As I mentioned in my last post, I remember first learning about Trinidad & Tobago when I discovered some stamps from there in a collection given to me by my grandfather. Here is another one of those beautiful stamps (c. 1969). I never became much of a stamp collector, but also never imagined at the time that I’d find myself wandering exotic places all over the world searching out birds and nature!

For most people, parrots are an iconic image of the tropics … and we encountered several species during the tour. Orange-winged Parrots were both the most common and the most noisy. This was a part of a small group that hung out around Asa Wright Nature Centre, sometimes giving great views off the verandah (This photo, and the video below, was taken using my phone and Kowa scope).

While it wouldn’t be easy to choose the “most” beautiful of all the birds that we enjoyed from the verandah at Asa Wright Nature Centre, no doubt the male Violaceous Euphonia is a top contender. These brilliant birds were a regular, if not constant, visitor at the feeders and fruiting trees that surrounded us there.

And of course, it’s not just the birds but other wildlife that makes a visit to Trinidad & Tobago so much fun. Keen eyes can spot a huge diversity of life, such as this male Ameiva – perhaps the most common lizard on the islands.

A lot of life in the tropics comes out after the sun goes away, so we took several evening strolls to look for a variety of wildlife. This Ratonel (aka Moon Snake; Pseudoboa neuwiedii) was a special treat during one of our night walks along the driveway at Asa Wight Nature Centre. Snakes are not always easy to find, so we were fortunate to spot this one before it disappeared into the underbrush.

One of the scarcer, but spectacular, hummingbirds we encountered during the trip was this Long-billed Starthroat. Even though we only saw one most days, this individual was a reliable visitor to the feeders at Asa Wright Nature Centre and always a joy to watch.

Despite all the brilliant colours of the tropics, some birds really do rock the black & white palette – and White-headed Marsh Tyrant is a shining example. These beautiful birds were one of many highlights during our excursions to wet, lowland habitats on Trinidad.

Many of the birds in these grassy, marshy habitats tended to be drab – but no less lovely. This Yellow-chinned Spinetail was part of a pair that gave us uncharacteristically great views at one of our stops.

We did find a splash of colour in the same marsh, when several Yellow-hooded Blackbirds emerged from the grass to check us out. How’s that for golden locks?!?!

Coastal birding made for an interesting change after several days in the mountains and rain forest. Here my co-leader Ernesto and some of our guests check out the shorebirds and pelicans at Waterloo, on the Caribbean coast of Trinidad.

With high tide greeting our arrival, hundreds of shorebirds were gathered on a small point of land and allowed us some amazingly close looks. This flock of “peeps” (mostly Western Sandpipers, but also several others) burst into flight when a Peregrine Falcon whipped through in search of lunch.

This lone Wilson’s Plover (right) was a great find – unusual enough that it was a “lifer” for one of our very experienced local guides (Charan). Yet, it was just a stone’s throw from where I saw my own first just two years earlier! (Semipalmated Plover, to the left)

Ever get that feeling you’re being watched?? We spotted several mudskippers in the shallow waters around Waterloo. As amphibious fish, we also saw a number of them “crawling” on the beach at another nearby location – such cool critters!

This very obliging Bicolored Conebill was a nice surprise – coming in very close in a small patch of trees at the water’s edge. This was by far my best ever looks at this often skulky mangrove specialist.

Several immature Scarlet Ibis were feeding on a beach at one of our stops – the closest views we had of this incredible bird. Of course, even these close views had nothing on the spectacle we would enjoy at the end of this day (keep reading below).

This Hanuman Statue and its associated temple was a popular cultural stop during our excursion to the coast. Standing 85ft tall, this is the tallest monument to this Hindu god outside of India and beautiful place to visit. (It didn’t hurt that we saw Fork-tailed Palm Swifts flying around the statue and a Pale-breasted Spinetail around the corner!)

Our last afternoon on Trinidad was spent exploring the famous mangroves of Caroni Swamp – a highlight of each and every trip. The great birding began right in the parking lot and included several mangrove species such as this Masked Cardinal.

We also spotted this Straight-billed Woodcreeper and a Greater Ani from the roadside – although we did see one or two more of each while cruising through the mangroves on the boat.

Caroni Swamp is a huge and internationally important wetland – more than 5600 hectares of mangrove forest, marsh and beautiful estuaries. Cruising through the inner channels, under the canopy of red mangroves, is just the beginning of a surreal experience.

