More Birding with Ken

On Saturday I arrived at Pax to hear Ken had got great shots of White tailed Trogon and Tufted Cocquet right from his window.  We headed out to South West Trinidad for a start at Roussillac Swamp, this started with a slog through wet Razor (Saw) Grass and very tangled vines.  Once in the mangrove area the birds were quiet but about, using Pigmy Owl calls we attracted some birds in and chased them sloshing about in above the ancle mud, but nothing would sit still for more than a moment making filming very frustrating.  Since it is the end of the riany sesaon and the last two days did have serious showers the mud was not only deep but very soft and sticky.   

After about an hour we decided to throw in the towel, but as we are leaving a humming bird flys over and lands not too far away.  Its a Green throated Mango!  This bird is rarely seen and is only a resident of certain mangroves.  Fortunately it sits for 5 minutes, flys away and sits near by for another 5 minutes, so we chase it around.  The we get Streaked headed Woodcreeper and Prothronotory Warbler, my favorite Warbler.

Green Throated Mango

We do the razor grass dance again, clean mud off and on the drive a pair of Safron Finches drop in on the side of the road, so we jump out to film them, but after only a couple seconds of flim they fly off.  We look for them and never find them but in the persuit we find Yellow Oriole, Barred Antshrike calling incessantly and many others.                                 Barred Antshrike raising its Crest at me

We then hit the Sudama steps on the Oropuche River we very quickly find Spotted Tody Flycatcher, which is another favorite of mine, but only get a couple seconds.                        

So we spend the afternoon pursuing the Toddys up the banks of the river and after many tries we get great photage.  While chasing the Todys we find Red breasted blackbird, Green Kingfisher, Greater Anis, Jacanas, Long winged Harrier, and lots more.

                                                                

                                                                                                                                        Yellow Oriole

For the days final act we hit the mudflats by Bellair Laromain.  Here we spend the afternoon filming 5 Scarlet Ibis near to us feeding for crabs, shripm and worms on the mud.  In all there were about Ibises among                         

Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Gulls, Pelicans, Herons, Royal Terns, an Ospery, a Comorant eating a large catfish.