Oh, Trinidad. Sometimes I love you; other times I'm ready to get on a plane back to the States! I was all fired up after a day of running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I left around 1 after processing the last of the samples I collected on Sunday. It took over an hour to get to the TTSPCA, a trip that should take less than half an hour. Then it took another 20 minutes to get to Aunt Vilma's house which is in St. James! Why stop there with the traffic shenanigans? More traffic in St. James at the driver licensing office. Once there, there was a nice sign saying that it was closed until further notice. Wonderful. That meant back on the highway for more traffic to get to the main licensing office. I left Auntie Vilma is the car and ran across the highway only to see a large padlock on the gate to the building. Closed as well. Lovely. My last errand was to pick up the gas tank for my new stove at NP (National Petroleum). The tanks are heavily subsidized by the government and must be picked up by the person whose name appears on the stove receipt, which happened to be Auntie Vilma, and who must be a citizen. We got to security gate at NP at 3:10 to be told by the guard that they closed at 3. In a nutshell, the only thing I accomplished was scheduling Sweetie's spay. Oh, and I took Auntie Vilma for some groceries and picked up bacon, milk, and water for myself. I hate feeling like I wasted time. Oh well. It happens... a lot here!

Dad and I tried to watch Public Enemies (with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale). Unfortunately, it froze about a third of the way through. Perfect end to a difficult day.

Early farm visit tomorrow. The farm is an hour and a half away, and I have to be there between 8:30 and 9. Time for bed.

Sunday. A day of rest for Christians everywhere. Sunday has become like every other day for me. I left the house around 11:30 and made it to UWI around noon. I had to prepare for my cattle sampling and the possibility of getting dog samples at Waterloo. I made it to the Temple site shortly after one. The place was packed with people; more people than dogs for a change! There were three cremations, and I watched as the bodies of the dead burned with the ocean as my background. The Temple in the Sea site is definitely a great place to officially end your time on Earth. There is something very spiritual and comforting about the place... yet there is also the disturbing fact that a bunch of sick, abandoned dogs are trying their best to survive there. I won't get into it. I could go on and on about the dogs...

I ended up doing some light birding at Waterloo. It was a beautiful, sunny day in Trinidad and the birds were out in full force and easily visible. My first new bird of the day was the Ruddy Turnstone. There were a bunch on rocks to the right of the Temple entrance. I decided to walk to the left of the Temple when I ran into Balram. We chatted for a bit I said I would see him after I did some sightseeing. After climbing rocks and almost losing my flip-flops in mud, I saw what I think were Greater Yellowlegs pecking through the mud and many Laughing Gulls perched on wood pillars. I panicked at the thought of the gross muddy, infectious mess on my feet, and rushed to a standpipe near the restrooms. One of my flip-flops broke when I tried to pull my foot out of the mud, so I walked to the car with only one on. Even more gross. It's a good thing I had my rubber boots in the car! Perfect for birding at Waterloo.

I went over to Balram's house for the final leg of my birding. His nieces and nephew were there and they joined me in identifying Black Skimmers, Pelicans, Little Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, and some sort of large heron/egret (maybe a Western Reef Heron, Great Blue Heron, or a Great Egret). Taking pictures while birding has gotten more and more frustrating. I love my camera for close shots, but I need something better. I have my eye on the Canon SX30IS. 35x zoom! $369.00 on Amazon. I'm taking my time (giving myself a couple of days) to review other makes and models before taking this big step to a megazoom lens.

The kids loved playing with the camera and binoculars. They told me to come back on Sundays and that they want to come to my house. Very cute and impressionable children. I told one of the girls, Rianna, to start remembering the birds so that when tourists come, she can charge them for her bird knowledge. I hope to see the little buggers again in the next few weeks.


Post-cremation offerings


Rianna's photography


Birding at Waterloo


New puppy (came on Saturday) and Mother Lakshmi

Dad is quite opposed to having Sweetie in Santa Cruz. He even suggested that I get a dog from the vet school. He's obviously lost his mind. Too bad, Dad! It's happening! I went to price pet food, both puppy chow for Sweetie and regular chow for Sparky. Alpo is almost $50US for a 50lb bag! Yikes. I'm going to be broke after vet bills and dog food. It's okay. Sparky is definitely worth it, and I bet that Sweetie will be too.

