Monday, February 24
Breakfast birds. Our first day of birding! We were all up, fed, sunscreened, and ready to load up before the sun broke the horizon. Without leaving the entrance loop we got great views of Bare-eyed Robin, chattering groups of Green-rumped Parrotlets that were nearly impossible to find amid the identically colored foliage, our "lawn bird", the Black-faced Grassquit, and overhead again, Magnificent Frigatebirds. Table partners at breakfast were Blue-gray and Palm Tanagers, Carib Grackles, and Bananaquits. A robust wine-colored bird that had a primitive sort of nest in an ornamental bush near the swimming pool was identified as a Pale-vented Pigeon. A raptor that passed over just above the roofline was identified as a Yellow-headed Caracara, and we began seeing both male and female Ruby-Topaz Hummingbirds wherever there were flowers.
Bon Accord Water Treatment Ponds. We were fortunate to have secured the services of Tobago's most senior birding guide, Adolphus James, with whom I've been birding since 1982. In his clean and spacious maxitaxi we left the hotel and headed south to the only really flat area on the island. Along the way we saw flocks of Cattle Egrets mingling with cattle under coconut palms and lots of pigeons and doves on the wires. Our destination was the Bon Accord water treatment ponds, three rectangular ponds surrounded by grass and low shrubs and bordered on the northwest by a mangrove swamp. On most of my previous visits we'd had to settle for views through the chain-link fence, but since I had last seen him Adolphus had secured a key to the padlock on the gate and was able to invite us into the enclosure.
Besides Adolphus, his son Gladwyn also joined us as both a second driver and a fine birding guide. Before we had walked any distance at all, we had identified male and female Caribbean Martins overhead, had learned to identify male, female, and immature Magnificent Frigatebirds, and were excited to find out what the waterbirds ahead of us were. An adult Laughing Gull left the pond area as we entered. We could pick out as many as five Anhingas perched in the shrubs, wings extended to catch the sun, a flock of Black-crowned Night-Herons lurking nearby, and some noisy Common Moorhens making jungle sounds on the cross dikes.
At the far end of the nearest pond, a tiny black object turned out to be a Least Grebe, and a flock of 15 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks looked comical as they lined up on a concrete abutment in chorus-line fashion. A long-legged shorebird was watching us intently from a distance, in the taller grass, the conspicuous downcurved bill and white supercilium serving to identify it as a Whimbrel. A second Whimbrel was spotted near the first, and after we had viewed them for awhile, they flew up and away. In the mud or along the margins of the ponds we saw two other shorebirds -- Spotted Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs.
In and around the ponds we had superb views of bright chestnut-colored Wattled Jacana adults, their scarlet facial wattles looking waxlike, and some immature Jacanas, which looked more like some sort of rail than like a Jacana. As they walked gently on the floating vegetation, we were able to see their greatly elongated toes, which enable them to distribute their weight enough so they can walk on almost anything that floats. When they flew, legs dangling, their wings blazed with yellow. While watching them fly we caught sight of a Green Heron and above us, circling Tricolored Herons.
One of the highlights of our stop in Bon Accord was getting rewarding views of swimming and flying White-cheeked Pintails, one of only two species of ducks that I consider true residents of Tobago (the other being the Masked Duck, which could possibly breed on Tobago). With the pintails were a pair of Blue-winged Teal, the only North American duck that winters to a great extent south of the U.S. border.
Continuing to the far side of the ponds and through a hinged, overgrown fence gate, Adolphus led us a short distance over fossil coral rocks to the edge of the mangrove swamp. All the mangroves I could see were the same species, Red Mangrove. In the weeds along the fence were our first Ruddy Ground-Doves and Eared Doves. Adolphus pointed through the mangroves to an area of flooded grass in which we could see numerous Southern Lapwings, a Great Blue Heron, some Great Egrets, and a scattering of Snowy Egrets.
My previous experience in Trinidad and Tobago had taught me that "pishing" hardly works to attract birds there, but migrant North American species do respond, so I tried it. Responding was a Northern Waterthrush, which we never saw, a Yellow Warbler, a male Prothonotary Warbler, and a very drab, warblerlike relative of the vireos, a Scrub Greenlet. This species is one of about a dozen that are found on Tobago and on mainland Venezuela but not on Trinidad. Some members of the group caught a brief glimpse of a pair of Blue-black Grassquits.
It was a good start to a great trip. As we returned to the maxitaxi, a quickly passing raptor banked and circled long enough for us to see the wide white band on its black tail -- Broad-winged Hawk. Tobago is the southernmost breeding point for this common North American species.
Bon Accord Lagoon. With rain clouds looming to the east, Adolphus drove us to the east side of the ponds and turned north toward Bon Accord Lagoon. The wet grassy area on the east side of the road produced more Southern Lapwings and single Greater Yellowlegs and Green Heron. We parked near a drainage canal that emptied into Bon Accord Lagoon, which lay within sight down the canal. A leisurely walk along the canal produced Spotted Sandpiper, a chipping Northern Waterthrush, our first Barred Antshrike, Brown-crested Flycatcher, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Woodpecker (another species found on Tobago but not on Trinidad), and the best find by far, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. This North American species is a very rare migrant to Tobago.
