Once
again up at first light and a rumour went out that a Female Tufted Croquette
hummingbird had been seen up near the chalets – but I failed miserably to get a
decent shot.
We headed to the east coast and the Nariva Swamp, the
largest freshwater herbaceous swamp on the island. The drive there was uneventful although we
stopped numerous times for birds Sharon thought he glimpsed or heard. Arriving at the coast the beach was
practically deserted apart from a few sandpipers.
And Mudskippers (think Guinness advert)
Ian had a brief paddle and said the ocean (Atlantic) was pleasantly warm.
After another picnic lunch (tuna pasta so I passed) we
headed further south to the swamp area and saw a few birds.
Savannah Hawk taking advantage of the dappled sunlight to camouflage itself.
Driving through a farmed area we came across these huge
lotus plants / water lilies – the spent heads reminded me of showerheads.
We got talking to an old guy who lived there and he said the plants weren’t cultivated but arrived on their own and just continued to spread. This guy only had about 3 teeth and he was very hard to understand but we got the gist of it. He offered to cut some stems for us but we declined as we had nowhere to keep them and they’d just die.
We got talking to an old guy who lived there and he said the plants weren’t cultivated but arrived on their own and just continued to spread. This guy only had about 3 teeth and he was very hard to understand but we got the gist of it. He offered to cut some stems for us but we declined as we had nowhere to keep them and they’d just die.
Around that area we saw this Wattled Jacana and two chicks
picking their way across the pads – I don’t know how old the chicks were but
they were very, very cute. Needless to say, I took far too many pictures!
This is another Wattled Jacana and he looks like he's walking on a solid surface but it's actually water covered in flower petals or seeds. I just love his huge feet.
Heavy showers then followed us for most of the afternoon as we drove along the sides of dykes looking for birds.
Ringed Kingfisher which led me a merry dance whilst I tried and failed to get a shot with the light on it (not behind it).
Heron (not sure which one)
Another Heron
Heavy showers then followed us for most of the afternoon as we drove along the sides of dykes looking for birds.
Ringed Kingfisher which led me a merry dance whilst I tried and failed to get a shot with the light on it (not behind it).
Heron (not sure which one)
Another Heron
Yellow-headed Caracara (juvenile)
Pied Water Tryant
We should have stayed around the swamp until dusk for the chance of seeing flocks of red bellied Macaws coming into roost but the road had been washed away a couple of months ago and was no longer driveable. Instead we headed back towards AWNC and stopped at a disused airfield for a sundowner and saw nothing.
Highlight of the day - getting a bird in flight and fairly sharp (albeit a rather slow Wattled Jacana).
Pied Water Tryant
We should have stayed around the swamp until dusk for the chance of seeing flocks of red bellied Macaws coming into roost but the road had been washed away a couple of months ago and was no longer driveable. Instead we headed back towards AWNC and stopped at a disused airfield for a sundowner and saw nothing.
Highlight of the day - getting a bird in flight and fairly sharp (albeit a rather slow Wattled Jacana).
