Trinidad and Tobago Birding Tour

January 10, 2015

Bird of the Day
Trinidad Motmot



Flora/Fauna of the Day



What Bill did today:

• enjoyed seeing Rufous-vented Chachalacas and Ruddy Turnstones socializing together on the path by our rooms



• explored the mountains of Tobago, stopping to check out a pair of Gray Kingbirds, and a Shiny Cowbird in the same tree as as Tropical Kingbird. At a second stop, we found a Rufous-tailed Jacamar and a rare White-tailed Saberwing.



• visited the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Gilpin Trace



• hiked in rented rainboots from a local entrepreneur (Gladwyn was right, the trail was extremely muddy - and it did not improve when the heavy rains hit part way along)



We had already seen a White-tailed Saberwing, a stunning hummingbird thought to be lost, but rediscovered here after Hurricane Flora altered much of the island’s forest habitats in 1963. Then we saw another one! We also added some good and rare birds to our list - Trinidad Motmot, Blue-backed Manakin, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Yellow-legged Thrush and White-throated Spadebill. It began to pour rain, but we hunkered down and waited it out, while another group in running shoes hurried back.



We made our way down a steep trail to a lovley little waterfall where a White-tailed Saberwing had a nest.



On the return hike, we saw a colourful crab and a couple more motmots. Gladwyn promised a show from his "tame" motmots at lunch.

• had a picnic lunch in a covered shelter where Gladwyn got the Trinidad Motmots to come out of the forest and take some banana pieces from us

• stopped to photograph a Collared Trogon and a Rufous-tailed Jacamar on the way back to the hotel



• stopped at a lookout as we entered Speyside; a vendor was selling souvenirs, which were popular with our group. A Broad-winged Hawk soared overhead

What Barbara did today:

• woke to the calls of Bananaquits in trees and at feeders outside our room



• walked (slowly) to the dock



• explored the grounds of the Blue Waters Inn



• observed Ruddy Turnstones racing the waves



• saw soaring Magnificent Frigatebirds



• watched Pelicans fishing



• had a delicious vegetable quesadilla for lunch by the beach, and rested...



When the trippers returned late afternoon, they decided to jump in the waves - most had also enjoyed a swim in the salt water pool last night.



Barbara discovered that a Carib beer box was the perfect height for supporting her leg (even though she couldn't drink, she could enjoy the box). Once again our day ended with dinner and listing.

Birds seen today:

GUANS & CHACHALACAS
Rufous-vented Chachalaca Ortalis ruficauda
HERONS
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Great Egret Ardea alba
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Green Heron Butorides virescens
PELICAN
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
FRIGATEBIRD
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
SHOREBIRDS
Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
PIGEONS & DOVES
Rock Dove (i) Columba livia feral
Pale-vented Pigeon Patagioenas cayennensis
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi
PARROTS
Orange-winged Parrot Amazona amazonica
CUCKOOS
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani
HUMMINGBIRDS
White-tailed Sabrewing Campylopterus ensipennis LIFER #62
White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
Black-throated Mango Anthracothorax nigricollis
Copper-rumped Hummingbird Amazilia tobaci
TROGONS
Collared Trogon Trogon collaris
KINGFISHERS
Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
MOTMOT
Trinidad Motmot Momotus bahamensis
JACAMAR
Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda
WOODPECKERS
Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus HEARD ONLY
SPINETAILS & WOODCREEPERS
Stripe-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis cinnamomea
Pale-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis albescens
Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus LIFER #63
Cocoa Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus susurrans LIFER #64
ANTBIRDS
Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus
Plain Antvireo Dysithamnus mentalis
FLYCATCHERS
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus
Bran-coloured Flycatcher Myiophobus fasciatus LIFER #65
White-throated Spadebill Platyrinchus mystaceus LIFER #66
Fuscous Flycatcher Cnemotriccus fuscatus LIFER #67
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
Grey Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis
Venezuelan Flycatcher Myiarchus venezuelensis LIFER #68
MANAKINS
Blue-backed Manakin Chiroxiphia pareola LIFER #69
GREENLETS
Scrub Greenlet Hylophilus flavipes LIFER #70
MOCKINGBIRD
Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus
THRUSHES
Yellow-legged Thrush Turdus flavipes LIFER #71
Spectacled Thrush Turdus nudigenis
White-necked Thrush Turdus albicollis
EUPHONIAS
Violaceous Euphonia Euphonia violacea
WOOD WARBLERS
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
BLACKBIRDS
Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus
Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus
Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis LIFER #72
BANANAQUIT & CARDINAL
Bananaquit Coereba flaveola
TANAGERS & HONEYCREEPERS
White-lined Tanager Tachyphonus rufus
Blue-grey Tanager Thraupis episcopus
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum
Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus

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