10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2023

In southern Trinidad, however, there is much more at play than what is immediately discernible. Birding in a place where animals are assiduously cared for and not harassed in any form or fashion means that the encounters themselves are essentially guaranteed to be memorable – and not of fleeing bird behinds!

Trinidad 255

Trinidad Birds Ducks Fish 255

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2021

I would love to spend a night at this lake to experience the magic of twilight here – but there are many other animals which frequent this area that can materialize at any moment. The first post I ever prepared for this blog centred around a search for a vagrant Curlew Sandpiper here in my native Trinidad.

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Buffalo Kenya Trinidad 2019 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

During a two-year long moratorium on hunting in T&T, I had some of the most incredible birding experiences. It had been some months since we had been in the hills of Trinidad’s Northern Range, and let it be known that all forests are very different. We heard some animal trundling through the bushes but got no visual.

Trinidad 254

Trinidad Hunting Venezuela Woodpeckers 254

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2022

Animals obviously see death and experience it as we do, so the question is not one of if, but of how. Did the Black-bellied Whistling Duck represent his family, “showing face” as we say here in the Caribbean? Or was it all dumb luck, the randomness of nature at play, pure coincidence?

Elephants 260

Elephants Ducks Humane Family 260

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2020

Interestingly enough, a similar situation with the same animal would unfold many years later – with a crushingly similar outcome for me. Seven hours in total, reaching halfway up the second highest peak on Trinidad, El Tucuche. Trinidad Lancehead , or Fer-de-lance. Never saw it. Third time’s the charm, they say.

Trinidad 166

Trinidad Livestock 2015 Groups 166