Introduction:

This trip was booked primarily as a beach holiday with a little bird watching thrown in and apart from printing a checklist of Trinidad and Tobago and buying the Birds of the West Indies from the internet, our preparation was limited to packing the binoculars, insect repellent and a note book.  We booked the trip through Virgin Holidays and we stayed at the Turtle Beach Hotel in Tobago.  Much of the trip was spent on the beach, yet we achieved a number of excursions to some of the hot spots and managed a little birding each day.

Neil and Sue Jervis   Mons Belgium

Field guides used:

Birds of the West Indies – Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith, Raffaele;  Helm Field Guides   This book covers most of the west Indies but not Trinidad and Tobago.  As a result we had to buy a second guide during our trip.

Birds of Venezuela second edition – Steven L.Hilty A good guide if a little heavy for use in the field.  This was bought at ASA Wright however it was obviously a pre proof edition as there were a number of pages missing.  (discovered after returning to Tobago).

Local Detail

Tobago is a small, beautiful, green island, inhabited by friendly people.  Eco tourism is big business and tour guides can be found at every hotel and on every beach.  (The constant pestering can be a pain at first but as you tan they tend to leave you alone expecting that you have done the tours).  Most offer a set of similar tours but the knowledge of each guide is variable.  A personal recommendation is probably the best way to find a guide.  We used Kelton Thomas of Thomas tours (mobile 687- 7967) and we found him to be enthusiastic and knowledgeable.  We could also recommend Peter Cox who gave weekly talks at the Turtle Beach Hotel about the Leatherback Turtle. 

Getting around

Although there is a reasonable bus service, petrol is very cheap and so taxi and hire car is the best way of getting round the island.  Booked through our Virgin Holidays representative car hire was $70 US per day all inclusive.  We hired a car for two days and that was sufficient for our needs.  Our trip to Trinidad and excursions in Tobago utilised the tour company transport.  Driving round the island is easy, however, the roads are bumpy, blind corners are frequent and there is a blanket 50kph (30mph) speed limit so a full tour round the island takes all day. 

Sites

There is a guide to the birding sites of Tobago however we did not have a copy.  That said, Kelton Thomas knew where to go and these sites seemed to be used by most of the birding tours we saw.  We visited the following:

Courland Bay area, near Plymouth

The Turtle Beach is the principle hotel in this area of the island and is located on a steeply shelving beach which is favoured as a nesting beach by the Leatherbacked Turtle (Feb to July).  The gardens of the hotel are not as productive as we had read in other trip reports.  However, opposite the hotel is a disused road through secondary growth wood and scrub, which climbs to a local authority work site and then drops down to the main road ½ mile to the south of the hotel.  This was very productive first thing in the morning and became a regular morning and evening stroll.  In addition there are freshwater pools just along the beach on both sides of the hotel.  In total we saw some 50 species around Courland bay.

Buccoo Marsh

Despite this being historically a great site it is scheduled for redevelopment and we found it disappointing.  Difficult to find, it is located between Grafton and the airport. Approaching from the airport keep a look out for the recording studios on the right, the entrance is located on the left in the middle of the next right hand bend,  through a metal 5 bar gate held closed by wire.  The site contains a couple of pools and a large area of secondary scrub.  It is rather boggy everywhere and insect repellent is a must.  We saw, Purple Gallinules, Jacanas, ducks, North American warblers and flycatchers.  However, the Mangrove Cuckoo reported to be resident eluded us.

Grafton Estate

Just off the main road between Crown Point and Plymouth this site was well worth visiting.  The original owner of the site started to feed the birds after Hurricane Flora in 1963 and after she died she left instructions that the feeding should continue.  The estate still feeds the birds, normally each day at 0800 and at 1630.  This attracts a large number of the more common doves, pigeons and Rufous-vented Chachalacas.  However, almost anything can be expected on the trail and we saw a number of hummingbirds and flycatchers. Entry is free during daylight hours but visitors are asked to make a donation our guide suggested we leave $20TT, which was a pound each. 

Main Ridge/Gilpin Trace

There are a number of trails in the rain forest.  The most popular is Gilpin Trace which is accessed off the main road between Roxburgh and the Caribbean coast road.  This is the best place to see the rain forest species, Kelton Thomas took us up there early before the main tours arrived and we saw most of the target species such as the White-tailed Sabrewing, Blue backed Manakin and the Collared Trogon.  Peter Cox uses another trail at the top of the ridge but it is difficult to find without a guide.  Guides are compulsory and the good guides such as Kelton and Peter know the birds calls which are essential as seeing the birds in the rain forest is not that easy.  If you want to take photos you will need very fast film. 

Little Tobago

We saw it over the bay but did not visit.  Red Billed tropic birds could be seen with binoculars.  Peter Cox does a rainforest / Little Tobago day trip which is a good  birding option but be warned the walk on Little Tobago is very steep.

