The Superstars of the Trinidadian Birding World

Finding birds can be a very magical experience

A lot of people asked, "Why Trinidad?"  Honestly, I don't know.  I was curious about a new culture.  But birds also helped me make the decision.  Anywhere we go, there are always "the superstars" of the birding world that we hope to observe in the wild.  Trinidad has quite a few that I was excited about observing in the wild. 

a natural stream forms a pool at the Asa Wright Centre

It was also more than just finding the birds.  I wanted to explore the habitat on my own.  For the first time in my life, I actually did some birding in a cave! 

Bearded Bellbird

The first superstar for me was this beautiful Bearded Bellbird above.  This bird feeds from fruits and berries and was rather common here in Trinidad.  If you've ever heard ANY bellbird species, you'll recognize the loud one noted almost electical sounding "BONK!" Throughout your stay at Asa Wright, you'll hear these birds often from inside the forest.  The hike on the dark emerald trail was gorgeous. We followed the "BONK".  After several moments, my eyes finally adjusted and found the bird on a branch. BONK! The "beard" is actually made up of flesh.  The better the "beard", the more attractive the mate!  

The thrill of observing one of those cartoon superstars come alive from the pages in my guide got my heart pumping.  Another journey into this dense forest was to study manakins.  They are one of my favorite groups of birds.  At Asa Wright, there are TWO species of manakin that have well established leks.  For the first time in my life, I was able to communicate with these species.  We "spoke" with one another while I watched them do their thing. 

White-bearded Manakin

Another "bearded" named species, the White-bearded Manakin responded to a sashay two snap "giiiiirrrrrrrrl".  I'd hear the "snap snap" of the wings and snap my fingers twice.  The manakin did an elaborate dance on the ground for me.  I spent several hours with both manakin species in the dark woods forgetting about the chiggers and mosquitoes.  Big mistake on my part.  I was so focused on these birds that I didn't realize I was getting bit up.  

Channel-billed Toucan

One bird that I almost dipped on was the Channel-billed Toucan.  I went days without seeing one and then, I saw one.....for a second.  So could I count it?  Yes, but I wasn't having it.  On my last day at the centre, only one of the toucans flew out for less than a minute and gave me great looks.  Sometimes we don't always get to see our superstars. Take for example, the Purple Honeycreeper!  Not once did I see one.  I saw both Green and Red-legged Honeycreepers.....but never once did I spy the supposedly "common" Purple Honeycreeper.  Lesson for me?  Never assume I'll see the common birds. 

One of the biggest challenges was finding the critically endangered Trinidad piping-guan.  There wasn't anyone going from the centre to look for this bird so I had to contract an outside guide to drive me to the area where they were seen.  From the reports, it was hit or miss.  I think of all the birds on this trip, this was the one I wanted to see the most.  A wise woman told me once to target all the endangered birds first and this year I have employed this strategy.  The Sierra Madre Sparrow and Black-polled and Belding's Yellowthroats were incredibly special finds.  They are endangered because of habitat destruction.  The Trinidad piping-guan, the true endemic of Trinidad birding, is only found on Trinidad in one area now. Habitat destruction is not the issue.  Poaching is.  To get to the birds, we drove through miles of beautiful rain forest along the Trinidadian coast. Many of the small villages were isolated in areas that were difficult to drive.  The road was in very bad shape and it took us several hours to get to the village where there is still a stable population. 

The unspoiled beauty of Grande Riviere

We waited for an hour in the rain.  I was losing hope and then the rain stopped and a bird hopped up onto a branch.  The Trinidad piping-guan!!!! And not just one but 12!!!

Trinidad piping-guan

I put my umbrella away and began documenting the birds sipping from the rain water collected in the bromeliad cups at sunrise.  They stayed for about an hour and then disappeared into the forest to forage around the ground for food.  After seeing these birds, I felt good.  The trip in my mind was a success.  In Trinidad, there are a few species that carry the country's name.  The Trinidad Motmot was once part of the Blue-crowned Motmot complex.  I saw and heard the birds but in very dark rain forest settings.  There is the Trinidad Euphonia which is found in northeastern South America.  So while the Euphonia is listed as an endemic, it's not the same as the Trinidad Motmots or piping-guans which are ONLY located on Trinidad. 