Sparky and I made a trip to St. James today. I dropped him off to play with Randy and Sabrina while Auntie Vilma and I did some shopping. She bought groceries, and I bought a stove! I can finally cook my own meals and possibly even bake. I also bought the medicine Balram requested. I'll drop it off before my farm visit tomorrow.

After having some Chinese food at Auntie Vilma's, Sparky and I took a drive to the end of Chagaramas, spotting at each bay on the way back. I let Sparky off the leash so that he can sniff all the new beach scents. He's pretty good at not wandering too far. New bird today! A Green Kingfisher. My pic is lousy. I need another camera for birding! I saw another new bird but I didn't have enough time or information to identify it. I saw my first Whimbrel in Trinidad. It's such a cool-looking bird. Another lousy photo taken. I hope to devote some time to bird-watching when I'm at Waterloo tomorrow. The dogs seem to take up all of my attention.


Sparky and Randy being crazy dogs.


Flooding!

It's been raining cats and dogs in T&T. On my way to the TTSPCA, I got caught in a pretty bad storm. There would be no bathing of dogs today. Instead, I entered adoption data on the computers and bonded with the staff. They are all really nice people; I guess they would have to be to work there.

I collected two samples today; one from Sweetie and the other from a lost lab mix. Together with the sample I collected from Waterloo yesterday, there were worms galore! Sweetie had hookworms and Trichuris vulpis, and I saw my first moving larval worm in her sample. I didn't see any tapeworms or other parasites. I have made a decision on Sweetie. The TTSPCA does not consider her adoptable because she likes to climb things (easy runaway). It seems to be a trend among Waterloo dogs being that the dogs are often seen on tables there. So I'm taking her home, at the very least until I can find her a great home. I think she will be a great dog for someone, possibly me! She's 3 months, still a puppy and in need of attention. After I get her spayed and caught up on some veterinary care, I'll introduce her to Sparky. Hope Dad doesn't freak out (I know he will).

I finally bonded with UWI students today, though briefly. The heavy, prolonged rainfall caused the soccer finals to be postponed to next Friday. The vet school team was to compete against the dental school for the championship. Instead, the players and fans congregated near the entrance. We talked about animals for the majority of the conversations. It's so great to be around like-minded people.

I hope to relax a bit this weekend. Maybe finish some cleaning and finally put up Christmas lights. I also want to get the place ready for Sweetie.

TGIF!


Kelly and Nandy went home with their new owners today! They will be missed.


Sweetie howling for attention.

Happy Thanksgiving! It was just another day in Trinidad for me. No turkey. No stuffing. And worst of all, no cranberry sauce. This is the first Thanksgiving I have spent without Mom. She is in Maryland with the family. I'm glad that she is around loved ones for the holiday.

My talk today went well. I was a little worried because I didn't eat lunch or have my daily cup of tea prior to presenting at 1pm today. I said "um" a whole lot, but it started flowing towards the middle of the talk. Many of the vet students I have done field visits with came, and even workers at the TTSPCA were in attendance. I thanked them for coming and immediately asked about Sweetie, the little brown dog I picked up from Waterloo. She's still there but she's a climber. That's bad news because she'll likely climb over a fence and become a roamer again. I can't wait to play with her tomorrow!

Auntie Vilma baked bread and cakes with all proceeds going to the TTSPCA branches in St. James and Scarborough. I couldn't believe that $398TT was raised! People kept coming back for more cupcakes. They were very delicious. Thanks, Auntie!

I hope that I generated some interest in roaming dogs among those in the audience. It was suggested that I present to the Chief Veterinary Office and members of government with titles to which I am unfamiliar. Bring them on!

I took Auntie Vilma and Uncle Terrence on an excursion to Waterloo. I had promised Balram that I would come back on Thursday to pick up some puppies. I was definitely caught up in the moment when I said that. We ended up talking to Balram and Radha for almost an hour. The dogs are the tip of the iceberg there. I found out there are no public bathrooms and no running water to add to the lack of garbage receptacles. Mind you, this is a major tourist destination in Trinidad and "Ministry of Tourism" is plastered on all of the benches at the Temple site. Call it a challenge! I'm shaking things up in Waterloo. Wasn't there a Battle at Waterloo? This will be the tropical island version. Letters will be written. Infrastructure will be built. Coming soon.