Hilton Hotel settling ponds

The Hilton hotel and golf complex has its own sewage system and series of settling ponds.  Providing a reasonably large area of open fresh water, it often hosts one or two wetland specialities and rarities are frequent, we saw a Killdeer, a neotropic cormorant, Pied Grebes during a short visit plus Ospreys and Peregrine Falcons hunting over the site.  To access the site drive into the Hilton complex and view the large lake on the right of the road.  To reach the other ponds, go through the security gate and drive to the end of the road.  Take a right at the T junction and then park outside the gate on the left before the maintenance building and walk the three ponds.  The gate is sometimes closed, if it is, the security guards will normally give the key if you tell them you want to bird the area. 

Arnos Vale Hotel               

This hotel hosts an afternoon tea/ feed the birds deal, at 4 pm every day.  We saw Motmots, hummingbirds and the more common urban species.  This is a visit worth doing early during a stay.  Not only because you can get a good view of the hummingbirds and the more common species, which helps when you see them again in the field but also because any non birders in your party will get such good views that they will tolerate other trips to see these gems again.

Other Sites              

We did not visit the Hillsborough Dam, it is included in Peter Cox’s tour listing and did not find the Bon Accord lagoon.  Many of the beaches have streams running on to them and a small amount of wet land, so expect anything whilst driving on the coast roads.

TRINIDAD

Having travelled so far we did splash out on a trip to Trinidad.  Organised through the Virgin travel rep (this company also provides the Kuoni rep), the trip included a trip to ASA Wright and the Caroni swamp.  A Trinidad trip is sold by most tour operators and also the holiday companies.  Although the holiday companies include a shopping and town visit to the Port of Spain we arranged to omit this to give us more time birding.    We left Tobago at 0700 arrived at ASA Wright at 0900 and left at 3 pm to get to the Caroni swamp for the Red Ibis roost trip at 4pm.  ASA Wright is wonderful, although as a day visitor you are not allowed to walk their trails without a guide.  The guides do a short tour at 10:30 and 1:30 and day guests can wander along the access road which offers good views of the estate.  If we had planned better we would have booked an Asa Wright guide for half a day or done the trip with Peter Cox.  Although this excursion looks expensive ($200 US each) we still enjoyed our day and thought we got value for our money.

List of Birds seen. (If dates not stated seen often, abundance relates to our trip)

