This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-21) for 8 June 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 on the Internet at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc. 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 end below).
HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: In Guadeloupe, remarkable numbers of migrating seabirds continue to be reported from the Nature Reserve of Petite-Terre. A 3-hour seabird watch on 25 May produced eight AUDUBON'S SHEARWATERS, three MANX SHEARWATERS, two SOOTY SHEARWATERS, two CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 48 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, three LONG-TAILED JAEGERS harassing a BROWN NODDY and SOOTY TERNS, a POMARINE JAEGER and a PARASITIC JAEGER. On 26 May, a 2.25 hour watch produced 23 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, a GREATER SHEARWATER, two AUDUBON'S SHEARWATERS, an unidentified white BOOBY (probably RED-FOOTED BOOBY), an unidentified SKUA harassing a SANDWICH TERN, a POMARINE JAEGER and a PARASITIC JAEGER. On 3 June, a 0.75 hour watch in calm seas failed to produce any birds; however, similar conditions during a 0.5 hour watch on 4 June produced a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL and an unidentified SHEARWATER.
In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, further flooding of the Caroni Rice Fields continues to attract impressive numbers of waterbirds, including the tail end of shorebird migration. On 1 June, a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER* (4th spring record for T&T in 4th consecutive year; obviously overlooked previously) materialized in the southwestern sector and was relocated on 2 June (latest date for T&T), but not afterward. The SNAIL KITE*, now thought to be an immature based on its pale legs and bill, continues to be seen regularly up through 7 June. Other noteworthy bird sightings from the rice fields within the past week include: a LEAST BITTERN on 2 June; two ANHINGAS on 7 June; up to 25 FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS; up to six WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAILS; a LONG-WINGED HARRIER (dark morph) on 5 June; up to nine STILT SANDPIPERS; up to nine WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS; up to two SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS; up to 40 GREATER YELLOWLEGS; up to 20 LESSER YELLOWLEGS; and up to 65 LARGE-BILLED TERNS. We neglected to report last week a SOUTHERN LAPWING nest with two eggs on 27 May (later flooded) plus three additional nests with eggs found on 29 May.
Along the west coast of Trinidad, one good tern deserved another at San Fernando, where a BROWN NODDY, two SANDWICH TERNS (one 'Sandwich' and one 'Cayenne'), 15 COMMON TERNS, five LARGE-BILLED TERNS and a YELLOW-BILLED TERN were tallied on 2 June. The presence of Brown Noddy and 'Cayenne Tern' suggests that the breeding colony at Soldado Rock may be active now. In contrast with terns, gull numbers have declined sharply, with LAUGHING GULL numbers estimated at 120 at San Fernando, none at Orange Valley and 80 at Waterloo on 2 June. At Pointe-a-Pierre, a COMMON MOORHEN nest with three eggs and a STRIATED HERON nest with a single egg on 2 June indicated that waterbirds are breeding now that the wet season has begun. A seemingly bewildered WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL sat in a flock of several hundred BLACK SKIMMERS on a mudflat at Waterloo on 2 June. A pair of WHITE-WINGED BECARDS and four RED-CAPPED CARDINALS were also noted at Pointe-a-Pierre on 2 June and a pair of RED-CAPPED CARDINALS was seen in Caroni Swamp on 3 June.
In the Northern Range of Trinidad, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER reported from Las Lapas on 1 June would be amazingly late (previous late date was 26 April) if correctly identified. At Morne Bleu, noteworthy birds tallied on 5 June included four COLLARED TROGONS, a STRAKED XENOPS, a DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER, an ORANGE-BILLED NIGHTINGALE-THRUSH, a YELLOW-LEGGED THRUSH, a SPECKLED TANAGER, two HEPATIC TANAGERS and an adult male SWALLOW TANAGER.
Along the east coast of Trinidad, a LONG-WINGED HARRIER (dark morph) was noted in the Biche area of Nariva Swamp on 29 May.
In northeastern Trinidad, a TRINIDAD PIPING-GUAN* was seen and others heard and a SHORT-TAILED PYGMY-TYRANT* was seen at Grande Riviere on 1 June.
In Guadeloupe, a singing ANTILLEAN NIGHTHAWK has been present since 27 April at Destrelan (Baie-Mahault), where it was recorded last year.
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: In the "Forty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds" (Auk 117:847-858, 2000), the taxonomy of several birds in the southeastern Caribbean was changed. The 'skuas' of genus Catharacta (rarely recorded within region) are now merged into the 'jaegers' of genus Stercorarius based on studies of molecular genetics, behaviour and parasite faunas. The English name of Gygis alba (recorded once in Tobago) has been changed from Common White-Tern to White Tern. Stay tuned next week for further changes.
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: Graham White, Bungalow 16, Waterloo Estate, Waterloo Rd., Carapichaima, Trinidad and Tobago; fax, 868-673-0373; e-mail, g-white@tstt.net.tt.