Up into the Rainforest

andromeda of plymouth
Susan and Andrew Wilson
Thu 10 Nov 2011 19:56
Up into the Rain Forest – wet, wet, wet......

After the success of the other trips we heard about an overnighter that
Jesse also arranges and so on Tuesday 1st November saw us once again
waiting outside the boatyard gates for Jesse’s bus and before long there
were 12 of us plus Jesse on our through Port of Spain on a trip to the Asa
Wright nature reserve up in the northern mountains.

Jesse as usual made sure that no one was hungry on the trip as we stopped
at yet another vendor for elevenses and we soon had tingling lips and
tongues from the hot pepper sauce on our saheenas etc. Resuming our
journey and now going in a completely different direction to our other
trips we went past small villages and fields into the foot hills of the
northern mountains, all the time with a running commentary of things of
local interest as well as comments on the state of the world from Jesse.
Progress was reasonably slow as we made our way up the mountain roads,
narrow with hair pin bends and lots of pot holes and it involved a lot of
tooting on the horn to warn other road users that we were there.

Below the nature reserve there are two big quarries and we met many a huge
lorry going the other way with their heavy loads. Once past the quarries
we could see huge areas under cultivation for Christophenes another staple
food of Trinidad that is also vey versatile and can be eaten raw on its
own, added to salads and stir fries or cooked and poached as well. We
made a mental note to try some once back in Chaguaramas. Jesse, being the
mine of information he is, was constantly pointing out things of interest
and we found it all fascinating especially seeing a nutmeg tree with the
fruit on, something we have used a lot but had no idea how it was
harvested. Jesse has also been up there so often he knows where to stop
and see the wildlife and we were fortunate enough to get a lovely view of
a Blue Crowned Mot Mot bird.

Arriving at Asa Wright almost the first thing we saw were some of the
agoutis that live in the reserve, a good omen we thought. Once we were
checked in we were soon shown to our lovely airy room complete with shower
and a big ceiling fan .....lovely and cool and we decided to find out
where the mountain pool was and go for a swim. Walking to the pool
through the rain forest was a lovely experience, so much to see and look
at and we hope the photos give you some flavour of it. Everywhere there
was something else to notice but we eventually arrived at the pool to find
ourselves on our own – everyone else was doing something else and so we
changed and went into the pool. At first it was a bit of a shock as the
water was streaming into the pool from a small fall and was a bit cooler
than we expected but once in it was gorgeous and refreshing. We then made
our way back to our room through some different paths and enjoyed a nice
shower and then went down to tea and some bird watching.

At the centre there is a splendid terrace balcony overlooking feeding
areas for the birds and what birds. It’s so hard to do justice to how
much we saw, we have put a complete list at the bottom of this for anyone
who is interested. Suffice it to say that having tiny hummingbirds in
their beautiful colours zipping past your ears to drink water from the
feeders was really memorable. On hand were the very knowledgeable staff,
eager to impart what they knew and answer any questions and to identify
the birds for us, all the time keeping an eye out for any special visitors
that were hard to see. If you ever come to Trinidad this is definitely a
place worth visiting and is justifiably in the 1000 places to visit.

After tea at 4pm with some lovely homemade cookies it was punch at 6pm and
then time to get ready for dinner at 7.30. All 12 of us were seated at a
huge round table with a giant lazy Susan in the middle and then served
ourselves from a wonderful buffet of home cooked food.

After dinner our guide for our visit took us on a night walk to see some
nocturnal creatures. In the warm evening air we wandered down the path we
had taken to the pool. It felt very different with only the moon and our
torches and the small amount of lighting available. We spotted various
insects and spiders, bats, some crabs and crickets and enjoyed the hunt
very much, then it was back to the centre for a nightcap and a reasonably
early night.

The following morning saw us up bright and early just after dawn for the
main bird watching opportunity and after a hot shower we made our way down
to the terrace again to a cacophony of sound as hundreds of different
birds came to feed. Again with the assistance of the rangers many birds
were identified and we all enjoyed the vision if colours before us. In
the centre are some fantastic photos of some of the birds, especially the
hummingbirds, they are so fast and small it was hard even in these
circumstances to get photos to convey just how beautiful they are – but
then google images is good for that.

After a substantial breakfast we assembled for our 2 hour orientation
walk, and here we were introduced to the flora of the rainforest. We were
going through secondary rainforest, over land that had once been used to
grow various crops, coffee, cocoa and sugar cane. Eventually they hope to
open a centre in some virgin rainforest further up the mountains. Even so
it was a fascinating walk (and a list is at the bottom) with a very
informative guide and we even saw some golden headed manikins in their lec
– a lec is an area where the male birds perform their dances intending to
be best and therefore getting a lot of mates. This is the life for these
birds, eating, dancing, mating – they take no part in the raising of the
chicks, just have to practise their dancing to be the best. The golden
headed manikin is known for its ‘Michael Jackson’ moves and we saw it
practising its ‘moon walk’.

As we reached the bottom of the valley we were in we got a taste of why
it’s a rainforest – yes it started to rain – dripping through the canopy
but we were now on our way back up the valley and it wasn’t too bad – at
least it was warm.

On return to the centre most of us went to change into dry clothes and we
booked out of our rooms and went back to the bird watching.....and the
white bearded manikin we didn’t see in the lec paid a very special visit
to the terrace and hung around. All too soon it was time for lunch,
another substantial and very tasty meal and then back to the terrace
again. It is amazing just how entrancing watching the birds dart back and
forth was and we reluctantly dragged ourselves away when Jesse arrived
with the bus to take us on to the next adventure.