I spoke to Mom briefly. She and the fam were carrying on in their usual loud, raucous way. I cahtted with my photographer uncle. He said that my picture of Balram and Radha was a really good one. Coming from him, it's the ultimate compliment. He even said he played around with it in Photoshop. We got to talking about cameras and he said that he found the perfect one for me by Samsung. I'm buying another camera by the end of the year. I can't continue with my rogue photography with just one!

Off to bed. TTSPCA tomorrow.


Wait a minute! When I did I turn into the problem? Balram asked me to feed the dogs for him.

I found out from listening to the radio this morning that the "biggest pop rock band in the world" will be in Trinidad on December 30th! You guessed it: Maroon 5. Huh? Maroon 5? I would have guessed U2 or Coldplay. I saw Maroon 5 in concert many years ago. Not bad, but I'm not sure that I'd see the "biggest pop rock band in the world" again.

I finally got my credit card to work at the gas station. Unfortunately, I was unable to purchase lunch with my card, so I'm eating coconut cookies with tea. And I still cannot get cash from an ATM. It was time to call the banks, since neither of my debit-credit cards were working. Both cards were blocked due to my attempts to make transactions today, and after 20 minutes of talking to Visa, they are ready for use again. I have to learn to carry cash while I'm here. I can't rely on plastic like I do in the States.

I ironed for the first time since I've been here today, actually for the first time in many months. I can't believe my talk is tomorrow and that my time in T&T is a quarter over! More work to be done, fun to be had and places to see.

I dropped Sweetie off at the TTSPCA this morning. I got a little choked up as I put in her in a small kennel near where the dog catchers bring the strays. I can't help but think that she was put to sleep today. The woman in charge of the dogs makes the decision on which ones to keep. Sweetie is a super friendly dog and would make a great companion for someone or a family. I really hope that she is still alive when I go to the TTSPCA on Friday. I don't want to second-guess myself. Taking Sweetie away from Waterloo was the best thing for her in the long run.

With my presentation more or less finished, I can unwind a bit. Jo and I tried to video chat for the first time since I've been here (Jo is probably closest friends in Ithaca). We did not succeed but we did get to talk and make jokes that only the two of us could understand and appreciate. I miss her...

It's after 11pm now, which is way past my bedtime. Off to dreamland.


Sparky playing Bug the Bugs

Project Waterloo has commenced. Call me crazy, naive, or stupid, but I just can't sit still and watch as more and more dogs populate Waterloo. I want and need to do something. Today's trip out there was sort of impromptu. After my UWI farm visit to collect samples, the plan was to head down to parasitology and identify any worms and protozoa found in the samples. Instead, I packed up my things and headed to Waterloo after speaking with Dr. Phillips, my officemate at UWI. She visited Waterloo this weekend and reported her dismay at the conditions of the dogs there. She even saw a dead dog near the Temple. What really struck a chord with me was her visit to the man who lives adjacent to the temple and feeds the dogs twice a day everyday. I had to talk to him.

When I got to Waterloo, I did my usual look-around for strays, but actually ventured across to the cremation site for the first time and saw many more dogs there. A man about my age pouring food out of plastic bags got my attention. I scrambled over to see him and asked him a series of questions regarding his visit to the Temple. He said that his parents ask him to drop off food when the freezer gets too full. There were different kinds of meats scattered on the ground, but only for a second because a pack of dogs quickly emerged on the scene. I was blown away. I had read about this, been told about this, but I was actually seeing it for my own eyes! He and I chatted for a bit in a gazebo-like building when the rain started coming down heavily. There were about 6 or 7 dogs with us. I told him why I am in Trinidad and why I thought what he was doing was more harm than help. He listened and we eventually exchanged contact information when the rain eased up a little. He apparently knows the "perfect person" for me to talk to about this. Score.

I made my way to home next to the temple, I saw a picture of what I believe was Vishnu on the wall of the house and a Christmas tree in the yard. Interesting. It got so much more interesting when I met Balram, a stocky Indian man with dreadlocks. We chatted for about 20 minutes or so about the stray dogs in Waterloo. He even fed some for me. He whistled and about 8 dogs and a kitten emerged. Two of the dogs were pregnant, one had recently had a miscarriage, and two were very young puppies. I'm heading back there on Thursday to hopefully pick up the puppies and take them to the TTSPCA. Balram not only feeds the dogs, he's the go-to guy for veterinarians and people who donate medicine and food for the dogs. I think he and I are going to become good friends.

