An iconic seabird, this Red-billed Tropicbird was one of many that we enjoyed during our visit to Tobago. Seeing hundreds of them was one of the major highlights for our entire group!

One of our first stops on Tobago was at a series of settling ponds at a local golf course, where we enjoyed a variety of waders and waterfowl – including our best looks at several Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

A number of Southern Lapwings were also present, taking advantage of the abundant short grass they like so much.

We also visited a private farm with an beautiful feeder set-up (and the best mango smoothies you can imagine!). Among the many hummingbirds were several classy-looking White-necked Jacobins.

However, the clear highlight (and our main target) was the brilliant Ruby Topaz. I found it impossible to get a photo that truly captured the amazing colours of this bird, but this one comes the closest. The throat absolutely glowed when it caught the sunlight!

The feeders and offering of fresh fruit attracted a variety of visitors – including a pair of Barred Antshrikes. Here, the male enjoys some easy-picking banana.

Personally, I found female Barred Antshrikes to be just as (if not more) attractive than the males. This one seemed to be checking me out, although I doubt I came across as quite so interesting!

Another interesting hummingbird that we had not seen on Trinidad was the Black-throated Mango.

A Blue-gray Tanager also dropped in for a visit … always a crowd pleaser.

Equally intriguing were several very large caterpillars we encountered on the property. One even made its way on the bus by catching a ride on a participant’s shirt! It appears to be a
Frangipani Hawk Moth (Pseudosphinx tetrio) Caterpillar.

Our “base of operations” on Tobago was a small beach resort at the island’s northeast corner. Here, a child plays on the beach in the nearby village of Speyside.

Our motel property offered plenty of great birding. This Tropical Mockingbird was sitting across from our room door almost every time I went outside.

Though a tad noisy at times, it was still neat to see Rufous-vented Chachalacas roaming around the area. Plus, it’s just plain fun to say “chachalaca”!

House Wrens were fairly common in both Trinidad & Tobago, but this tropical race often comes across as quite different from the North American race that many of us are familiar with.

Richard’s Anole were easy to spot around the property. Males like this one were fairly large …

… however the slightly smaller females were arguably nicer looking.

We also enjoyed some really great looks at a Brown-crested Flycatcher on the property. An absolutely great bird to watch!

Red-crowned Woodpecker is fairly widespread on Tobago, but absent in larger Trinidad. We were fortunate to see several during our visit.

One of the biggest highlights of the tour was a visit to the island of Little Tobago (seen here from a hilltop at Speyside). Tons of great birding awaited us after a short boat ride and somewhat adventurous landing!

Co-leader Jody Allair and one of our participants check out an Audubon’s Shearwater, cozy in it burrow. We were very fortunate since they are just arriving back to their breeding sites at this time of year, and this was the first report of the season!

Another great treat was this Trinidad Motomot. This beautiful species is endemic to Trinidad & Tobago, and can be quite secretive as they sit quietly in the shady rainforest. It was a major target for the tour, and this time everyone got a good look.

Another endemic and very special critter is the Ocellated Gecko. In fact, it is thought that this species occurs ONLY on the tiny island of Little Tobago! What a great looking (though small) lizard.

However, the obvious highlight (and our main reason for visiting Little Tobago) was the incredible seabird colony. While seeing hundreds of Red-billed Tropicbirds like this one was amazing, the colony also included both Red-footed and Brown Boobies.

Nearby islands are also home to large colonies of Magnificent Frigatebird, and they could always be found patrolling around Little Tobago looking for a meal to steal!

Co-leader Jody Allair looks back at the village of Speyside and our lodgings from an overlook on Little Tobago.

Back at our motel, a short hike up a nearby trail produced lots of great birds. Among the new ones was a pair of Black-faced Grassquits (male pictured here).

More secretive, though a little more flashy when seen, were several White-flanked Antwrens that we encountered during our walks. This one was unusually cooperative, though still difficult to see in the open for more than a few seconds.

One of my favourite encounters was with this beautiful Tropical Ratsnake (Spilotes pullatus). It easily measured in at over four feet long (and possibly more) … a stunning animal.

It was awesome to watch this snake actively hunting, expertly maneuvering through the tangled branches with ease and surprising speed. No wonder it can sneak up on prey!

At the other end of the spectrum was this very small Shiny Lizard (Gymnophthalmus underwoodi). It seems this species is rarely spotted on Tobago, which is not surprising considering how tiny it was … no more than a few inches long and no bigger than an earthworm. We were very lucky to see it scamper across the trail and try to hide behind some small rocks. At one point, it even took shelter under my shoe!

Yet another species found on Tobago, but not Trinidad, is the rather plain-looking Scrub Greenlet. It is part of the vireo family.

One hot afternoon when the birding was slow, Jody and I made the short trek to Speyside. Along the way we saw the remnant of several old mills that spoke to some of the area’s economic and cultural past.

Our last big outing of the tour was to go birding in the lush rainforests of Tobago’s Main Ridge. These high elevation forests represent the world’s oldest legally protected forest reserves, established for conservation in 1776! We encountered an incredible variety of birds here (most of which were impossible to photograph in the tall, thick and shady surroundings!). Blue-backed Mannikins, Yellow-legged Thrush, White-tailed Sabrewing, and even the very rare (and unexpected) White-throated Spadebill!

This was one amazing tour, shared with an equally amazing group of people. All said, we encountered a tour-record 223 species of birds, an incredible variety of other critters, wonderful people, and tons of stunning scenery. I’m looking forward to an opportunity to go back again soon!

Long-billed Starthroat was one of the more uncommon hummingbirds on the island, although several could be found frequenting the feeders at Asa Wright Nature Centre.

