After an early breakfast we set off for our first stop on the Bloody Bay Road, after pausing to watch a Yellow crowned Night-heron at close quarters in Speyside as it had a bill full of crab.

Once at Bloody Bay Road, the birds came thick and fast with numerous pairs of Orange winged Parrots squawking overhead and several Broad winged Hawks patrolling the sky. A Red legged Honeycreeper was scoped and several flycatchers were logged including Tropical and Grey Kingbirds, Streaked and Venezuelan Flycatchers. Three hummers were seen - Black throated Mango, White necked Jacobin and Copper rumped Hummingbird. Then it was off to Gilpin Trace where, as we approached, we saw Great Black-hawks as they scattered numerous Orange winged Parrots. The trace was very soft in places and several of the group were pleased to have taken the option of renting rubber boots for the walk. We saw several birds nesting or on nests including the wonderful White tailed Sabrewing, White necked Thrush and Rufous breasted Hermits. A five foot boa constrictor was right on the side of the trail and was totally oblivious to us, as it rested after shedding its skin. A Plain brown Woodcreeper gave excellent views as it waited for us to pass to return to its nest-hole. As we exited the trail we watched a perched Great Black-hawk and then a beautiful Collared Trogon and we wondered why the Rufous vented Chachalaca was chosen as Tobago's national bird when there was the Collared Trogon.

We later stopped at Bloody Bay River where we saw three Green Kingfishers, Little Blue Heron, Black faced Grassquits, Green Heron, Spotted Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs.

At another stop where there was nesting Barred Antshrike and White fringed Antwren, above us there was a group of thirty Magnificent Frigatebirds. The first stop was for the White winged Becard and it soon appeared to give us a good view. Then it was back to the hotel for a late lunch and to rest up.

This was our day trip round the island and we started off at Bon Accord but on the way we stopped for a perched Yellow headed Caracara by the road - a very good start to the day. Bon Accord has a number of storage ponds with side ditches which attract a good range of water birds and waders.

The main target bird was the White cheeked Pintail but only a few of the group managed to see them before they flew off to the mangroves. However, a Black crowned Night-heron (north American race) was a good find and there were numerous Anhingas about. The heron and egret families were well represented with Tricoloured Heron Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, Green Heron and Yellow crowned Night-heron, Our first of many Eared Doves was noted and we had excellent views of the waders - Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (side by side for good comparison!) and our more familiar Whimbrel. An Osprey also flew over.

We then moved on to the nearby Hilton Estate. Here we had several American Purple Galinule and a rare Sora Rail also broke cover. A pair of Green rumped Parrotlets excavated a hole in an old palm trunk. On the boardwalk, we had Yellow bellied Elaenia, Northern Waterthrush, a 'Chivi' race of Red eyed Vireo and a Yellow breasted Flycatcher, apparently using an 'old' wasp nest for its own. A Cocoa Woodcreeper gave tantalising views as it moved through the mangroves. The viewing area at the end of the boardwalk gave a beautiful panorama. A group of Black bellied Whistling-ducks was also found here.

The final stop before lunch was Grafton Bird Sanctuary where the noisy Rufous vented Chachalacas fed on the bird table! The beautiful Tobagoan race of the Blue-grey Tanager was very common and we watched them, the Palm Tanagers and the Bananaquits vying for the best position on the feeders, joined also by a Red crowned Woodpecker. We eventually managed to see the gorgeous Blue backed Manakins here and the Ochre bellied Flycatchers paused in the trees overhead.

After lunch we stopped at Pigeon Point for the terns massing on an outcrop - to see Royal, Sandwich and the Cayenne race of the Sandwich Tern, with its obvious yellow bill. On the chance the White cheeked Pintail might have returned, we had a quick drop by the Bon Accord pools and were lucky to get scopes on a couple of Pintail to ensure all the group managed to see them.

