Caves Branch & Blue Hole Birdwatching

This is a true birding hotspot and it’s not rare to tick off 100 species between dawn and breakfast. The mix of riparian habitat, dense broadleaf forest and a botanical. garden, give way to a wide variety of feathered friends. Closer to the river we will search for Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Black Phoebe and Amazon Kingfishers. Hidden in between the orchid collection and palms, we can find White-collared Manakin, Red-capped Manakin, Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Long-billed Hermit and a variety of Tanagers and Trogons. Along the access road we will look for White Hawk, Double-toothed Kite and Collared Forest-Falcon. We will keep an eye out for the extravagant Royal Flycatcher and the cautious Great Antshrike. Several species of Woodcreepers and Woodpeckers live here too. Lineated Woodpecker and Black-cheeked Woodpecker are easily found. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper and Ruddy Woodcreepers can also be found here. With luck we will also encounter the Nightingale Wren, a master songster! At the nearby orchards, Orange-breasted Falcon, Black Hawk-Eagle and Striped Cuckoo vocalize constantly during the drier months. Limpkin and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron sometimes take a stroll among the orchards too. Above, Red-lored Parrots and Olive-throated Parakeets mix in with Lesser swallow-tailed and White-collared Swifts. At the end of the day, we have time for a dip into the refreshing inland Blue Hole.