Trinidad and Tobago Birding Tour

January 5, 2015

Bird of the Day
Bearded Bellbird



Flora/Fauna of the Day



We were wakened by the early morning call of the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl right outside our window. As promised, fresh-roasted Trinidad coffee was waiting for us on the verandah at dawn. Birding starts early at Asa Wright.



This morning a local guide gave us an orientation to the lodge and its history and then led us on a trail. He showed us an oropendola nest and a huge termite "home" in a tree. Our guide pointed out a few fairly rare birds, such as Euler's Flycatcher, Golden-headed Manakin and Forest Elaenia, as well as the common White-necked Thrush and Golden-olive Woodpecker. As we walked further down the trail, we could hear several Bearded Bellbirds up ahead making their knock sound. Our excitement was dashed, however, as it started to rain heavily. We waited it out at the Bearded Bellbird viewing site. We did get a glimpse of the bellbird, high up in a tree after the rain. Luckily the lodge had a large picture of the bellbird so we could see his beard.



At lunch we were happy to greet Eva who had joined us at last. She is an experienced birder and it is her second trip to Asa Wright - a very welcome addition to our group. Her priority was to see a male Tufted Coquette - and there one was just beside our table at lunchtime!



We had time before lunch to check out the verandah and the muster point behind the lodge. New birds included the Barred Antshrike, a Merlin and an Ochre-bellied Flycatcher.




After lunch Chris took us out for another tour. It was still very wet.



Chris was able to call in an elusive Black-faced Ant Thrush. We could hear it, but could not see it as he was scurrying under dense brush. It rained again and a nearby tree came crashing down.



A little black frog appeared and Barbara hopped on some wet rocks to see it better. Down she went! She had a large bleeding gash under her knee... luckily with Aaugun's encouraging words she was able to get to a bench. Bill took her up to the lodge to have a look at the injury. The others soon returned too - it was time for afternoon tea.

So... after Bill and Ann, the manager of Asa Wright, had checked out Barbara's wound, they decided she should go to the hospital for further analysis/treatment.

http://asawright.org/awnc-board-bios/ ANN SEALEY, ACTING CENTRE MANAGER Ann has been acting as Lodge Manager of the Asa Wright Nature Centre after retiring in January 2012. Never held a degree in anything but was fortunate to be employed with the Nature Centre for 33 years and managed to hold her own in every department. Ann is very passionate about the Nature Centre and has a great love for the Flora and Fauna. She is also self taught in identifying the birds and other wildlife. Protecting the environment is the utmost concern to her and is of the view that so much can be learned through education.

Ann and Bill accompanied Barbara to the hospital in Arima, the closest town (population 35,000). It was a 45 minute drive.

The North Central Regional Health Authority, General Practice Clinic, Arima Health Facility is a public hospital, free to all. Luckily Ann stayed with us through the initial assessment, x-ray and stitches (6!). The doctor prescribed an antibiotic and a pain killer. Our patient driver was waiting for us and took us to a nearby pharmacy where Bill got the drugs. We were back at Asa Wright in time to join our group for dinner.



Barbara would continue her RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) therapy for the rest of the trip.

Bird List for Today:

VULTURES
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
HAWKS & KITES
Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
FALCONS
Merlin Falco columbarius
PIGEONS & DOVES
Blue Ground Dove Claravis pretiosa HEARD ONLY
PARROTS
Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus
Orange-winged Parrot Amazona amazonica
OWLS
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum HEARD ONLY
NIGHTJARS
Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis
HUMMINGBIRDS
Rufous-breasted Hermit Glaucis hirsutus
Green Hermit Phaethornis guy
White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
Black-throated Mango Anthracothorax nigricollis LIFER #19
Tufted Coquette Lophornis ornatus
Blue-chinned Sapphire Chlorestes notata
White-chested Emerald Amazilia brevirostris
Copper-rumped Hummingbird Amazilia tobaci
Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris
TROGONS
Guianan Trogon Trogon violaceus
MOTMOT
Trinidad Motmot Momotus bahamensis HEARD ONLY
TOUCAN
Channel-billed Toucan Ramphastos vitellinus
WOODPECKERS
Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus
ANTBIRDS
Great Antshrike Taraba major
Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus
Black-faced Antthrush Formicarius analis HEARD ONLY
ELAENIAS
Forest Elaenia Myiopagis gaimardii LIFER #20
FLYCATCHERS
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus LIFER #21
Euler's Flycatcher Lathrotriccus euleri LIFER #22
Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
BELLBIRDS
Bearded Bellbird Procnias averano
MANAKINS
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus
Golden-headed Manakin Dixiphia erythrocephala LIFER #23
WRENS
Rufous-breasted Wren Pheugopedius rutilus HEARD ONLY
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
MOCKINGBIRD
Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus
THRUSHES
Cocoa Thrush Turdus fumigatus
Spectacled Thrush Turdus nudigenis
White-necked Thrush Turdus albicollis
EUPHONIAS
Violaceous Euphonia Euphonia violacea
BLACKBIRDS
Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus
Yellow Oriole Icterus nigrogularis
BANANAQUIT & CARDINAL
Bananaquit Coereba flaveola
TANAGERS & HONEYCREEPERS
White-lined Tanager Tachyphonus rufus
Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo
Blue-grey Tanager Thraupis episcopus
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum
Turquoise Tanager Tangara mexicana
Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola
Purple Honeycreeper Cyanerpes caeruleus
Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza

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