Several species of heron and egrets are encountered in these mangroves – including Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron (pictured), Tricoloured Heron, Night Herons, and even the amazing Boat-billed Heron (which we did find tucked away in a very sheltered spot!).

The absolute, hands-down highlight of the day (and maybe the trip?) was the spectacle of thousands of brilliant Scarlet Ibis (along with several species of herons) coming in to roost. The serenity of relaxing on a boat in the middle of a beautiful estuary with the stunning Northern Range mountains as background to this “National Geographic” moment was just icing on the cake. Guests always count this among the most amazing experiences of their birding lives, and with very good reason!

After a magical end to our time in Trinidad, we took a quick hop over to Tobago for the last three days of our tour. Our first stop at some local lagoons immediately produced several species we hadn’t seen on Trinidad – including this Least Grebe pretending to be an aquatic plant. The lagoons were also home to numerous Common Gallinules and Wattled Jacanas, among others.

Golf clubs can also be excellent places for birds, so we stopped briefly to check out the ponds at one local club. The highlight was definitely a group of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, although several Anhinga, Southern Lapwings and a Spectacled Caiman were also fun to watch.

After lunch on a local beach (beaches are a big part of culture and life in Tobago!), we spent the afternoon at Adventure Farms – a private farm and nature preserve known both for its busy feeders and its leisurely birding. The fresh mango smoothies were an added perk! This is the Tobago life.

Dozens of hummingbirds were coming and going from the feeders all afternoon. White-necked Jacobins are certainly among my personal favourites, and were a fixture both here and back at Asa Wright Nature Centre.

That being said, the showy (and usually harder-to-see) Ruby Topaz Hummingbird was a crowd pleaser, with several zipping around and showing off those amazing colours. These otherwise understated birds have to be at just the right angle to the sun for their bright iridescence to shine – and when they are, its spectacular. (But it’s also VERY hard to capture with a camera!)

A lot more than just hummingbirds visit the garden at Adventure Farms. With plenty of flowers and fruiting trees, many other birds drop in for a taste. This was the first of several Red-crowned Woodpeckers we encountered – one of several species that occur here but not on Trinidad.

Another such species is White-fringed Antwren. We found a pair of them during a stroll around the Adventure Farms property – the male showed exceptionally well for such a skulky species.

One of our group’s favourite birds to see and watch was the beautiful Rufous-tailed Jacamar – of which we found several. This one was very obliging as a small group of us strolled through the Adventure Farms property, even flying towards us and landing quite close. Relatives of Kingfishers and Bee-eaters, these birds can be a lot of fun to observe.

Our accommodations on Tobago offered very different, yet equally beautiful, views than our mountain perch back on Trinidad. Our rooms and restaurant overlooked this lovely beach, glistening ocean and beautiful islands off the northeast coast – perfect for relaxing, swimming, snorkeling and (of course) birding.

Our hotel grounds also provided some excellent birding … including several unmistakable Rufous-vented Chachalacas. Another species that occurs here but not on Trinidad, we enjoyed their antics and even their raucous calls. Here, you can also see the large & colourful Frangipani Hornworms (caterpillars of the Frangipani Sphinx Moth) that were also fun to find.

Trinidad Motmot, a species endemic to this country, does occur on both islands – but are much less shy and easier to see on Tobago. They were a regular sight around the hotel property, although we could never get bored of them!

Another fun critter to spot around the grounds was Richard’s Anole – a relatively large anole that is endemic to the Caribbean and was introduced to Tobago from the Grenadine Islands.

We found several Black-faced Grassquits during our meanders on Tobago – including this male on the “Starwood Track” above our hotel. From a North American perspective, I’ve always found that these birds give a very “junco” impression.

Our next excursion was to go birding at Gilpin Trace – a popular hiking trail in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve. Check out that lush rainforest!

The Main Ridge Forest Reseerve was first proclaimed in 1776, making it the oldest protected area in the world! Several hiking trails makes this tract of pristine, native rain forest very accessible.

One of our targets here was the Blue-backed Manakin (absent on Trinidad), like this male that showed surprisingly well in a fruiting fig tree. You can see that it was banded – likely part of ongoing research to help understand, monitor and protect this interesting species.

