Trip reports

Indoor meeting - Trinida, Tobago and the Dry Tortugas

Friday, 18 April 2008

The scarlet Ibis, here in a photo by Dr. Russell Barrow, is the national bird of Trinidad - one of the 3 Islands Helen Williams talked about to the group on Friday 18th April. "Trinidad, Tobago and the dry Tortugas" were her subject and the photos of the colourful wildlife and flora of the West Indian Islands just off the coast of Venezuela were as usual excellent. Not only did she show photos of many of the humming birds such as copper rumped, but also trogons, tanagers and so forth along with shots of other wildlife such as caiman and the flowers of the islands.
The dry Tortugas are a National Park at the end of the Florida Keys in the Gulf of Mexico. Although dominated by a huge fort dating from the 1830s the wildlife is abundant both above and below the surface. Despite a lack of surface fresh water Helen showed photos of sooty terns, noddies, and pelicans above the surface as well as some of the fish below. The evening was entertaining and educational with Helen's enthusiasm for islands shining through.