Jamaica- Day 1

Our plane was delayed from 7:20pm to 11:00pm departure. We arrive in Montego Bay, Jamaica at  3-4am. The first thing I notice is the smell. Jamaica smell like a wonderful mix of campfire burning, sweet flowers and that nice tropical crisp air.  After an hour long drive where I can't see more than porch lights lining the hills or tropical plants in front of a starry sky backdrop, we get to Negril. Roosters are calling and loudly. The sun is starting to rise so we just stay up.... First thing I do... Go explore the area. In the house I find a very nice large dead cockroach who fell apart before I could add him to my collection.

My home for the week

Just in the yard there are lizards crawling all over the trees and plants, dragonflies and butterflies flying around and I can hear songbirds off in the distance.

Lizard on Tradescantia plants

Interesting plants in the yard

Jasmine?

 I'm walking in a very non touristy part of Negril  (Redground) since my friend Aurora and I are staying with one of her family friends.  I get stopped by everyone I see. I have a large camera and everyone seams to think I am lost. They aren't used to white people walking around this area. I explain I am looking for birds and I get invited into houses to see pigeons and chickens. Everyone is very friendly. Someone even tried to sell me their puppy that was following me home.

I couldn't help but pet him....

Isn't he cute!

Currently unknown sparrow

This morning I see an American Kestrel in the graveyard near where I am staying. I see parrots flying over. Many pigeons and cattle egrets are all over the town. Some mockingbirds, warblers and other species that I couldn't identify right away.

Total list for the morning is:
Cattle egrets

Cattle Egret

 Ground doves
American Kestrel

American Kestrel

I wish this was in focus!

Brown pelicans
Snowy egret
Turkey vulture
Northern parula

Northern parula

Feral pigeon
White-crowned pigeon
Royal tern
 Eastern kingbirds
Vervian hummingbird

Vervian Hummingbird

 Norther Mockingbirds

Mockingbird

 *Unknown parrot with white on face or light coloured beak flying over(Possibly yellow billed parrot)
Prairie warbler
 Unknowns:

Currently unknown, looks similar to mockingbird

Same species or possibly another mockingbird?

When I got back Aurora and I stock up on groceries for the week and then went down to the beach. I swim and read for a bit but then I get a bit to comfortable laying down in the sun and fall asleep. I got the worst burn I have ever gotten in the oddest place (behind the knees). I also forgot to bring sunscreen. We walked along the beach and I found a sphinx moth washed up on shore.

Sphinx moth alive surprisingly

I go out after it gets dark and find this big toad around the side of our house and geckos crawling on the roof. I know that cane toads have been introduced to Jamaica and this looks very much like the pictures online.  Cane toads are identified by large parotoid glands, rough dry skin on their back and a bony ridge from their eye to nostril.

Cane toad