We always enjoy taking our tour participants to the tropical islands of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Mecca for neo-tropical bird watching. These two verdant islands, surrounded by aqua-coloured waters, are near the east coast of Venezuela and contain a rich diversity of tropical flora and fauna.
Itinerary
(Breakfast - B, Lunch - L, Dinner - D)
Day 1
Arrive in Trinidad
On our evening arrival, from North America, at Piarco Airport at Port-of-Spain, we’ll clear customs and drive to Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge where a welcome fresh fruit juice or rum punch will be awaiting us. We’ll gather together in the Main House to get acquainted and discuss the week’s program.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (D)
Day 2
Asa Wright Nature Centre
We’ll awaken this morning to the raucous calls of Crested Oropendulas and a host of other exotic sounds, and the wonderful aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. Drinking morning coffee on Asa Wright’s veranda is a memorable experience. A first-time visitor may see 20 – 30 new birds before breakfast.
On our introductory walk, we’ll most likely see, among others, such bird species as Violaceous Trogon, Channel-billed Toucan, Chestnut Woodpecker, White-bearded Manakin, Bearded Bellbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Turquoise and Bay-headed Tanagers. The Centre is situated in a typical valley of Trinidad’s Northern Range. This property has been a traditional centre for coffee, cocoa, and citrus plantations and many of these plants are still maintained at the Centre. Natural second growth has taken over and festooned the abandoned plantation vegetation with vines and a host of epiphytes. The whole effect is one of being deep in a tropical rainforest.
The afternoon will be free of organized activities so we can relax, enjoy the trails and adjust to the tropical sun and heat. It is most likely that we’ll end up on the veranda of the Main House where the feeders and excellent views into the surrounding trees provide one of the worlds most pleasant and exciting ornithological experiences. We’ll be on the lookout for such regular visitors as Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird, Tufted Coquette, White-chested Emerald, Barred Antshrike, and Green Honeycreeper. In the evening there may even be time for a night walk to listen for Spectacled Owl, Semi-collared Nighthawk, and tree frogs.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 3
Aripo Savannah / Arena Forest
This all-day journey to the lowland Aripo Savannah and Arena Forest could provide yet another batch of new species. In the savannah, we’ll look for Plumbeous Kite, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Red-breasted Blackbird, Savannah Hawk, Pearl Kite, Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird, Masked Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Blue-black Grassquit and Ruddy Seedeater. The Aripo Savannah is an area of extremely acidic soil with poor drainage, and is a remnant of what was a major habitat type of lower Trinidad. This soil supports Sundew and other interesting plants. These remnant savannahs are now surrounded by extensively altered landscapes where much sugar cane is grown, as well as small-scale agriculture and housing development sprawl. Eventually, we will reach the Arena Forest where we may see Short-tailed Swift, White-bellied Antbird and Trinidad Euphonia.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 4
Caroni Swamp
This morning we will continue our exploration of the trails at Asa Wright. We will be hoping for Ornate Hawk-Eagle, White Hawk, Blue-headed and Orange-winged Parrots and Black-faced Antthrush.
After lunch, we’ll depart for the famous Caroni Swamp and its spectacular avian highlights. Neotropical Cormorant, Anhinga, Striated Heron, Green-throated Mango, Pied Water-Tyrant, Bicolored Conebill, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Yellow-headed Caracara and Red-capped Cardinal are among the many new species we’ll hope to see here. The Caroni is a very specialized mangrove forest that contains several genera and species of mangroves and shows classic examples of plant adaptation in a brackish water community. We might also see Golden Tree Boa and Silky Anteaters resting in the branches. As we continue through the swamp in our outboard motor-powered boat, our day will end at dusk as we sit and watch the spectacular flights of Scarlet Ibis as they return to their mangrove-island roosts. Truly, one of the most dramatic and spine-tingling natural moments one could experience. As we return to the dock, we’ll use our spotlight to search the mangrove-lined channels for Boat-billed Herons and the mysterious-sounding Common Potoo.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 5
Blanchisseuse
We’ll travel north today up the valley to the main ridge of Trinidad’s Northern Range, where the elevation reaches about 600m. We’ll be on the lookout for species that are not as likely to be found at Asa Wright: Bat Falcon, Blue-headed Parrot, Collared Trogon, Rufous-breasted Wren, Speckled Tanager and many others. From the top we will make our way to the coast, where we may enjoy a swim in the ocean and observe Pygmy Kingfisher or Gray Kingbird. King Vultures have been seen here regularly in recent years.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 6
Asa Wright Nature Centre
Before breakfast, we’ll again watch the many species arriving
at the feeders overlooking the valley. Then we’ll hike
the trails to Dunstan Cave, a beautiful riparian grotto
located on the grounds of the sanctuary, to view a breeding
colony of the fascinating, nocturnal Oilbird.