Speaking of taking dogs to the TTSPCA, I sort of fell for one of the dogs at the Temple. A little brown dog followed me all over the Temple grounds and even to Balram's house. He told me that she was a recent addition to the group and that she's been having a hard time fitting in with the others. He gave me a plate of food for her but the other dogs would not have it. It didn't take much for me to convince myself that putting her in the car and eventually taking her to the TTSPCA was a brilliant idea. I called Annette at the TTSPCA and told her that there was this dog that I couldn't leave at Waterloo. She said I could bring her in tomorrow as they would be closed by the time I got there. I loaded Sweetie, my name for her, into the car and we were off. She's currently in the garage barking up a storm! I gave her a bath, removed some ticks, and watched her devour some food. Hopefully someone will adopt Sweetie. If not, I will! Sparky may need a female companion :-)

I saw a bunch of new birds today, but I was overwhelmed by the rain and the experience. Identification to come on Thursday. And pictures Sweetie as well!

Thanks, Mom, for always having a ready ear!


Strays feeding on freezer scraps


Balram and his wife


Very young puppy feeding on some saddle roti, I believe

I just got back from an amazing hike of Tucker Valley in Diego Martin. Kaila, Sparky, and I were out of the house by 6:20 to make it to Pier 1, the meeting place for the hike. We were the first ones there at 6:50. One guy came 10 minutes later and everyone else came closer to 8. Okay, Miguella, you have to remember that you are in Trinidad. "Sharp" means within an hour of the scheduled time here. Our hiking guide, Snakeman, was so awesome. Not only knowledgeable about the trails but personable and pretty hilarious. Right off the bat, he lived up to his name. We approached an old bunker to find a snake rest in the door. Snakeman picked up the snake with ease and posed for pictures. From there, I knew that the hike was going to be great.

I'd rate the hike as a moderately strenuous 5. Rincon Waterfall would be strenuously challenging 8. Sparky kept up so well! He rested twice during the hike; once when we all stopped for a 45-minute break then at the very end. I had to carry him for a bit, but you should have seen my little Sparky hopping on rocks and over fallen bamboo. It was like he was in an obstacle course!

The hike ended with food and drinks for Snakeman's birthday. He cooked delicious macaroni pie and chicken. I had some pretty good Whiskey from Scotland (I don't like Whiskey usually but I'd drink this again). The hiking group exchanged emails and promised to send each other pictures and videos from the hike (of which there were many). I hope to hike with some of these people again.

Two new birds today! Both Trogons: The Collared Trogon (female) and the White-tailed Trogon (female).


Sleepy Sparky


Hike Seekers group photo

My life has gone to the dogs. Literally. The first things I did this morning were sweep Sparky's fur and feed the little bugger. Then it was off to the TTSPCA, but before that I stopped to take pictures of strays, a pair of which were mating. Once at the TTSPCA, Kaila and I had to bathe puppies, walk dogs, pose for TV cameras, and tell potential adopters how great the dogs are. A few dogs were adopted today, and a woman found her lost dog at the TTSPCA. Kaila got a cool cap that says, "Dogs rule." I want one.

We stayed at the SPCA until about 2 then headed to Santa Cruz to pick up Sparky and head to Maracas. He hadn't been to the beach in some weeks. Once Kaila, Sparky, and I got to Maracas we were greeted by a bunch of stray males. I had to carry Sparky to the beach, right after two of the dogs decided to have a scuffle. Kaila went in the water and I stayed by the shore with Sparky. I didn't want him to get eaten. We did some digging in the sand, went in the water for a little bit, and sit admiring the view of Maracas. He's pretty tired now and should rest up for our hike tomorrow!

Kaila and I will likely put up Christmas lights, play some Wii, and watch some TV. Off to do laundry and eat some dinner.


Kaila with puppies


Puppies


Sparky!!!

I missed Grandpa a lot today. His songs kept coming up on my iPod which was set on random, for the record. My good friend lost his father earlier this week to cancer; another friend celebrated his father's birthday who passed away when we were in high school.. With my mom losing Ken and all, my thoughts drifted back to losing Grandpa earlier this year. Daniel asked if I've been playing the mandolin. I want to, but I think I'm subconsciously keeping my distance. I really wanted Grandpa to teach me. In time, definitely before I leave, I will learn some songs on it. I just don't think I'm ready yet (and I don't currently of the time to devote to it).

