Cuban Tody, La Belen National Park, Cuba April 2006.

Couldn't resist publishing yet another picture of this tody despite some more interesting records on this trip. Probably the most noteworthy record was the Giant Kingbird seen in La Guira National Park (found by Ian Mowat). I don't usually see this rare species away from the La Belen area (central Cuba) so finding one in the west was a bit of a surprise despite whispers of a recent record for La Guira.

Click here for more bird images from Latin America.

Next trip is to Northern Peru (one of my favourites) on June 25th.

Velvet-purple Coronet, Mindo, Ecuador March 2006.

This is simply one of my favourite hummingbirds.

This trip to Ecuador was one of my most enjoyable with stunning views of Giant Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Scaled Fruiteater and Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks on the west slope. Best bits of the trip for me apart from the "antpitta morning" were Crested Eagle in the Amazon at Sacha Lodge (a long-awaited "tick"), Coppery-chested Jacamar, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Moss-backed Tanager and a great day in the Choco lowlands at Rio Salanche where we saw Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Scarlet & White Tanager, Double-banded Graytail, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Rufous-winged Tanager, Scarlet-browed Tanager and Slate-throated Gnateater.

No luck with the Peruvian Antpitta at Cabanas San Isidro or the White-faced Nunbird in the Tandayapa Valley. Still, there's always next year........

Zapata Sparrow, Cuba February 2006.

The first Cuba trip of 2006 was interesting indeed. Although this was my third time in Cuba, it was my first so early in the year. A few birds had not arrived yet such as Grey Kingbirds, Black-whiskered Vireos and Antillean Nighthawks but it was nice to see large flocks of Lesser Scaups, Ring-necked ducks and American Wigeons on the open bodies of water near La Habana. The Zapata Sparrow was photographed on our final morning of the trip as we headed out of the Zapata Peninsula back to the capital for our flights home.

Black & White Owl, Orotina, Costa Rica January 2006.

It seems like a good time to make the first blog entry with just a week to go now until I start my next birding trip. So it's a good excuse to show this Black & White Owl from the first trip of 2006. The Ornitholidays Costa Rica trip I led was great with Volcano Junco, Zeledonia and Chiriqui Quail-dove personal highlights. The group particularly enjoyed the Resplendent Quetzals, Sunbitterns and Snowy Cotingas. Looking forward to returning to Costa Rica once again with the Toucan Birding Tours group in February 2007.