Southeastern Caribbean Bird Alert - No. 2001-02


This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-02) for 12th January 2001. Sponsored by the T&T Field Naturalists Club, our aim is to promote birding and ornithology in the southeastern Caribbean by fostering communication amongst resident and visiting birders regarding the study of birds in the region. The SCBA and information about the T&TFNC are accessible on the Internet at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc. 

Until further notice, reports should be sent to Martyn Kenefick at (868) 674-7609 or by Email at martynkenefick@netscape.net. 

The T&T Rare Bird Committee requests details (see website above and end below) for species indicated with an asterisk 

PHOTO GALLERY: Photos of an immature Franklin's Gull (3rd for Trinidad) and an immature male Ruff (7th for Trinidad) are now posted at the SCBA website. 

HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: Belated news from the Lesser Antilles as follows :- On St Lucia, a WHITE BREASTED THRASHER was found in the dry forest along the Fox Grove Inn trail on 6th December. On St Vincent, up to 6 WHISTLING WARBLERS and 3 LESSER ANTILLEAN TANAGERS were called in from trails in the Vermont Forest Reserve on 8th & 9th December. Highlights of a 4 day stay by experienced observers on Dominica were a single ANTILLEAN EUPHONIA feeding in mistletoe at Syndicate Estate on 11th December ; up to 3 IMPERIAL PARROTS in the same area on both 11th and 12th December ; 3 FOREST THRUSHES at Emerald Pool on both 12th and 13th December ; and at Canefield a GREAT BLUE HERON , a 2nd year HERRING GULL and 10 EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES on 13th December. In Barbados, a 1st winter LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL was photographed at Six Men's Bay on 7th January. 

Late news from Trinidad where on 24th December a BLACKPOLL WARBLER was found on Mt St Benedict and a RUFOUS CRAB HAWK was reported from Carli Bay. On 27th December, a "petrel sp" considered likely to be LEACH'S PETREL was watched from the inter island ferry about 30 minutes "out" from Scarborough. The GLOSSY IBIS previously found on Caroni ricefields in late December was still present on 8th January. In the northern range, up to 4 YELLOW LEGGED THRUSHES were seen perched in a matchwood tree at Las Lapas on 9th January and a SCALED ANTPITTA was heard calling from forest close to the Morne Bleu TSTT station on 12th January. Also seen at Morne Bleu were single COLLARED TROGON, CHESTNUT WOODPECKER, juvenile BROAD WINGED HAWK and at least 7 SPECKLED TANAGERS. 

Of more general interest an all yellow "albino" ORANGE WINGED PARROT is regularly seen at roost in a tall tree at Boissiere village, Maraval just south of the northernmost gas station. Its plumage is , in the main, pale yellow with bright orange yellow chest, red patches on the undertail and red eyes. There is no orange in the wing. To view, stand on the opposite side of the main road beside the pet shop or TTARP building and look across at a large tree where parrots congregate after 5.00 pm. The workers in the pet shop see the bird most evenings. 

In Tobago, the WESTERN REEF HERON * continues to frequent the seaward end of Buccoo marsh. On 7th January, it was seen perched atop trees bordering the goat racing track.. Also present were 12 WHITE CHEEKED PINTAILS and a BLUE WINGED TEAL. Elsewhere on 7th January, the highlight of a sensus at Lowlands sewage ponds was a MANGROVE CUCKOO * (very scarce in Tobago), together with 22 BLUE WINGED TEALS, 4 WHITE CHEEKED PINTAILS, 8 BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, 4 LEAST GREBES, a single SORA RAIL and at least 6 WILSON'S SNIPE. 

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: The method used for censussing birds must be tailored to the taxonomic/ecologic group being censussed and its habitat. Landbirds in terrestrial habitats are best censussed by transect or point count methods. The fixed-radius point count is currently the most frequently used method for censussing terrestrial birds in North America and the Caribbean. The recommended standard for North America is a radius of 50 metres and a duration of 5 minutes (C.J.Ralph et al; 1995, Monitoring bird populations by point counts. US Dept of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-149). The recommended standard for the Caribbean is a radius of 25 metres and a duration of 10 minutes (J M Wunderle,1994,Census methods for Caribbean land birds. US Dept of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, General Technical Report SO-98). To facilitate comparisons among studies in the Caribbean, the standard recommended by Wunderle (1994) should be maintained. 

BIRD BRAINS: Do we believe what you see? We want to! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative in nature. 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; Graham White, Bungalow 16, Waterloo Estate, Waterloo Rd, Carapichaima, Trinidad & Tobago; fax 868-673-0373; Email "g-white@tstt.net.tt"