I presented my talk on roaming dogs to an audience of seven people today. The feedback was good and I plan to make it better for Thursday. Afterward, I rushed down to parasitology to process the dog samples I collected yesterday. Marley, the sweet dog to whom I gave a bathe had worms, Isospora canis, and the tick I removed from her. The puppy samples had Giardia. but the rest of the dogs were intestinal-parasite-free (in my amateur diagnostic opinion).

I thought I would have the energy to go out with Dad for a drink, but I ended up passing out after doing some cleaning. The place is still messy, but better. At least Kaila will have a place to sit when she stays over tonight.


Hot dog with a hot dog

Already an action-packed morning! A neighbor's dog broke away from her leash. Fire, as she is appropriately called, roamed not too far from her home, just short of my house and ran back once she saw and heard a car. She almost got hit! Got it on video for my presentation! I'm already late for the TTSPCA but I think they'll understand.

Saturday is Adoption Day at the TTSPCA so all of the prospective adoptees needed a bath. The dog were generally pretty good bathers today. One dog, Marley, looked like I had given her the massage of her life. She closed her eyes as I lathered VO5 Shampoo on her coat. The puppies were pain; so curious, so cute. I managed to collect 6 samples from TTSPCA dogs and one from Sparky this morning. Hopefully, Sparky doesn't have anything.

I'm just about done with my powerpoint for my presentation tomorrow. I left out a bunch of things that I will include in my real talk. I'm spent.

Today is Eid Ul-Adha. On a day in the US, this Muslim holiday would have little to no impact on my daily routine. Today, however, was a special day. I visited Sugarcane Feeds Centre, a government farm in the Chaguanas area of Trinidad. I learned shortly before leaving the vet school that the facility has an abattoir and that we may witness some slaughtering of animals. This fact didn't dissuade me from wanting to visit, but it didn't exactly put more bounce in my step either. We arrived at the farm and the first thing we did was get dressed in aprons and caps. Our tour was to begin with the sacrifice of a bull. It took about 15 men to control this animal. I was stunned by my first animal sacrificing experience. The bull had to face east to Mecca and prayers were said before its sacrifice. I was both honored and traumatized by the experience. I may have to lay off the beef for a bit.

The students inspected all of the major organs of the bull. For Eid Ul-Adha, the bull is divided and shared so it is important to ensure that the quality of the meat is high. Upon inspection, the students concluded that the kidneys and a small part of the lungs should be discarded. Men quickly moved in to portion out the animal. The students also examined the head of the bull. I'll leave those pictures out of this posting, but it was really cool to see (and feel). Sheep and goats were also sacrificed. They were a little easier to watch.

Touring the farm was pretty anticlimactic after the abattoir visit. There were some beautiful buffalo, and I did see a new bird! The Purple Gallinule was in a marsh at the far end of the farm. I thought it was the Wattled Jacana at first, but the colors are very different.

I have made little progress on my PPT for Friday! With the help of Dad, Uncle Lincoln, and my cousin Melanie, I should have 50 questionnaires filled out by the end of tomorrow. That will have to do for Friday. I can try to get more for the actual presentation.


Downtown Chaguanas. Notice the no vending sign surrounded by street vendors.


Brown buffalo


Sweet close-up of the Chachalaca. Not sure why they are at Sugarcane Feeds Centre.

I did not go to UWI today, hoping that I could put away all of the stuff I received from yesterday's big pick-up. I'm not quite done, but I'm very close. Sparky's stuff is all sorted out in a nice green basket. My research supplies are piled on a chair waiting to be sent to their new home at UWI. All of the foodstuff has been put away. Just a few odds and ends are left, thank goodness.

I went into Port of Spain to harass people in Brian Lara Promenade about stray dogs. Some people were receptive. Others were not interested, which discouraged me a bit. One man insisted on quoting biblical passages for me. If you're interested check some of his suggested reads: Revelations 14:12, Revelations 22:14, Genesis 19 (and maybe 6), Ecclesiastes 12-14, Isaiah 8-20, and Jeremiah 9:3.

The hummingbird feeder is up and I can't wait to see who visits in the next few days. I have a couple more species of hummers to see before completing the set in T&T.

