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A tiny sample of the Scarlet Ibis spectacle. Watching -- with rum punch in hand -- as lines of these gorgeous birds wended their way to the roost island in the Caroni Swamp was a spectacular way to end our stay on Trinidad. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
There's nothing like a week or so in "the islands" to chase away the winter blues, particularly when the islands in question are Trinidad and Tobago -- home to some of the most colorful birds ever to grace a bird feeder! Forget about the little brown jobs most of us are used to seeing at our own backyard feeding stations; instead kick back and enjoy Purple and Green honeycreepers (talk about understated names!), Violaceous Euphonias (the males a vision in indigo and bright yellow), Trinidad Motmots, rambunctious Bananaquits, Blue-gray, Turquoise, and Bay-headed tanagers, blue-eyed Crested Oropendolas, and a blizzard of hummingbirds, many at arm's length. The feeders, and the resulting repeated exposure to the many birds that visit them, really help birders come to grips with many of the locals.
Of course, there's more to the islands than our lodges' feeders, and day trips further afield brought us plenty more to enjoy. A Black Hawk-Eagle displayed high overhead, whistling and roller-coastering his way across the sky. A pair of Gray-necked Wood-Rails snuggled on a branch over a channel through Caroni Swamp, illuminated by Lester's spotlight. Two female Masked Ducks floated among the lily pads on a quiet pond. A handful of Golden-crowned Manakins shuffled along branches in their lek. Two male Bearded Bellbirds bonged their cracked bell challenges at each other, their dangling wattled "beards" swinging as they sang. Oilbirds (the biggest number I've seen in 18 trips) peered down from fruit paste ledges near the edge of Dunstan Cave. Rufous-tailed Jacamars watched for passing insects from roadside vines. A Double-toothed Kite peered around from atop a broken snag, ignoring a noisy nearby mob of Orange-winged Parrots. A spotlit Tropical Screech-Owl called from a copse of trees, staying put while we ogled him in the scopes. Red-billed Tropicbirds soared gracefully over Little Tobago -- occasionally menaced by a lurking Magnificent Frigatebird or two. An Epaulet Oriole arranged its feathers after a bath while Sulfury Flycatchers cartwheeled around nearby palm trees. A tiny American Pygmy-Kingfisher flashed past to land among nearby mangrove roots. Channel-billed Toucans yelped from treetops between bouts of searching for fruits. A male White-tailed Sabrewing dunked himself repeatedly in a tiny stream. Saffron Finches bounced across a grassy lawn. And, of course, who will soon forget the spectacle of hundreds of brilliantly colored Scarlet Ibis winging across the sky on their way to their roost island?!
And of course, our companionable group of fellow birders just added to the fun! Thanks to all of you for making this trip such a pleasure to lead. I hope to see you all in the field again, somewhere, some day!
-- Megan
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
BIRDS
Tinamidae (Tinamous)
Gladwyn said these Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks had some nearby (but hidden) ducklings around; when we approached they didn't fly away, just scuttled down the wall a bit further. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors)
WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL (Anas bahamensis) – Three dabbled in a shallow channel among the mangroves in Bon Accord.
MASKED DUCK (Nomonyx dominicus)
Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows)
RUFOUS-VENTED CHACHALACA (Ortalis ruficauda) – Common throughout most of Tobago, including multiple noisy "alarm clocks" around our rooms at the Blue Waters Inn.
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus) – Several at Tobago Plantations, including a family with nearly grown youngsters in the same pond our Masked Ducks.
Procellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER (Puffinus lherminieri) – Deb was the only one who scrambled up the hill to actually peek into the burrow where one was nesting (with some help from Zolani's cell phone flashlight app); the rest of us only saw the burrow entrance from the trail.
Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)
RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon aethereus)
Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens) – Regular near the coasts of both islands, with numbers hanging menacingly over Little Tobago and a huge tornado of birds over Saint Giles; we even saw a few in pursuit of hapless tropicbirds.
Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets)
A female Masked Duck lurks among lily pads on Tobago; this species is a rare breeder on the island. (Photo by tour participant Bill Byers)
RED-FOOTED BOOBY (Sula sula) – Examples of both color morphs floated over the sea around Little Tobago, dropping down onto their stick nests on the ridges -- where fluffy panting babies were waiting.
