Trinidad 2015 - Woodpecker Expeditions and Ag Fields (Oct. 21st, 2015)

      Today was a sad day. Just as we had become familiar with all the fantastic species around Asa Wright and had settled into a routine, it was time to leave. Thus, we decided to arrange a couple more side trips to make the most out of our last morning in Trinidad.

     Our first side trip wasn't leaving until 8:00 am so we had plenty of time to enjoy the veranda once more. To our surprise there was an Olive-sided Flycatcher waiting for us when we got there! This is a species that we were all familiar with since it breeds throughout Canada and western North America, but we normally only detect it during fall migration. It winters in northern South America and parts of Central America, so seeing it in Trinidad was perfectly normal, although not a species that we particularly expected to see!

     Although we had been in Trinidad for 4 days, we hadn't seen a single woodpecker, and one of my traveling companions was really hankering for a woodpecker siting. Thus, after talking with a few local guides we ended up requesting a last-minute 4 hour side trip up Blanchisseuse Rd. which would put us at a much higher elevation and in the territory of known woodpecker pairs. This trip turned out to be quite productive and provided us with 10 more species for our list...including two species of woodpeckers! The most striking of the woodpeckers was the pair of Chestnut Woodpeckers that flew back and forth over our heads for a bit before disappearing back into the jungle. Unfortunately I was only able to get one terrible, but identifiable photo of this magnificent species. The other woodpecker that we were able to check off our list was the Lineated Woodpecker; however, we were only lucky enough to get a fleeting glance and hear it call. 

Chestnut Woodpecker

     During the first few miles up the road we heard Little Tinamous calling, and spotted quite a few raptors! Raptors are always exciting, but even more so when you are in another country and there is a chance of seeing a new species. We had a pretty active kettle of mixed species, so we were glad to have a guide who could assist in sorting out the identifying marks.

Common Black Hawk

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

    Some other species that we saw and/or heard included Tropical Parula, Plumbeous Kite, Short-tailed Hawk, Gray-lined Hawk, Blue-black Grassquit, and Trinidad Euphonia. Once we got to the highest point on Blanchisseuse Rd. which sits at approximately 1900 ft in elevation, we were greeted by a beautiful view of the northern range with the Caribbean Sea in the background.

1900 ft in elevation. The aqua color in the background is the Caribbean Sea

      We returned to Asa Wright just in time for lunch, and then had about an hour to kill before our bus left for the airport. During this time we visited the veranda one more time and tracked down our guide/driver to arrange for a quick stop at one more place on the way to the airport. I was also able to have a 1 second glimpse of a Golden-Olive Woodpecker that came to visit the veranda!

White-bearded Manakin

Bay-headed Tanager

Female Purple Honeycreeper

      It was finally time to say goodbye to Asa Wright and head to the airport. However, we had one more chance to pick up a few species along the way. We had convinced our driver to make a stop at the Aripo Livestock Agriculture Research Station. Although we ended up birding through a passing thunderstorm we managed to see 12 additional species: Carib Grackle, Red-breasted Meadowlark, Grassland Yellow-Finch, White-winged Swallow, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Rock Pigeon, Least Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, and Savannah Hawk. What a great use of 30 minutes! We also spotted a Ringed Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon, and Greater Yellowlegs just before we got dropped off at the airport.

Savannah Hawk in a downpour

Savannah Hawk with his/her sassy pants on. 

Red-breasted Meadowlark in a downpour

Southern Lapwing being sassy

Southern Lapwing

A young Wattled Jacana

Red-breasted Meadowlark 

Red-breasted Meadowlark

Grassland Yellow-Finch

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Green-rumped Parrotlet preening after the rain. 

Green-rumped Parrotlets

 Wow! What a trip! Definitely a place to revisit in the near future.
Below is our entire trip list in taxonomic order:

