer to the hotel each year. In addition, there is a population of White-necked crows here, a bird which may not have been seen elsewhere on the trip. A boat trip down the river through the mangroves to the bay, with a view of the mogotes/islands, seabirds And a visit to some caves with Taino pictographs may be scheduled for the afternoon, before rerunning to Santo Domingo. Another night at the hotel also gives us a second chance for the owl.