SPECIES	Comments
Least Grebe	4 at Hilton 9/2
Pied Billed Grebe	1 at Hilton 9/2
Brown Pelican	abundant on coast
Brown Booby	2 or three off shore at Courland bay 11/2
Neotropic Cormorant	1 seen at Hilton Ponds 9/2
Anhinga	1 Courland bay pools 4/2. 15+ Hilton ponds 9/2
Magnificent Frigate bird	35 in the air at once over Courland bay, seen daily,
Red-billed Tropic bird	Over Little Tobago 11/2
Great Blue Heron	1 at Courland south lagoon 10/2
Great Egret	Number in the Caroni swamp 7/2.
Snowy Egret	Large numbers Caroni swamp 7/2 10+ Buccoo marsh 8/2
Little Blue Heron	Singles at Turtle Bay and Buccoo Marsh. 4/2, 8/2
Tricoloured Heron	Hilton Ponds 9/2.
Green Heron	Hilton Ponds, Courland beach.  Quite common.
Cattle Egret	Common all over island.
Black-crowned Night-Heron	1 adult seen river Courland 5/2, 9/2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	Caroni swamp 7/2, 2 or 3 Turtle Beach creek and on beach most evenings
Red Ibis	Caroni Swamp 7/2
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	10+ at Buccoo Marsh same at Hilton Ponds 8-9 /2
White Hawk	Over Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Turkey Vulture	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Broad-winged Hawk	Over Main ridge 11/2, Adult and Immature Turtle Beach 14&15/2.
Common Black hawk	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2 Main ridge 11/2
Osprey	1 Caroni swamp 7/2  2 over  Hilton Ponds 9/2
Peregrine Falcon	Caroni swamp 7/2 and over Hilton ponds 9/2
Yellow headed Caracara	Caroni swamp 7/2.
Rufus-vented Chachalaca	Common.  10 seen on road in front of Turtle beach hotel.  8 at Grafton Estate.
Common Gallinule	5 Buccoo Marsh, 2 Hilton Ponds. 8/2, 9/2
Purple Gallinule	1 at Buccoo Marsh 8/2
Wattled Jacana	1 at Buccoo Marsh 8/2
Southern Lapwing	20 at Hilton Ponds 9/2 , Englishman’s bay 11/2
Black-bellied Plover	Caroni Swamp 7/2
Semipalmated Plover	3 on beach Courland bay 6/2
Solitary Sandpiper	Caroni swamp, Turtle beach lagoons 9&10/2
Greater Yellowlegs	2 at Courland bay 8/2
Spotted Sandpiper	Turtle beach pools.
Whimbrel	1 regular on beach In Courland bay.
Laughing Gull	Very common.
Common Tern	Singles along Turtle Beach.
Royal Tern	2 or 3 frequently seen along Turtle Beach in afternoon.
Sandwich Tern	Up to 4 seen on several occasions Turtle Beach.
Pale-vented Pigeon	Common in Turtle beach grounds in the morning.
Grey Fronted Dove	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Eared Dove	Common and widespread.
Ruddy Ground-Dove	Fairly common and widespread.
White-tipped Pigeon	Fairly common round the turtle beach hotel.
Green-rumped Parrotlet	Courland bay normally in small flocks3/2 and 12/2.
Orange-winged Parrot	30+ seen at Gilpin trace also common at Grafton.
Smooth-billed Ani	Turtle beach hotel 5/2 and widespread.
Common Potoo	Asa Wright Trinidad and Caroni swamp 7/2
Short-tailed Swift	Widespread and common.
Tufted Coquette	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
White Chested Emerald	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Blue-chinned Sapphire	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
White-necked Jacobin	Road in front of Turtle beach, Arnos Vale, ASA Wright
Green Throated Mango	Caroni swamp 7/2
Black-throated Mango	Asa Wright & Caroni swamp 7/2 Arnos Vale 12/2
Ruby-topaz Hummingbird	Road in front of Turtle beach, Arnos Vale, ASA Wright, widespread
White tailed Sabrewing  Hummingbird	Gilpin trace 14/2.
Copper-rumped Hummingbird	Arnos Vale etc. Road in front of Turtle beach, Arnos Vale, ASA Wright widespread
Rufous-breasted Hermit	Gilpin Trace 14/2
White-tailed Trogon	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Collard Trogon	Gilpin Trace 14/2
Green Kingfisher	Speyside near Blue Marlin hotel
Blue-crowned Motmot	Common.  Seen in hotel grounds, Grafton Asa Wright and Arnos vale.
Rufous-tailed Jacamar	Widespread, Turtle beach, Grafton, Gilpin trace
Golden-olive Woodpecker	2 Gilpin Trace 14/2
Red-crowned Woodpecker	Common and widespread.
Buff-throated Woodcreeper	Courland Bay area, 10/2
Stripe-breasted Spinetail	Grafton Estate8/2, Gilpin Trace 14/2.
Barred Antshrike	Widespread in small numbers.
White-fringed Antwren	Courland bay disused road 6/2 Grafton 8/2
Blue-backed Manakin	Gilpin Trace 14/2
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Boat Billed Flycatcher	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Tropical Kingbird	Grafton Estate Courland Bay roads common.
Gray Kingbird	Courland bay roads, Grafton estate quite common
Great Kiskadee	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Tropical Pewee	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Brown-crested Flycatcher	Road in front of Turtle beach hotel 11/2
Fuscous Flycatcher	Gilpin Trace 14/2
Yellow-bellied Elaenia	Speyside lookout 11/2, Grafton Estate 13/2.
Caribbean Martin	Hilton Ponds 9/2 Over Plymouth 14/2.
Rufous-breasted Wren	1 Gilpin Trace 14/2
House Wren	widespread
Tropical Mockingbird	Widespread and abundant.
Yellow-legged Thrush	5 or 6 Gilpin Trace 14/2
Bare-eyed Thrush	Widespread and common.
Cocoa Thrush	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
White-necked Thrush	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2 Gilpin Trace  14/2
Plain Ant Vireo	Gilpin trace 14/2
Scrub Greenlet	Heard often Grafton, Buccoo but only seen clearly Turtle beach road 15/2
Bananaquit	widespread and abundant
Northern Waterthrush	Courland Bay Pool 6/2
Yellow Warbler	Buccoo marsh 8/2 Turtle beach road 11/2
Prothonotary Warbler	Buccoo marsh 8/2
Green Honeycreeper	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Purple Honeycreeper	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Red-legged Honeycreeper	Main Ridge road down to Roxburgh 11/2
Palm Tanager	Widespread.
Blue-gray Tanager	Widespread.
Bay headed Tanager	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Turquoise Tanager	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Violaceous Euphonia	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Red Crowned Ant Tanager	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Silver beaked Tanager	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
White-lined Tanager	Widespread.
Bi-coloured Conebill	Caroni swamp 7/2
Greyish Saltator	Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Black-faced Grassquit	Common and widespread especially around Turtle beach hotel.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater	Flock seen at Fort James Plymouth 10/2
Blue-black Grassquit	Road in front of Turtle beach, Main ridge approach road.
Yellow Oriole	2 or 3 Asa Wright Trinidad 7/2
Carib Grackle	widespread and abundant
Giant Cowbird	Englishman’s bay 11/2
Shiny Cowbird	Courland bay hotel grounds.
Crested Oropendola	Common at high levels Main ridge and nests at ASA Wright. 7/2 11/2

Plus

An unidentified very speckled pigeon in the Turtle beach grounds. 13/2 (not identified by us or the other birders who saw it from any of the field guides we were able to study).

Other Wildlife seen:

Tobago:

Red squirrel at Turtle beach and Grafton Est
2 boas at Caroni swamp Trinidad

1 Caiman at Caroni swamp
various unknown bats at Hotel Asa Wright and in Grafton estate

Sue and Neil Jervis