10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2024

It was a Black-headed Parrot , a species that I had meagrely attempted to see in Trinidad once without success. A couple bends along the trail and it seemed as if we were out of human contact by a thousand miles. Familiar, but beautiful regardless: Blue-headed Parrot Another small parrot species landed on a tree in the distance.

Guyana 246

Guyana Parrots Trinidad Monkeys 246

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2020

This pervasive pandemic we’re currently experiencing has squashed everyone’s travel plans – humans that is. Migration (in particular bird migration) is well underway, however. And when I say bird migration I’m referring to a specific group of birds – shorebirds.

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Trinidad South America Blackbirds Game 251

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2023

For starters, they don’t fly away from the moment they’re noticed by a human observer and more importantly, they sit very still for pictures. Lesser Antillean Swift Throughout my birding journey in Trinidad and Tobago I have been eyeing the illustration of Streaked Saltator in the field guide.

Puerto Rico 203

Puerto Rico Grenada Barbados Trinidad 203

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2023

The southern forests of the island of Trinidad are home to the much-maligned Moruga Grasshopper. International organisations have provided “assistance” to the government of Trinidad & Tobago over the years to placate residents and aggrieved farmers. But little has been said about its ecological function.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Squirrels Investigation Bears 147

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

The sky cracked open as we ascended into the modest hills of Trinidad’s Northern Range. As if to stamp its approval on the habitat alteration, a Pale-breasted Spinetail voiced its content with the human disturbance. Turning into one of the side-roads off the famed Arima-Blanchisseuse Road, we continued our journey uphill.

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Trinidad Eagles Bears Litter 162

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2022

Back in Trinidad, both Spectacled Thrush and Cocoa Thrush would nest in our backyard. I had never seen other young thrushes before that last walk I just mentioned as the other species tend to breed in more remote environments far away from concentrated human settlement. Wise creatures.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Emotional Breeding Cats 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2023

Whether on Trinidad or Tobago, there are few places one can visit where the presence of the sea isn’t felt. I found it interesting how the birds favoured a certain location in what we humans may term “featureless”, clearly feeling some measure of safety there.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Pelicans Groups Humane 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2020

Not being a fan of human structures in my images, I’ve never done much bird photography at home. The Carib Grackles that have recently moved in dominate proceedings and harass the thrushes and tanagers. Ruddy Ground Doves huddle together, consistently making new Ruddy Ground Doves.

Birds 278

Birds Raised Owls Humane 278

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2021

Life here is experiencing a boon in the face of encroaching human activity, at least in my immediate vicinity. It is my hope that they all can continue to benefit from this rewilding project; I shall gladly handle the complaints from human quarters. I do miss going out – but I’m not sure how much!

Opossums 264

Opossums Barn Owls Reptiles Hunting 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Many of these species are declining in number, having to share their limited geographical range with an expanding human population without a doubt impedes their ability to proliferate as needed. Some islands host one or two species, others more than twenty.

Grenada 130

Grenada Parrots Trinidad 2010 130

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

How can something so miniscule bust out of an opaque egg and immediately commence the preparation for a thousand-mile journey – that is often made without any adult accompaniment – is completely beyond this human’s understanding.

Fish 264

Fish Eggs Family Humane 264

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2023

These small crocodilians pose no threat to humans, but I had never before seen one in these ponds. As I was pondering this, making the calculations of caiman jaw size versus grebe roundness – the bird suddenly panicked, as humans do when they bump into something unfamiliar in the dark.

Ducks 147

Ducks Fish Humane Species 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

A birder as well as a scientific illustrator specializing in birds, Dyer is a field associate at the American Museum of Natural History and has contributed paintings and drawings to a number of field guides, including books on Puerto Rico, the West Indies, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, North America, and New York State.

Costa Rica 246

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

There were three profound questions my birding group discussed while we birded Trinidad and Tobago, back in December 2012: (1) How many Bananaquits could fit on a banana? (2) 3) What was the best guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago? 2) Which hummingbird was more beautiful—Tufted Coquette or Ruby-topaz Hummingbird? (3)

Trinidad 247

Trinidad South America Birds 2011 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2023

One of the interesting aspects of Trinidad’s nature is that both southern corners of the roughly boot-shaped island are dotted with wetlands. Trinidad’s southwestern peninsula has pockets of wet savanna that support sizeable groves of moriche palm. Nearer to the road, a Spotted Tody-flycatcher was busy building a nest.

Trinidad 223

Trinidad Protest Protesting Protesters 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2022

I say unceremoniously – but I am using the human metric by which we decide what makes noise and what doesn’t. This is not an attempt to anthropomorphize, as that would indicate that humans are the only creatures capable of possessing certain characteristics. Without so much as a splash, it slipped into the water.

Elephants 279

Elephants Ducks Humane Family 279

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2016

Others, by their own admission, are Luddites and believe that the pinnacle of human technological achievement was reached on the day that man first bound a notebook in moleskin. Trinidad Head. Still, the list will be as complete as we can keep it and will be updated on the first Saturday of every month. Bund Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary.

2016 154

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 154

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2016

Others, by their own admission, are Luddites and believe that the pinnacle of human technological achievement was reached on the day that man first bound a notebook in moleskin. Trinidad Head. Still, the list will be as complete as we can keep it and will be updated on the first Saturday of every month. Bund Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary.

2016 110

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 110