This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-46) for 14 December 2001. Sponsored by the T&T Field Naturalists' Club, our aim is to promote birding and ornithology in the southeastern Caribbean by fostering communication among resident and visiting birders regarding the study of birds in the region. The SCBA and information about the T&TFNC are accessible at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc; our photo gallery is accessible at http://www.geocities.com/secaribbirds.
Reports should be sent to Floyd Hayes by phone at 662-5918 (H) or 645-3232 x2206 (W), or by e-mail at floyd_hayes@hotmail.com. The T&T Rare Bird Committee requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see SCBA website above and 'BIRD BRAINS' below).
HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: A daily vigil by resident birders to relocate the 'MYSTERY GULL' along a 30 kilometre stretch of the Trinidad's west coast has been unsuccessful. However, the other three large gulls have been seen almost daily, up through 14 December, at San Fernando; these include a 2nd-winter RING-BILLED GULL* and 2nd-winter and adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. On 9 December, a PARASITIC JAEGER was briefly seen chasing gulls at San Fernando. The best gull- watching sites in the north include Waterloo (up to 1300 LAUGHING GULLS on 14 December), Orange Valley (up to 510 LAUGHING GULLS on 13 December) and Carli Bay (up to 1000 LAUGHING GULLS on 13 December), where large numbers congregate on exposed mudflats during low tide.
In the south, gulls are best observed at high tide when they congregate near the public fish markets at San Fernando (up to 800 LAUGHING GULLS on 7 December) and Otaheite (up to 600 LAUGHING GULLS on 8 December).
Elsewhere along the west coast of Trinidad, the following birds were noted on 12 December: 40+ SAFFRON FINCHES and several TRINIDAD EUPHONIAS at San Fernando Hill; SPOTTED TODY-FLYCATCHER, GREATER ANI and RED-CAPPED CARDINAL at South Oropouche Swamp; PLUMBEOUS KITE, ZONE-TAILED HAWK and PIRATIC FLYCATCHER near Granville; RUFOUS-NECKED WOOD-RAIL*, GREATER ANI and SPOTTED TODY-FLYCATCHER at Fullarton Swamp; an APLOMADO FALCON* inland from Columbus Bay; 30 ROYAL TERNS and SPOTTED TODY-FLYCATCHER at Columbus Bay; 50 ROYAL TERNS and a STREAKED-HEADED WOODCREEPER at Icacos Point.
Along the north coast of Trinidad, a BROWN BOODY was seen off Grande Riviere and a kettle of seven SWALLOW-TAILED KITES at the 'Pawi' site just south of Grande Riviere on 11 December.
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: What is a species? Although the rank of 'species' appears to be the only non-arbitrary hierarchical level of Linnaean taxonomy with biological significance, it is often difficult to determine whether two similar populations with few differences belong to the same or different species. Because the degree of divergence between populations occurs along a gradient, with no well defined point at which the species threshold is crossed, the definition of species has vexed biologists for centuries.
Consequently a plethora of species concepts have been proposed, which will be the subject of subsequent tidbits.
BIRD BRAINS: Do we believe what you see? We want to! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative. The T&T Rare Bird Committee, formed in 1995, requests details for all rare birds observed (see Species Review List at our website). Please submit details to the T&TRBC Secretary: Martyn Kenefick, 36 Newalloville Ave., San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago; e-mail: martynkenefick@netscape.net.