After our visit to the caves, our day will continue with a tour of the several trails that traverse this rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary. Photographers may wish to leisurely photograph the hummingbirds and tanagers as they feed at the many feeders spotted around the grounds. We’ll walk the trails to the more enclosed forest sections, where we will look for the leks of White-bearded and Golden-headed Manakins and we’ll scan the canopy and mid-level vegetation to look for Channel-billed Toucans and the bizarrely adorned Bearded Bellbird. A natural rock pool lined with ferns and bamboo may tempt us for a refreshing dip in the heat of the day.
o/n Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 7
Tobago / Grafton Sanctuary / Buccoo Reef
Today we will take a short morning flight to Tobago. We will make our way to Bon Accord Lagoon, on the Bon Accord estate, home to crabs, waterfowl and waders. This small but important wetland is the habitat of White-cheeked Pintail, Copper-rumped and Ruby Topaz Hummingbirds, Bare-eyed Thrush, Scrub Greenlet and Black-faced Grassquit. After a picnic lunch we will visit the Grafton Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary. Following the devastation of Hurricane Flora in 1963, this former cocoa plantation has been allowed to return to its natural state and is now a wildlife sanctuary. As we walk the forest trails, we will be looking for Rufous-vented Chacalaca, Blue-crowned Motmot, Blue-backed Manakin, White-fringed Antwren and White-tailed Sabrewing, while keeping an eye open for Green Iguana. We will end our day at Blue Waters Inn, pleasantly located on the edge of a sand beach.
o/n Blue Waters Inn (B, L, D)
Day 8
Gilpin Trace / Roxborough Road
Gilpin Trace is a trail in what may be the oldest protected rainforest reserve in the western hemisphere; the Bloody Bay Rain Forest Reserve. This reserve was created by the island’s governors in 1764 to “preserve the rains”, and is a sanctuary for an amazing variety of plant and wildlife species. The trail is at least 1000 years old and descends steeply toward the Caribbean. As we walk in the reserve, we will be looking for Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Blue-backed Manakin, Orange-winged Parrots, Collared Trogon, Olivaceous Wood-creeper and Gray-throated Leafscraper.
o/n Blue Waters Inn (B, L, D)
Day 9
Little Tobago Island
In the morning, we will visit Little Tobago Island, one of the most important seabird sanctuaries in the Caribbean. This island lies about 3.5 km offshore and is the nesting ground of the lovely Red-billed Tropicbird, as well as substantial colonies of Brown Boobies, Audubon Shearwaters, Bridled and Sooty Terns, Magnificent Frigate bird and numerous other species. We’ll travel there by glass-bottomed boat and admire the spectacular fish, coral and sponges in the shallow and clear water. There is good hiking on the island and we’ll climb to see the spectacular view of the Caribbean and Atlantic convergence, where Red-billed Tropicbirds swoop over the cliffs. After lunch, we’ll have time to enjoy swimming and snorkelling off the beach at the Inn, or walk up the hill behind the Inn.
o/n Blue Waters Inn (B, L, D)
Day 10
Departure Day
After an early breakfast, we’ll drive to the airport at Crown Point for the short flight back to Port-of-Spain where we will connect with our international flights home. (B)
