This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-29) for 10 August 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 Tobago, efforts to find the WESTERN REEF- HERON* (1st for Tobago, 2nd for South America) at Buccoo during the early morning and late evening of 2 and 3 August were unsuccessful, suggesting that the bird has either departed from Tobago or mysteriously relocated elsewhere on the island; our last reliable report is from 25 July. At Mount Irvine, two WHITE-WINGED SWALLOWS* (1st for Tobago)--presumably the same birds present last year in Speyside and Little Tobago (see SCBA 2000-35 to 2000-47)--were noted flying along the beach on 4 and 7 August; a guide subsequently reported that they had been perching regularly on anchored boats at Mount Irvine for more than a month.
STRIATED HERONS* have either invaded Tobago or were previously overlooked; a high count of five was tallied on 2 August, including three at the Bon Accord Sewage Ponds and two at Buccoo. Whether they actually breed in Tobago remains unknown, though individuals with neck scores ranging from 1-8 recorded on 2 and 3 August suggest that intermediate individuals result from genetic recombinations.
Four immature YELLOW-HEADED CARACARAS* (highest count for Tobago) were foraging along the runway at Crown Point International Airport on 7 August, providing further evidence of a rapidly expanding population (nesting was first noted in 1997). An adult was seen well inland along the Orange Hill Road on 2 and 7 August and we received a report of at least two sightings from Goldsborough (easternmost locality for Tobago) earlier this year. Perhaps this will be the next South American species to colonize Grenada or Barbados, though the Southern Lapwing seems more likely...
At Scarborough, Tobago, four ROSEATE TERNS, five SANDWICH TERNS (four 'Sandwich' and one 'Cayenne') and three ROYAL TERNS were seen at the pier on 1 August. Noteworthy birds seen at Buccoo include a breeding- plumaged adult LITTLE EGRET* with a single plume on 2 and 7 August, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER on 2 and 7 August, and an early BARN SWALLOW on 2 August (earliest date for T&T). On 8 August, researchers recaptured a female WHITE-TAILED SABREWING that had been banded on 24 March 1997-- nearly 4.5 years ago--at Centre Hill; several other banded sabrewings were recaptured at Centre Hill and Gilpin Trace, providing important data on adult annual survivourship of an endangered species.
In the Caroni Plains of Trinidad, an adult RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON* was found at Cumuto on 1 August, in the same locality where one has been seen sporadically in the past (last observed on 27 December 1998; see SCBA 1998-39). From the Forestry Division's Cumuto Nursery on the northern outskirts of Cumuto, turn east off the paved road onto an unpaved road and proceed 1.9 kilometres to a small bridge (between electrical poles 72 and 73 on the left). Other birds observed in the vicinity include a pair of BAT FALCONS, four CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKERS and six SULPHURY FLYCATCHERS.
Along the west coast of Trinidad, an early YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was noted at Waterloo on 8 August (earliest date for T&T). A hike to Scotland Bay on 2 August produced an adult male YELLOW-BELLIED SEEDEATER* and an unidentified female seedeater (presumably of the same species), three BLUE-TAILED EMERALDS, a STREAKED XENOPS, a MOUSE-COLORED TYRANNULET and two STREAKED SALTATORS. Farther south, impressive numbers of waterbirds were recorded along the seldom- birded mudflats (exposed during low tide) along Gulf View Drive, San Fernando, on 9 August, including 350 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 50 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, three STILT SANDPIPERS, five SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, ten SCARLET IBISES, 50 LAUGHING GULLS, 20 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
Migrant Nearctic shorebird numbers continue to increase in the Caroni Rice Fields. Tallies on 28 July include: 40 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 200 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, two SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 200 LEAST SANDPIPERS, two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 15 STILT SANDPIPERS. Tallies on 4 August include: 450 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, eight SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 350 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 25 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 43 STILT SANDPIPERS. Tallies on 8 August include: 32 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 650 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 10 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 15 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, two WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 600 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 30 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 110 STILT SANDPIPERS and 87 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS.
Other noteworthy bird sightings from the Caroni Rice Fields include the immature SNAIL KITE* as recently as 1 August; up to three PINNATED BITTERNS on 1 August; an APLOMADO FALCON* hunting shorebirds on 28 July; a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON on 8 August; up to 33 FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS on 28 July; up to six WHITE-FACED WHISTLING- DUCKS on 4 August; up to seven BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS on 28 July and 4 August; up to 38 WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAILS on 4 August; up to 26 PURPLE GALLINULES on 28 July; and eight early BARN SWALLOWS on 4 August.
On 1 August, an interisland ferry trip from Trinidad to Tobago produced only one unexpected sighting: a quartet of SNOWY EGRETS flying westward just south of Huevos Island (1st for Bocas Islands and Huevos).
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: The Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute in Chaguaramas, Trinidad, regretably decided to postpone the Birdwatching / Birding Guide Certificate Programme initially scheduled from 20 August to 8 September).
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: In a recently published study, J. S. Hunt, E.
Bermingham, and R. E. Ricklefs analysed the "Molecular systematics and biogeography of Antillean thrashers, tremblers, and mockingbirds (Aves: Mimidae)" (Auk 118:35-55, 2001). The phylogeography of extant mimids suggests that colonization of the Lesser Antilles by the ancestor(s) of the endemic genera must have occurred through the Greater Antilles, though no extant tremblers or thrashers are endemic there and Pearly-eyed Thrasher in Puerto Rico is clearly derived from the Lesser Antilles. Assuming divergence through allopatric (geographic) separation of populations on different islands, the West Indian mimids apparently persisted on several islands in the Lesser Antilles, occasionally undergoing periods of expansion (up to 16 phases of island colonization) followed by species formation and extinction of island populations.
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.