Birding Nariva Swamp, Trinidad

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Tara

Nariva Swamp is high on most birders’ lists to visit in Trinidad. I would have preferred to get here earlier but we arrived around 8am due to getting lost. We headed to the main birding spot – Kernahan Road. I was targeting parrots of course plus anyone else who flew by. Flying by at great speed was one pair of Red-bellied Macaws even before we turned off the main road to Kernahan Road but they disappeared before I could get a shot and I couldn’t find them again.

We didn’t see either the monkey or the macaw this time. Probably because we got there so late.

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This is where I saw the Red-bellied Macaws fly overhead while we were driving. dscn3608 dscn3612

Turn left here. Then just drive very slowly and keep your ears and eyes open! dscn3613 dscn3614 dscn3616 dscn3617

Great Egret

Swallow

Smooth-billed Ani

Ruddy Ground Dove

Orange-winged Parrots (Amazons)

Yellow Oriole

Great Egret

Getting Lost In Trinidad

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Tara

There are a few must-see birding hotspots and with only 2 full days I had organized two very ambitious itineraries. The first day involved driving out to Nariva Swamp before dawn, getting to Yerette (Hummingbirds) for lunch, then doing the sunset boat ride at Caroni Bird Sanctuary. What I didn’t realize is how confusing some of the roads were and without a GPS, we would get lost several times. Ordinarily getting lost isn’t a bad thing as you can stumble into some pretty cool places but I really needed to get to all these places on time. This is what it looked like (blue is Google maps, red is how we got to Nariva Swamp and green is getting back to Yerette.

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I have no idea where most of these places are, I was just snapping photos out the window to show every day Trinidad life. dscn3574 dscn3575 dscn3576 dscn3577 dscn3578 dscn3579 dscn3580

I love this colour! dscn3581

Public transport dscn3583 dscn3585

Pretty police station dscn3586 dscn3588 dscn3589 dscn3590 dscn3591 dscn3592 dscn3593

After finally finding the road to Nariva, we stopped here to buy food and drinks. dscn3595 dscn3596

The sea at last! dscn3597 dscn3598 dscn3600 dscn3601 dscn3605

Yay, we found it! dscn3606

This next group of photos is getting back from Nariva to Yerette. We ended up in some really remote rural area and only got back to the main road after following a local man who was headed that way. dscn3618 dscn3619 dscn3620

Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilatus)

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Tara

The Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilatus), also known as Guacamaya Manilata, is a medium-sized, mostly green South American parrot, a member of a group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It is the largest of what are commonly called “mini-macaws”. The belly has a large maroon patch which gives the species its name.

Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata)

And since I couldn’t get a perched shot here’s one from Wikipedia.

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They have quite a large range in in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela. I saw a pair flying overhead at Nariva Swamp while driving but by the time I pulled over, they were gone. I’ve seen them in several places such as Cristalino and near Napo Wildlife Center.

redbelliedmacaw