The final stop was the Adventure Farm Bird Sanctuary where we sat with refreshing drinks in front of a row of sugar water feeders and marvelled at the beauty and activity of the hummingbirds - Ruby-topaz Hummingbirds, Rufous breasted Hermit, White necked Jacobin, Black throated Mango - all almost in touching distance! As we left we were extremely lucky to see, soaring above, a rare Hook billed Kite and then a rarity for Tobago a Grey Hawk.

On a scenic stop at Englishman's Bay a number of Brown Boobies were seen diving like gannets into the water.

There was a leisurely free time morning before the afternoon trip to Little Tobago. At lunch though it was noticed that the Turnstones were particularly 'brash' in joining us at the table and readily taking food from the hand, including chips! The Chachalacas and the Blue crowned Motmot were almost as close.

Among the first birds seen on Little Tobago were the Brown crested Flycatchers and Short tailed and Grey rumped Swifts. As we made our way to the top, Newton showed us an exquisite Virgin White Orchid. A Broad winged Hawk regularly circled overhead. The key birds on the island were, of course, the Red billed Tropicbirds with their exotic long tail streamers, at least those which were not lost as a result of encounters with the numerous Magnificent Frigatebirds. We saw an example of two Frigatebirds attacking a Tropicbird with one actually holding the tail of the Tropicbird to make it disgorge the food from its crop.

Then Newton showed us a day-roosting White tailed Nightjar only a few feet from the track and it allowed some wonderful camera shots - it even got up to turn round and show us its other side!

Both Brown and Red footed Boobies were also recorded and we were lucky to see both Brown and the White morphs of the Red footed Booby. As we left the island, we passed a gorgeous young Brown Booby on the rock side - definitely having a high 'Ah' factor.

The birdlist had not ended though as the sharp eyes of Ray saw a Kingfisher flash across the bay. Having grabbed his scope (but not his shirt) he managed to pick it out - a Belted Kingfisher. This is a bird only seen in small numbers and would have been one of the last to leave its winter quarters on the island before returning north.

The evening was then rounded off with a surprise birthday cake and a bottle of champagne presentation for Joan - an excellent way to finish the day.

We had a pre breakfast walk along Merchiston Road, a trail which always produces a good range of birds. As we parked we had Red crowned Woodpecker and Green rumped Parrotlet close to each other and Grey rumped Swifts were overhead. Tropical Kingbird and Yellow bellied Elaenias gave good views. It was noteworthy on this, the fourth day, how much more confident the group was now in recognising the species. One of the 'specials' of this track is the White winged Becard and these did not disappoint. Rufous tailed Jacamars were common along the track calling their distinctive accelerating trill. A small group of Smooth billed Anis moved through the trees and Bruce spotted a Grey Kingbird on its nest. The beautiful Red legged Honeycreeper showed well on several occasions.

Near the top a Cascabel Snake tussled with a Gecko, seemingly annoyed at being disturbed as we approached. Leaving the track we managed to find a Piratic Flycatcher after tracing it from its calls. Then it was back for a welcome breakfast, after which it was time for several of the group to have a last swim in Tobago.

In the afternoon we went a short distance to King's Bay Dam Road where the main target birds were Olivaceous Woodcreeper and Scrub Greenlet, both of which are restricted to Tobago. Our birding was delayed due to a rain shower and while it soon abated, it was after we had seen a very interesting range of poncho-style plastic macs!

The trail produced many birds previously recorded but then we found both of our targets in the same tree! So we had achieved an excellent species total of 105 for Tobago including a large majority of the birds we could only see on Tobago and not Trinidad.

We left Tobago for Trinidad, meeting our guides Roodal and his son Dave at the airport, and got to the Asa Wright Centre shortly before lunch. This allowed us time on the famous verandah with the feeding units below and marvelled at the colourful Green Honeycreeper, Purple Honeycreeper and Red legged Honeycreeper and five Tanager species. The clutch of Crested Oropendula nests provided an interesting foreground before the valley fell away into the distance. Both Streaked and Piratic Flycatchers were noted around the Oropendula nests (stealing material) and a Black tailed Tityra was a good showing. The appearance of several Tegu (Tiger Lizards) drew a few gasps from the group.