Although it had rained quite heavily during the morning we were again
lucky (although some of us were hoping) that the road hadn’t been blocked
by a landslip and we made our way slowly back down the mountain, over the
potholes and past the quarries. We then turned west and made our way to
the Caroni swamp with the obligatory (we had Jesse on board of course)
stop for doubles for later.

As we drew in to the car park we all smiled as overhead 3 scarlet Ibis
flew – these were what we were coming to see. We were going in the swamp
at high tide and all boarded the open boat for the trip, suitably covered
in insect repellent (which must have worked because I don’t think anyone
complained of being bitten). We started down the channel and almost
immediately saw a little blue heron, and then a cayman, followed by the
sighting of a tightly curled up boa constrictor in the branches of the
tree above our heads – we were off again. As we made our way down the
water past the vast forest of red, white and black mangroves, we were
treated to glimpses of many scarlet ibis through the trees. On the shore
line there were varying sizes of crabs (each particular to the mangrove
they were in) and oysters and mussels and tiny spotted sandpipers running
across the mud. As the light started to fade we made our way across a lake
of water – not very deep though as this was a swamp but it was high tide –
and took station across from one of the ‘islands’. Our timing was perfect
as the evening roost was just beginning and in no time at all there were
birds flying in to roost. They were coming in from all directions, some
overhead, some skimming the water, but all heading to the same island and
taking their usual places either on the water or in the trees. The green
of the trees was soon punctuated with red and white spots as they settled
down. Scarlet Ibis, Little Blue Herons, Great Snowy Egrets, Little Snowy
Egrets, Tricoloured Herons and Yellow crowned Night Herons all flew in to
roost. In the distance it was raining and before the light went a rainbow
appeared...........it was magical and our doubles tasted great.

It was now time to head back before full dark arrived and we raced across
the water and appeared to head straight at the mangroves before we spotted
the small channel that would lead us back to the way we came. Getting
darker all the time the mangroves looked even more mysterious but it
wasn’t long before we were at the jetty. As we were heading towards the
bus we spotted a second spectacle caymen who stared at us for a few
minutes before disappearing in a flourish as another boat came back. It
was then back on the bus and headed back to Chagauramas with one last stop
on the way for the delicious homemade ice cream before we were all dropped
off once again at our marinas after a wonderful, wonderful trip.

Birds, Trees and Flowers seen at Asa Wright and the Caroni Swamp – we
became twitchers for a while!)
Birds:
American Black Vulture
Bananaquit
Barred Antshrike
Bearded Bellbird
Blue Crowned Mot Mot
Blue-gray Tanager
Carib Grackle
Cocoa Thrush
Common Poto
Copper Rumped Hummingbird
Crested Oropendola
Glittering Throated Emerald Hummingbird
Golden Fronted Greenlet
Golden Headed Manakin
Great Antshrike
Great Kiskadee
Green Hermit Hummingbird
Green Honey Creeper
Green-rumped Parrotlet
Lilac Tailed Parrotlet
Little Cuckoo
Palm Tangier
Purple Honey Creeper
Red-legged Honey Creeper
Rufus Breasted Wren
Scaled Pigeon
Silver Beaked Tanager
Tropical Mockingbird
Tufted Coquett Hummingbird (world’s 2nd smallest)
Violaceous Euphonia -Trogan (serious name or what – quite rare)
White Chested Emerald Hummingbird
White Bearded Manakin
White Necked Jacobin Hummingbird
White Lined Tanager
White Tailed Sabre Wing Hummingbird
White Tailed Toucan
White Tailed Trogan


Trees etc:
Banana Tree
Basket Plant
Breadfruit (had some served for lunch)
Bromeliads
Cashew
Cassia
Cocoa (with fruit)
Coffee Tree (with beans – roasted and served at Asa Wright – very nice
too!) Common Bamboo (Black and Yellow varieties)
Ephipites (various)
Fig Tree
Flamingo Helliconia (Sexy Pink)
Hawaiian Torch
Hog Plum Tree
Lobster Claw Helliconia
Mango Trees
Meliconia
Miniature cucumber plant
Monkey Ladder Vine
Moss (various)
Nutmeg
Passion Fruit
Pink and Lilac Verbena
Pink Powder Puff
Plantain Tree
Red Powder Puff
Sapaphites (various)
Sealing Wax plant
Shell Fungus
Strangler Fig
Vanilla Palm
Wild Cane
Wild Nutmeg
Wild Tobacco (serious brain damage if smoked)

Cattle Hat Butterfly
Crickets (singing)
Daddy Long Legs
Emperor Butterfly (large and a wonderful shade of blue)
Fruit Bats
Harvester (6 legged insect)
Land Crabs
Pink Footed Agouti
Postman Butterfly
Praying Mantis
Spiders (various)
Tadpoles
Tarantula (her name was Betty)
Tiger Lizard
Tree Frog

At the Swamp:
Black, Red and White Mangroves
Boa Constrictor
Cattle Egrets
Common Poto
Great Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Little Egrets
Mussels
Osprey (hunting)
Oysters
Scarlet Ibis (wonderful colour and national bird of Trinidad)
Snowy Egret
Spectacled Cayman
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted/Red Mangrove Crab
Tree Climbing Crab
Tri – coloured Heron
Yellow Crowned Night Heron



more later

Susan and Andrew
S/V Andromeda of Plymouth
Trinidad


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