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) – A handful among the brilliant red of the Scarlet Ibis on the roost island at Caroni Swamp, with others at Waterloo and Tobago Plantations.
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga) – A handful at Tobago Plantations, including a female drying her wings along the edge of the first pond and a male at the same pond wrestling with a sizeable fish it had speared on both mandibles.
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
PINNATED BITTERN (Botaurus pinnatus) – Roodal expertly spotted one in a wet pasture near the buffalypso sheds at the Aripo Livestock Station, but finding it among the grasses was certainly a challenge! After MANY minutes, everybody finally got a look at its sharp beak and yellow eyeball.
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea) – Particularly common in Caroni Swamp, where they lurked among the mangrove roots along the channels. We saw others in the rice fields of the Aripo savanna, and one repeatedly fished in the stream by the entrance to the Blue Waters Inn.
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor) – Scores flew low over the waters at Caroni Swamp, headed for the bottom-most branches of the roost island. We saw others with some Cattle Egrets in a little rookery near the Masked Duck pond at Tobago Plantations.
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
A Striated Heron keeps a watchful eye on one of the pastures at the Aripo Livestock Station. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus) – Very common in the Trinidad lowlands, including a kettle of several hundred swirling out of the trees along Sellier Road while we birded in the Aripo Savanna, and a couple perched along a former runway at Waller Field.
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura) – Regular on Trinidad, though far less common than the previous species.
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GRAY-HEADED KITE (Leptodon cayanensis)
DOUBLE-TOOTHED KITE (Harpagus bidentatus) – One sitting quietly in a tree near a noisy gang of Orange-winged Parrots was an unexpected highlight of a pre-breakfast excursion to the upper parking lot at Asa Wright -- nice spotting, Bob!
LONG-WINGED HARRIER (Circus buffoni)
WHITE HAWK (Leucopternis albicollis)
COMMON BLACK-HAWK (Buteogallus anthracinus)
GREAT BLACK-HAWK (Buteogallus urubitinga) – Multiple sightings on Tobago this year, including one perched up the hill at one of our stops en route to the rainforest, a pair circling just over our heads on the Roxborough - Bloody Bay road and a couple of noisy youngsters flying past while we walked the Gilpin Trace.
SAVANNA HAWK (Buteogallus meridionalis) – One sailed past and landed on a telephone pole while we birded at the Aripo Livestock Station, and we saw others perched on tall broken palm stumps en route to Nariva Swamp. The long legs of this ground-hunting bird are distinctive.
BROAD-WINGED HAWK (Buteo platypterus) – A stripey-faced youngster rested on a wire along the Blanchisseuse road and an adult perched in a tree high on Little Tobago. The nonmigratory subspecies on Tobago -- tobagensis -- is endemic to the island.
GRAY HAWK (Buteo nitidus)
SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus) –
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus)
Remember that old Sesame Street song? "One of these things is not like the others..." A Scarlet Ibis makes a spot of color amid a mob of loafing Laughing Gulls. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA (Milvago chimachima) – Small numbers on both islands, including an immature bird systematically polishing off a nest full of baby Bananaquits in a big powderpuff tree in Bon Accord.
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) – One sat high on a dead stick in the mangroves of Caroni Swamp, seen as we started our way back from the ibis roost.
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
GRAY-NECKED WOOD-RAIL (Aramides cajanea) – Two roosting on a branch, spotted by Lester as we neared the end of our Caroni Swamp boat trip (and illuminated by the light of his big spotlight) were "the icing on the cake" for the day.
PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata) – Including a few with fluffy red-faced babies on the ponds of Tobago Plantations.
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
SOUTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus chilensis) – Particularly common in the Aripo Savanna and at the Aripo Livestock Station, including one showing its pink fighting spurs near where we found our first Little Blue Heron.
WILSON'S PLOVER (Charadrius wilsonia) – A couple, showing well their heavy bills, pattered across the mudflats behind the loafing gulls, terns and skimmers at Waterloo.