My focus was ONLY on Trinidad because there was so much to see here.  Tobago is another trek one day.  And I plan on going with others to find that island's specialty birds. However, with that said, it is SUPER cheap to go from Trinidad to Tobago.  It's 50 bucks round trip and like a bus terminal, you just wait in the airport to get on their hourly scheduled flights.  No reservations needed unless it's a major holiday. 

The superstar bird I connected with the most was the Golden-crowned Manakin.  It has a one high pitched note that I was able to replicate myself.  Throughout my stay I was able to call them from the forest.  I'd hear one in the woods and then I'd respond.  And within moments the bird would be looking right at me.  I even called one to the deck of Asa Wright.  I heard it and then told the photographers to get ready.  And for a brief moment, the Golden-headed Manakin showed.  Manakins are life.  My license plate on my car says Manakin.  In the tropics I would study this group of birds more if I lived there.  In Arizona, I study sparrows. 

Golden-crowned Manakin

The last of the greats in Trinidad was a visit to the Oilbird colony in the caves.  They come up as rare on ebird because Trinidad is their northern most range.  Oilbirds are like potoos, owls and other nightjars in that they feed by night.  But unlike these other night birds, the Oilbird is the only flying fruit eater of the forest. They communicate much like bats but if you heard them in the caves during the day, you'd swear there were monsters lurking inside the darkness.  Their "growls" are quite intimidating. 

I've included this little informational video on these birds from the Asa Wright grounds.  While the narrator is speaking, listen to the sounds in the background.  Every year, the team surveys the caves and counts the birds. Several have trackers and at first many had believed that these oilbirds were faithful to these caverns but from a conversation I had with one of the guides, they've discovered that these oilbirds will fly as far as Venezuela for several weeks to feed. 

In the darkness at "5, 4, 3, 2, 1", our guide, Yosanna gave us a cue to be ready with our cameras. Then there was indirect light on the bird. And at "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" the light went off the bird. Several growls could be heard from deep inside the cavern. 

Oilbird

These birds were surprisingly large! Today they are listed as "least concern" but still protected as their specific habitat, caves, need to be preserved. In the video, it's mentioned that their numbers had decreased due to people taking the babies from the nest.  What I'm about to write will sound barbaric but it's what people did. If you don't want the gruesome details, just skip to the next pic. People from days yonder would collect the babies that are much larger than the adults. Their body fat is made mostly of palm oil(one of their food sources).  Their heads would be cut off and the the people would light the birds up.  It is said that the light would last 3-4 hours long.  They would also use the oil to cook as well.  

This was the last of my true target birds.  Everything else was just a fun find.  On this gorgeous trail into the cave area, it began to rain.  I wore all my proper birding clothes and even with all the proper preparation, I managed to slip into a spiny palm and stab myself good.  I brought an umbrella and I wore hiking shoes with grips.  There were railings on certain parts of the trail but there were also poisonous tarantulas living inside the hollows of the rails.  And unlike the tarantulas here in Arizona, they would attack if you got too close. This hike was the last "deep" hike into the forest as the last wave of chiggers killed my legs.  They have sulfur powder for you to put on before hiking but it didn't work for moi.  Long pants prevent much of the biting but I was still bit up pretty bad. There is something about my blood, even with sprays and powders and the proper gear, that bugs love.  

Gail survived.  She was a trouper. Her focus was photography and being from Canada, she was challenged by the humid and slickery conditions of the Trinidad climate. 

Birding is not easy. I mean, it can be, but often, it is challenging both mentally and physically. The Oilbird trek is an easy to moderate one depending on the rain. We had a really nice lady with asthma almost pass out.  She slipped on the trail but friend and Asa Wright guide Yosanna came to the rescue. I felt safe with Yosanna as she is a snake person. Many times Fer-de-lance vipers hang out on that trail camouflaged among the leaf litter.  Yosanna's eyes scanned our path to the cavern. If anyone would step on a snake, it would be me.  I've almost done it twice over the years.  Had it not been for others stopping me, I might have stepped on the poor things. 

