Birdwatching Tour of Trinidad and TobagoThe twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago offer the bird watcher a wealth of
species on a par with the "bird continent" of South America. Here are
many of the typical Neotropical bird families: woodcreepers, motmots, jacamars,
toucans, cotingas, antbirds, and manakins. On this sort of tour usually 150 to
230 species of birds are seen.
During our stay we'll see things only seen and heard in the Neotropics: the
explosive wing beats of White-bearded Manakin during their court-ship dance; the
echoing, anvil-like call of the Bearded Bellbird; Frigatebirds riding the Trade
Winds; the metre-long, snake-proof nests of the Crested Oropendolas. We may be
lucky to see some of the increasingly rarer birds, like the Red-bellied Macaw,
the Great Black Hawk, and the White-tailed Sabrewing hummingbird that was
thought to have been lost from Tobago after Hurricane Flora in 1963.
The Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrive at Piarco International Airport Meet and greet/airport. Transfer to
Resident Hotel
Day 2
Day of Leisure.
Day 3*
Explore Low Lands, Arena Forest (seasonal evergreen tropical forest), Waller
Field (savannah and palm marsh forest) and Agricultural Reserve station (cattle
pasture and disturbed forest).
Day 4*
Today we visit the man-made ponds at the Pointe-a-Pierre wildfowl sanctuary,
Caroni rice fields and will take lunch at Waterloo (coastal mud flats) at low
tide. Our day ends with an evening boat trip into the brackish water wetlands of
the huge Caroni Swamp. We will pause in the maze of mangroves to see the massive
evening roost of the beautiful Scarlet Ibis.
Day 5*
Trincity Sewer Ponds (yes, exactly that!!) and East Coast and Nariva Swamp
(birding off bridges over rivers, fresh water wetlands and road side in
wetlands, rivers in disturbed areas).
Day 6*
Transfer to Asa Wright Nature Centre. Birding on the way (disturbed and
undisturbed rainforest, agricultural areas and grass lands). The ornithologist
promises that "we will stop at one or two of my secret spots".
Day 7
Through tropical rainforest to Dunstan caves to see the nocturnal,
fruit-eating Oilbird (Guacharo), a relative of the nightjar and one of the few
birds to navigate by sonar.
Day 8*
North coast and Northern Range, Blanchisseuse, Marianne river (rainforest,
river mouth and rugged coast).
Day 9
Mid morning transfer to Piarco International Airport for 15 minute flight to
Tobago. Meet and greet/airport. Transfer to Resident Hotel in the Crown Point or
Mount Irvine area.
Day 10
Day of Leisure.
Day 11*
Visit to Buccoo Marsh (fresh and salt water wetlands) and Grafton Estate
(semi deciduous forests).
Day 12*
Depart from Crown Point area at 0900 to Speyside hotel (Manta Lodge or Blue
Waters Inn), visiting the montane forest and the Hillsborough Dam area on the
way.
Day 13*
Glass-bottomed boat trip, viewing the spectacular reefs, to the protected
wild life sanctuary on the island of Little Tobago (deciduous forest, high rocky
cliffs).
Day 14
Leave Speyside hotel at 1600 for 1830 flight to connect at Piarco Airport
with BW900 at about 2000 to Heathrow.
* Ornithologist with group on these days.