Upon reaching the shore we could see many Brown Pelicans, distant Royal Terns, and a small island of sand far out along the edge of Buccoo Reef that held Brown Pelicans, unidentifiable terns (most probably Royal Terns), and Laughing Gulls. The rains came as we stood there. Soon we were snuggled together back-to-back under umbrellas, waiting for the rain to stop, which it did soon enough. Proceeding back to the van, we found more Whimbrel standing in the road.
Crown Point Airport. From the lagoon, at my request Adolphus drove us to the airport and around its western end. Often terns and gulls congregate there, but on this morning there was nothing but the beautiful green Caribbean and the distant mountains of Trinidad's Northern Range. Sitting on the high chain-link fence around the airport were a single Barn Swallow and a Southern Rough-winged Swallow. We were approaching midday, and birds were getting scarce. Except for point-blank views of Gray Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, and Caribbean Martin, we saw little else of note that we hadn't already seen, so we called it a morning and headed back to the ranch.
Grafton / Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary. One of the highlights of any birding trip to Tobago is the 4 p.m. bird feeding at Grafton. This abandoned cocoa plantation belonged to the late Eleanor Alefounder, whom I met during her last few months of life. She kept the windows of her estate house open, and the birds had become accustomed to flying in one side and out the other.
Every day at 4 p.m. she refilled the sugar-water bottles, spread cracked corn on the lawn, and prepared slices of cheese. Bananaquits by the score took over the bottles, Rufous-vented Chachalacas dropped out of the trees by the dozen to feed on the corn, and we fed the cheese to the Blue-crowned Motmots by placing a slice of it on our upper wrist, holding out our hand palm upwards, and letting the motmots land on our hand as they snatched the cheese and then flew off. I remember how surprised I was the first time a motmot landed on my hand at how much it weighed.
The situation is much different today. Most of the trees between the estate house and the Caribbean are gone, removed to provide a better view of the sea. The estate house is leased to guests and is off limits to birders. Yet all is not lost. Across the entrance road from the estate house is a former cocoa shed that has been refurbished as a bird-feeding station. Our goal was to walk the trails among the rugged hills until just before 4 p.m., then return in time for the feeding.
We hadn't even reached the top of the entrance drive before one member of the group and then another shouted, "Chachalaca!" These Rufous-vented Chachalacas are chicken-sized arboreal turkey-like birds that, like the Scrub Greenlet and Red-crowned Woodpecker, are found on Tobago but not on Trinidad.
Within the first few minutes of walking down the trails we had spotted Short-tailed Swifts, White-fringed Antwren (found on Tobago but not on Trinidad), Cocoa Woodcreeper (a name change from Buff-throated Woodcreeper), Blue-backed Manakin (found on Tobago but not on Trinidad), Fuscous Flycatcher, the first of probably 100 Pale-vented Pigeons, Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, Blue-crowned Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar (several males, one female), Red-crowned and Red-rumped Woodpeckers, Olivaceous Woodcreeper (found on Tobago but not on Trinidad), male and female Barred Antshrike, Tropical Kingbird, Brown-crested Flycatcher, our first Ochre-lored Flatbill (a name change from Yellow-breasted Flycatcher), Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Shiny Cowbird, Carib Grackle, Tropical House Wren, and tanagers - Blue-gray, Palm, and our first White-lined Tanagers.
We got back to the bird-feeding station just in time to see the hordes of birds swarm to the offerings. Within a minute there were almost too many Bananaquits, chachalacas, Eared Doves, Pale-vented Pigeons, motmots, and tanagers to keep track of. One motmot even fed inside the shelter, allowing close photographs. This scene was one of the highlights of the trip. In fact it was such a hit that we decided to repeat it before we returned home.
Bon Accord Water Treatment Ponds. We were fortunate to have secured the services of Tobago's most senior birding guide, Adolphus James, with whom I've been birding since 1982. In his clean and spacious maxitaxi we left the hotel and headed south to the only really flat area on the island. Along the way we saw flocks of Cattle Egrets mingling with cattle under coconut palms and lots of pigeons and doves on the wires. Our destination was the Bon Accord water treatment ponds, three rectangular ponds surrounded by grass and low shrubs and bordered on the northwest by a mangrove swamp. On most of my previous visits we'd had to settle for views through the chain-link fence, but since I had last seen him Adolphus had secured a key to the padlock on the gate and was able to invite us into the enclosure.
Besides Adolphus, his son Gladwyn also joined us as both a second driver and a fine birding guide. Before we had walked any distance at all, we had identified male and female Caribbean Martins overhead, had learned to identify male, female, and immature Magnificent Frigatebirds, and were excited to find out what the waterbirds ahead of us were. An adult Laughing Gull left the pond area as we entered. We could pick out as many as five Anhingas perched in the shrubs, wings extended to catch the sun, a flock of Black-crowned Night-Herons lurking nearby, and some noisy Common Moorhens making jungle sounds on the cross dikes.
Every day at 4 p.m. she refilled the sugar-water bottles, spread cracked corn on the lawn, and prepared slices of cheese. Bananaquits by the score took over the bottles, Rufous-vented Chachalacas dropped out of the trees by the dozen to feed on the corn, and we fed the cheese to the Blue-crowned Motmots by placing a slice of it on our upper wrist, holding out our hand palm upwards, and letting the motmots land on our hand as they snatched the cheese and then flew off. I remember how surprised I was the first time a motmot landed on my hand at how much it weighed.