Roodal took us on a walk up the Drive after an excellent lunch and new species for the list were added regularly - Violaceous Euphonia, Tropical Pewee and Euler's Flycatchers were good finds. A huge Caligo Butterfly drifted past us and even dwarfed a small daytime-flying bat - the White lined Sacwing. A Blue headed Parrot gave a brief glimpse as it flew over and we then finally added the Rufuous browed Peppershrike after trying to find it from its call for some time.

A few of the group were treated to a short sighting of the Tufted Coquette - a hummingbird little bigger than a bee and Trinidad's smallest bird. Then as we awaited our Rum Punches at 6.00 p.m., a Squirrel Cuckoo was spotted.

Our first full day at Asa Wright and it was coffee on the verandah at 6.00 a.m. to see the feeders filled and the large array of birds (plus agouties and tegus). The main birds seen were the Channel billed Toucan, Scaled Pigeon, Black tailed Tityra and a Lineated Woodpecker.

After a hearty breakfast we birded the Blanchisseuse Road in the higher forest, later moving to Brasso Seco Valley and returning along the Blanchisseuse Road. The Golden fronted Greenlet proved difficult to pin down in the high canopy but it eventually gave reasonable views. Raptors were prominent with both Plumbeous and Swallow tailed Kites, Short tailed Hawk, Osprey, Black and Turkey Vultures and a single, very high, Ornate Hawk-Eagle circling with the Black Vultures. We were also helpfully advised by our guides as to the names of the beautiful array of butterflies. Both Violaceous and White tailed Trogons were seen but the really gorgeous blue Swallow-tanager caught the eye of everyone, although Blue Dacnis, Golden headed Manakin and both the Violaceous and Trinidad Euphonia were not far behind. After tracing the call of the Black faced Antthrush for some time, a few of the group eventually got to see it - a good sighting of this elusive, skulking bird.

We had a picnic lunch in the Brasso Seco Valey and as we finished, we were lucky to see two Bat Falcons, one of which harried a Grey Hawk. We watched a lovely Rufous breasted Wren singing its heart out, a performance later matched by the White bellied Antbird, the latter, something of a rare thing from this normally quiet skulking bird. A Chestnut Woodpecker, our fifth woodpecker of the trip, gave fleeting views as it flew through the trees. An excellent day's birding producing a high number of species and some real quality birds.

An early breakfast and then we headed for the northern part of the Aripo Savannah. As usual, we birded on the way and whilst looking for the Ferruginous Pygmy-owl - which we saw later - we found Yellow olive Flycatcher, Tropical Parula and Cocoa Woodcreeper. A really good find was the Squirrel Cuckoo. A Long billed Gnatwren tried to hassle the Owl but it seemed unperturbed. Above a ridge we had three Swallow tailed Kites and two White Hawks. Onto the grasslands and we found the Blue-black Grassquits and actually saw them jumping vertically in the air, an act which earns them the local name of Johnny-jump-up. Ruddy Ground-doves seemed to be everywhere as they took flight on the approach of the minibuses. At one point the sky also appeared full of Turkey and Black Vultures as they enjoyed the thermals. Several Red breasted Blackbirds were in the middle distance until one landed on a fence right by the minibus and posed well for the photographers - a lovely bird.

Two other raptors gave good views - Yellow headed Caracara and Savannah Hawk, the latter showing its distinctive long legs.

Some of the group saw Grassland Yellow-finch, a bird recently taking up residence in Trinidad from South America. We then went into Wallerfield Airbase (long since disused and now the site for University development and a Nature Reserve). Here we found some Red bellied Macaws and two Little Cuckoos, the latter showing their spiky crests really well. We then called into a village called Cumuso where a tree held a large colony of Yellow rumped Caciques. At the top of this same tree, there was a large clump of Vanda Orchid. It was then back into Wallerfield for another picnic lunch before returning to the Asa Wright Centre. From the verandah we had another view of the Channel billed Toucan and another two new species for the trip - Giant Antshrike and White shouldered Tanager.