During the rainy season, always pack an umbrella

So wherever you go, always check for the "special" birds like the endemics or endangered species.  Some places are easier than others to see certain species. Every place has their "superstars".  With a little research and luck, you'll hopefully get to observe them in the wild.  Sometimes, you work with others.  And other times, you work alone. That's the beauty of birding. 

I have one more write coming up from Trinidad on another cool hotspot.  Then we'll be heading to Mexico to investigate a recent killing of a jaguar just across the border.  He was known as the "Huachuca" jaguar.  That makes TWO illegally poached situations both in Arizona and Mexico.  Then it's off to Maui, Hawaii where we'll search for some of the fun birds found on that island. In August, I'll be guiding 2 day treks with Tucson Audubon's Southeast Birding Festival.  I'll be back teaching again and juggling my dual lives. There's so much in store for this year so stay tuned for more!  Next week, it's Nariva Swamp.  Until next time.....

Look at my hair!!!  I'm a huge disaster!  The humidity and rain just killed my "look"  Yosanna, however, remains fashionably cool.  But no matter what, the birds and company are most always excellent!

The Caroni Wetlands

Little Blue Heron

One of the places I had really been looking forward to exploring was the Caroni Swamp. It's surrounded by wetlands and has a lot of birds not found at Asa Wright. 

Young birders discover a Boat-billed Heron

The Caroni Swamp is known for their endemic and national symbol, the Scarlet Ibis. I was really looking forward to seeing this amazing nightly show. But as I was doing my research, I had been seeing records of American Flamingos showing up in the swamp. Oh my gosh!  Would I finally get to see my first flamingos?!!

Masked Cardinal

As we made our way down into the mangrove area, we stopped and looked at reptiles, crabs and mammals.  In between it all were plenty of birds!  

Birders modeling appropriate swamp gear.  Note the stylish pants tucked into the socks.  This supposedly helps keep chiggers off your body.  It didn't work with me. 

On our way down to Caroni, I went with a group straight out of a birding outfit magazine.  They were all wearing the model gear and I had a laugh. And while writing that last line, I need to mention this info for you all interested in birding Trinidad or Tobago. No camouflage clothing in Trinidad or Tobago!  The guy on the right somehow lucked out.  They made a baby strip down to nothing but diapers in the airport because the kiddo was wearing camouflage.  Apparently this is military apparel and should only be worn by the military.  

Pied Water-Tyrant

Anyhow, for those of you familiar with Trinidad, they used to take people to a hotspot known as the Trincity Sewage Treatment plant.  Well, it's no longer there but there is another spot nearby found here.  There were caiman in the ponds so be careful.  The Pied Water-Tyrant was a friendly bird and reminded me of our Vermilion Flycatchers here in Tucson. 

juvenile Purple Gallinule, note the blue shield

We walked the tropical sludgery.  A storm was coming and I could feel it in the air! My body is a living barometer.  The higher the moisture; the more I sweat and get uncomfortable. Thankfully, I brought my umbrella with me everywhere I went. I had one big backpack.  It had my water container and umbrella. 

I walked carefully with our guide Magis along the muddy road keeping my eyes open for the large reptiles nearby.  

Eventually we boarded our boat and headed down the mangrove highway into the open waters of the swamp.  There we'd spy snakes and a few little Silky Anteaters all rolled up into a ball. 

the Trinidad tree boa is a common snake found resting in tree branches above the waters of the mangrove forests, the latin name is Dormilona(the sleeper) or Corallus ruschenbergerii

As the mangrove opened up to us, I had to make a decision.  My mouth dropped wide open.  To the left, we spied American Flamingos and on the right, it was Scarlet Ibis city. And in between, there were life birds galore.  I didn't know where to begin so I just did my best to document as best as I could.  No where on my trip would I see these birds again as they were hidden well within the boundaries of the preserve. 