I just got up from a quick nap not too long ago. Sparky was no where to be found. I searched around the house and yard, until finally I remembered that the porch door slammed when a strong breeze blew a few hours ago. There was Sparky, patiently waiting there for me to let him out. I realized then that my attachment to him is pretty tight already. I do, after all, make sure that he is fed before I eat my breakfast and dinner. Not to mention that I see him the most out of anyone/thing in T&T. He was rewarded with a chicken foot, one of his favorite treats. It's fun watching him crunch on the toes :-)

My dad mentioned that a cousin of mine was in the newspaper recently so I googled her name to find the article. After a few minutes of searching to no avail, I decided to google myself. This is something I do every few months. I make my life very public, so it's usually not too surprising. There were a couple of new ones today:
UWI Welcome homepage
Fulbright awards take Cornellians from Australia to Trinidad and Tobago
Ban the Sale of Commercial Wild-meat- petition signatures

I should be working on my presentation instead of googling and blogging. Yeah, I'll do that.


Guy feeding stray dogs at Brian Lara Promenade. This was set up :-)


Cream of Wheat is expensive! TT$40 is a little over US$6. Ridiculous.

It's a little early for Christmas, no? Not in Trinidad and Tobago. People have been getting into the Christmas spirit since I arrived. Parang, local Christmas caroling, has been in full swing the past few weeks. Decorations and lights are already up throughout the country. And I have consumed rum cake, a traditional sweet of the holidays, on more than one occasion.

Today was like Christmas for me. It started off with the "bulky package" that was left for me at the Santa Cruz post office. I was wrong about it being from Ashley or Jo. To my big surprise, my dear friend, John O, was the sender! Inside the manila envelope was a book titled "The Mismeasure of Man" by Stephen Jay Gould. You can't judge a book by it's cover (a human skull with letters corresponding to different parts of the brain). John must know me well because the book is more or less about eugenics and idea of genetic supremacy and inequality, subjects I find fascinating and pretty cool. Thanks, John!

I read the first 20 or so pages while waiting to pick up the remainder of my Christmas gifts: the three large containers my Mom shipped. I'm taking a break from reading to write today's blog and to unpack the batteries, cereals, dog treats, dog toys, three bags of bird seed, toilet paper, bookshelves, and slew of other things Mom managed to squish into the containers. She's quite masterful at packing those things, I must say. At the port, you have to remove most of the stuff so that they can check for weapons and drugs (a cursory once-over at best), then determine how much your things are worth so they can tax you. I could not fit everything back in and ended up sneaking some stuff into the bag I brought with me. Apparently, my stuff wasn't worth all that much. I left having to pay a little over $100US. Swweeeet.

I think Sparky likes his new bed! He'd better stay off the couch now.

The vet students are coming! The vet students are coming! Sarrah, Sarah, and Erin have booked their flights for their January visit to Trinidad, leaving me less than two months to get this place in shape!

I'd better get back to unpacking if I want to sleep on a clear bed as opposed to one that is sheeted in office supplies. Most valued thing I got today? My Honeywell mini fan. "Ahh, sweet Honeywell," to quote a musician friend of mine. He digs these fans, too.

I worked a full day today and caught up with my processing and databasing. This means I am technically taking tomorrow off. If Dad and I can pick up the boxes and barrels from the port, then my day will be spent unpacking my stuff that was shipped from the US. If not, I'm going to Port of Spain to administer stray dog questionnaires to unsuspecting victims! I want to get at least 100 this week. My presentation is less than two weeks away!

I didn't see any new birds today nor did I have my memory card in my camera. Grrr.

After dinner last night, I immediately passed out as soon as I plopped on my bed. I woke up some minutes later to find that I was bitten just above my lip and on my right eyebrow. This is one time I hope it was a mosquito. Kissing bugs are known to bite on your face and they transmit Chagas disease. I guess I'll find out in a few months.

Daddy, Kaila, and I went to Macqueripe today. It was a rainy day in Trinidad and the road to Macqueripe was flooded like we've never seen before. It gave us the opportunity to drive slowly and see two new birds! My first woodpecker, the Lineated Woodpecker, was spotted with a partner making its way along a tree trunk. While on the shore, I spotted a hawk-like bird high in the treetops. It ended up following us out, and after it perched on the branch of a tree close to the car, I identified it as the Yellow-headed Caracara. I have been pretty bad at identifying birds of prey, but I think I nailed this one, bringing my birding total to approximately 76 different species in two months! I found an article written by some European visitors who did a birding tour in Trinidad for a little over a week and sawover 200 species of birds. I'm in no rush. Quality over quantity so long as I, too, see 200 different species.

