Tuesday, June 13, 2017
SILVER-BEAKED TANAGERS, ASA WRIGHT NATURE CENTRE, ARIMA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
This past Sunday we returned from a birding trip to Trinidad & Tobago. We stayed 6 nights at the Asa Wright Nature Centre in Arima, Trinidad and 3 nights at the Blue Waters Inn in Speyside, Tobago. We went on the tour with our friends Ed and Dan from Naples, FL and Bill and Eleanor, whom we had met on our Southern Africa birding trip. We all had a great time and sighted many beautiful birds.
The view from the verandah of the main house at Asa Wright is spectacular for birding and scenery. Just below the verandah are hummingbird feeders and other feeders with bananas and other fruits. The bird watching from the verandah is spectacular, both at the feeders and in the trees and bushes. We saw numerous species of hummingbirds and many other birds: tanagers, mockingbirds, Banana quits, flycatchers, kiskadees, toucans, cowbirds, parrots, etc.
The first two photos are of the male Silver-beaked Tanager and the next two of the female Silver-beaked Tanager. We can ID the male Silver-beaked Tanager by its overall black color tinged with crimson, crimson throat and upper chest, a lower mandible much enlarged at the base and appearing silvery in the field and a darker upper mandible.
The female Silver-beaked Tanager is dull reddish brown with underparts and head maroon red.
The Silver-beaked Tanager is a new species to our Photographic Life List, which now stands at 524.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT VS. RED-NECKED GREBES, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON
In the first five photos you can see the two mated Red-necked Grebes peacefully building their nest. They are bringing twigs for the nest. Then all of the sudden a Double-crested Cormorant lands on the nest and tries to chase them away. It actually throws some of the nest back into the water. Meanwhile the Grebes continue to bring twigs to the nest. We never did see the end of this saga.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
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