Jacanidae (Jacanas)
WATTLED JACANA (Jacana jacana) – Seen well on the Aripo Livestock Station, where a flock of 8 or more rummaged along the stream near the buffalypso shed, showing their distinctively long toes well as they foraged.
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
A Wattled Jacana demonstrates its "lily trotting" (or, in this case its "water hyacinth trotting") abilities. (Photo by participant Bill Byers)
SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) – A couple at the Aripo Livestock Station, including one showing its barred black and white tail as it preened.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
WILLET (Tringa semipalmata)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) – A few on the concrete dividing wall in one of the ponds at Tobago Plantations.
WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus) – A dozen or so hunted crabs on the mudflats at Waterloo -- or snoozed under the mangroves.
RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) – The little gang on the beach at Blue Waters Inn were almost ridiculously common -- bathing in the foot baths at the bottom of the stairs and rummaging on empty table tops in the bar for tidbits.
SANDERLING (Calidris alba) – A little knot of them flashed along the surf line where the Nariva River met the sea on Trinidad, seen as we headed to the Melon Patch.
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (GRAELLSII) (Larus fuscus graellsii) – Two youngsters preened among the thousands of Laughing Gulls loafing on the beach at Waterloo.
ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)
BLACK SKIMMER (CINERASCENS) (Rynchops niger cinerascens) – A few dozen snoozed on the fringes of the Laughing Gull flock at Waterloo. This is a southern subspecies that migrates north to Trinidad for the non-breeding season.
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
PALE-VENTED PIGEON (Patagioenas cayennensis) – One snoozing on a porch railing in Bon Accord gave us particularly nice views, and we saw others at Blue Waters Inn.
SCALED PIGEON (Patagioenas speciosa) – Seen from the Asa Wright veranda, perched atop the "toucan tree" on several mornings -- at least until the Crested Oropendolas displaced them!
EARED DOVE (Zenaida auriculata) – Those around the overgrown sewage ponds at Bon Accord gave us especially good opportunities for study.
RUDDY GROUND-DOVE (Columbina talpacoti)
WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi) – Common on Tobago, with a handful trundling around on the grounds of the Blue Waters Inn each morning.
GRAY-FRONTED DOVE (Leptotila rufaxilla) – One of these rather shy forest doves visited the Asa Wright feeders on our first morning, lured in by the possibility of bread crumbs.
Psittacidae (Parrots)
GREEN-RUMPED PARROTLET (Forpus passerinus)
LILAC-TAILED PARROTLET (Touit batavicus) – A noisy flock rocketed over while we birded at Waller Field late one afternoon; sadly they weren't much more than small, dark shapes!
BLUE-HEADED PARROT (Pionus menstruus) – A short, sharp shower helped with our search for parrots along the Blanchisseuse road; when it stopped, we had a pair of Orange-winged and a pair of Blue-headed Parrots in the same tree.
ORANGE-WINGED PARROT (Amazona amazonica) – Dozens daily (except, inexplicably, for our first day on Tobago), including one checking out a nest cavity in a dead palm tree along the highway near Speyside.
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
Smooth-billed Anis were common in the lowlands of both islands. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana) – Jan was the lucky one who spotted one of these big cuckoos on the Discovery trail before breakfast one morning at Asa Wright.
STRIPED CUCKOO (Tapera naevia) – At least two sang (and sang and sang) from a scrubby, overgrown field in the Aripo savanna, and some fine spotting by Robin FINALLY netted us a look! One sat on a shady branch, its crest rising and falling with its song.
GREATER ANI (Crotophaga major) – A gang of these big cuckoos clambered through the mangroves in the Caroni Swamp, not far from where we started our boat trip. The white eyes of this species are distinctive.
SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani)
Strigidae (Owls)
TROPICAL SCREECH-OWL (Megascops choliba)
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium brasilianum) – Arg!! One tooted and tooted and tooted from a stand of bamboo right beside the Blanchisseuse road, but we just couldn't find it among the foliage. We heard others near dawn most mornings around the cabins at Asa Wright. [*]
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWK (Lurocalis semitorquatus) – One flashed in to land somewhere in the big tree just downhill from the Asa Wright veranda on a couple of mornings, seen by those who were birding at first light.
COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis) – Quite common on our night drive at the Aripo Livestock Station, including one singing from the middle of the road; we could see his white throat pulsing through the scope.
WHITE-TAILED NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus cayennensis) – One made multiple passes over the group at the Aripo Livestock Station, occasionally hovering above us.
Nyctibiidae (Potoos)
COMMON POTOO (Nyctibius griseus) – One snoozed on its day roost along the Discovery trail at Asa Wright, looking for all the world like a dead tree stump. Through the scope, we could see the tiny notches in its eyelids, which allow it to peek out at the world without opening its eyes (and thus giving away the fact that it ISN'T actually a tree stump). We saw another on a day roost in the Caroni Swamp.
Steatornithidae (Oilbird)
This young Oilbird was one of dozens we found resting on fruit paste ledges in Dunstan Cave. We heard the bizarre, "strangled cat" call of several while we watched, which helped explain the origin of the local nickname for the species: Devil Bird. (Video by guide Megan Crewe)
Apodidae (Swifts)
SHORT-TAILED SWIFT (Chaetura brachyura) – Daily on Tobago, with especially nice views of those short, straw-colored rumps and tails at Bon Accord, where the birds zoomed low over the sewage plant's settling ponds.
BAND-RUMPED SWIFT (Chaetura spinicaudus)
GRAY-RUMPED SWIFT (Chaetura cinereiventris) – Scores spiraled over the Arima valley on multiple days, chasing insects high above the forest canopy.
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN (Florisuga mellivora) – Very common around the Asa Wright veranda, with as many as five males at a time jousting around the feeders.
RUFOUS-BREASTED HERMIT (Glaucis hirsutus) – Regular on both islands, including one industriously constructing a nest along the Gilpin Trace and another sitting on a finished nest over the same trail. [N]
LITTLE HERMIT (Phaethornis longuemareus)
RUBY-TOPAZ HUMMINGBIRD (Chrysolampis mosquitus) – A male feeding at the pink puffball flowers of an mimosa tree below the Asa Wright veranda was a highlight of our first morning; this species is uncommon in the mountains there. We had other fine views of several feeding in flowering trees at Bon Accord, and along the road near Speyside.
GREEN-THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax viridigula) – Some great spotting by our boatman, Lester, led to views of a male perched in a little mangrove tree right beside the boat -- until it chased off after another male, that is!
BLACK-THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax nigricollis)
TUFTED COQUETTE (Lophornis ornatus) – Singles of both sexes were regular around the Asa Wright veranda, where they favored the purple vervain bushes.
BLUE-CHINNED SAPPHIRE (Chlorestes notata) – Regular in the flowering verbena hedges around the Asa Wright veranda, where their dark blue tails and uniformly glittering green backs quickly distinguished them from the more aggressive Copper-rumpeds.
WHITE-TAILED SABREWING (Campylopterus ensipennis) – Gratifyingly common along the Gilpin Trace, including a male dunking himself repeatedly in a the stream (and then spending long minutes sitting on a branch getting those soggy feathers back in order) and others visiting spiky white palm flowers. [N]
WHITE-CHESTED EMERALD (Amazilia brevirostris) – Regular at the feeders on the Asa Wright veranda -- often only inches from nearby heads!
COPPER-RUMPED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia tobaci) – Daily, including a pugnacious bird around the Asa Wright veranda that seemed to have a personal vendetta against all Tufted Coquettes. [N]
Trogonidae (Trogons)
Heading in to the Caroni Swamp, where the likes of Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Green-throated Mango, Greater Ani, various herons, and Scarlet Ibis awaited us. (Photo by tour participant Carole Brown)
GUIANAN TROGON (Trogon violaceus) – And this one was high overhead in a creaking stand of bamboo -- one of the few stands left after the recent slashing!
COLLARED TROGON (Trogon collaris) – Robin found us a calling male high above the Blanchisseuse road, and we watched a quiet female hunt low along the Gilpin Trace.