This vista from the “Starwood Track” (above our beachside hotel) shows the beautiful view over the water and two nearby islands – Goat Island and Little Tobago, the latter of which was our destination later that day.

A visit to Little Tobago island is always a highlight of our trip. We made the short crossing on a glass-bottomed boat, stopping to check one of the coral reefs and its abundant marine life along the way.

Seabirds were the main reason for our trip, and we weren’t disappointed. We saw dozens each of Magnificent Frigatebird (pictured), Brow Pelican, Brown and Red-footed Boobies.

The crown jewel of Little Tobago, however, is a spectacular colony of Red-billed Tropicbirds. From our perch near the top of the island, we overlooked a glistening bay and dozens of these beautiful birds soaring above, below and right in front of us. Both species of booby were also nesting there.

Several Red-billed Tropicbirds could be seen nesting on the ground just metres from our lookout, while another resourceful individual was nesting directly under the wooden platform we were standing on – just inches from our feet and apparently unfazed.

Another, often overlooked, treat on Little Tobago is a chance to spot Ocellated Gecko. These small and very cryptic geckos are considered endemic to this tiny island. We spotted two (both apparent females) on our hike back down to the boat.

And with that, the sun set on yet another amazing tour to Trinidad & Tobago. It was a wonderful adventure, with wonderful birds & wildlife and an even more wonderful group of participants. I can’t wait to return again! Who’s coming with me??

This is just one of the stamps from Trinidad & Tobago (1969) that caught my attention as young boy (not all of them had birds!). It’s amazing that this birding paradise is now a regular destination for this lucky tour leader!

For the first week of the tour, we stayed at the world-famous Asa Wright Nature Centre. The view from the verandah, looking down over a mountain valley and the distant town of Arima, becomes the backdrop to so many of our great birding experiences.

The incredible number, diversity and brilliant colours of the birds visiting the gardens and feeders all around the verandah can be overwhelming at first. Purple Honeycreepers are one of the first birds that most guests notice – and for obvious reasons!

Dozens of hummingbirds can be spotted buzzing around the many feeders and flowers – often just inches from the happy faces of birders. Copper-rumped Hummingbirds are the most abundant and while they may seem a little less flamboyant than some of the other species, they sure can look amazing in the right light.

Here, my co-leader Ernesto Carman holds a Copper-rumped Hummingbird that I “rescued” from the verandah. There are lots of fun learning opportunities in the tropics!

Bananaquits are no doubt the most common bird we see in Trinidad & Tobago. Here they are enjoying some fresh fruit provided by the AWNC staff. Many birds come to partake in these sweet offerings.

And it’s not just the birds … butterflies, Red-rumped Agoutis and menacing-looking Golden Tegu Lizards (like this one) can often be found hanging out around the feeders looking for fallen treats.

The abundance of flowering plants around the property also attract many birds – some of which avoid feeders altogether. The tiny (yet showy!) Tufted Coquette is one of the most sought-after hummingbirds in South America, and we encountered several visiting the abundant vervain flowers at Asa Wright – perhaps the best and most reliable place to see them anywhere.

Somewhat less expected, but equally stunning, was this brilliant Ruby Topaz Hummingbird we discovered just outside our cabins. This incredible species is uncommon on Trinidad at this time of year, although we do expect to see it on Tobago. This one is showing off its amazing colours on a very sunny afternoon.

The lodge and property also has great walking trails through the forest. Here you can see our wonderful group taking a  break after some fantastic birding on the Discovery Trail (and yes – we found the Bearded Bellbird!).

Bearded Bellbird is one of the most exciting birds that can be found on the AWNC trails. Considered the loudest bird in the world, their deafening “gong” calls travel for miles and can often be heard echoing up the valley. We had the great fortune of finding this one on a relatively low perch, where we learned just how loud its voice could be!

Another fun bird that can be found on the local trails is Bearded Manakin. Like other manakins, these spunky little birds have very entertaining courtship displays, and we really enjoyed watching several males making their “click” sounds (like fingers snapping) and buzzing around the local lek.

We also found several Golden-headed Manakins nearby, but they stayed in thick cover and were a challenge to photograph. Next time 😉

There are always lots of interesting plants and flowers to see, as well. One of my favourite flowers found along the trails is Psychotria poeppigiana – playfully called “hot lips”. Can you see why?

