Backyard and local birding is a good way to get your weekly fix of bird watching and sighting. When you are ready to get serious, however, it is time to head off to an exotic land where unique species exists in such numbers that you will need extra pages for your life list. Trinidad offers just such an opportunity.
Located in the West Indies, Trinidad is a birding paradise. The Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge is the place you want to hunker down at. Renowned for its birding tours, Asa Wright is a non-profit center that has been providing birding education and tours since 1967. It is located in the Northern Range Mountains on the island at an elevation of over 1,000 feet. The center sits on a former cocoa plantation that offers incredible views in and of itself.
Visitors can watch many species of birds at the veranda, but there is also a host of birding tours in the surrounding mountains. In fact, many tours are operated by local hotels and resorts to bird watching points at the southern most island of the Caribbean. Among the birds that you can appreciate at Trinidad, we can name the Oropendolas, Pepershrikes, Manakins, Woodcreepers and Antbirds as the most attractive. Other species to be sighted include Red-legged Honeycreepers, Turquoise Tanagers, Red-Breasted Blackbirds, White-necked Jacobins, Ruby Topaz, and the Scarlet Ibis.
Trinidad trips are often referred to as visits to the land of the Hummingbird. Frankly, it is the specialty of the island. These small birds with long slender bills, brilliant iridescent plumage, and wings specialized for vibrating flight, are abundant on all the islands. Close to Port of Spain, the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and Mount Saint Benedict is ideal for sighting Hummingbirds to your heart's content.
If waterfowl is more your taste, the Pierre Wild Fowl Trust runs a conservatory on the southern end of the island. The Trust is dedicated to the breeding, protection, and reintroduction of various water fowl species to the area. Specialties include swans, geese and ducks to mention only a few.
Trinidad offers an opportunity to take a few weeks in the West Indies while also sighting some new entries to your life list. It is an opportunity you should take advantage of.
The Birders
May it be in the UK or in the United States, birders say that what they are doing is far from just a pastime or a relaxation thing. For them, they do such to study not only the species of birds but also their patterns. They don't base their analogies on mere observation and they invest on the latest optical equipments to strengthen their claims.
Instead of going where the birdwatchers usually go, the birders are always on the lookout for new and unexplored sites, hoping to find more information. They would even allot a budget for travel, however far it will take them, just to expand their knowledge and to discern a lot more about the subject that they are most interested about, birds.
The Birdwatchers
These people go about bird watching by only observing with their eyes. They may also opt for binoculars but aren't really focusing on the technology. They wouldn't care if their apparels are not the latest in the market, they can even go about without those gadgets. What's important is that they get a sense of fulfillment from what they are doing, they get to relax, see the birds and enjoy the sights.
The birdwatchers couldn't care less where they do their stuff. They would even do it on their own backyards or just go to nature reserves nearest to them. If they happen to be on vacation, they can do it wherever they are, whenever they please to do it. These people has the love for the birds but don't really want to take that feeling further by going the scientific route, because by doing so, they might miss out the fun that they intend to have.
The Right Time
Bird watching on regions that have temperate weather are most active in the spring and fall migrations. During such time, the widest array of birds could be seen as these birds relocate northbound or southbound in trying to find nesting sites.
For the hobbyists and professionals, it is advisable to do the act in the early morning where the birds are looking for food. This way, observation can be done at a lengthier time and you can see them easily while they are onto their task.
Seawatching This type of bird watching is for people who would go near coastal areas to find watch points like the headland to be able to see the birds flying over to the sea. The birds that can be observed from such are called the pelagic kinds. The pelagic species of birds can also be observed when one is aboard a seagoing vessel.
Proper Etiquette
Whether you're a birder or a birdwatcher, you should always look out for the wellbeing of the birds and also have some positive notes on what you are doing. You can lead the way to promote cleanliness of the environment so that the natural habitat for this kind wouldn't be harmed. Also, you should be vigilant about the latest technology when you use them as part of the activity, that it won't affect the birds in a negative manner.
Bird watching may just be a hobby but one that must be done with passion and concern about the birds and their welfare.
Both Nomad Rick & Julie Souto are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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