We left Fort Lauderdale today for Trinidad at around 10:30 am and arrived at 4
pm. We are now one hour ahead of
Ontario.
We met our driver and birding guide, Mahase. The area around Port of Spain has some mountains of
about 1,000 meters. The driving is on
the left (former British Colony) and it is a lush, jungle drive up from Port of
Spain to Asa Wright that takes about an hour. The road is challenging. There are many twists and
switchbacks and I was nauseated from the drive and ate up my entire inventory
of candy (three). I just did not think
to buy some in Florida.
The drive is spectacular and there are plenty of different birds
up here. The verandah at Asa Wright has many hummingbird feeders that are below and there are other feeding stations. It looks like
plantain and mango are put out to feed some birds.
Both Barbr and I spent the late afternoon on the verandah
meeting other birders. I had tea and then I had rum punch at cocktail
hour. It was very good with the freshest
pineapple I have had in ages. Supper was
buffet style and the food was good and it was mostly an East Indian
influence. We figured out that dessert was papaya and Coolwhip.
I am just waiting now for Brenda and Peggy to show up as
their flight did not get in until 9:30 pm and they have the dark drive up
through the hills to get up here.
After supper I joined a group of guest led by an Asa Wright
guide in to the deep darkness looking for night creatures and we found them,
snakes and tarantulas. There are four different poisonous snakes
here: 2 coral snake species and two vipers.
We also found many different bugs and smaller spiders and some crabs
that live in the side of the hill. One
sweet moment was discovering by accident a sleeping Northern Waterthrush. It really lifted up its head like it was just
woken up. We left it alone as we did not want it to
flush and fly in the dark.
Brenda and Peggy have just arrived and are happy to be here
after a long day.
Tomorrow we meet up and start the birding. This is dream birding place.
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