10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2021

Life behind a screen for this birding guide involves delving into the extensive list of birds of Trinidad & Tobago , answering questions about the birds and possible itineraries and so on. In T&T – or more specifically on Trinidad only as none of these can be found on Tobago – there are three species of resident warblers.

Trinidad 263

Trinidad Litter 2020 Groups 263

10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2021

Trinidad’s cloud forests typically aren’t birded much. These magical forests hide isolated treasures like the critically endangered Golden Tree Frog – not to mention several species of birds not found anywhere else in the country. Not for long though, as the walking began shortly thereafter.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Groups Parrots Species 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2023

The southern forests of the island of Trinidad are home to the much-maligned Moruga Grasshopper. International organisations have provided “assistance” to the government of Trinidad & Tobago over the years to placate residents and aggrieved farmers. But little has been said about its ecological function.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Squirrels Investigation Bears 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2023

This time, we are back in Trinidad and have relocated to a picturesque lodge in the very heart of the island. One step away from swifts are hummingbirds, and at least 13 species of these winged jewels flutter about from sunrise to sunset. Interesting. Yes, Red-bellied Macaws not only mate on the property, but nest here too!

Trinidad 239

Trinidad Barn Owls Owls Reptiles 239

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2022

I’ve been leading a small but faithful group on Trinidad for several years to count birds within a livestock farm that is generally restricted to the public (you can read about some of those shenanigans here ); this was the first time I was to embark on a CBC on the smaller island of Tobago. Anyway, I digress. Mangrove Cuckoo.

Falcons 251

Falcons Trinidad Ducks Groups 251

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2023

I began recording my bird sightings with photographs in late 2009, and since then I have seen (or at least heard) a fair proportion of species recorded within my home country of Trinidad & Tobago. Of course, a major factor in this decision rests in its status as a resident species. Well, let me explain.

Birds 264

Birds Trinidad 2020 2012 264

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2022

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. The disparity in species could be stark, for example if one were to bird on different sides of the planet.

Trinidad 266

Trinidad Turkey Squirrels Species 266

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2015

These and several other species might end up being armchair ticks if and when we take a closer look at their evolutionary history. This bunch of possible Costa Rican crypto birds can be grouped into four main categories: (1). A species that lives in both Costa Rica and South America but might be two separate species. (3).

Costa Rica 223

Costa Rica Species South America America 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2020

Many moons ago, when I used to work in the (supposedly) booming petrochemical industry in Trinidad, most of my time was actually spent birding. Although relatively common here they’re notoriously difficult to see well – a phenomenon clearly not unique to this species ! I was thrilled to see a Short-tailed Hawk fly in.

Trinidad 232

Trinidad Battery Industry Bats 232

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2021

The southwest peninsula of Trinidad is unfortunately rarely birded by visiting birders. Trogons, flycatchers and most conspicuous of the lot – a group of Channel-billed Toucans. The area is known for being a breeding area of the enigmatic Rufous Crab-Hawk and it was the first place I saw the species, many years ago.

Sea Turtles 267

Sea Turtles Bats Turtles Trinidad 267

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

The islands of the Caribbean are home to 176 species of endemic birds unevenly distributed across the region. Some islands host one or two species, others more than twenty. For some species, conservation actions are well underway and we are seeing some measure of positive impact as a result.

Grenada 130

Grenada Parrots Trinidad 2010 130

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 12, 2013

The Trincity Sewage Ponds in Trinidad and Tobago are no exception. My visit to the best sewage ponds for birding on the island of Trinidad was on 19 July 2013. The (non-birding) group I was with was on our way to the Caroni Swamp when our guide suggested a quick stop at the Trincity Sewage Ponds so I could see a few cool birds.

Trinidad 178

Trinidad New Jersey Nevada Illinois 178

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2023

In the latest instalment of the ongoing documentation of the curious recurrence of the number three in the avifauna of Trinidad and Tobago, we arrive on the triad of Grassquits. For the uninitiated, while on a deep dive into Trinbagonian ornithology a few years ago I noticed groups of three popping up in multiple places.

