Bird

The cocoa thrush is a recent addition to the photos, since they have rarely visited the feeders in the past. They are more noticeable after a 'late night fete' on top of San Fernando Hill (which is run, oddly, by the Forestry Division). Their whistles are distinctive and melodic, and they do make the harsh distinctive sounds noticeable in other thrushes.

These birds are shy, and typically eat insects. Some writings say that it is tamer in Trinidad; I do not think that it is a matter of being shy but a matter of being displaced. They are most common in heavily wooded areas; my experience has shown that they only venture to the feeder when they have been displaced from their regular areas. Perhaps they appear tamer to some observers because they haven't factored in the necessity of the birds to eat.

Wikipedia reference: Cocoa Thrush
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird... So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing -- that's what counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something. -- Richard Feynman.

The quote by Feynman is in the context of something that his father taught him at a young age - in a book about what he had found out about things. This online work is not so different.

In 1999, when I visited Trinidad to see my father after years abroad, I met a man who had - sometime when I wasn't looking - started feeding the birds on San Fernando Hill. While I sat in my usual spots in the house doing my usual things (reading, writing, rithmetic) it became hard not to observe the birds. A year later, when I returned to assist the old man, he too had developed an interest in the birds and had engineered a feeder that - aside from being able to feed about 10-20 birds at a time - conveniently dropped refuse on passing cars which honked their horns as well as those that would park to block the gates. This was his joke and revenge on those that disturbed his peace, I suppose, and that feeder stayed in that position until after he died - when I moved it to the back of the house where it was less of an issue and where there was more foliage for the birds to hang out.

During the last 10 years of his life, he became more interested in birds - but wasn't interested enough to read up on them. He purchased a copy of Birds of Trinidad and Tobago and pointedly left it where I normally sat - his way of telling me, 'Read this so that I can gain the knowledge'. Over the years, he had accused me of reading too many textbooks and not enough novels (would that he really knew the truth...), and over time this became his way of handling anything that involved formal knowledge. Hand Taran the book, discuss the book with Taran, then tell Taran that he had it all wrong because his observations varied. Sometimes he was right, sometimes he was wrong, but he always had his own observations and stood by them - an enviable thing in a world full of people that only read about the world that they live in.

My job, therefore, was to identify birds and tell him what others had seen - in this case, the writings of Richard ffrench and Roger Neckles. The wildcard in this deck of observations were my own - I was the one doing the yardwork, though not nearly as much as my father seemed to want. I was the one who sat in view of the birds while reading; my father was out most of the time while my writing and programming jobs had me tied inexorably to one geographic spot: here. My observations, over time, did not always coincide with those of the authors of the book. On top of that, I found blind spots in the knowledge which lead me to research my own information, since the diminutive book was not as informative as I needed.

Even so, my own observations varied from much of what I had read. Perhaps my father and I had changed the ways some birds had done some things by feeding them large quantities of bananas and bread. I cannot say, and it would be foolish for me to do anything but stand by what I have observed and compare it to what I have read. This online work is in no way a rub at the authors of books about birds in Trinidad and Tobago - consider it an amateur supplement by someone who has grown to appreciate the birds in a habitat that borders the former majesty of San Fernando Hill - where the concrete jungle has produced an artificial preserve near housing, where iguanas frequent my backyard and manicou are hunted to extinction so that they don't reside in someone's roof.

It is a dieing frontier. I am almost certain that in 10 years the ecosystem will be gone. Pollutants, noise, insecticides, the tailoring of lawns which destroys the seeds many birds eat and the destruction of fruit producing trees will eventually change the way things will be. I can only tell you what I see now - and that is what this amateur supplement is about. I could have contributed much of this to the Wikipedia, but there is a tendency in the Wikipedia to remove opinions not already published - and since my observations do not always jive with published works... so be it. If you do visit some of the Wikipedia articles at the time of this writing, you may note that I made some of my images available. That is presently my extent of collaboration on Wikipedia until I am comfortable with how the administrators do things. Besides - I can publish here.

This online book does serve another purpose - to let people outside of Trinidad know that Port of Spain does not encompass the entire country. We may be so fortunate that people in Port of Spain and its environs may learn from that as well.