Avia invited me to a party tonight but I'm not going for a bunch different reasons. $40US to go to a bar is absurd to me. We probably wouldn't get there until 11, long after my bedtime. And I plan to spend all day at UWI processing samples and working on my presentation. Tonight's highlights will include doing/folding laundry and watching a movie.


Yellow-headed Caracara

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I think I need a secretary. My organization skills have diminished drastically since I've been here. Case in point, I missed this week's research meeting. I was convinced it was today and even changed my Friday volunteer day at the TTSPCA to Thursday. Thank goodness the head of the vet school is understanding of my absent-mindedness. "As long as the research is getting done, don't worry too much about it." If this was a job, I would absolutely be fired. I also told him that I am in desperate need of an assistant. He said to check back on Monday. Sweet.

I processed the dog samples from yesterday and found a bunch of different parasites: Dipylidium caninum, hookworms (either Ancylostoma or Uncinaria), mites, Giardia, and Trichuris vulpis. Theresa has been a Godsend helping me with identification.

Dad and I met for free lunch today, drinks included! The meal consisted of saffron rice, BBQ chicken, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, pigeon peas, and salad. Dad had red and white wine. I had a Carib. I went back to work for a few hours to finish up cattle samples from the previous farm, then Dad picked me up from work. On our way to Santa Cruz, we saw a car lodged in a ditch by the field where Sparky and I go for walks (see above). There was no one inside, in case you were wondering.

The mailbox had a note saying that a "bulky package" is waiting for me at the post office! I'm pretty sure it's not from Mom since she sent three super-bulky packages by freight for me. I'm guessing it's from Ashley or maybe Jo. I'll have to wait until Monday to find out. Speaking of Mom's bulky packages, those also arrived! Sparky's dog bed is in Trinidad! Oh yeah, and my research supplies too.

It's now 8pm. We're supposed to go out for Dad's birthday, but he's relaxing on the couch and I'm watching a rerun of Lost. If we leave soon, I may have enough energy to last the night. Otherwise, zzzzzzzzz.Ha! As I was typing, Avia called and said she's 10 minutes away from the restaurant. Time to get ready

Today is Dad's last day of work, ever. How exciting for him and well-planned since his 60th birthday is tomorrow. All of those years of sitting behind a desk are over as of this evening. Congrats, Dad! I'll try to save up enough energy to meet him for a celebratory drink or two later.

My day at the TTSPCA was the most-productive day I've had in Trinidad. I got there and was told that there was nothing really to do and that maybe I could walk the dogs. I jumped at the opportunity. I love walking dogs and considered doing it in New York City (except that I'm way underqualified there). My first dog was Kelly, this adorable pit bull I had my eye for some time. I was surprised and happy to see that she was still at the TTSPCA. She was apparently adopted and may leave the shelter this weekend. I walked Kelly to the end of the road and back. On our way back, she decided to poop. Eureka! Why hadn't I thought about this before! Of course dogs will relieve themselves when you walk them. Kelly and I ran back to the shelter, I dropped her off at her kennel and picked up the next dog, Monster, and some zip-lock bags. The same thing happened with Monster, and Bitsy, and Max! I think I'm onto something :-) Everyone benefits: the dogs get some socialization and time outside of the kennel and I get my samples. Swweeeeet! Betty, the TTSPCA mascot dog, also did her deed while I was on my way back from walking Bitsy.

[I should mention that three guys hit on me while walking the dogs with the worst pick-up line. They all had the same idea: something about it being their turn to be walked. Lame. Yuck. More gross than having to pick up dog poop. Trinidadian men are so unoriginal!]

My last two samples came from strays brought in from Chaguanas and Laventille Regional Corporations. The Laventille dog was in quite a state. She had burns all over. The dog catcher had some difficulty getting her out of the cage (I have an incredible video for my roaming dog presentation). The poor dog yelped so loudly as she was dragged to the kennel at the TTSPCA. And as she made it to the door of the kennel, she pooped everywhere, out of fear and shock. Some of it got on the catcher's socks and shoes. It was a horrifying scene for sure and I bet the catcher did not want me videoing it. I took this as an opportunity to collect a sample from a dog that epitomizes the stray problem in Trinidad: animal cruelty, neglect, overpopulation (she came with her three puppies), and disease. Yes sir, her stool was teeming with worms. They are likely trematodes but I have no idea what genus or species. Stay tuned.

