Re: Tobago
Marcia Watson-Whitmyre (mww@UDel.Edu)
Thu, 23 Apr 1998 16:15:19 -0400
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I am sorry to hear that the trip to Tobago was not a success. I am the
person who originally posted the trip info on MD Osprey as a service to MOS
member Mike Callahan, one of the trip leaders, who does not have e-mail
access.
My own trip to Tobago and Trinidad in April 1996 was organized by Caligo
Ventures in New York. Adolphus James was our guide on Tobago and on Trinidad
we were led by Jogie Ramlal and his son Mahese. We were treated like
royalty. The food was plentiful and excellent, the guides were knowledgeable
and considerate, and all the staff at the Blue Waters Inn (Tobago) and the
Asa Wright Nature Center (Trinidad) were as helpful as could be. I felt that
we got more, not less, than what we paid for. And the cost was quite
reasonable.
It sounds like a lot of little things on Joe's trip added up to cause general
discontent. That's a shame and it certainly doesn't have to be that way in
Trinidad and Tobago. It sounds like the problems were due to lack of
experience on the part of the organizers of Joe's trip.
Joe, I think that Caligo offers trips to Costa Rica from time to time, so, if
you and your wife are willing to try again, be aware that Caligo does have a
reputation for offering well-run trips. I know several other MOS members
(Paul and Linda Bystrak, Ross and Beth Hawkins, Scott and Kelly Powers) who
have travelled with them, and no complaints that I know of. Caligo has a web
site at http://www.caligo.com/
Marcia Watson-Whitmyre
Cecil County
Joseph j Halpin wrote:
> This is my report of the trip to Tobago with layovers in Puerto Rico.
>
> We took this trip with Naturally Yours Ecotours, a startup group who
> advertised a low cost approach to a birding experience. The cost was
> indeed modest, however, the product was not delivered as advertised. The
> group of 14 had a confrontation with the hotel owner (the Bouganvillaea)
> after being on the island less than 24 hours. Among our complaints-being
> driven around in a vehicle with 2 severely bald tires, insufficient food
> being served and a tour which was a ride to rather than a tour of ….
> After this meeting things improved somewhat, but it was more a matter of
> tolerating what we were given and being constantly misled about what we
> were going to get. The folks who organized the trip did ask and received
> written comments from the group members and later apologized for what
> happened.
>
> Tobago is a nice tropical island with a possible 210 species of which I
> was able to identify 78 (one was added from a side trip to the rain
> forest in Puerto Rico) and added 57 life birds. But for those who know
> me and can put this into perspective, I was the person that the trip
> members came to when they had questions about the island birds. Most of
> what I learned on this trip I learned on my own, with the exception of a
> one day outing with Adolphus James, a true bird expert of the island.
>
> Being in the Caribbean seems to require an attitude change. No one is in
> a hurry, everything is no problem. When there is a problem, no one is at
> fault! Be wary of anything an islander tells you. And ask for a/c,
> screens or a bed net (the nighttime problem with the mosquitoes could be
> more than annoying). We chose to get the Hepatitis A and Yellow Fever
> vaccines and under the circumstance, I feel this was the right choice for
> us. The problem I face now is that my wife does not want to discuss a
> trip to Costa Rica.
>
> Your tip about the ffrench book was right on target. I also appreciate
> the help of those who volunteered to answer my pre-trip questions.
>
> If anyone would like more info about the island and resources, I would be
> happy to help in whatever way I can.
>
> My trip species list follows.
>
> TOBAGO species list for
> 6-13 April 98 Joe Halpin
>
> Red-billed Tropicbird
> Magnificent Frigatebird
> Red-footed Booby
> Brown Booby
> Anhinga
> Brown Pelican
> White-cheeked Pintail
> Blue-winged Teal
> Tricolored Heron
> Little Blue Heron
> Great Egret
> Cattle Egret
> Green Heron
> Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
> Black-crowned Night-Heron
> Broad-winged Hawk
> Rufous-vented Chachalaca
> Common Moorhen
> Wattled Jacana
> Whimbrel
> Greater Yellowlegs
> Lesser Yellowlegs
> Spotted Sandpiper
> Semipalmated Plover
> Southern Lapwing
> Laughing Gull
> Pale-vented Pigeon
> Eared Dove
> Ruddy Ground-Dove
> White-tipped Dove
> Green-rumped Parrotlet
> Orange-winged Parrot
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo
> Smooth-billed Ani
> Short-tailed Swift
> Rufous-breasted Hermit
> White-tailed Sabrewing
> White-necked Jacobin
> Black-throated Mango
> Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
> Copper-rumped Hummingbird
> Collared Trogon
> Blue-crowned Motmot
> Rufous-tailed Jacamar
> Red-crowned Woodpecker
> Golden-olive Woodpecker
> Plain-brown Woodcreeper
> Buff-throated Woodcreeper
> Barred Antshrike
> Plain Antvireo
> White-fringed Antwren
> Blue-backed Manakin
> Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
> Yellow-bellied Elaenia
> Yellow-breasted Flycatcher
> Brown-crested Flycatcher
> Tropical Kingbird
> Gray Kingbird
> Streaked Flycatcher
> Chivi Vireo
> Scrub Greenlet
> Red-legged Thrush*
> Bare-eyed Thrush
> Tropical Mockingbird
> Rufous-breasted Wren
> House Wren
> Caribbean Martin
> Barn Swallow
> Bananaquit
> White-lined Tanager
> Blue-gray Tanager
> Palm Tanager
> Purple Honeycreeper
> Red-legged Honeycreeper
> Blue-black Grassquit
> Black-faced Grassquit
> Rose-breasted Grosbeak
> Crested Oropendola
> Carib Grackle
> Shiny Cowbird
> Giant Cowbird
>
>
> *not a Tobago species; seen outside the El Yunque rain forest of Puerto
> Rico.
>
> Joe Halpin
> Silver Spring, MD
> email: halpinj @juno.com
>
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