Up before sunrise to be sure to experience the “dawn chorus,” we met up with our birding guide, Nicholas Alexander, and headed out into the forest. From a clearing that afforded a 360 degree view, we spotted our target bird: the endemic Trinidad piping guan, high up on a wild nutmeg tree. The bird gave away its presence with a thin whistle call. The red legs, white blotched dark wings, a huge, pendulous dark blue wattle and a smooth light blue face made the bird unmistakable. The naked blue face had the appearance of smooth porcelain. It stood on a branch high in the trees, feeding on the tree fruits. I photographed it through my scope with the iPad with surprising results.