This was the second consecutive day we achieved 77 species and our trip total increased to 178.

In the evening a small group went out again, returning to Wallerfield. On arriving we saw a number of Red bellied Macaws flying and several Sulphury Flycatchers- their brilliant bright yellow chests glowing in the evening sun. However, the big surprise was the presence among the macaws of a Blue and Yellow Macaw- some of these had been re-introduced to the island and it was quite possible that this was one of them. We then had a delightful alfresco meal accompanied by a generous helping of rum punch - this is real birding! Just as we finished, Dave heard a Moriche Oriole call and Joan quickly spotted it and after it remained reticent to show itself for a while, it eventually came into the open - an excellent addition of this rare bird to our list.

As it got dark we went out looking for owls and it was not long before we heard the call of a Tropical Screech-Owl. It eventually came close enough for Dave to put the spotlight onto it to give us a very clear view. We then made our way back through the airfield, finding on the way eight White tailed Nightjars and three Pauraques.

Three of the group had a pre breakfast walk down the trail to the Bearded Bellbirds, seeing the remarkable lekking activity of the lovely White bearded Manakins. As we left the drive heading for Aripo, we saw Blue headed Parrots, Red crowned Ant-tanagers and Green and Little Hermits.

At the Aripo Agricultural Research Station, the birds came thick and fast. This time everyone got to see the Grassland Yellow-finch but the real bonus was the Ruddy breasted Seedeater - a bit of a rarity due to its continued capture for the cage bird market. There were many attractive species in this area including the Red breasted and Yellow hooded Blackbirds, Pied Water-tyrant and the White headed Marsh-tyrant. A single Cocoi Heron (formerly White necked Heron) was seen in the distance. A Savannah Hawk showed how long legged this species is. Many Blue-black Grassquits were there and they showed their typical leaping into the air.

We then headed to Manzanilla beach where we enjoyed another excellent Asa Wright packed lunch. We tried for a Crimson crested Woodpecker but unfortunately it had been evicted by a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl who now guarded his entrance. We obtained really close views as we drove along of perched Common Black-hawk, Yellow headed Caracara and Savannah Hawk. Chris then spotted a new hummingbird - the White tailed Goldenthroat, a bird classed as "uncommon and local", so a very good find. Everyone was delighted at the equally close sighting of the American Pygmy Kingfisher.

We then had cake and more rum punch (!) before returning to the Asa Wright Centre - tired but unbowed after a full day's excellent birding.

You can't have a birding trip without a visit to some sewage treatment ponds, so our first stop was at Trincity. At the gate the first good bird was a Ringed Kingfisher, only a rare visitor to Trinidad. Flying over the pools were Large billed and Yellow billed Terns, both small-number visitors from South America. A couple of Cayman ensured no one approached the pools too closely! Water birds abounded and Wattled Jacana, Black necked Stilt and varieties of Herons and Egrets, while Yellow hooded Blackbirds and White headed Marsh-Tyrants comprised the colourful passerines. Then we were all delighted to see a Long winged Harrier go over.

The next port of call was the Hanuman Murti, an 85 foot tall statue outside the Hindu Temple at Waterloo (the largest in Trinidad). This and the temple provoked much interest among the group. However, the birding objective here was the Saffron Finch and a pair were duly seen.

Moving to the Waterloo shoreline several good species were noted including Black Skimmers, Willet, Semi-palmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Neotropic Cormorant and further out on the sandflats was a group of Greater Flamingoes. White rumped Sandpiper and Least Tern were added here, too, near the famous Temple in the Sea.

Before our Caroni Swamp boat trip through the mangroves, we had an exciting stop at Cacanday. Here we picked up some excellent birds such as Red-capped Cardinal, a rare Lesser Elaenia (even the guide hadn't seen one for over 2 years!), Green-throated Mango and Bicoloured Conebill, a small bird which far exceeded its ID Book description. White cheeked Pintail and a Limpkin were also seen. Joyce was the first to spot the first Scarlet Ibis. Just before we got on the boat, a Clapper Rail edged its way through the mangroves.

