Puerto Rico - Saturday 17th September, Guanica Dry Forest

We got to the gate to Guanica Dry Forest but it was locked. It was due to be open but it wasn't, but we decided to hang around, photographing this Black-faced Grassquit while we waited:



I snapped Helen walking along the main drag, heading for the birding trail recommended to us by the chap who eventually arrived and opened the gate:



A spider was settled on its web on the trail:



From the trail we started to see birds, including this Stripe-headed Tanager:

A new endemic species, the Puerto Rican Flycatcher:

A Lesser Antillean Pewee:

We originally identified this as a Yellow-throated Vireo but I think on reflection it's another Adelaide's Warbler:

Once we joined the birding trail we realized we'd made a big mistake in our planning and packing - no mosquito repellent! Luckily for Helen she was with me and I am a mosquito magnet. She suffered four bites, we found twenty-eight on me.

Suffice to say we didn't hang about on the trail but marched through the forest and back to the car in double-quick time. I always seem to forget mossie repellent when visiting the USA in summer. Doh! We blew therefore our chances of seeing Puerto Rican Cuckoo Lizard... hey ho.