Without further ado, in alphabetical order of their common English names, I present my unfinished observations and photographs of the birds of San Fernando Hill, Trinidad - a project not ended, but finally begun.

A migratory bird, the diminutive Yellow Warbler is easily mistaken for a Saffron Finch at a glance - the tell tale signs are the red streaks on the male breast, something which I found in photographs I had taken. Having noted it this year (this month, actually), I have been trying to find its patterns so that I can get better shots of it. It hops almost constantly from limb to limb on the tree in front and does not visit the feeder. Its call is a distinct high pitched 'tweet, tweet, tweet'.

Hopefully more pictures this year before it packs its bags and heads home.

Wikipedia reference: Yellow Warbler
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

Locally known as the 'Plantain' or 'Small Corn Bird', these birds are easy targets for any photographer that can get close enough. They occasion the feeder a few times a day, alone or with another close by. They constantly make a 'kack' call to each other; at first I thought this was because they were disturbed by something - but I later noticed that they often 'kack' at each other to find out where the other is. I'm watching for male/behavior patterns, but have so far seen none. They have a definite need for space on the feeder, and will defend any food that they are near from tanagers - but will bow out gracefully should a kiskedee or mockingbird visit.

When comfortable and roosted, they warble a nice melody - but they are most easily found by their 'kack' and bright colors.

Interestingly, this is the only bird I have noticed and photographed blinking its eyes.

Wikipedia reference: South American Yellow Oriole
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

I have only been able to capture this bird with the new camera; the older camera lacked enough optical zoom to pull it closer. It is usually seen higher above, foraging berries and insects. The call, 'zoo-zee-zoo-zee' is distinctive and can make spotting these birds much easier.

I'm waiting to get more time to observe this bird with the new camera.

Wikipedia reference: Yellow-bellied Elaenia
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

Male

Female

Commonly called 'Singing Angels' for their lustrous song, these birds are fairly easy to spot. The male is black with white wing coverts which are easily seen in flight (thus the nickname 'Parson'), and its larger size easily differentiates it from the Blue-black grassquit and Shiny Cowbird. The female is also easy to spot, a rufous brown bird of the same size. The immature birds are slightly smaller and have the female's coloring.

There is only one mating pair near the feeder at any given time, and they do eat fruit. However, their actions on the feeder are very different when compared to other tanagers: The male will land first and aggressively move any other birds in the area by opening its beak and half spreading its wings. Interestingly, the male will not land when there is a Tropical Mockingbird present, instead waiting for the other tanagers to displace the mockingbird - then moving in to fend the others off. Once space has been cleared, the female will land and feed - the male will not feed much, if at all, until the female has left. Once the female has left, other birds are safe to approach.

This is the only bird I have seen with such clear male and female behavior. They visit the feeder a few times a day, usually in the early morning and in the late afternoon. { Read more }

If there is a ruler to the roost in the area, it is the Tropical Mockingbird - sometimes seen in pairs but often alone, other birds typically stay a safe distance from it. It is one of my many alarms at night should something happen in the yard as well - they usually nest within the yard, and their warning is distinct on a clear night.

They can often be seen on the ground foraging insects. They have no trouble with mixing some fruit into their diet, either, and are regulars at the feeding area.

To get an idea of how fearless these birds are: Last year, there was a cat that was watching the suspended feeding tray (much as a cat would do); in the blink of an eye two tropical mockingbirds attacked it and knocked it out - I thought they had killed it. The cat lay there for about 15 minutes, got up, and was dazed so much that it ran into a few bricks on the second attack.

Because of this, I think that the mockingbird actually keeps the place safe for the other birds - and if it comes at the cost of a few bananas a day, it is well worth it. The actions of the tanagers around the mockingbird are always amusing; they will take turns attracting the wrath of the mockingbird until it is so driven to distraction that it gives chase to one - leaving the feeding tray to the other tanagers.

It may rule the roost, but the feeder belongs to the tanagers.

Wikipedia reference: Tropical Mockingbird
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

A recent addition to my list here, I have to admit that this is so because my last camera simply couldn't zoom out far enough to make distinctions like this - it is easily mistake for a Great Kiskedee. To compensate, it has the coolest latin name of the birds nearby. I'm keeping my eye and camera ready for further sightings.

Wikipedia reference: Tropical Kingbird
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.