The Heliconia welcomed us. A view over the grounds and a cut flower

The major properties consist of the Spring Hill Estate and the adjacent William Beebe Tropical Research Station (also known as Simla) which was established by William Beebe as a tropical research station for the New York Zoological Society. Both properties had previously been cacao estates but contained large stands of original rainforest as well. Newcombe and Asa Wright hosted many visiting scientists in this period, including noted ornithologists David Snow and Barbara Snow who made detailed studies of the oilbirds and the fascinating and very complex courtship dances of the White-bearded Manakin and the Golden-headed Manakin.

A bottle brush, a new colour of Heliconia called Sexy Pink and an old favourite from Grenada

The Wright's home, built in 1908, became internationally renowned for its easy access to wildlife especially the oilbird colonies in the nearby Dunstan Cave, and large numbers of humming birds. After the death of Newcombe Wright, the Spring Hill Estate was acquired by a non-profit Trust. Asa Wright continued to live at the Centre until her death in 1971. The Centre recently acquired the Rapsey Estate in the Aripo Valley, just west of the Arima Valley. Oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), also known as Guácharo, is a slim, long-winged bird related to the nightjars and usually placed with these in the order Caprimulgiformes. Oilbirds are found in the northern areas of South America from Guyana and the island of Trinidad to Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia in forests and woodland with caves. It is a seasonal migrant, moving from its breeding caves in search of fruit trees. It has occurred as a rare vagrant to Costa Rica, Panama and Aruba. This nocturnal species, uniquely, is a specialist feeder on the fruit of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels. All the other nightjars and their relatives are insectivores. The Oilbird's feet are small and almost useless, other than for clinging to vertical surfaces. However, it is capable of hovering and twisting flight, which enables it to navigate through restricted areas of its caves. This is a large bird at sixteen to nineteen inches in height, with a wing span of some three feet. It has a flattened, powerfully hooked bill surrounded by deep chestnut rictal bristles up to two inches long. It is mainly reddish-brown with white spots on the nape and wings. Lower parts are cinnamon-buff spotted with white. The stiff tail feathers are a rich brown spotted with white on either side. During the day these gregarious birds rest on cave ledges. The nest is a heap of droppings, usually above water - either a stream or the sea, on which two to four glossy white eggs are laid which soon become stained brown. These are rounded but with a distinctly pointed smaller end and average 41.2 x 33.2 mm.