Crested Oropendola was one of the most abundant and conspicuous birds around the estate, and their raucous calls and behaviour became the backdrop for lots of amazing birding!

Despite being abundant throughout the property, and lots of other places we visited, it was impossible to overlook the beautiful Purple Honeycreeper. Centre staff said they were in larger than normal numbers this year.

Not all the birds we enjoyed were as gaudy, easy to find or possible to photograph. Gray-throated Leaftosser is very dull, skulky and secretive – and not always seen on tours. Not only were we able to get the entire group on one such bird, but several of us had multiple encounters and Jody & I even found a nest!

And neither was the brilliance restricted to the birds. We enjoyed many beautiful butterflies, not the least of which was this amazing Blue Transparent (Ithomeia pellucida).

Less endearing to some, this endemic Trinidad Chevron Tarantula (Psalmopoeus cambridgei) was making itself at home in the centre’s main house. We saw it every day, although I never quite got used to the idea that it could be anywhere.

Another view of the Long-billed Starthroat. The hummingbird feeders and their many patrons never got boring!

Though less colourful overall, I always enjoyed seeing a Spectacled Thrush and its permanently “surprised” look!

Going out after dark also produced some very interesting creatures, including the Trinidad Mountain Crab (Pseudotelphusa garmani). For a boy that grew up beside the ocean, there was just something strange about seeing crabs away from water and well up in the mountains!

Another nocturnal creature I enjoyed seeing was the Tailless Whip Scorpion. These are harmless, of course, and not even a real scorpion – but a tad creepy just the same!

Birding in the rainforests and higher elevations of the Northern Range was definitely a highlight. We got to see some amazing vistas and lots of great birds along the winding mountain roads.

We regularly saw Common Black Hawks soaring overhead or down in the valley, but seeing them perched gave them an even more majestic look. Surveying his kingdom!

An unfortunate case of “Stellar bird, crappy photo”! This male Guianan Trogon obliged us by sitting right out in the open – amazing looks, but hard light for photography. Ah well …

Palm Tanagers were abundant and easily overlooked … but this bright male was quite entertaining after taking a bath.

The lush rainforests of the Northern Range were full of life, though it was often hard to spot. Birding here was a tangled mess of fun and frustration – but mostly fun. We scored a lot of great birds!

One of my favourite trees that we encountered (though luckily never fell against!) is the Sandbox Tree. It is covered in thick, very sharp spikes, contains poisonous sap, and produces a fruit that actually “explodes” when ripe to disperse its seed! Trees can be cool.

We found this well-camouflaged Streaked Flycatcher while birding along the Blanchisseuse road. Amazingly, everyone got great looks!

Another striking butterfly, the White Lycid (Arawacus aetolus) has very different patterning above (white) and below (beautifully and colourfully striped).

While all of our excursions were exciting, there is always something special about night birding. We visited an agricultural centre one evening to look for nocturnal species and were not disappointed. The first birds we found were a pair of Tropical Screech Owls – one of which sat obligingly for a few minutes before heading off to hunt. We also spotted a Barn Owl nearby.

We also found a number of Common Pauraque (above), White-tailed Nightjars and one Common Potoo hunting and sitting on various perches.

A daytime visit to the same area produced a good variety of grassland and wetland species, including the very classy-looking Southern Lapwing.

We found a pair of Pied Water-Tyrants in the wet, muddy fields of the agricultural centre. The male looked quite dapper, I thought!

Cattle Egrets were abundant in the wet open fields of Nariva Swamp. What do you think that one egret is looking at?

We also encountered a few Spectacled Caiman, including this fella chilling out near the road in Nariva. The name comes from a bony ridge between the eyes, which can give a spectacled appearance.

While Pinnated Bittern was one of our prime targets in the Nariva Swamp, finding one can be a real challenge. We were fortunate to spy this one sticking its head up out of the tall grass.

Equally exciting, though much less expected, was this Rufous Crab-Hawk sitting in the open. What a beautiful bird, and very uncommon to see!

Another beautiful raptor of the lowlands, and much more common, is the Yellow-headed Caracara. We spotted this one having lunch on an ocean breakwater.

We were lucky to have great looks at several Great Antshrikes during our time on Trinidad, including a pair that could often be found near the parking area at Asa Wright.

Woodpeckers run the gamut from drab & boring to bold & colourful. This Golden-Olive Woodpecker is definitely among the latter – what a looker!

A visit to the west coast of Trinidad gave us an opportunity not only to find some great birds, but also check out some cultural and scenic sites. The “Temple in the Sea” at Waterloo is a beautiful spot, and a real monument to both human spirit and the country’s rich Hindu culture.

The coastal scenery was also dotted with birds – many of which we wouldn’t see elsewhere. Here, a Brown Pelican sits on a local fishing boat moored in the bay.

We also enjoyed watching a flock of Black Skimmers working cooperatively to find and catch food. Notice the outskirts of Port-of-Spain (Trinidad’s capital city) in the background.

We also took time to visit the nearby Dattareya temple, which is home to this 85ft Hanuman murti (statue) – the largest outside of India.

A late afternoon boat tour into Caroni Swamp proved to be both fun and birdy. Among highlights were our only Green-throated Mango, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, and Masked Cardinals. We also spotted this large Tree Boa (Corallus ruschenbergerii) taking a nap in the mangroves.

The climax of this boat trip, and a major highlight of the entire tour, was seeing hundreds of Scarlet Ibis (and many other herons/egrets) flying into roost on a single island before dusk. What an amazing, colourful spectacle!

What a great way to end the Trinidad portion of our tour! Stay tuned for the next installment and our visit to Tobago!