Trinidad 216

Trinidad Venezuela Brazil Groups 216

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

An associated issue is that the Belize and Costa Rica guides share many of the same descriptions of species, written by Howell. Similarly, descriptions of species repeated across volumes do not lose their accuracy with each publication. Other species are splits and lumped and have had their names changed. Why are these issues?

Costa Rica 227

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 227

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2013

He is gregarious, knowledgeable, and eager to get you on the birds, which was a bit difficult for most of the people in my group, which consisted of six people, considering I was the only birder. And while we didn’t see or hear a ton of species (29 by my tally) there were some pretty darn good birds in that small total.

Trinidad 200

Trinidad Birds Venezuela Protection 200

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2021

Last weekend we headed into the mountains of northern Trinidad – the concept of mountains is surely a relative one, although it is the highest conglomeration of hills in the country (and the northernmost outcrop of the Andes) the Northern Range never crosses 1,000m above sea level.

Woodpeckers 255

Woodpeckers Trinidad Battery Hunting 255

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

As mentioned in many other posts on this blog, the avifauna of Trinidad & Tobago consists of several species and family groups occurring very interestingly, in threes. Short-tailed Nighthawk (above and below) Overall, this species seems to be poorly known, which is understandable given its habits. Well, kind of.

Trinidad 130

Trinidad Bats Falcons Groups 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2021

(The White-tipped Dove is actually called, in Spanish, the Paloma Arroyera , or “Gully Dove” And sorry, I have yet to get a photo of this shy species. Like most of the species on this list, this tiny highland bird prefers to make its presence know by singing, rather than by being seen.

Trinidad 191

Trinidad Emotional Transported Mexico 191

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2022

Over the course of the following hour or so we observed many different species *coincidentally* alight on the wall near to the body of the fallen yellowlegs. As far as I am aware, these practices have always involved a member of the family group, the flock – at the very least a member of the same species.

Elephants 276

Elephants Ducks Humane Family 276

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Now, although I have seen this species several times before, we have a unique relationship. Discerning both species is relatively straightforward if they are seen together, if the observer concentrates enough on feeding pattern. As I was driving out, I stopped to appreciate a small group of American Flamingos flying overhead.

Birds 252

Birds Owls Litter Trinidad 252

10,000 Birds

APRIL 19, 2023

Some days ago I had the opportunity to explore the grossly underbirded southeastern corner of Trinidad. The Nariva Swamp is the largest wetland on Trinidad, giving to and taking from the relentless Atlantic Ocean on its eastern boundary. We managed to see both species of monkey, though – so we were ultimately well satiated.

Trinidad 29

Trinidad Falcons Primates Monkeys 29

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

Folks want to know what they can see, if it’s worth traveling to Trinidad and Tobago, if they should to to Ecuador for three days or three weeks, or if one should drive to Wisconsin to look for a vireo with white eyes or a blue head. The gray hawks weren’t the only north-south sister species that meet in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 202

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 202

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2020

Just under a fortnight ago, I saw a report on the local bird alert of a sighting of a group of approximately 20 Nacunda Nighthawks at a wetland not more than 20 minutes from where I live. Two species of icterids populated the area, the presence of either was a direct indicator of the degree of water present. Great Blue Heron.

Livestock 227

Livestock Ducks ALA illegal 227

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2022

It may seem like an unnecessarily recurring theme in my posts about birding within Trinidad & Tobago, but the more I write on the subject the more it becomes apparent that the number three must have some significance, somewhere. The three main peaks of the Trinity Hills are what gave it its name, and by extension the island of Trinidad.

Trinidad 255

Trinidad Birds Tigers Groups 255

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2024

Familiar, but beautiful regardless: Blue-headed Parrot Another small parrot species landed on a tree in the distance. It was a Black-headed Parrot , a species that I had meagrely attempted to see in Trinidad once without success. Juvenile White-winged Swallow waiting to scream at any passing adult.

