Trinidad and Tobago birding trip report - July 2004 - Blake Maybank's Birding the Americas Trip Reports Repository

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TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

8-22 July 2004

by George Livingston

This was a family trip with my parents and brother. We rented a car on both islands and drove to each establishment we stayed in. The birding I undertook was almost exclusively in either rainforest or secondary growth, except for several brief visits to Nariva Swamp and Bucco Marsh. Aside from driving on T&T’s roads, the trip was enjoyable and I would recommend a visit during this period of the year.

Weather:

Rain came in short <30 min bursts most days that were never a hindrance to birding. Humidity and heat were nearly unbearable if without shade for any significant period at midday. Morning and evening were pleasant.

Guides:

Birded for several hours one afternoon with Nicholas from the sea turtle monitoring facility in Grand Riviere. If you are looking for Trinidad Piping-guan, he can help you locate a reliable location or contact me. However, I am a bit concerned about possible disturbance at this site. Otherwise, I was own my own.

Safety:

Except for a general attempt by many locals in the more urban areas to force some service upon you, we didn’t encounter any problems whatsoever.

Health:

Mosquitoes were a problem only at dawn and dusk in most areas. If you find yourself sweating much at all, DEET lasts only about and hour and a half. Wearing pants and reapplying DEET on your arms and hat often will minimize bits. Chiggers were not encountered.

Gear:

Boots and an umbrella is all you need. A rain poncho is unbearable. I also brought a spotting scope which was useful on several occasions.

Suggestions:

-Do stay at one of the Paria Springs Eco. Comm. Houses in Brasso Seco.

-Do stay at Mt. Plaisir Est. in Grand Riviere.

-Do stay at Cuffie River Nature Retreat.

-Don’t stay at Bel Air International.

-Don’t use Econo rentals.

Books taken:

Insight Guide to T&T -- Don’t use, Rough Guide far better.

A Birder’s Guide to T&T -- Old edition (1995), is now updated, still was very useful.

A Guide to the Birds of T&T -- Plates useful in field for most species and text is good, for more difficult ID’s consult Hilty.

Birds of Venezuela -- Excellent, though large, it was a great supplement to the above.

A Neotropical Companion -- Great resource on tropical ecology and other topics.

Trip List Legend Codes:

GR: Grand Riviere

BS: Brasso Seco or the road leading to it

B: Blanchisseuse Road, mostly the higher portion, and adjacent side roads and trails

N: Nariva Swamp

PA: Piarco Airport

ASA: Asa Wright

CU: Cuffie River Nature Retreat and vicinity

BM: Bucco Marsh

Bird list with locations and abundance (excluding some of the more common species):

