This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-37) for 12 October 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 'BIRD BRAINS' below).

HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: In Tobago, the WESTERN REEF HERON* (1st for Tobago, 2nd for T&T and South America) and a non-breeding plumaged LITTLE EGRET were relocated at Buccoo on 8 October. The reef-heron had been seen sporadically in the vicinity of a clump of mangroves near the beach facility/goat racing track, but had not been reported since 25 July. An unusually pale 'EURASIAN' WHIMBREL* (4th for T&T) was found along the mouth of a tidal stream near the southwest end of Turtle Beach on 8 October. Two MASKED BOOBIES* were perched atop 'Marble Rock', St. Giles Islands, on 8 October. An adult STRIATED HERON was seen at Englishman's Bay on 8 October.

Elsewhere in Tobago, noteworthy birds seen on 8 October (a remarkably noteworthy day) include: a banded RUDDY TURNSTONE with a freen flag above the 'knee' and a blue band below on the left leg, and an aluminum band above the 'knee' and a green band above a red band below the knee on the right leg (all colours appeared dark) at Blue Waters Inn; a SORA, six STILT SANDPIPERS, five WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO at the Lowlands Sewage Ponds; and a GREAT BLACK-HAWK, three WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and a COMMON SNIPE at Louis D'Or.

On 7 October, birders aboard an interisland ferry between Trinidad and Tobago recorded 17 BROWN BOOBIES (highest count from ferry), four BLACK TERNS off Trinidad's north coast (still no records from Tobago), three adult and one immature SOOTY TERNS, an immature BRIDLED TERN, four COMMON TERNS and an unidentified white tern, and an unidentified HUMMINGBIRD.

In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, the immature GREY HERON* (3rd for T&T) reappeared at the Caroni Rice Fields on 12 October. Other noteworthy birds reported from the rice fields include: three BLUE- WINGED TEAL, six FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS, 21 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING- DUCKS, an APLOMADO FALCON*, two LONG-WINGED HARRIERS, three recently hatched WATTLED JACANA chicks, an immature HUDSONIAN GODWIT, 33 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS and distantly heard BOBOLINKS* on 12 October.

At the Trincity Sewage Ponds, a COMMON SNIPE, a RINGED KINGFISHER and a CLIFF SWALLOW* were noted on 6 October.

In northeastern Trinidad, two BLACKPOLL WARBLERS--the first of the season--were seen along with 15 LILAC-TAILED PARROTLETS at Galera Point on 11 October. A 2.5 hour seabird watch at Galera Point on 6 October produced an immature BROWN BOOBY, 72 white terns of which seven were identified as ROSEATE TERNS and 40 as COMMON TERNS, four LAUGHING GULLS, 102 unidentified shorebirds, and a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and a RUDDY TURNSTONE perched on offshore rocks. No unusual landbirds were observed. Farther south, three SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWKS circled the road at Balandra at dawn on 11 October.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: On 8 October, four resident and one visiting birders tallied 113 species of birds (110 shared by all; total includes naturalised Rock Dove) seen or heard in Tobago within a single day, breaking the previous 'Big Day' record of 100 species set last year on 16 October [published in Birding 33(3, supplement):31- 32, 2001]. Their itinerary, which began at 4:40 am and ended at 7:30 pm, included the following locations: Northside Road (before dawn), Bloody Bay Village, Niplig Trail, Gilpin Trace, Roxborough- Parlatuvier Road, Speyside, St. Giles Islands, Little Tobago, Louis D'Or, Studley Park, Lowlands, Crown Point International Airport, Bon Accord, Buccoo and Turtle Beach. Highlights (see above) included Masked Booby, Little Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Striated Heron, 'Eurasian' Whimbrel (not counted as a separate species), Sora, Common Snipe and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Biggest misses--none of which were easy--included Western Sandpiper, Black-throated Mango, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Venezuelan Flycatcher and Fork-tailed Flycatcher.

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: Check back later...

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.