It was back in my university days on Antigua. I was studying for an undergraduate degree in Tourism. I remember spending every spare moment traversing the globe virtually, via GoogleEarth. One afternoon, I could visit the Louvre, and on another, discover the archaeological zone of Choquequirao in Peru. I was learning the world, one tiny part at a time – and not spending more than my monthly internet fee doing it!
On one of my virtual adventures, I decided to visit the Grenadine Islands, so close, yet quite unknown to me. I was blown away by the many tiny islands that connected Saint Vincent to Grenada. Some are reserved for unique plants and animals; some are tucked away as a private getaway for the rich; and others are home to regular people, just like me.
Anyone who knows me is fully aware that I’m addicted to budgets. Having explored the Grenadines online, I quickly set about costing out my actual trip there. I knew that, when reality hits you, sometimes your dreams are put on hold.
A Virtual Trip Becoming Reality
Fast forward eight years, and I am fully enjoying my career in endangered species conservation, specifically my work with birds. I receive an unexpected invitation to join an Interpretive Bird Guide Training Workshop – in where else but Union Island (Grenadines)! Though the training was targeted to people living in the Grenadines, Carefree Birding, a company that supports BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Birding Trail, stepped forward to support two Antiguans to attend the workshop. I was one of them! So on 26th May, I began my journey to Union, to learn how to lead nature tours, and how to make them fun, exciting and meaningful to my clients.
Apart from the normal jitters that plague me when I soar through the sky in an aluminium tube, my heart skipped several beats on my journey to Union. I could see in real time images just like those I had carefully tucked away and cherished in my mind. GoogleEarth was pretty good at teaching me how a place looked. However, it could never help me experience the smell of an island, or feel the gentle Caribbean breeze. It could not make my emotions of awe well up, as I observed one Grenadine island literally kissing the coast of another. My virtual journey could not greet me with the welcoming smile of the Unionites. GoogleEarth could not offer me the mouth-watering coconut bakes that I was introduced to. These made me promise to definitely return to the Grenadines!
Learning and Birding on Union Island
The workshop began bright and early on Monday 28th May. BirdsCaribbean’s Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Sorenson, officially opened the workshop. The Executive Director of Sustainable Grenadines (SusGren), James Lorde, and Programme Officer, Orisha Joseph, welcomed us. We were introduced to our two main facilitators, interpretive guides, Rick Morales and Beny Wilson, both from Panama. Besides their obvious love for their work and positive, high-energy presentations, something struck me almost from day one: Beny and Rick knew each participant by name and by country and they even knew our interests. They easily conversed with each us, making us feel like old friends.
Beny, Lisa and Rick’s numerous anecdotes during their presentations made them all the more interesting for us. Between Beny and Lisa, we learnt the necessity of properly marketing ourselves, how to identify birds, how to adjust our binoculars and how to set up our spotting scope to view birds. Beny taught us how to position ourselves before the group, how to lead the group and how to ethically use playback and a laser pointer to show the bird to clients. Beny strongly emphasized the need to ensure that all guests had a fair chance of using the bird-watching equipment.
Rick’s focus was on the actual interpretation during a tour. He taught us how to meet the needs of our clients by first getting to know them and assessing their knowledge levels. He showed us how to create a tour that was an unforgettable experience – not by doing fancy or audacious things, but by simply knowing your product and being passionate about it. Your client becomes drawn in by your knowledge and enthusiasm. Between theory, personal experiences and field exercises, he encouraged us to ensure that our tours were relevant, engaging and personal.
During the classroom sessions, the group was also introduced to eBird, a virtual platform that allows users to upload their bird observations. These data are analysed by scientists and converted into graphs and models, such as bird migration models. It’s a wonderful tool for the user and allows us all to contribute as “citizen scientists.”
In between learning about our product and meeting the needs of our clients, there were mornings and afternoons of birding. Yes, getting to know our product! Our group was comprised of people from Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Union Island, Saint Vincent, Palm Island and Antigua. We were all in closely related fields, but we were not all birders. Our facilitators took baby steps, teaching us to identify birds. Tests in the classroom, games, and actual birding in the field all helped us to hone our skills. It was heart-warming to see the group birding. We all had different interests and different personalities, yet when it came to birding we all connected, even the shyest of us. We all wanted to identify the new bird, the one we hadn’t seen the day before.
