Jamaica Day 5: Lover's Leap and Rainy Season

This morning we piled into the car just like any other and headed towards Lover's Leap. The road was treacherous and long with a full car. At Lovers leap all of the bushes were very green and blooming. 

Poor man's orchid tree

There were a few birds around Lover's leap but nothing new. Lots of vultures, smooth-billed ani's and mockingbirds.  As always there was at least one hummingbird at the poor man's orchid tree. This time is was a vervain hummingbird that we saw as we were about to leave. I was just putting my camera into the trunk when it zipped by me towards the flowers. I grabbed my camera but it was too quick and had flitted away before I could get a shot.

Ani

Lighthouse

Northern mockingbird

 The story behind Lover's Leap is two slaves which fell in love but the owner of the plantation wanted the slave girl for himself because she was very beautiful and wanted to marry her. The couple met in secret at the lookout and planned to run away down the cliff but got caught by her brother who very much wanted his sister to marry the owner so that he would be free also.  The couple jumped off "to die as lovers rather than live apart as slaves.

Lover's leap and the grave markers of the two lovers

After Lover's Leap we went to YS Falls and passed through a section of the road surrounded by bamboo. By the time we arrived it was right in  the middle of the daily torrential downpour that happened around 1-2pm each day. This has started on our drive and we were hoping it would end by the time we got to  This had stYS closes as 3pm every day they are open and we had gotten there at about 2pm so we couldn't really wait out the rain.  Instead we had lunch of fish sandwiches and ice cream at a picnic table covered by the roof.  I bought a small bird book for the Caribbean which includes the Jamaican endemics. I met a couple who own a birding tour company. They claim to be able to see 300 species in a week during the winter season and take you all over Jamaica.  I'm very intrigued by this and will probably try it out. They also do weekend tours and day tours but I don't think I will go on one this trip.

While eating lunch at YS, I see movement in the orchid treet. No it wasn't raindrops hitting the leaves! I jump up and take pictures with my waterproof camera as Chris runs to get our Nikons from the rental car. The beautiful male red-billed streamertail was perched there until the rain stopped. This comotion caught the attention of the group that was there birding who was quite happy to see another bird before their tour was finished despite it not being a new bird for them.  Although we didn't get to see the falls I very much enjoyed the location for lunch and the rain was beautiful in the mountains.  I wish they were open later because that night would have been amazing for frogs!

Red- billed streamertail

Horses posing beautifully in the rain and mist