April 10, 2016 - Caribbean Cruise
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This year Diana is turning 70 and she wanted to do something special to celebrate. Her choice was a Caribbean Cruise with our grandchildren and their parents. The Oasis of the Seas is currently the largest cruise ship in the world. This was our first experience on such a large ship. There were over 6000 passengers and 1800 crew members on this cruise.
We departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Before we even left the pier, I saw this juvenile Magnificent Frigatebird soaring around the harbor.
Next we went to Jamaica where I hired a birding guide named Wendy Lee. She was a terrific guide and I can highly recommend her if you are visiting northern Jamaica. This Black-billed Parrot was one of many endemic species she helped me find. (Endemic means found only in one country.)
One of most spectacular birds I saw in Jamaica was this Red-billed Streamertail. It’s a hummingbird with a body about the size of our Ruby-throated Hummingbird. But when you include the tail, the total length is about 10 inches.
Another Jamaican specialty that I was pleased to see was this Jamaican Tody. It’s tiny, only 3½ inches long. Wendy knows its call and we could hear it in many places along the trail. We finally found one perched in the open but it was still hard to see. The green and white colors of this bird blend remarkably well into the forest vegetation.
Wendy pointed out several beautiful flowers such as this Cockleshell Orchid.
Cozumel, Mexico, was our last stop. I walked along the beach and saw this Iguana sunning itself on a rock. It was about 3 feet long. By moving slowly and quietly, I was able to get in position to take some clear photos of it.
These are just a sample of the photos I took on the trip. Click on this link to see more. http://www.earlorfphotos.com/Trips
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