I remember being overwhelmed with amazement when I observed Scaly-naped Pigeons (or Ramiers for the Grenadine people) everywhere! In Antigua & Barbuda, I’ve positively identified it only twice. I also saw two species for the first time in my life: the Grenada Flycatcher and the Yellow-bellied Elaenia. One participant, Lystra Culzac, ably guided us through the minute details that would enable us to differentiate between both birds.
One of my favourite birding sites was the Ashton Lagoon, particularly because of the story behind it. The government of Saint Vincent approved the conversion of the wetlands to a marina in the 1990s but the project went bankrupt and the investors left. What remained was a destroyed lagoon with dead zones created by the water’s inability to circulate. SusGren worked with local residents and partners (including BirdsCaribbean) and after several years, got approval from the government to restore the area. It’s already a beautiful spot to enjoy nature and no doubt, as SusGren continues to work on its rehabilitation, it will shine even more as an area of outstanding natural beauty, supporting the health and well-being of the people.
Showing Off What I Had Learned, Despite Nerves
As the training drew closer to its conclusion, even the bravest of hearts were tempted to faint. We had one final test: our own interpretive tour. We had to show that we had learnt to apply techniques and knowledge gained throughout the week. This challenge was taken so seriously that half the group opted out of an evening hike to go back to our rooms to practise our tour. I was absolutely torn between hiking to Union’s heights with my new-found friends, or working out my tour in preparation for the last day. My decision later haunted me. I opted to return to my room, working feverishly on my tour and later lost my notebook with all my points!
In the wee hours of Friday morning I rose to practise my newly planned tour – as I still hadn’t found my notes. I wanted to prove that the workshop did have an impact. I wondered if other participants were doing the same. I went over my handouts and practised away and day broke. The time drew close.
Starting off our presentations in the Ashton Lagoon and making our way to other wetlands and beaches, we were treated to “boat” tours, walking tours with mangoes falling from the sky, poems, songs, skits and games. I shook like an earthquake and sweated bullets throughout my presentation. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice but me! We did well, we had paid attention all week, and I think we made our facilitators very proud that day.
On 2nd June, we non-Unionites begin the journey to return home. It was bittersweet. I have attended many workshops. Indeed, this was one of the most useful, memorable, and fulfilling trainings I’ve ever been fortunate to receive. Our entire group bonded extremely well, working together to get our activities done. We socialised, explored, birded, trained and played together. As I boarded my plane out of Union, I looked back and thought of my week’s experience. I got to my seat, sat down and smiled. It was a great week. The plane started up. Then there came the butterflies!
By S. K. Natalya Lawrence. Natalya has worked at the Environmental Awareness Group in Antigua and Barbuda for the past eight years, restoring offshore islands that are a refuge for globally significant and in some cases rare plants and animals. She primarily focuses on reptile and bird conservation and is passionate about educating Antiguans and Barbudans about the natural world which surrounds them. She often leads tours with schools, government ministries and community groups.
Editor’s Note: Natalya is too humble to mention this in her article but she won an award for delivering one of the best presentations (about the value of mangroves) on the final day! Natalya was one of 24 participants in BirdsCaribbean’s 6th Caribbean Birding Trail Interpretive Guide Training Workshop, held in Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, May 27 to June 1, 2018. The workshop was hosted and organized locally by Sustainable Grenadines Inc. Workshop topics were related to building a sustainable tourism market focused on birds, nature, and heritage, including bird identification and guiding, environmental interpretation, and marketing. Check out entertaining blog posts by 2 other participants: Allison Caton and Lloyd Joseph.
Hover over each photo to see the caption; click on photos to see larger images and a slide show. To see more workshop photos, visit our Flickr page.
A big thank you to all of the sponsors of this workshop for their funding and/or in-kind donations:
Marshall Reynolds Foundation
KfW German Development Bank through Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)
US Forest Service, International Programs
Optics for the Tropics
Palm Island Resort
Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC)
Ridge to Reef Project Grenada
Carefree Birding
Private donors
Kings Landing Hotel
Well done to all!It is great to see bird conservation and awareness being expanded! great work!
Thanks so much Mike, we appreciate your support and positive feedback!