birding...

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber ©Steven Holt http://stockpix.com/stock/animals/birds/index.htm

Beautiful by Nature is the National slogan of the Turks and Caicos Islands which is rumored were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and now some 500 years later is being rediscovered as one of the fastest growing travel destinations in the Caribbean. Famous for her secluded beaches, crystal clear turquoise blue waters, unspoilt reefs and dramatic walls this archipelago has some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world.

These days however, beside their bronzing creams, visitors should pack a good pair of binoculars! The Turks and Caicos has tweaked the interest of serious birders especially since 1992 when the government set aside 33 protected areas of National Parks, Nature Reserves and Sanctuaries. Now over 190 bird species can be found at varying times of the year throughout the islands mainly due to the fact that the Bahamas chain is an important route for migratory birds between North and South America. Of these 190 species there are 52 known to breed locally. In 1990 the Southern coasts of North, Middle and East Caicos were designated a RAMSAR site to ensure the protection of endangered wetlands. Here in the lagoons, salt ponds and mangrove swamps can be found over 60 waterfowl species including the rare West Indian Whistling duck and the Greater Flamingo featured on many stamps as it is the National emblem of the Turks and Caicos.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are one of the last remaining British Colonies and located some 575 miles southeast of Miami Florida with the Bahamas about 30 miles to the Northwest and the Dominican Republic some 100 miles to the Southeast. The country consists of two groups of islands, the Turks Islands and the Caicos Islands which are separated by a 22-mile passage called the Columbus Passage. To the west are the Caicos group: West Caicos , Providenciales, North Caicos, East Caicos and South Caicos. To the east are the Turks group: Grand Turk and Salt Cay.