Hummingbirds ??

[Warren B]

Hi All

Wonder if anyone can help

I have always had this love of the hummingbird since a boy, and wondered if anyone can give me some feedback on either the best place to see them or guided tours that guarantee them.

I know that there is a hotel that has feeders for them but my information which may be wrong is that only motmots feed there scaring away the hummingbirds ?

Help would be appreciated

many thanks in advance (hopefully)

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Warren

I know what you mean. I absolutely love hummingbirds and can watch them for hours on end.

It’s almost difficult to go to Tobago and NOT see hummingbirds. If memory serves me correctly, you will be staying at the Grafton. If so, then right across the road from you is the Grafton Caledonia Bird Sanctuary. You will see lots of hummingbirds and other birds there.

An even better alternative is to go up to the Arnos Vale Hotel for tea (4pm-5pm) any afternoon. They feed the birds on the restaurant patio at that time every day. I’ve stood literally only three feet from the feeders and seen as many as five or six hummingbirds, of three of the five species found on Tobago, feeding at the same time. It’s wonderful!

Many hotels have bird feeders but it’s not true to say that only Mot Mots feed there. Yes, although colourful, the Mot Mots aren’t very nice birds and do scare other birds away, but to be honest, you don’t see Mot Mots in most places. Just out of interest, I believe that the Mot Mots are very much a Tobagonian equivalent of the British magpie.

Although you won’t need a guided tour to see hummingbirds at the Arnos Vale and elsewhere, if you’re the slightest bit interested then a guided tour with a birding expert is a must. There are lots of so-called birding guides on the island, but the “MAN” is Newton George. He offers the best combination of expert knowledge, experience and personality. He was featured on the BBC Holiday program a little while back. Newton lives in Speyside, but will collect you and tour any part of the island. He can be contacted at (868) 660-5463 or emailed at [email protected]

Enjoy!

[Allan + Maria]

Hi again Warren! Just to reiterate what Steve has just told you, that Arnos Vale is a great place to see hummingbirds. We called in (you can just turn up) in early April at 4pm for tea on the terrace (suggest you just have a drink and avoid the rather dry sarnies/cakes and just pay for drink, although understand the management has now changed so it may be better now!). The terrace is surrounded by and hung all over with bird feeders of every sort to attract every type of bird but in particular seemed to attract hummingbirds to the nectar feeders. As Steve says, there seemed to be at least 5 different kinds hovering around which we tried to identify through a bird book they had on a table. Only saw one mot mot there, and he sat in nearby bamboo and kept away from the feeding area so didn't seem to cause any problems. There were also a number of woodpeckers, cocrico and other local birds including the beautiful all over pastel blue coloured ones whose name I can no longer remember! A really lovely spot to call in at and recommended if you can happily sit around watching birds for hours! Just make sure you wear sunscreen - its a real sun trap and absolutely scorching! Maria

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Maria

I bet the name you have forgotten is the Blue-Grey Tanager. They're beautiful, aren't they? Definitely one of my favourites.



photo © 2003 Brent ([email protected])

[Allan + Maria]

Thanks for enlightening me Steve - exactly the bird I meant! The name had been bugging me ever since leaving Tobago - now I can update the titles in my T&T photo album and stop referring to them as bluebirds! We also saw plenty of them around the water troughs provided for the birds on Little Tobago.
Maria

[Warren B]

Thank you all

As usual steve you have come up trumps and I shall definatley be giving Newton george an email as I would like to see the raw side of Bago in all her glory away from the tourist trail if possible. and see the macaws/parrots which are indigenous. (fingers crossed) and the nature reserve behind the hotel cant believe me luck. only booked the Grafton coz we got a brill deal from Virgin under a grand for 2 weeks with a free wedding chucked in.

Hi again maria, bet alan is chuffed after the weekend results. its no surprise you liked the tanager being blue !!

we will definately be going to Arnos Vale as it sounds perfect for Cucumber sarnies and uplifting of the little finger whilst slurping from the saucer, as us brummies always do haha.
And it will give future mother-in-law to be, something to tell her her friends when she gets home, she'll probably think she was with the raj or something after a tiger shooting expedition !! as she says " I am 82 you know". Love her (with a big stick !) haha

once again thanks for the info I really cant wait to go, but December is such a long way off !!!