Nelson was our group leader who has a lot of family history here at the Caroni Swamp.  His Grandfather proposed to save the wetlands decades ago and was beaten for getting the movement started. People wanted(and continue) to poach this area for food, but the swamp was decimated by locals who had almost destroyed this fragile ecosystem. Sadly, years later, he died from brain injuries. His father continued with the conservation project until his death.  And now, Nelson keeps an eye out and works within this very important wetlands.  Recently, as of last year, American Flamingos had returned to the swamp. When word got out, all 6 of these rare-to-Trinidad flamingos were shot and killed for their special meat.  What meat?! They are not endemic to the islands but they are protected as are the Scarlet Ibis. 

the subtle beauty of a Cocoi Heron

It is now up to Nelson and others to call upon the Trinidad government to monitor these waters from poachers. There are A LOT of poachers in Trinidad. I saw them sporadically during my bird searches.  When a visitor saw this flamingo massacre happen, he filmed it and put it on Facebook.  The government was horrified that people were viewing their country in this light and began patrolling the swamps once again to protect the sanctuary thanks to Nelson's suggestion and pressure from the international community. Recently, Nelson had some equipment stolen from his company.  The government is now helping him out to keep Caroni free of crime. It is really one of the few places to visit in Trinidad that holds a bit of magic for all travelers and locals alike. Today, due to the protections, this bird sanctuary is healing and many species are returning to the area in better numbers. 

And because of this government support and his efforts, over 100 hundred American Flamingos have returned to the swamp.  I had originally thought that the Scarlet Ibis would steal the show but it was the free Flamingo that stole my heart.  Have you ever seen a wild flamingo in flight?

Magis brought a nice cold bottle of rum punch with him and since I was on a boat full of kids, no one really touched the bottle.  I let my guard down and just began to relax and watch the incredible show at sunset!

How many times have I seen flamingos in the zoo and walked past them?  Finding them in the wild was a show stopper and a completely different experience.

juvenile Scarlet Ibis

The Scarlet Ibis, meanwhile, were flying in the thousands to their roosting place adding to the dramatic backdrop. 

The scarlet red colors dotting the vibrant green vegetation reminded me of a Christmas tree. Instead of lights, there were red bows. 

We parked our canoe boat as two flamingos flew over my head.  They were pink batons with wings. 

Some were very light pink while others were a darker rosy pink.  

Then a huge red flush surrounded us as the Scarlet Ibis went to roost one final time.

As we headed back in the dark, I had a nice buzz.  There was one last life bird that we spied on the way back.  I thought I had seen this bird before but I took the pics anyway as he hung out near the nest.  Come to find out I hadn't seen this bird!  So I'm glad I focused a bit.  The confusion?  The more tropical you go, the more names and hyphens are added. 

Black-throated Mango female

 This was clearly one of the mango species.  At the lodge, there is the Black-throated Mango.  And in the swamp, it's the Green-throated Mango.  Ok.  

When I submitted the list to ebird, I discovered an extra lifebird.  So I did the research and discovered that I had confused the Green-throated Mango with the similar sounding Green-breasted Mango we had seen in Costa Rica last year. That was a close one.  I would have kicked myself for missing this bird.  Note to self, relax on the rum punch:)

Green-breasted Mango

The wetlands were a real treat to see.  When I hear the word swamp, it doesn't sound so nice to me, but it really is a beautiful place where you can only find certain species of birds.  It was an easy trek on a boat and an enjoyable experience.  

As we left the shallow waters, I glanced one last time upon these little islands to memorize the landscape.  This will most likely be the last time I ever visit this place in my lifetime.  I hope it stays protected and beautiful forever. For my reports, click on the "here" button for more pictures of birds not mentioned in this post. 
For the new sewage treatment coordinates, click here.
For Caroni Swamp, click here.
In next week's report, we'll explore some of the superstars of the Trinidad birding world.  

The Asa Wright Nature Centre

Over the years, I had heard birders and photographers speak fondly of a place known as the Asa Wright Nature Centre.  I didn't know much about the place until I did some research. At that point, I understood why people had fallen in love with this lodge. It truly is the national gem of Trinidad for international travelers and locals alike.  It was the first time I saw a nature lodge attract EVERYONE to the dinner table, not just people who wanted to bird. 