In all 14 stray dogs were brought into the TTSPCA today of which 5 were puppies. The puppies will probably remain at the shelter and be adopted, but the adults will likely be euthanized, especially the severely-burned female. I went to see Auntie Vilma for lunch today and gave her a recap of my morning. She said that euthanizing dogs is "inhumane" and she could not believe that the TTSPCA practiced euthanasia. I tried to sell her the idea that overpopulation of strays is inhumane, but I pretty much failed. Anyone who knows me knows that I love dogs ("puppies" or "puppers" as I like to call them regardless of their ages), but I would rather have a dog be put to sleep peacefully than see it dead at the side of a road, or covered in mange and sores, or even worse a victim of animal cruelty like the slew of dogs I see daily in T&T. My two cents and I'm off my soapbox.


Chubby wubby Kelly


Chaguanas stray


Laventille stray and her pups. If you click on the photo, you can see how badly she was burned on her back, face, and paws.


Palmy the Palm Tanager rescue mission: a woman brought in this bird that was being attacked by blackbirds (maybe grackles). Palmy escaped from the box and went into the TTSPCA recovery room. He was eventually put back in his box, and I dropped him off at the Northwest Animal Clinic where Detta Bushe, an avian rehabilitator, will pick him up.

My Fulbright research was approved by the UWI Ethics Committee. This actually happened a few days ago, but I only had time to process it today. I feel like a budding PI here, and it's very intimidating. I do not present myself as a professional. I felt perfectly comfortable in the Dartmouth t-shirt, shorts, and Dartmouth flip-flops I had on today. Granted, I think my attire can be excused on farm-visit days, but my usual work wear isn't too far off. Maybe jeans instead of shorts and sneakers instead of flip-flops. I think I know when it's appropriate to dress up. For my talk on the 25th, I have my Banana Republic blazer (a big splurge at $70) and a pair of Gap trousers. Shoes are going to be a problem...

Enough with the fashion. I went to Wallerfield very early this morning. Lucky for me I was driven there by a more knowledgeable driver. I was at the farm by 8 AM. I noticed that the cows were out in the pasture. Uh oh. I sampled what few cows and calves there were in the milking area, and trekked through the muddy pastures to get my samples! There was no way these cows were going to let me palpate them so I had to wait, patiently, until the lovely ladies were ready to "let loose," so to speak. I didn't get the 20 samples I set out for, but 14 is just fine. Besides, I'm way behind in the sample processing and parasite identification part of the research (anyone want a job helping me? I can provide room and board).

Tomorrow, I will be at the TTSPCA volunteering and collecting samples. Can't wait to see new and old puppers!

I woke up sometime after 5:00 this morning but did not want to get out of bed. Eventually, I gave myself a goal. After 5 rooster crows, up and out! I wasn't in bed for much longer. The roosters were singing in rounds, it seemed. Crazy birds.

Sample collection went smoothly today, though it is a whole lot easy having a partner. Becky B, where are you when I need you? Today's farm had a host of sickly-looking animals, including the cow that had been unable to stand for about two weeks. Another cow had a similar condition when I visited this farm two weeks ago. That cow didn't make it and I'm pretty sure this one will not either. The calves had a rainbow assortment of poop, including yellow with red tinges and liquid wheat germ! Yummy. Two cows had ticks. I didn't get a chance to identify them today. I'll try Thursday.

Avia called to meet for lunch. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: I should warn you that I look and smell like a bum.
Avia: That's nothing unusual.

I literally laughed out loud when she said this. My sister is quite the comedian. I met her and Yis at Trinicity Mall. Yis chose a great spot: Burger King. That's my boy! Avi wanted us to go to a fancier restaurant, Bootleggers (LOL), but I was slightly under-dressed (see photo).

Tomorrow is going to be another long day. I'm off to a farm in Waller Field in the north-central part of the country, over an hour from my home in Santa Cruz. The sweet part is that I'll have a driver for this farm trip. Score! Highway bird-watching! :-)

Heading home to feed Sparky, do today's NYTimes crossword, and rest up.

Addendum: Becky IMed me out of the blue today! She said that Dr. Bowman, my favorite professor, gave me a shout-out in one of his classes (he encouraged students to visit me in Trinidad to see a rare hookworm). Dr. Bowman, if you're reading, there are lots of cats with poop waiting for you!


Wattled Jacanas in flight (adult and juvenile)


Really knowledgeable farmhand, and nice too!


Another farmhand


Think they might have let me in if I whipped out my AMEX card?