#	Species	Location	Date
1	Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
2	Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
3	Great Egret - Ardea alba	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
4	Snowy Egret - Egretta thula	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
5	Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
6	Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
7	Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
8	Striated Heron - Butorides striata	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
9	Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
10	Scarlet Ibis - Eudocimus ruber	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
11	Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
12	Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
13	Osprey - Pandion haliaetus	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
14	Black Hawk-Eagle - Spizaetus tyrannus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
15	Ornate Hawk-Eagle - Spizaetus ornatus	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
16	Plumbeous Kite - Ictinia plumbea	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
17	Long-winged Harrier - Circus buffoni	Caroni Rice Fields	10/19/2015
18	Common Black Hawk - Buteogallus anthracinus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
19	Savanna Hawk - Buteogallus meridionalis	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
20	White Hawk - Pseudastur albicollis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
21	Gray-lined Hawk - Buteo nitidus	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
22	Short-tailed Hawk - Buteo brachyurus	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
23	Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinicus	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
24	Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
25	Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
26	Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
27	Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
28	Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca	Piarco Airport and adjacent lakes	10/21/2015
29	Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
30	Yellow-billed Tern - Sternula superciliaris	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
31	Large-billed Tern - Phaetusa simplex	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
32	Rock Pigeon - Columba livia	Trinidad and Tobago	10/19/2015
33	Scaled Pigeon - Patagioenas speciosa	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
34	Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti	Trinidad and Tobago	10/19/2015
35	White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
36	Gray-fronted Dove - Leptotila rufaxilla	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
37	Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
38	Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl - Glaucidium brasilianum	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
39	Oilbird - Steatornis caripensis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
40	Band-rumped Swift - Chaetura spinicaudus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
41	Gray-rumped Swift - Chaetura cinereiventris	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
42	White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
43	Rufous-breasted Hermit - Glaucis hirsutus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
44	Green Hermit - Phaethornis guy	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
45	Little Hermit - Phaethornis longuemareus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
46	Green-throated Mango - Anthracothorax viridigula	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
47	Tufted Coquette - Lophornis ornatus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
48	Long-billed Starthroat - Heliomaster longirostris	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
49	Blue-chinned Sapphire - Chlorestes notata	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
50	White-chested Emerald - Amazilia brevirostris	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
51	Copper-rumped Hummingbird - Amazilia tobaci	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
52	Green-backed Trogon - Trogon viridis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
53	Guianan Trogon - Trogon violaceus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
54	Collared Trogon - Trogon collaris	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
55	Trinidad Motmot - Momotus bahamensis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
56	Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata	Trinidad and Tobago	10/21/2015
57	Channel-billed Toucan - Ramphastos vitellinus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
58	Chestnut Woodpecker - Celeus elegans	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
59	Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
60	Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
61	Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus	Trinidad and Tobago	10/21/2015
62	Orange-winged Parrot - Amazona amazonica	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
63	Green-rumped Parrotlet - Forpus passerinus	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
64	Great Antshrike - Taraba major	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
65	Black-crested Antshrike - Sakesphorus canadensis	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
66	Barred Antshrike - Thamnophilus doliatus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
67	Plain Antvireo - Dysithamnus mentalis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
68	White-flanked Antwren - Myrmotherula axillaris	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
69	Cocoa Woodcreeper - Xiphorhynchus susurrans	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
70	Straight-billed Woodcreeper - Dendroplex picus	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
71	Yellow-chinned Spinetail - Certhiaxis cinnamomeus	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
72	Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Elaenia flavogaster	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
73	Ochre-bellied Flycatcher - Mionectes oleagineus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
74	Olive-sided Flycatcher - Contopus cooperi	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/21/2015
75	Tropical Pewee - Contopus cinereus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
76	Pied Water-Tyrant - Fluvicola pica	Trincity Sewage Treatment Ponds	10/19/2015
77	Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
78	Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
79	Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
80	Bearded Bellbird - Procnias averano	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
81	White-bearded Manakin - Manacus manacus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
82	Golden-headed Manakin - Ceratopipra erythrocephala	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
83	Black-tailed Tityra - Tityra cayana	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
84	Golden-fronted Greenlet - Pachysylvia aurantiifrons	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
85	Rufous-browed Peppershrike - Cyclarhis gujanensis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
86	Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
87	White-winged Swallow - Tachycineta albiventer	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
88	House Wren - Troglodytes aedon	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
89	Rufous-breasted Wren - Pheugopedius rutilus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
90	Cocoa Thrush - Turdus fumigatus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
91	Spectacled Thrush - Turdus nudigenis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
92	White-necked Thrush - Turdus albicollis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
93	Tropical Mockingbird - Mimus gilvus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
94	Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
95	American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
96	Tropical Parula - Setophaga pitiayumi	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
97	Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
98	Masked Cardinal - Paroaria nigrogenis	Caroni Swamp	10/19/2015
99	White-shouldered Tanager - Tachyphonus luctuosus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
100	White-lined Tanager - Tachyphonus rufus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
101	Silver-beaked Tanager - Ramphocelus carbo	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
102	Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
103	Palm Tanager - Thraupis palmarum	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
104	Turquoise Tanager - Tangara mexicana	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
105	Bay-headed Tanager - Tangara gyrola	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
106	Blue Dacnis - Dacnis cayana	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/20/2015
107	Purple Honeycreeper - Cyanerpes caeruleus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
108	Green Honeycreeper - Chlorophanes spiza	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/18/2015
109	Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
110	Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
111	Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
112	Red-crowned Ant-Tanager - Habia rubica	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/19/2015
113	Red-breasted Meadowlark - Sturnella militaris	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
114	Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris	Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) Station	10/21/2015
115	Yellow Oriole - Icterus nigrogularis	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
116	Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015
117	Trinidad Euphonia - Euphonia trinitatis	Blanchisseuse Road	10/21/2015
118	Violaceous Euphonia - Euphonia violacea	Asa Wright Nature Centre	10/17/2015