1. Little Tinamou--2, GR (heard only)

2. Least Grebe--1, BM

3. Brown Pelican

4. Magnificent Frigatebird

5. Little Blue Heron--1, Arnos Vale

6. Green Heron--2, BM

7. Striated Heron--1, N

8. Cattle Egret

9. Black bellied-whistling Duck--5, BM

10. Black Vulture

11. Turkey Vulture

12. Pearl Kite--1, N

13. A. Swallow-tailed Kite--1, B

14. Gray-headed Kite--1, BS

15. Plumbeous Kite--2, B, 2, N

16. Zone-tailed Hawk--1, B

17. Gray Hawk--1, ASA

18. White Hawk--1, BS

19. Savanna Hawk--1, N

20. Common Black-hawk--1, BS, 1, N

21. Yellow-headed Caracara--1, N

ÃwŒë ace="Times New Roman" size=3>22. Rufous-vented Chachalaca

23. Trinidad Piping-guan--5, GR (heard only as they came in to roost 45 min after sunset)

24. Common Moorhen--4, BM

25 Wattled Jacana--2, N, 2, BM

26. Southern Lapwing--3, PA, 2, GR

27. Laughing Gull--2, GR, 10, Tobago

28. Royal Tern--1, Arnos Vale

29. Rock Pigeon

30. Scaled Pigeon--3, BS, 1, GR

31. Pale-vented Pigeon--2, CU

32. Eared Dove--1, CU

33. Ruddy-ground Dove--8, BS

34 White-tipped Dove--1, B, 20+, CU

35. Gray-fronted Dove--4, BS

36. Green-rumped Parrotlet--6, N, 4, CU

37. Lilac-tailed Parrotlet--30, BS

38. Blue-headed Parrot--3, B (heard only)

39. Orange-winged Parrot

40. Squirrel Cuckoo--1, N, 1, GR

41. Greater Ani--2, B

42. Smooth-billed Ani--1, BS, 1, CU

43. Spectacled Owl--1, B

44. Common Potoo--1, CU (heard only)

45. White-tailed Nightjar--3, CU, 1, BM

46. White-collared Swift--3, GR

47. Chestnut-collared Swift--4, GR

48. Gray-rumped Swift--10, BS

49. Band-rumped Swift--15, BS

50. Short-tailed Swift--15, GR

51. Rufous-breasted Hermit

52. Green Hermit--3, BS, 1, ASA

53. Little Hermit--1, BS, 1, ASA

54. White-necked Jacobin--10, ASA, 6, CU

55. Green-throated Mango--2, N

56. Black-throated Mango--1, BS

57. Ruby-topaz Hummingbird--3, CU

58. Blue-chinned Sapphire--1, ASA

59. White-chested Emerald--1, ASA, 1, GR

60. Copper-rumped Hummingbird

61. White-tailed Trogon--1, BS, 1, ASA, 1, GR

62. Collared Trongon--2, B, 1, CU

63. Violaceous Trogon--1, ASA, 1, GR

64. Ringed Kingfisher--1, N (female, N. end of swamp)

65. Green Kingfisher--1, N, 1, GR

66. Blue-crowned Motmot--1, B, 8, CU

67. Rufous-tailed Jacamar--1, GR, 15, CU

68. Channel-billed Toucan--2, BS, 2, GR

69. Golden-olive Woodpecker--3, BS

70. Lineated Woodpecker--2, GR

71. Red-crowned Woodpecker--2, BM, 2, CU

72. Red-rumped Woodpecker--1, BS

73. Plain-brown Woodcreeper--1, BS

74. Buff-throated Woodcreeper--1, CU

75. Stripe-breasted Spinetail--1, B

76. Streaked Xenops--1, ASA, 1, BS

77. Gray-throated Leaftosser--1, CU

78. Great Antshrike--1, BS, 2, GR

79. Barred Antshrike

80. Black-crested Antshrike--2, N

81. Plain Antvireo--1, CU

82. White-flanked Antwren--1, B, 1, GR

83. White-fringed Antwren--3, CU

84. Silvered Antbird--1, N

85. White-bellied Antbird--1, GR (heard only)

86. Black-faced Antthrush--2, B (heard only)

87. Bearded Bellbird--2, ASA, 2, BS

88. Golden-headed Manakin--3, BS, 1, GR

89. White-bearded Manakin--8, ASA

90. Blue-backed Manakin--11, CU

91. Tropical Kingbird

92. Gray Kingbird--2, CU

93. Boat-billed Flycatcher--1, ASA, 4, BS

94. Streaked Flycatcher--6, CU

95. Great Kiskadee

96. Brown-crested Flycatcher--3, CU

97. Venezuelan Flycatcher--3, CU

98. Tropical Pewee--10, BS

99. Fuscous Flycatcher--1, CU

100. White-throated Spadebill--1, CU

101. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher--1, GR

102. Yellow-bellied Elaenia--2, BS

103. Southern Beardless-tyrannulet--1, GR

104. Slaty-capped Flycatcher--1, B, 2, GR

105. Ochre-bellied Flycatcher--3, GR, 4, CU

106. Black-tailed Tityra--1, ASA, 2, GR

107. White-winged Swallow--6, GR

108. Caribbean Martin--3, CU

109. Gray-breasted Martin--2, GR

110. Southern Rough-winged Swallow--5, B

111. Rufous-breasted Wren

112. House Wren

113. Tropical Mockingbird

114. Long-billed Gnatwren--1, ASA, 1, GR

115. Cocoa Thrush--3, BS, 1, ASA, 3, CU

116. Bare-eyed Thrush

117. White-necked Thrush--1, ASA, 3, CU

118. Rufous-browed Peppershrike

119. Red-eyed (Chivi) Vireo

120. Golden-fronted Greenlet

121. Scrub Greenlet

122. Shiny Cowbird--1, ASA, 2, CU

123. Crested Oropendola--2, ASA, 40, BS, 10, GR

124. Carib Grackle--1, BS

125. Yellow Oriole--1, BS

126. Golden-crowned Warbler--1, BS

127. Bananaquit

128. Purple Honeycreeper--5, BS, 6, ASA,

129. Red-legged Honeycreeper--2, ASA

130. Green Honeycreeper--8, ASA, 10, BS, B

131. Blue Dacnis--1, GR

132. Trinidad Euphonia--2, GR (heard only)

133. Violaceous Euphonia

134. Speckled Tanager--2, B

135. Turquoise Tanager--4, BS, 2, GR

136. Bay-headed Tanager--20, BS, B, ASA

137. Blue-gray Tanager

138. Palm Tanager

139. Silver-beaked Tanager

140. White-lined Tanager--1, BS, 2, B, 1, GR

141. White-shouldered Tanager--20, BS, B, GR

142. Grayish Saltator--1, BS

143. Blue-black Grassquit

144. Black-faced Grassquit

Possible Sightings:

Red-billed Tropicbird-Several distant birds of the coast from Grand Riviere

Behavior:

A Stripe-breasted Spinetail was observed building a nest in the midstory level along Blanchissuese Road. Many juveniles were sighted and flocks of family groups were a common sight, as were larger mixed species feeding flocks with juveniles present. Nectar feeders rarely flocked, except when the odd tree was in flower (as some were).

Other Wildlife:

Red-howler Monkey--GR

Manatee--N

Agouti--ASA

House Gecko

Unk. yellow striped/black snake

Unk. brown racer sp.

Leatherback Turtle--GR (Nesting at night)

Tiger Lizard

Bat sp.

Army Ants, Leafcutter Ants

Terrestrial Land Crab Sp.

If you have any questions feel free to email me at georgelivingston11@msn.com

George Livingston
Bellevue ID
USA