Located in the Trinidadian mountains covered in lush rain forest, this former cocoa plantation is now a protected area from poachers and people seeking to use the land for agriculture. It is home to hundreds of bird species and a place all birders must visit in their lifetimes. 

I didn't want to do anything predictable this year.  The word "Trinidad" made me curious.  Over the past several years, I've birded the Americas and wanted to do something different.  The place came highly recommended by friends who had visited the centre.  I called them up and made a reservation for a week and instantly fell in love. They picked me up at the airport and within 30 minutes I walked down this corridor of history to the veranda.  Like the thousands of visitors before me, I walked out to overlook this amazing world of forest.  For the days to follow, I would explore the grounds alone or with others. 

During my first day, I saw so much activity. Like a baby learning his first words, I began to say the bird names out loud for the first time. Not all of them rolled off my tongue like I had hoped.  However, after a few days, I was a pro and began calling out birds for people on the veranda. 

It is said that some locals kill and eat anything from the wild.  Several vacationing Trinidadians saw the Brazilian Agoutis(also known as the Red-rumped Agouti) and started talking about how great they tasted. They said the meat was tough so it had to be properly prepared.  I'll take their word for it.  It was the only time I saw agoutis on the island. 

The Bananquit(above) got into everything.  If you didn't watch your fruit dish, they'd sneak a piece off your plate. During my stay, I had hoped to see a Purple Honeycreeper as they are quite common at the lodge.....or so people had said.  But not once did I spy one.   

The infamous veranda was often VERY busy and full of people.  It was here I met Yosanna, my guide for the first couple days.  She is a kind soul and quickly became a new friend during my stay in Trinidad. The guy to the right is Nick.  He was a character. He's doing research right now on the vegetation around the property and trying to figure out a way to save the Trinidadian piping-guan, a critically endangered bird.  The centre would like to bring these guans back to the property and right now Nick is in charge of mapping out the forest. If they can find a way to establish a food source, they might have a chance to help bring this species back from the brink of extinction. 

Copper-rumped Hummingbird

The Centre is a popular place for photographers, specifically for people who love hummingbirds.  Oh my gods did people love their hummingbirds.  And with reason, the hummers are beautiful and also easy to ID! I met so many people who just sat on the veranda all day capturing hummers feeding from flowers. While there, I had 12 new species of hummingbirds flying around the patio and gardens. 

Crested Oropendula

Asa Wright is the name of the woman who had lived on the property until her death in 1971.  Much like the Tucson Audubon's Paton Center for Hummingbirds of Southern Arizona, it was purchased by a biological research group to preserve the grounds.  Today it is run by a non-profit group that meets twice a year to oversee the management, projects, funding and other matters concerning the Asa Wright Nature Centre.  While I was there, the board met for their bi-annual meeting.  It is made up of 11 Trinidadians and 10 foreign members. I don't know how it all works out for them, but as a person participating at the centre, it is really cool to see ALL people enjoying the property and not just international travelers. It gave me the unique opportunity to speak with others living on the island during our meals. 

Speaking of meals, when you get a place at Asa Wright, all your meals are included.  They served breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In between there was always coffee and tea.  And at 6 every night, there was rum punch!  And if you still craved to munch on something, they had a bar fully stocked with beer, chips and other goodies.  It really is a place for people to just go birding and enjoy.  There is no need to want as they take care of you during your stay. 

Hands down, the star of the hummingbird show at Asa, the male Tufted Coquette

Every morning I would wake up and find something new on the property.  It was so exciting.  After several days, I had to work hard to spot several birds like the very vocal Great Antshrikes.  Barred Antshrikes were super common and NOW I have their calls memorized.  Every movie that takes place in the tropics uses their calls.  wa ah ah ah ah, AH AH!  I had always thought those calls were monkeys.  Now I know better:)

Turquoise Tanager

The property is full of danger as well.  You need to be careful. Slippery trails, armies of biting ants, huge crabs that pinch and cool looking scorpions were just a few of the obstacles to avoid while in search of those cool looking birds. 