Momotidae (Motmots)
TRINIDAD MOTMOT (Momotus bahamensis)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
AMERICAN PYGMY KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle aenea) – If you're only going to see one kingfisher on a trip, this is the one to see! It took us a few attempts -- and some careful maneuvering of the boat -- but we finally all got a look at one of these tiny kingfishers low in the mangroves near the start of our Caroni Swamp boat trip.
Galbulidae (Jacamars)
RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbula ruficauda)
Ramphastidae (Toucans)
CHANNEL-BILLED TOUCAN (Ramphastos vitellinus)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
RED-CROWNED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes rubricapillus) – Very common across much of Tobago, including a pair excavating a nest in a roadside immortelle tree not far from Speyside. [N]
RED-RUMPED WOODPECKER (Veniliornis kirkii) – A noisy pair near the start of the Discovery trail, with others along the Blanchisseuse road and the Roxborough - Bloody Bay road.
GOLDEN-OLIVE WOODPECKER (Colaptes rubiginosus)
CHESTNUT WOODPECKER (Celeus elegans)
LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus) – A pair near our Trinidad Euphonia spot on the Blanchisseuse road showed wonderfully well as they foraged in nearby trees.
Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers)
GRAY-THROATED LEAFTOSSER (Sclerurus albigularis)
PALE-BREASTED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis albescens)
The namesake chin is not very big, but when you see it well, you can certainly see that the Yellow-chinned Spinetail is well-named. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
YELLOW-CHINNED SPINETAIL (Certhiaxis cinnamomeus)
STREAKED XENOPS (Xenops rutilans) – One searched along vines and branches near the Golden-headed Manakin lek, often clinging upside down while it inspected dead leaves or likely bits of bark -- acting for all the world like a long-tailed brown chickadee.
OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (Sittasomus griseicapillus) – One crawled its way up several trees near the path at Grafton Estate, disturbing a few snoozing bats from their roost.
STRAIGHT-BILLED WOODCREEPER (Dendroplex picus) – One creeping through the mangrove roots made finding it a bit challenging, particularly from a moving boat! Fortunately, it was quite profitably engrossed, so stuck around for a while.
COCOA WOODCREEPER (Xiphorhynchus susurrans)
Thamnophilidae (Typical Antbirds)
GREAT ANTSHRIKE (Taraba major) – A male checked out the ground and shrubs around one of the feeders at Asa Wright before breakfast one morning.
BLACK-CRESTED ANTSHRIKE (Sakesphorus canadensis)
BARRED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus doliatus) – Widespread on both islands, with especially nice views of a bold male that regularly sang from fence rails, light posts, benches and more around the Asa Wright veranda.
PLAIN ANTVIREO (Dysithamnus mentalis)
WHITE-FLANKED ANTWREN (Myrmotherula axillaris) – Pairs crawled through vine tangles at several spots along the Blanchisseuse road, calling repeatedly.
WHITE-FRINGED ANTWREN (Formicivora grisea)
SILVERED ANTBIRD (Sclateria naevia) – We heard one calling, loudly and repeatedly, from the mangroves in Nariva Swamp, but couldn't get in to where we might have seen it. [*]
WHITE-BELLIED ANTBIRD (Myrmeciza longipes) – Carol was standing in the right spot when Roodal found one along the Blanchisseuse road; the rest of us had to be content with just hearing one -- again and again and again!
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
This Trinidad Motmot appeared, looking for handouts, soon after we arrived at the Gilpin Trace picnic shelter. It seemed particularly fond of pineapple chunks! (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
FOREST ELAENIA (Myiopagis gaimardii)
YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster) – A few in the lowlands of Trinidad, but our best views came around the Blue Waters Inn, where several noisy birds vied for territories.
OCHRE-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Mionectes oleagineus) – One twitchy bird, demonstrating well the wing-flicking tendencies of the species, foraged for fruits in the tree right off the end of the Asa Wright veranda.
NORTHERN SCRUB-FLYCATCHER (Sublegatus arenarum)
YELLOW-BREASTED FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias flaviventris)
EULER'S FLYCATCHER (Lathrotriccus euleri) [*]
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Contopus cooperi) – One hunted from a dead snag sticking out of the greenery along the Blanchisseuse road. This is a winter visitor to the islands.
