#488-489 at the Copa Marina
After we got back from Bosque del Seco I took another spin around the hotel grounds. Toward the eastern end, I heard some unfamiliar buzzing noises, and eventually tracked it down to a Bananaquit:
Coereba flaveola bartholemica is a warbler-like bird I could theoretically find in Florida. However I’ve never seen one there. Here they’re relatively common. I’ve seen quite a few since and am starting to recognize the call and song.
A little later on the other side I spotted a Troupial (Icterus icterus), a bright orange, black, and white oriole like bird. I’ve seen it once more since and heard it even more frequently–it’s very loud–but so far I haven’t been able to get a photograph.
The provenance of these birds on Puerto Rico is unknown. They’re probably introduced or escaped, but no one’s quite sure. It’s possible some happened to make the water transit from Venezuela, but if so why aren’t they found on other Caribbean islands too? No one really knows. In any case it’s been around here since at least the 19th century, so I’m counting it.
