Wild Images, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife photographic tours worldwide. Wild Images' exciting programme of tours includes both group and individual departures, and features such destinations as Hungary, Spitsbergen, Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro), India, Japan, Baja California, the Galapagos, Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falklands and the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia. Click on the picture above to visit the Wild Images website.
Ocean Adventures, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife-orientated expedition cruises all over the world. As well as our Birdquest/Ocean Adventures group trips, there are many cruises available for individual bookings. These feature Spitsbergen, Greenland, Iceland, the Scottish Islands, Siberia (including the Kurils, Commanders, Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Bering Strait), Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, the South Atlantic Islands, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia, the Western Pacific and many other venues. Click on the picture above to visit the Ocean Adventures website.
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CUBA
Wednesday 31st March - Wednesday 14th April 2010
Derek Scott
Once again the Birdquest excursion around the intriguing island of Cuba was a great success, thanks to the many great birds, fine weather and excellent help from the friendly locals, not least our ‘minder’ Ramon and a succession of drivers. Although our tour was a few days later than usual, the onset of the rainy season was even later, and the only rain we encountered was on our last two days in the Zapata Peninsula when afternoon thunderstorms produced some very heavy showers. Our only real problem was with the buses. Our first was too big so we changed it on Day 2, and the air-conditioning soon packed up on our second. Three attempts to fix it failed, but our ground agents were quick to provide us with replacement buses, and by the end of the tour we had travelled in six different buses with six different drivers! The birding was, as always, superb, and we recorded a total of 171 species, including all the endemics except Zapata Rail (rarely seen even by local birders living in Zapata Swamp) and the extremely rare Cuban Kite, which hovers on the edge of extinction. At the same time, we managed to find all of the 52 Caribbean specialities that are realistically possible on this tour. We had two good sightings of Gundlach’s Hawk; the three important quail-doves, Key West, Grey-headed and Blue-headed, were all seen well without too much of a struggle, and we had superb views of several Bee Hummingbirds at Zapata. Some perseverance was required for Zapata Wren and Cuban Grassquit, but both eventually showed well, while Zapata Sparrows gave great views on three occasions. Other highlights included some very tame West Indian Whistling-Ducks in the grounds of our hotel on Cayo Coco, no less than five Bare-legged Owls at their nest-sites, wonderful views of dive-bombing Antillean Nighthawks, superb daytime views of a roosting Cuban Nightjar, and a total of 19 species of parulid warbler.
The air holidays shown are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 2937.
ATOL protection covers those booking a tour with us that includes a flight from London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom, regardless of where in the world you live.
Birdquest Ltd is Registered in England, Company No. 01568270. The address of our registered office is Two Jays, Kemple End, Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QY
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