TROPICAL PEWEE (Contopus cinereus) – One hunted along the Blanchisseuse road, returning again and again to the same stick -- nice "tag team" spotting, Jan and Robin! This species is much shorter winged than are North America's pewees.
FUSCOUS FLYCATCHER (Cnemotriccus fuscatus) – After struggling for views of our first (which bounced from perch to perch as it hunted), we were rewarded later in the day with long scope views of another right over the Gilpin Trace.
PIED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola pica)
WHITE-HEADED MARSH TYRANT (Arundinicola leucocephala) – One hunted from the railings around the sewage treatment plant in Trincity, occasionally flashing down into the water hyacinth.
BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA (Attila spadiceus) [*]
VENEZUELAN FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus venezuelensis)
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus) – One near the ranger's building on Little Tobago showed us its rust striped undertail.
GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus) – Very common throughout Trinidad, including a noisy pair gathering nesting material (and greeting each other with much waving of wings) near the veranda at Asa Wright.
BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarynchus pitangua)
STREAKED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes maculatus)
PIRATIC FLYCATCHER (Legatus leucophaius) – One sang from the top of a tree near the Blanchisseuse road, announcing his claim to one of the nearby oropendola nests.
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is known as "King Hummingbird" on Trinidad and Tobago. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)
GRAY KINGBIRD (Tyrannus dominicensis) – One hunting from a telephone support wire in Bon Accord gave us great chance for study. We saw another on a roadside wire in the Aripo savanna.
Cotingidae (Cotingas)
BEARDED BELLBIRD (Procnias averano) – Wow! A couple of males -- one calling from a branch high above the path, and another doing the same from a smaller tree further along the Discovery trail -- gave us great views of their bizarre "beards" of fleshy wattles as they hammered their challenges to each other. It's surprising how hard it can be to find a sizeable, mostly white bird in the rainforest!
Pipridae (Manakins)
WHITE-BEARDED MANAKIN (Manacus manacus) – The lek proved pretty quiet when we went by, but a handful of birds (both males and females) gobbling berries near the start of the Guacharo trail were cooperative.
BLUE-BACKED MANAKIN (Chiroxiphia pareola)
GOLDEN-HEADED MANAKIN (Pipra erythrocephala) – Best seen at the lek down the hill from the Asa Wright veranda; a handful of males clustered in the mid-canopy, occasionally breaking into a few half-hearted sliding dance steps -- or flicking over to the nearby melastoma tree for a quick snack of berries.
Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)
BLACK-TAILED TITYRA (Tityra cayana) – A male -- and occasionally a pair -- made morning appearances in the trees down the hill from the Asa Wright veranda on most of our days there.
Vireonidae (Vireos)
RED-EYED VIREO (MIGRATORY CHIVI) (Vireo olivaceus chivi) – It took some patience, and some scampering up and down all those steps, but we all finally got a good look at this distinctive subspecies on Little Tobago.
The veranda at Asa Wright has a commanding view over the Arima Valley. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
GOLDEN-FRONTED GREENLET (Hylophilus aurantiifrons)
RUFOUS-BROWED PEPPERSHRIKE (Cyclarhis gujanensis) – The rich, warbling song of this big vireo was a regular part of the tour's soundtrack, and we had fine views of one in a flowering immortelle tree along the Blanchisseuse road.
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
SOUTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis)
CARIBBEAN MARTIN (Progne dominicensis) – Common on Tobago, including dozens swooping back and forth over the Bon Accord settling ponds.
GRAY-BREASTED MARTIN (Progne chalybea)
WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW (Tachycineta albiventer) – Especially nice views of these snazzy little swallows at the Aripo Livestock Station, where they zoomed over the pastures and rested on the telephone wires.
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
RUFOUS-BREASTED WREN (Pheugopedius rutilus) – One lurked in a towering pillar of vines along the Blanchisseuse road for minutes before finally revealing himself as he sang. Another at Grafton Estate was far more cooperative, picking its way through another vine tangle beside the trail.
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon) – Regular on both islands, with the resident pair around the Asa Wright veranda providing daily entertainment; it was often among the first birds we heard around the cabins each morning.
