Ideal for St Lucia Eco Tourism

The first people to inhabit the Soufriere area were the Amerindians.  They were a group of indigenous people believed to be of South American origin. Until recently , there was little evidence to show that they had been there in any significant numbers. Now, the discovery of the terraces and carved rocks at Belfond and the exciting new find of the petro glyph near Jalousie indicate that Soufriere was perhaps one of the most important sites of all.
After the Amerindians, the first permanent settlers to arrive were the French who came around the end of the 17th Century. Already well-established in Martinique, the realized that the rich fertile soil of Soufriere would be ideal for farming. In 1746, Soufriere was, officially recognized by France, as St Lucia’s first town.

With the last years of that century came the French Revolution, Its effects were felt throughout the French Antilles.  It is said that the ship carrying the guillotine finally sailed into Soufriere Bay. The awesome machine was taken ashore and set up in Town Square in front of the church, to continue its work. The revolutionaries declared that slavery in the French islands was at an end. But under Napoleon slavery was reintroduced. Many of the freed slaves, as well as French soldiers who had deserted, took to the hills. From their hideouts they organized raids on the town.  The Battle of Rabot was fought right here at Fond Doux Estate where the fortifications and ruins can still be seen today.

Bird Watching at Fond Doux in Soufriere

Fond Doux, in Soufriere, St.Lucia, is a haven for a variety of native bird species as well as international species which frequent its shores. Being a lush, tropical plantation abundant with organic fruits and vegetables, the plantation is populated by several common bird species such as hummingbirds, bananquits, wrens, swifts etc. This 135 acre working cocoa plantation is an ideal spot for birdwatchers of all categories.

Below is a list of the various species known to visit Fond Doux:

Non-passerines: Grebes . Shearwaters and Petrels . Tropicbirds . Pelicans . Boobies and Gannets . Cormorants . Darters . Frigate birds . Bitterns, Herons and Egrets . Ibises and Spoonbills . Flamingos . Ducks, Geese and Swans . Osprey . Hawks, Kites and Eagles . Caracaras and Falcons . Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots . Oystercatchers . Avocets and Stilts . Plovers and Lapwings . Sandpipers and allies . Skuas and Jaegers . Gulls . Terns . Pigeons and Doves . Parrots, Macaws and allies . Cuckoos and Anis . Barn owls . Nightjars . Swifts . Hummingbirds . Kingfishers .

Passerines: Tyrant flycatchers . Swallows and Martins . Wrens . Mockingbirds and Thrashers . Thrushes and allies . Vireos . New World warblers . Bananaquit . Tanagers . Buntings, Sparrows, Seedeaters and allies . Saltators, Cardinals and allies . Troupials and allies .