|
|
 |
Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary
After lunch we reboarded our bus and drove to the west coast and the Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary. This is a renowned roosting place for the spectacular scarlet ibis. there are forty square kilometers of tidal lagoons, marshland and mangrove forest bordering the Gulf of Paria between the mouths of the Caroni and Madame Espagnole rivers. The Caroni swamp was designated a protected wildlife area in 1957. We boarded a shallow swamp boat and started along the many long passageways.
|
|
|
Occasionally the boat stopped so that our guide could point out various birds, creatures and plants.
Little blue heron eating a crab |
Red mangroves with oysters growing on them |
The passageway got narrower |
A snake was on a branch just above our heads |
Mangrove roots at low water levels |
Immature little blue heron |
 |
Common potoo |
Suddenly we broke out from the narrow passageway into a large open
water area |
As the sun sank lower we parked on the far side |
|
Across the way there were many shore birds and herons and a few egrets in the trees. |
 |
We sat there for about 20 minutes. Periodically flocks of scarlet ibises would come flying in from their feeding areas to their roost for the night. Gradually the trees became decorated with more and more of them.
Normal views |
Telephoto views |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
As it got darker and the sun set we headed back |
|
Continue to the Blue Waters Inn
Last updated: January 17, 2011