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
LONG-BILLED GNATWREN (Ramphocaenus melanurus) – Two hunted within arm's reach in the verbena bushes near the start of the Discovery trail, peering out from the leaves as they searched for their insect prey. We saw others creeping through thick vines over the Blanchisseuse road.
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
YELLOW-LEGGED THRUSH (Turdus flavipes) – Jan and I were the only ones who happened to be looking in the right direction when a male flashed past along the Blanchisseuse road.
COCOA THRUSH (Turdus fumigatus) – Quite common at Asa Wright, with regular visitors to the feeders each morning, and a handful trotting around in the open understory near the start of the Discovery trail.
The Spectacled Thrush has been recently renamed (from Bare-eyed Thrush) to avoid confusion with an African species with the same common name. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
WHITE-NECKED THRUSH (Turdus albicollis) – A bit tougher than usual to find this year -- until our last pre-breakfast walk, when we had one sitting on a post near the start of the Guacharo trail.
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus gilvus)
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis) – One strolled around on the pavement under the feeders at Asa Wright on several mornings, looking for tidbits. This is a winter visitor from farther north.
MASKED YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis aequinoctialis) – A spectacularly cooperative bird mooched its way through a bush nearly at arm's length in the Aripo savanna.
AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) – A few flicked through the mangroves in the Caroni Swamp, and we spotted others near the upper parking lot at Asa Wright and along the Blanchisseuse road. This is a winter visitor to the island.
TROPICAL PARULA (Setophaga pitiayumi)
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia) – Especially common in the mangroves, including several that kept distracting us during our Bicolored Conebill search.
GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (Basileuterus culicivorus) – A couple of territorial birds at eye level along the Blanchisseuse were a real treat -- particularly when they moved in for a closer look at us!
Coerebidae (Bananaquit)
BANANAQUIT (Coereba flaveola) – It would have taken serious effort NOT to see and hear these widespread little birds everywhere we went!
Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
BICOLORED CONEBILL (Conirostrum bicolor) – Superb views of a couple of males in the little mangroves along the road out to the wharf at Orange Valley. They seemed completely oblivious to our presence, feeding contentedly mere yards away.
WHITE-SHOULDERED TANAGER (Tachyphonus luctuosus) – A pair in the big mango tree near the start of the Guacharo trail at Asa Wright were a highlight of our afternoon's trip down to the Oilbird cave.
WHITE-LINED TANAGER (Tachyphonus rufus)
SILVER-BEAKED TANAGER (Ramphocelus carbo) – A smoothly velveteen male and several nicely red females were regular visitors to the Asa Wright feeders. That beak practically glows in the dark!
A female Purple Honeycreeper works to put things back in order. (Video by guide Megan Crewe.)
PALM TANAGER (Thraupis palmarum) – Ubiquitous, particularly at Asa Wright, where they roost on the veranda rafters and nest in the thatch over the bar. [N]
TURQUOISE TANAGER (Tangara mexicana) – Squeaky little gangs swarmed through fruiting trees around the Asa Wright veranda on several mornings.
SPECKLED TANAGER (Tangara guttata) – A few among a mixed tanager flock in a fruiting tree over the Blanchisseuse road.
BAY-HEADED TANAGER (Tangara gyrola) – Fine looks at a little gang of them gobbling fruits near the Golden-headed Manakin lek at Asa Wright. The subspecies on Trinidad is far greener than are those found in Central America.
BLUE DACNIS (Dacnis cayana)
GREEN HONEYCREEPER (Chlorophanes spiza) – Good numbers of these gloriously bright birds on the feeders at Asa Wright.
PURPLE HONEYCREEPER (Cyanerpes caeruleus) – Somehow, "purple" seems like such an understatement! We had dozens of gaudy yellow-legged males -- and their green-striped, purple moustached mates -- swarming over the feeders at Asa Wright.
RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER (Cyanerpes cyaneus) – Seen well along the Roxborough - Bloody Bay road, where several cavorted in the flowering immortelle trees.
