Well, we're just back from a short birding trip to Trinidad. What a wonderful place! Now getting there from here (Venezuela) and getting back each took a full day, but we had a great, full, three days birding. We stayed at Asa Wright (bit pricey, but well worth it). While my wife felt it was "cheating" as we ticked a few species right off the veranda at the feeders, you couldn't help but appreciate the great close up views. We birded their property for two days (their on site guides were excellent) and then spent one day with a guide (another excellent guide, Mahase Ramlal) on Blanchisseuse Road. Our total trip list was 83 species with 30 being lifers(*). Best of all, I finally got to see an Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
Trinidad has a lot of the same species we have in Venezuela but they are definitely easier to see in Trinidad. I'll attach several photos I managed to show what I mean.
Everyone we met (and even those that passed us on the road) were very friendly. While they say crime is getting to be a problem in Trinidad, it wasn't obvious in the Northern Range where we were. I'm sure as you get closer to the cities it is a real concern.
I think to bird the entire Island and its sister Isle of Tobago, a 9 day vacation would be in order. I'm already looking forward to my next trip there!
Following is our trip list and then a few photos:
Magnificent Frigatebird
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Gray-headed Kite *
Double-toothed Kite *
White Hawk
Common Black-Hawk
Gray Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
Ornate Hawk-Eagle *
Ruddy Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Blue-headed Parrot *
Orange-winged Parrot
Squirrel Cuckoo
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Oilbird
Common Potoo (photo)
Gray-rumped Swift *
Rufous-breasted Hermit *
Green Hermit *
White-necked Jacobin *
Black-throated Mango *
Tufted Coquette *
Blue-chinned Sapphire *
White-chested Emerald *
Copper-rumped Hummingbird
Long-billed Starthroat
White-tailed Trogon *
Collared Trogon
Blue-crowned Motmot
Channel-billed Toucan *
Red-rumped Woodpecker *
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Chestnut Woodpecker *
Plain-brown Woodcreeper *
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Great Antshrike *
Barred Antshrike
White-flanked Antwren *
White-bellied Antbird *
Black-faced Antthrush
Bearded Bellbird * (photo)
White-bearded Manakin *
Golden-headed Manakin *
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher *
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Tropical Pewee
Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher *
Tropical Kingbird
Black-tailed Tityra
Gray-breasted Martin
Rufous-breasted Wren
House Wren
Tropical Mockingbird
Cocoa Thrush
Bare-eyed Thrush
White-necked Thrush *
Long-billed Gnatwren
Golden-fronted Greenlet *
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Tropical Parula
American Redstart
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-crowned Warbler
Bananaquit
White-shouldered Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Violaceous Euphonia *
Turquoise Tanager *
Bay-headed Tanager
Blue Dacnis
Green Honeycreeper (photos, male and female)
Purple Honeycreeper *
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Shiny Cowbird
Crested Oropendola
Interesting report,Dave,and informative as usual. Good list too; often felt Trinidad was underrated as a birding venue.
Asa Wright = Greatest porch in the new World
Are Oilbirds still being seen on the property for a fee?