Bird spotting! Learning all about Dominican birds and a "bird walk" in Bayahibe!

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On Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th of May 2013 a talk about Dominican birds and a “bird walk” was held in Bayahibe, La Altagracia, with the ornithologist Kate Wallace, an activity organized by the La Romana – Bayahibe Hotels Association and the La Romana – Bayahibe Tourism Cluster.

On Thursday afternoon the group of participants, amongst them Ana Garcia, President of the La Romana – Bayahibe Tourism Cluster, gathered at the Dominicus Palace Hotel for the talk with Kate Wallace, an American who came to the country 19 years ago as a Peace Corps volunteer, and who has been amazed at the great diversity of birds that exist in Dominican Republic. During the talk, Mrs. Wallace showed the audience different pictures of endemic (native) and migrating birds that can be seen easily in the Parque Nacional del Este (just a few minutes drive from Casa de Campo resort) and talked about their importance and their characteristics. The delight of the audience to see the photos of the birds was immediate. Many of them were laughing and enthusiastic – because they had already seen most of them, but it was interesting to find out their names and discover a little more about each one.

Kate Wallace answering questions with the audience

Wallace, who currently lives in the Bahoruco mountains, in the South of the Dominican Republic, highlighted the importance of birds in the Dominican Republic by citing the example that in the United States a total of approximately 612 different types of birds can be found, of which only one is endemic, while in the Dominican Republic there is approximately 300 different types of which 32 are endemic!

Kate Wallace, considers herself as an amateur in birds, but despite that she has written a lot about the birds found on the island of Hispaniola and specifically in the Dominican Republic. She also created a brochure a few years ago with the different types of birds that can be observed in Casa de Campo resort. A bird-walk in Bayahibe From 7:30am on Friday the 10th of May, Wallace led a “bird-walk” through the Guaraguao Protection Center in Bayahibe, part of the Parque Nacional del Este.

Guaraguao Protection Center in Bayahibe

Unfortunately it rained from early morning, so that the number of birds we were able to observe was less than normal (they stay in their nests when it rains). However, we were able to see a Pájaro Bobo, Ruiseñor, Cuervo, Petrigre, Julián Chivi, Carpintero and Cigua Palmera….but the biggest cheer was for the Barrancolí, a tiny green bird with red and yellow accents, which, explained Wallace is one of the most beautiful endemic birds found in the Dominican Republic. On the walk, Wallace explained about the sounds birds make. As each bird has it’s own individual song, an enthusiast can know what birds are in the area just by listening. Also, many birds have been named after the sound it makes, for example, the Julian Chivi emits a sound like “jualianchivi, julianchivi”.

Guaraguao Protection Center This trail is a hidden beauty within the Parque Nacional del Este. The main entrance is next to the Cadaques hotel, in Dominicus. During the tour visitors will have the experience of walking in the tropical forest observing forest type, the different species of plants, orchids, bromeliads, and animals like birds, reptile, insects and other arthropods. The final destination on the tour is Cueva del Puente (Cave of the Bridge), which has pictographs created by the Tainos (the Pre-Columbian Indigenous peoples of the Dominican Republic). Total walking time is approximately 4 hours (round-trip) – so we suggest you go with comfortable shoes and don’t forget your camera! Guaraguao Protection Center tour How to get there? You could take a public bus from Bayahibe town or go by your own. Cost: $200 pesos (guiding services included) Minimum: 2 persons Contacts:

National Park of the East office (809) 833-0022

Doña Lidia guide (829) 520-9155

Before going on this tour it’s very important to reserve in advance because there is no guides regularly stationed there.