GRAYISH SALTATOR (Saltator coerulescens)
Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows and Allies)
BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina) – Regular on both islands, including dozens nibbling weed seeds in a field along the Blanchisseuse road one morning.
BLACK-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris bicolor)
SAFFRON FINCH (Sicalis flaveola) – A handsome male and a handful of drabber females or youngsters searched for seeds in the grassy park at Carli Bay.
GRASSLAND YELLOW-FINCH (Sicalis luteola) – A handful showed nicely in the pastures at the Aripo Livestock Station, including one male nibbling weed seeds near some old concrete foundations and another male sitting on a strand of barbed wire. This species is a recent arrival to Trinidad.
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
RED-CROWNED ANT-TANAGER (Habia rubica) – We spotted females slinking through the undergrowth along the Blanchisseuse road on a couple of occasions, but never got that "out in the open" view we were all hoping for.
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
RED-BREASTED BLACKBIRD (Sturnella militaris) – Glorious views of these handsome meadowlarks at the Aripo Livestock Station, including a male with a begging chick at his side on a wire around one of the pastures.
CARIB GRACKLE (Quiscalus lugubris) – Regular in the lowlands, including a handful of birds checking out all the unoccupied picnic tables at Manzanilla Beach. This species is easily separated from the Shiny Cowbird thanks to its bright yellow eye.
YELLOW-HOODED BLACKBIRD (Chrysomus icterocephalus)
SHINY COWBIRD (Molothrus bonariensis) – Sadly, we've even started to see a few of these nest parasites around the Asa Wright feeders.
GIANT COWBIRD (Molothrus oryzivorus)
A little group of Greater White-lined Bats settled on a nearby tree trunk after being disturbed by a feeding Olivaceous Woodcreeper. (Photo by guide Megan Crewe)
YELLOW ORIOLE (Icterus nigrogularis)
YELLOW-RUMPED CACIQUE (Cacicus cela)
CRESTED OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius decumanus) – Daily, including several demonstrating their somersaulting, wing-waving courtship display in the big tree just downhill from the Asa Wright veranda.
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies)
TRINIDAD EUPHONIA (Euphonia trinitatis) – A pair in the mistletoe clumps near the top of a big tree along the Blanchisseuse road proved tough for many to find -- particularly since several pairs of the next species were in a nearby clump to confuse things!
VIOLACEOUS EUPHONIA (Euphonia violacea)
MAMMALS
GREATER WHITE-LINED BAT (Saccopteryx bilineata)
COMMON TENT-MAKING BAT (Uroderma bilobatum) – A handful of them clustered under a big leaf along the Guacharo trail.
RED HOWLER MONKEY (Alouatta seniculus) – One hung by its tail from a tall mangrove across the road from where we were looking for Silvered Antbird -- great spotting, Jan! This species is largely confined to the mangroves on Trinidad.
SILKY ANTEATER (Cyclopes didactylus) – One snoozing among the mangroves of Caroni Swamp was little more than a white ball of fur.
RED-TAILED SQUIRREL (Sciurus granatensis)
RED-RUMPED AGOUTI (Dasyprocta agouti) – These normally shy forest dwellers (they are, after all, at the bottom of the food chain!) are considerably bolder at Asa Wright, where piles of bread under the feeders lure them into the open.
EGYPTIAN MONGOOSE (Herpestes ichneumon) [I]
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Our herps included:
Golden Tegu (Tupinambis teguixin) - These were the big black and yellow lizards we saw under the Asa Wright feeders each day.
Giant Ameiva (Ameiva ameiva) - And this was the bright green lizard we spotted at Grafton Estate.
Tree Boa (Corallus ruschenbergerii) - We spotted one of these nocturnal snakes curled in the branches over one of the channels in Caroni Swamp.
Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - One lurked along the edge of one of the ponds at the Trincity sewage works, and we saw another near one of the ponds at Tobago Plantations.
Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) - Regular on our night drive, with another seen on the Asa Wright entrance road by those who took the lodge's night walk one evening.
Yellow-throated Frog (Mannophryne trinitatis) - These are the tiny but incredibly noisy frogs we spotted down by the Oilbird cave.
Totals for the tour: 209 bird taxa and 7 mammal taxa