This is terrible to say but every time I saw this common crab, I got hungry.  They were aggressive suckers.  People crab just beyond the borders of Asa Wright.  They are not allowed to collect crabs on the grounds but we saw people just outside the border doing it.  Poaching was active and obvious on the island. 

There are two types of poisonous snakes that hang out on the trails. One is the Fer-de-lance.  And yes, I saw them.  I ALWAYS stayed on the trails because there were terrible bugs and snakes under the leaf litter. Sometimes you couldn't avoid the leaf litter and my legs were a casualty of these treks. Yes, I used every spray and powder possible but it never works on me. I even wore long pants with geeky socks covering up the bottom of my pants to keep the chiggers out.  It didn't work. One time I was SO careful that I got stabbed by a dangerous palm! When did palm trees become like a cactus?? The back of my leg was covered in spines and blood.  It acted very much like a Cholla cactus here in the Sonoran desert.  After that incident, I was super careful and avoided brushing against palms. 

Dog sized lizards known as the Tegu would slink from the bushes, recently split goes by the latin name, Tupinambis cryptus

It rained every day while we were there.  During those moments of sunshine, I utilized my time to capture the brilliance of their plumage and scales.  White-necked Jacobins(below) dominated the feeders and chased off many of the hummingbirds reminding me of our aggressive male Rufous Hummingbirds that buzz through this month in Southern Arizona. 

Violaceous Euphonias were also very common.  Their name is so strange to say.  There is a similar Euphonia called the Trinidad Euphonia.  I never did get to see them.  They have a blue throat and like to forage HIGH up in the canopy of the rain forest. 

Someone told me that Woody the Woodpecker was inspired by the Linneated Woodpecker below. 

My favorite part of the day was breakfast in the dining room.  There we had the best omelettes made from scratch.  

When the rain began to fall, it was out on the veranda.  Here we'd see birds of prey hanging out on branches waiting for the things to calm down. 

Double-toothed Kite

Between the breaks or after hikes, I'd go to my cabin below and shower.  It was very humid. 

During the course of my stay, I met so many amazing people.  The board was really a fun group of people. I met Julie Fannon of Caligo Ventures. This birding company is located in beautiful Portal, AZ of all places.  It's important to know the name of this company as they do exclusive packages with Asa Wright for birders from North America.  And I'm sure they do work with people outside of North America as well.  They will organize everything for you like your day trips, etc.  I didn't know that a lot of the day trips etc were scheduled with Caligo so I had a little bit of extra work to do on my own.  And I got it all done, but it would have been easier going through their company.  HOWEVER, I'm my own person and do much of my own guiding alone.  I am trained in the ways of the force:) and don't like going through 3rd parties if I don't have to.  I have spent thousands and thousands of hours researching places around the world.  And as a guide, I think it's important for me to figure things out on my own to keep me on my toes.  So one can lodge at Asa Wright and bird the property but if you are looking to do day trips that will require some planning.  Caligo Ventures makes it easy for you.  Julie was awesome and it was great to get to know her and the company better. 

It is my personal opinion that every birder should visit this historic place.  I saved money for it all as it can be a little pricey.  And I did A LOT of research before I went.  Asa Wright Nature Centre was an awesome experience.  It's Trinidad's national treasure and the country is VERY proud of this preserve.  I felt safe and protected.  I never went hungry.  The people were awesome and super friendly. If you are on a budget like I am, plan to go in the summer when it's the off season.  Rooms go for 150 dollars a night (but this also includes your meals and professional guides on the veranda). My plane ticket was also reasonable at around 600 dollars round trip.  This was a very special experience for me and I liked being a lone wolf.  People were surprised that I was traveling alone in Trinidad and not with a group.  I'm an independent one.  I'm the first born in my family and prefer doing things on my own often.  Asa Wright gave me that safety net to help prepare me for the week to follow on my own.  They say that one can get 40 lifers before breakfast right from the veranda and they weren't lying:)    

Our next visit will be to another Trinidadian gem, the Caroni Swamp/Wetlands.  Stay tuned for more fantastic adventures from Trinidad.