Guyana 223

Guyana Parrots Trinidad Woodpeckers 223

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2021

The very last Sunday of the decade heralded our final CBC – with group sizes limited to five persons. For the fifth year in a row, I was assigned the prolific and well-known Aripo Livestock Station at the foothills of Trinidad’s Northern Range. Safe to say no species was left behind! Northern Waterthrush.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Livestock Groups Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2022

As a birder, I’ve found this place to be a complete treasure trove for many species difficult to see elsewhere. Personally I’ve seen over a hundred species over several birding trips there, the overall species list for the location is approximately 160 – a tally that will only increase.

Trinidad 251

Trinidad Squirrels Birds Groups 251

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Add that to the fact that here in Trinidad & Tobago we’re still under a strict curfew – the earliest I’m allowed to leave home is 5am. I’ve waited a few weeks even to make this post, as members of this group of birds have historically been targeted throughout their range for their singing prowess.

Trinidad 350

Trinidad Groups Species Blackbirds 350

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2020

It was late December, 2012, and I slotted into a sizable group under the joint leadership of two highly respected birders. As prolific as the area was, the group was on the move. The group was significantly smaller, only myself and one other person. Trinidad Lancehead , or Fer-de-lance. “Tayra”, he whispered.

Trinidad 181

Trinidad Livestock 2015 Groups 181

10,000 Birds

MAY 27, 2020

Fortunately, I live in Trinidad and Tobago – a twin-island nation that boasts the second highest density of bird species in the world. With 489 species recorded (including rarities and vagrants) across a land area that totals less than 2,000 square miles, T&T facilitates quick and easy changes of scenery. White Hawk.

Trinidad 242

Trinidad Pelicans Humane Fish 242

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2023

On the slow crawl into the farm, the first sighting was a small group of Green Ibis – a new species for me. Endemic to the Guianan shield, this species has captivated me since I first laid eyes on a photograph of it. Most notably of which was a pair of Blood-colored Woodpeckers.

Farming 232

Farming Guyana Birds South America 232

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2018

Trinidad Colorado is located just a few miles north of the Colorado – New Mexico border, and home to the Trinidad Reservoir. Jeanne and I parked the 5th wheel in the Trinidad Lake Campground, and found it to be perhaps the nicest campground we had ever been in. The numbers are as follows: Little Big Year Species – 892.

Colorado 113

Colorado Texas Trinidad Albuquerque 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2023

Whether on Trinidad or Tobago, there are few places one can visit where the presence of the sea isn’t felt. This was the roost of a small group of Black-bellied Plovers ; I had observed these individuals before. Bit by bit, the warm golden rays of the sun began to fall on the group of Black-bellied Plovers.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Pelicans Groups Birds 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Covering 1,261 species with data and taxonomy current up to August 2017, the field guide is an exciting achievement. And, then there are the more familiar birds–Wood-warblers, sandpipers, hawks–some species migrants, some species with a wide range. Can you guess which of the species cited above are endemic?

America 214

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 214

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2020

And when I say bird migration I’m referring to a specific group of birds – shorebirds. Last weekend I wasn’t on the hunt for any species in particular though. Migration (in particular bird migration) is well underway, however. Their mysterious nature piqued my interest and it’s never waned since.

Trinidad 190

Trinidad South America Blackbirds Industry 190

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2022

Not many birds showed, but thankfully my little group of enthusiastic birders were happy with Purple Gallinules , Wattled Jacanas , and a single pair of Least Grebes. It’s been a while to be honest, the last time I enjoyed the sights, sounds, and glorious smells of such an establishment was a few weeks ago on a dreary, rainy morning.

Ducks 224

Ducks Groups Experience Experiments 224

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2018

In talking to the local guides, and Rangers, they all agreed that they had not been seeing too many species around in the last couple of weeks. We had stopped at one of the massive over-looks near Roosevelt Lodge, when a small group of Pine Siskins flew all the way across the canyon, and landed in the tree above me.

Wyoming 107

Wyoming Wolves Grizzly Bear Mountain Goats 107