La Vega Estate Garden Centre and Nature Park
La Vega Estate is on the Couva Main Road in central Trinidad, north of the Montserrat Hills. Getting there by car is straightforward. It is a 50 km drive from Port of Spain, on Uriah Butler Highway. Although a commercial plant nursery, it has recreational facilities, including lakes and signposted nature trails. Moreover, you can tour the grounds by car, and it is not busy on weekdays.
La Vega Estate Nature Park
La Vega Estate Nature Park
Apart from the birds featured in the following gallery, other wildlife included a giant ameiva lizard feeding on fruits. At around 20 cm, the snout to vent is not that big but has an exceedingly long tail. While waiting for wildlife photo opportunities, I also photographed views of the lake and a picnic hut. Further, images show two palm species: A royal palm with a single trunk and pinnate leaves, a glossy green crownshaft and a grey lower leaf scared base. The drupes are green, ripening to red and eaten by both birds and bats. Everglades palms have palmate leaves, clustered trunks, each with a leaf base of dense matted fibres. The fruits are green, ripening to orange and then black. Finally, two palm tree species are native to Central America and the Caribbean but ornamental in Trinidad.
Landbirds and Passerines at La Vega Estate
Landbirds and Passerines at La Vega Estate
Nine landbird and passerine species feature in the gallery. Moreover, ten I had only observed at this Trinidad location. Furthermore, images include adult and immature Blue-and-white Swallow photos and a Bananaquit nest building in an Everglades palm.
The gallery includes images from my Birds webpage precisely, Landbirds, Core Landbirds, Passerida I, Passerida II, and Tyranni (Suboscines).
Waterbirds at La Vega Estate
Waterbirds at La Vega Estate
I photographed six waterbird species at Le Vega, five of which I had only seen at this location in Trinidad. Moreover, the Western Cattle Egret shows breeding and non-breeding plumage, and the Striated Heron images include a rufous morph.
The gallery includes images from my Birds webpage, specifically the Waterbirds and Core Waterbirds albums. Follow the links for additional information and on the classification/taxonomy of these species.