Once into the Caroni Swamp mangroves, we were alerted to a Cascabel Boa curled up in a tree and then shown a Common Potoo, very difficult to spot due to its incredible ability to closely match a tree stump. Soon the Scarlet Ibis started to swarm in, in groups, for their roosting - Tom Waghorn, likening the beautiful coloured birds to a squadron of Red Arrows. The incoming roosting of this beautiful bird is always a real highlight and it is easy to appreciate this as the national bird of Trinidad.

The usual array of verandah birds pre breakfast was joined by a Streaked Xenops (never an easy bird to spot) and a Double toothed Kite. The smallest bird in Trinidad, the Tufted Coquette hummingbird, was regularly seen near the accommodation. The Channel billed Toucan had a regular perch but it refused to come any closer. We then went on an escorted trip to Dunstan Cave to see the enigmatic Oilbird, the only nocturnal fruit eating bird in the world. This strange bird is closely protected by the Asa Wright Centre, and while there are colonies elsewhere on the island they are very inaccessible.

In the evening, half of the group went to Matura Bay to watch for the Leatherback Turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs and on the way we were lucky to spot a pair of Crimson crested Woodpeckers near Valencia.

Once we reached the Bay, we had our customary rum punch and the picnic meal, shortly after pausing to see a small group of Red Howler Monkeys. As darkness began to fall, we headed onto the beach to wait for the action and being informed by the main volunteer, Francis, of the work they do to preserve the local habitat and protect the turtles. All the local communities along this part of the coast participate in this valuable work and they contribute greatly to the overall knowledge of the turtles' requirements by tagging and installing a radio transmitter so that international wildlife authorities can track their migration. Soon a very large turtle appeared out of the sea and commenced her crawl up the sand. After around one and a half hours she completed her egg-laying and after camouflaging her nest area she would head back to the sea.

The last day and we opted for a very early start so that we could get our best opportunity to see the Trinidad Piping-guan. A short distance up the Blanchisseuse Road we entered an area of the former Electricity Station. Our guides Dave and Roodal soon picked up the melancholic piping of a guan and we managed to see it high in the canopy. On its flying, the characteristic loud buzzing of the wing feathers was apparent. Due to past (and some current) hunting by locals, the numbers of this bird have diminished dramatically and efforts are being made to preserve them. A very good conclusion to our birding on Trinidad, now leaving us with time to leisurely pack and then head for the airport.

Trinidad and Tobago are two beautiful islands and their populations of exotic birds is well know but it is only when you see them at such close quarters that their beauty can be really appreciated. We had been fortunate to have had such professional and gifted guides on both islands (Newton George on Tobago and Roodal and his son Dave on Trinidad) and they ensured that we maximised the birding potential on our outings. It is also important to note that they were equally proficient in identifying for us the range of plants, flowers, wildlife and butterflies on the islands.

Overall we saw a total of 227 species of birds (an excellent result) but the total is not the full story in that we also accounted for several uncommon and actually rare species on both islands. Such was the success of the birding, that it was not possible to pick a "bird of the trip" or indeed a highlight of the trip - there were too many of each!!

• Boa Constrictor
• Cascabel snake
• Long tailed Machete snake
• Deer- species unknown
• Zandolie Lizard
• Gecko
• Ameiva Lizard
• Cayman
• Silky Anteater
• Tegu - Tiger lizard
• Red rumped Agouti
• "4-eyed" Fish
• Land Crab
• Tree Crab
• Fiddler Crab
• Red tailed Squirrel
• White lined Sacwing Bat
• Leatherback Turtle
• Red Howler Monkey
• Hole of the Trap-door Spider

• Caligo
• "89-98"
• Tiger Stripe
• Blue Morpho (Emperor)
• Monarch
• Postman
• King Cracker
• Owl
• Flambeau
• Tiger Swallowtail
• Large Tiger
• Cattle Heart