When birding in the tropics, we are always on the lookout for army ants. The frenzy of other little critters trying to escape an army ant swarm often attracts a variety of birds – so besides the already cool experience of watching these tiny gladiators at work, it can also lead to a great birding experience. I ran into two such swarms this trip – and one of them was being attended by some great birds.

One of the many tropical bird species that specialize in following ant swarms is the Great Antshrike. This male was part of a pair hanging out near the main lodge at Asa Wright Nature Centre.

Another common hummingbird at the ever-busy verandah was White-chested Emerald. Beauty in simplicity.

Even after dark, the verandah can be a great place to hang out. As the birds disappear, Long-tongued Bats show up to take the night shift at the hummingbird feeders. Check out that tongue!! It’s amazing how adept these bats are getting at the sugar-water.

Exploring after dark in the tropics can be just as exciting as daytime. One great find was this large (probably female) Trinidad Chevron Tarantula – an endemic species to the island.

Among several species of frogs seen at night was this tree frog (species TBD) – a tiny little thing no bigger than 15mm.

Lunchtime! A Harvestman is enjoying a late night snack.

The Trinidad Motmot is an endemic species, and its “whoop” calls are very recognizable when heard. These shy birds can be a challenge to spot on Trinidad itself, but are surprisingly much more cooperative on Tobago (although we encountered them in both places). Check out that tail … and the serrated bill! Motmots can and will eat just about anything from fruit to snakes.

Another common (and noisy!) visitor to the gardens at AWNC is the Crested Oropendola. These raucous birds are named for their hanging “pendulum” nests, which we spotted at several locations during the week.

The varied and bubbly calls of Tropical Mockingbirds were also a common sound during the trip – not just at Asa Wright, but pretty much everywhere.

We found eight different species of tanager throughout the trip – six of which could be spotted right from the AWNC verandah. While White-lined Tanagers were not the most colourful, they were certainly the most common and widespread.

One of the most unique experiences of the tour was our trek to the Dunstan Caves, which are home to a colony of amazing Oilbirds. The hike itself is beautiful, but the surreal birding experience that awaits is unlike any other.

Using a flashlight, we were able to spot several Oilbirds roosting just inside the cave entrance. These almost mythical birds are the only nocturnal fruit-eating birds in the world, using a combination of echolocation (just like bats!) and specially adapted eyesight to navigate in the dark. They live in caves, and produce the most guttural, haunting sounds you can imagine. What a surreal experience – and a highlight of any visit to Asa Wright Nature Centre.

Just outside the cave, we spotted numerous Trinidad Stream Frogs. This is an endemic species, and always a treat to find. It was our second sighting of the week!

Trogons are highly prized by birders, and we were fortunate to see all three species that live in Trinidad & Tobago. By far the most photogenic was this male Guianan Trogon which sat out in the open for several minutes, probably just as curious about us as were of it.

Green Honeycreepers might be overlooked amid a flock of more brightly coloured birds, but they certainly hold their own in the “classy” department. These beautiful birds were daily visitors throughout the tour.

A Ferruginous Pygmy Owl could be heard calling around the Asa Wright Nature Centre every night and early morning, but it wasn’t until one of our excursions that we saw our first one. This little owl seemed completely unfazed by the frenzy of smaller birds mobbing it – a flurry of activity that helped us find it hiding in the trees.

We also encountered stately Savannah Hawks during our excursions to lower elevations. As their name suggests, these lovely raptors are denizens of large open areas and grassy fields, often associated with agricultural operations.

Much more difficult to spot was this female Silvered Antbird. This is a very shy bird of the mangroves, and we were very fortunate to have a pair show themselves for us on Trinidad’s eastern coast at Nariva Swamp.

Just across the road, we found this other mangrove specialist – Northern Scrub Flycatcher. This section of mangrove produced a number of other great birds during our visit – Red-rumped Woodpecker, American Pygmy Kingfisher, and Black-crested Antshrike among them!

It was hard to ignore the butterflies, including this Two-banded Satyr that we found on one of our hikes along the Discovery Trail. Life abounds everywhere you look in the tropics.

One of the most spectacular butterflies we found was the large Illioneus Giant Owl – aptly named not only because of the large “false eye” it uses for disguise, but also because it emerges mostly during the dark hours between dusk and dawn.