Georgetown Botanical Gardens
Our flight from Port of Spain was on time and waking up roughly ten minutes from landing I was staggered by the mass expanse of the rainforest below. We landed on time and swiftly went through immigration and met Francis who drove us into Georgetown and dropped us at the Status Hotel. He told us where to walk to get into the Botanical gardens, and despite this city not being the safest around we made it with no issues. The birding was fairly productive with the undoubted highlight being a superb Blood-coloured Woodpecker. What was slightly nerving was a local informing us of a mugging a few weeks back of a birder, however no doubt the muggers were put off by the torrential and prolonged downpour that struck on us out of the blue. Typical as it was the one time I left my umbrella and waterproofs in the hotel, this being the dry season it was at the back of my mind. Still we had conjured up a respectable list and when the rain eased we made a break for the hotel. It didn't really matter as I was completely saturated including all my accessories but as I type it's all drying out, though the room is looking more like a drug store with bank notes scattered throughout the room. In the evening our guide Ron Allicock joined us for dinner and we set about listing a whole load of targets his way, although this being my first time to northern SA, my list was slightly longer then most present.
- Snail Kite
- Black-collared Hawk
- Red-shouldered Macaw
- Festive Parrot
- Mealy Parrot
- White-cheated Emerald
- Glittering-throated Emerald
- White-bellied Piculet
- Blood-coloured Woodpecker
- Yellow-chinned Spinetail
- Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
- Cinnamon Attila
- Short-Crested Flycatcher
- Black-capped Donacobius
- Wing-barred Seedeater
- Greyish Saltator
- Yellow Oriole
Festive Parrots - these led to a bit of roadside birding where we were filmed and no doubt now a big youtube hit.
Black-capped Donacobius
Blood-coloured Woodpecker - certainly my biggest target for the first day, an excellent bird and the name isn't too bad either. Being roughly the size of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker it was very charismatic.
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Yellow Oriole - a numerous bird throughout in open areas.
Wing-barred Seedeater
arriving at GEO
roadside birding in Georgetown isn't recommended, but when a pair of Festive Parrots are on offer its slightly understandable. No muggings for us, despite recent reports of muggings inside the botanical gardens.
a torrential downpour drew an end to a quick but successful visit to the botanical gardens. My bird book took a battering from the shower and spent the rest of the trip drying out and just about holding all pages together.
the view from my room
