Entries from June 2009 ↓
June 29th, 2009 — Trip Reports
Highlights: White-cheeked Pintail, Greater Black-backed Gull
After putting it off for several weeks, I finally decided to make a trip to the Cacandee sluice gates to try and get a look at the White-cheeked Pintails (Anas bahamensis) that frequent the area. We arrived at 6:30am and almost immediately picked up a small group of 3 Pintails flying over the reedbeds from Abidah road.
White-cheeked Pintail: Cacandee Sluice Gate, Trinidad
Driving down to the boat launch, I saw a female Pintail with a brood of 7 ducklings. A further three Pintails seen later may have been from the original group.Also in the area of note was a Ringed Kingfisher, juv Gray Hawk, Common Black Hawk and a Long-winged Harrier.
Leaving Cacandee, we went to Orange Field fishing depot. The 1st winter Greater Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) was still present among the usual bunch of Laughing Gulls along with at least two Wilson’s Plovers.
June 23rd, 2009 — Trail Camera
I stumbled upon the idea of using trail cameras quite by accident while on the internet. The idea hooked me and I soon purchased a cheap camera (Bushnell Trail Sentry) to see what i could do with it. Trail cameras are self firing with modern designs utilising a thermal/motion dector to pickup differences in heat, which signify the passage of an animal and this triggers the “shutter”.
My dad and I recently modified the camera to use a rechargable Lead Acid battery. The entire thing is then attached to a tree or other suitable object, wherever you want to study (forest etc). You can then either bait the area or leave as it depending on your objective, and then you leave it there for as long as you wish. If unbaited you really should leave it a long time (like a couple months or so) along animal trails or water/food sources to avoid disappointment. If you decide to use a bait you can expect results the first night.
Of course you won’t discover anything new to science. Professionals have used such systems in Trinidad and Tobago to track/catalog mammals. Mostly i do this to get an idea of what animals live in an area. And also it is a lot of fun. I would encourage anyone to give it a try. You can see some photos taken in the TT NatureLink Gallery
June 22nd, 2009 — Trip Reports
I can think of no better way to kickstart this website than to report on such a fantastic trip. We left Penal at 7:00am and soon encountered one of the “local” Crane Hawks, flying over the Barrackpore market. Nearing the St Mary’s junction, we paused to have a look at a Gray Hawk on a distant tree when a flock of Lilac-tailed Parrotlets flew up and landed on the tree next to us. This is the first time I have ever seen them perched. However they soon flew off before we could manage photos.
Hook-billed Kite - Cat's Hill, Trinidad
By about 8:30am we were driving through the Cat’s Hill teak fields when we spotted one of our target birds, a Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) flying between trees. Last month I had seen a gray phase/male bird here and we hoped to see it again. We had good views of it as it eventually circled overhead. This bird turned out to be a rufous phase/female, noticably missing half of one tail feather.
We were treated to 2 Swallow-tailed Kites,1 Gray-headed Kite, numerous Plumbeous Kites and 1 Zone-tailed Hawk from the same spot.
Black Hawk-Eagle - Cat's Hill, Trinidad
Moving on we encountered the usual mix of small forest species (notably Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Streak-headed Woodcreeper and Red-eyed Vireo) until Nigel picked up on the calls of an overhead raptor. Amazingly, this turned out to be a adult Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus),our second target bird.
A quick foray in a side road produced a White Hawk. As we stopped at the pipeline crossing near the end of the road to watch a dark phase Short-tailed Hawk, we saw a Tayra quickly cross the road and disappear on the other side (a first for me). After collecting my field camera (which yeilded only bats) we returned home with an impressive list of 11 raptors (where’s a Yellow-headed Caracara when you need it?) and a Tayra. Truly a good day and a good start to what I hope will be a productive contribution to Trinidad and tobago’s natural history.
June 22nd, 2009 — Observations
The South Oropouche Lagoon, located south of San Fernando, is an open marsh environment inhabited by several resident Long-winged Harriers (Circus buffoni) and, in the latter months of the year, a few Merlins (Falco columbarius). I have noticed Merlins and Long-winged Harriers forming (temporary) symbiotic relationships, probably best described as a form of commensalism. Typically harriers fly low over the ground searching for reptiles and small mammals. They are neither fast nor agile enough to chase and capture healthy birds that have taken flight. Only if a bird is on the ground (nesting, hiding or injured) will the harrier have any real chance. The Merlins on the other hand fly higher and dive at flying birds, depending on their agility and speed. Once a bird is on the ground however, the Merlin is unable to hunt.
Both in 2007 and 2008 I have witnessed Merlins flying above and alongside hunting harriers in the South Oropouche Lagoon. Typically the Merlins flew in circles above the harrier. As the harriers search for prey, smaller birds take flight to avoid the harrier, which brings them in range of the overhead Merlins. I have seen Merlins make kills several times in this way. And while I have not actually seen a harrier benefit from this, I have seen harriers chasing successful Merlins who, weighed down by their catch, are now slow enough to be overtaken and this gives the harrier a chance to steal their catch.
It will be interesting to see if this is repeated in the years to come and at other locations.
