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| Yellow Oriole - Icterus nigrogularis |
Days 6, 7 and 8 were not birding days but as any birder would
know there is no such thing as a non-birding day especially in a country like
Trinidad.
Day 6 – August 6
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| Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus |
Day six was the day assigned to go shopping so I decided to
take up David Lindo’s challenge and become an urban birder. I utilized the periods between shops and malls
and the city center park for birding.
Black Vultures were never missing from the skyline; also present were Short-tailed Swifts. During and after a light drizzle of rain, three
other swift species flew in slowly. Straight away, I recognized the Fork-tailed
Palm-Swift, and there was also the Lesser
Swallow-tailed Swift and the Grey-rumped.
The latter two were lifers. After 8 hours
in Port of Spain I had recorded 17 species.
Day 7 – August 7
A drive up to one of the highest points on the island was
more of a sightseeing drive than for birding but being on an island with over
400 species, birds are everywhere. With
my eyes scanning the sky, roadside and bushes I was able to find two more lifers
– the beautiful Turquoise Tanager, which I saw when our driver stopped to pick a reddish skin, pear
shaped fruit, commonly known as a Pomerac. Our next bird, a raptor, flew into a tree just
before we passed. The bird was greyish
and had three bands on its tail. With
the help of the field guide I identified it as a Grey-lined Hawk. I recorded 11 species on that trip.
Day 8 – August 8
Monday August 8, 2016 was my last
day in Trinidad and we made a quick trip to the city for last minute shopping. On my way to the taxi, in an area which is
normally teaming with Black Vultures, I saw two other birds soaring. These birds looked mostly white. I took a photo with the Nikon point-and-shoot
camera and Wendell later identified the birds as Short-tailed Hawks. This was my last lifer for the trip and at
about 6:00pm that afternoon we were back home in Barbados.
Synopsis
After eight days of birding on the
Island of Trinidad and Tobago I came close but did not reach my goal of 100 new
species. Even though I tallied 141 species
I only recorded 97 lifers. The field guide Birds
of Trinidad and Tobago, by Kenefick, Restall, Hayes (Helm Field Guides) was very helpful with the identification and I relied on it on many
occasions especially with the Swifts in Port of Spain on Day 6. I definitely enjoyed my stay in Trinidad and
Tobago.
Thanks
I would like to say a big thank you
to my family who endured the early rising, days in the hot sun, late lunches
and long walks, all on our vacation. They did it without complaining. Also to Janna and Stan, Joan, Wendell and
Ryan who made our trip even more special and many others who helped to make
this birding trip the vacation it was. Thank You!
Wendell Reyes - Tour Guide
Although I met Wendell for the
first time during this trip, it was as if we were longtime friends and I could
not have gotten close to my goal without his help. Here is a little about Wendell.
Photography: Wendell
is an award winning photographer; his photos have graced the pages of local and
international magazines including National Geographic. His photographs are also currently on the walls
at the Asa Wright Nature Sanctuary. He
willingly passes on his knowledge by offering workshops on various forms of
photography.
Birding: An experienced birder with
over 300 local bird species to his name. His knowledge of the local birding habitats was
flawless. He knows the local birds, not
just by sight but also by sound and that was a big plus. He also knows where to find the birds you want
to see, which made him one of the best guides on the island. I will recommend him to anyone needing a guide there.
Thanks Bro.
Our Sanctuary Guest House
When I was looking for a place to stay overnight in Tobago
that was affordable yet nice, I came upon Our Sanctuary on booking.com and easily booked an apartment. When we arrived at Tobago’s Airport and could
not get the hired vehicle which we had pre-booked online, it threatened to place
a damper on the trip. When we arrived at
Our Sanctuary and met the owner Mr. Vish, he quickly arranged a hired car for
us when he heard of our plight. He even had
it dropped off that very night. When we
missed our flight back to Trinidad he stayed at the airport until he was sure
we had secured another flight out. Thank
you Mr. Vish and those at Our Sanctuary Guest House. Contact them here
To our many Trini and Tobago friends new and old, thank you
for a wonderful vacation.
New Species for the Days: 05
New Lifers for the Days: 05
Total Species for the Trip: 141
Total Lifers for the Trip: 97
New Lifers for the Days: 05
Total Species for the Trip: 141
Total Lifers for the Trip: 97
Port
of Spain: Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Gray-rumped
Swift.
Fond
Pois Doux Road: Turquoise Tanager, Gray-lined Hawk.
Maraval: Short-tailed
Hawk
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| Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus @ Fond Pois Doux Road |
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| Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus @ Fond Pois Doux Road |
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| Violaceous Euphonia - Euphonia violacea @ Fond Pois Doux Road |
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| Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax @ Trincity Mall |
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| Great Egret - Ardea alba @ Trincity Mall |
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| Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus @ Maraval |
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| Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus @ Maraval |
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