The Hicacos Peninsular on the northern Cuban coast is a favoured and well known location for sun seekers holidaying along its beautiful stretch of sand, being hosted by a series of hotels running east from the town of Varadero. Not, perhaps, the most attractive area in the country for birding one might think.
I chose to stay at one such establishment (specifically the Varadero Blau Hotel and personally recommended) as part of a well earned, restful holiday with my youngest son Zachary, in Cuba during the autumn of 2018. I also took the opportunity to do some daily birding, interspersed with my life of pure leisure and indulgence at the resort. These local forays, mainly on foot, were undertaken in the early mornings and late afternoons, when birds were more active. I was under no illusions that the area was going to be ornithologically productive as, for example, Zapata or Cayo Coco. That said, it turned out that I was pleasantly surprised.
Despite the presence of those leisure monoliths straddling the coastal strip and the single busy highway running the entire length of the peninsula, the remaining surrounds were mainly environmentally unadulterated. Habitats intact included grassland and shrubbery, scattered shallow pools with muddy margins (ideal for waders), mangroves and some secondary forest, not to mention the man-made environs of a marina and the hotel gardens themselves. Of particular merit was the Varahicacos Ecological Reserve (about a 20 minute walk from the hotel I was staying in) which produced a number of interesting species.
Weather was warm and dry throughout the stay and the time of the year was favourable for passage and overwintering American migrants.
Here then follows a list of species recorded there from 27th to 31st October.
Western Cattle Egret - widely scattered.
Great White Egret - one on pool adjacent to the Autopista Sur, just east of Varadero.
Tricoloured Heron - three on lagoon adjacent to the Royal Hicacos Resort.
Little Blue Heron - one on pool outside the Blau Hotel.
Snowy Egret - thinly scattered.
Brown Pelican - one heading east close inshore off Blau Hotel and another at Canal Norte de Buba.
Magnificent Frigatebird - a few soaring over the hotel grounds but not every day.
Double-crested Cormorant - 10 at Marina Gaviota.
Turkey Vulture - widespread.
Northern Harrier - one "ringtail" hunting over waste ground adjacent to Marina Gaviota.
Cuban Black Hawk - one confiding individual perched on telegraph pole near to Blau Hotel.
Common Gallinule - two at lagoon adjacent to the Royal Hicacos Resort.
Black-necked Stilt - a dozen on pool adjacent to the Autopista Sur, just east of Varadero.
Killdeer - well distributed in suitable open habitat; by far the commonest wader.
Ruddy Turnstone - present at Marina Gaviota.
Least Sandpiper - a group of some 15 individuals present on pool adjacent to Blau Hotel.
Short-billed Dowitcher - nine on pool adjacent to the Autopista Sur, just east of Varadero.
Spotted Sandpiper - two at Marina Gaviota.
Lesser Yellowlegs - one on pool adjacent to the Autopista Sur, just east of Varadero.
Greater Yellowlegs - one on pool adjacent to the Blau Hotel. Reliably present every day.
Black Skimmer - 30 at Marina Gaviota; one of the personal ornithological highlights that week.
Laughing Gull - frequently encountered along the coast and present at Marina Gaviota.
Royal Tern - frequently encountered along the coast and present at Marina Gaviota.
Cabot's Tern - some dozen present at Marina Gaviota.
Common Ground Dove - one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Key West Quail-Dove - good views obtained of one on the ground at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Mourning Dove - a few frequenting the hotel grounds.
Smooth-billed Ani - four in roadside shrubbery.
Cuban Emerald - only two; one in verge side shrubbery and another at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Merlin - one, in flight and perched, around grassland near Blau Hotel.
Cuban Pewee - one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher - one in hedging adjacent to Blau Hotel.
Grey Catbird - several (often very vocal) at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Northern Mockingbird - widespread.
Greater Antillean Grackle - widespread; especially confiding around the hotel grounds.
Ovenbird - at least two at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve. Particularly good views of one at entrance.
Worm-eating Warbler - at least one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Northern Waterthrush - one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Black-and-white Warbler - at least one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Hooded Warbler - a fine adult male at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
American Redstart - widespread; one adult male even seen to briefly visit the poolside bar!
Cape May Warbler - one at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Northern Parula - three at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Black-throated Blue Warbler - a fine adult male in roadside tree.
Palm Warbler - widespread; small groups often disturbed, like pipits, along roadside verges.
Prairie Warbler - two at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - one female at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve; apparently rare in Cuba.
Painted Bunting - a female/immature at Varahicacos Ecological Reserve.