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Birding in a Refinery

10,000 Birds

In southern Trinidad, however, there is much more at play than what is immediately discernible. Due to the plethora of bird species around, invariably we were to experience something breathtaking. While enjoying the family of Wattled Jacanas , a female Green Kingfisher flew in to an overhanging branch and sat there for several minutes.

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The Birds of Trinidad and Tobago: Two Guides, One Book Review

10,000 Birds

There were three profound questions my birding group discussed while we birded Trinidad and Tobago, back in December 2012: (1) How many Bananaquits could fit on a banana? (2) 3) What was the best guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago? It is organized taxonomically, with families identified by first scientific and then popular name.

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A Brief Return to Trinidad

10,000 Birds

Having spent all my life in Trinidad, it was the first time I would be stationed away from the island of my birth. Last month I took the boat back to Trinidad as I was booked to guide a trip there for a week and a half. Trinidad Piping-Guan. What would it be like? So this is a strange, and very niche version of a trip report!

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Soda Lake Shorbs

10,000 Birds

Shorebirds – or “shorbs” for the cuteness factor (as if that needed any enhancement) – remain one of the most fascinating families of birds for me. 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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Isolation, a.k.a. Business as Usual

10,000 Birds

Many moons ago, when I used to work in the (supposedly) booming petrochemical industry in Trinidad, most of my time was actually spent birding. These irruptive visitors to T&T always are a pleasure to experience. Golden-crowned Warbler is one of the three resident warbler species on Trinidad. Bay-headed Tanagers.

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The Fallen Yellowlegs

10,000 Birds

Did the Black-bellied Whistling Duck represent his family, “showing face” as we say here in the Caribbean? Animals obviously see death and experience it as we do, so the question is not one of if, but of how. Paying respects? Was it some sort of funeral?

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Birds of Belize & Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide Review Doubleheader

10,000 Birds

Steve Howell has spent decades of experience in the field studying the birds of Belize, Costa Rica, and especially Mexico. Checklist for Belize lists 622 species in 76 families, of which 104 are rare or accidental and four introduced. This is particularly helpful for bird families that might be new to birders.