This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002-06) for 15 February 2002. 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 TTFNC 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 TT Rare Bird Committee requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see SCBA website above and 'BIRD BRAINS' below).

HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: Along the west coast of Trinidad, the 1st-winter SABINE'S GULL* (2nd for T&T) was briefly seen flying past the Public Fish Market at San Fernando on 9 February. Other gulls noted among the 1500 LAUGHING GULLS include a probable 1st-winter BLACK-HEADED GULL* seen briefly in flight, a 2nd-winter RING-BILLED GULL*, and six LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS (one adult, one 3rd-winter, two 2nd-winter and three 1st-winter). A seventh LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (1st-winter) was noted among 500 LAUGHING GULLS at Waterloo the same day. PARASITIC JAEGERS were noted at several vantage points along the west coast on 9 February, including a dark morph adult and a pale morph immature at Waterloo, a pale morph adult and a pale morph immature at Carli Bay, and a pale morph immature at San Fernando.

Other noteworthy bird sightings from Trinidad's west coast on 9 February include: three GREAT BLUE HERONS at Waterloo; 87 ROYAL TERNS at Waterloo (highest count for Waterloo; previous maximum counts from Trinidad were 97 on 12 February 2001 and 84 on 11 February 2001 at Cedros, suggesting an influx of northward bound migrants from farther south in February); five COMMON TERNS at San Fernando, one at Carli Bay and three at Waterloo; and 20 RED KNOTS at Waterloo.

In the Caroni Rice Fields of Trinidad, the immature SNAIL KITE* continues to lurk in the vicinity of the runway, where it was seen on 14 February.

In the Northern Range of Trinidad, the male SUMMER TANAGER* and an immature male HEPATIC TANAGER were seen at Las Lapas on 13 February. Single ORNATE HAWK-EAGLES were noted about halfway up Arima Valley and at Morne Bleu on 13 February.

Along the east coast of Trinidad, an estimated 1000 DICKCISSELS were noted at Kernahan Trace, Nariva Swamp, on 8 February.

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: The evolutionary species concept (ESC) views a species as a single lineage of ancestral descendant populations of organisms which maintains its identity from other such lineages and which has its own evolutionary tendencies and historical fate. Species are regarded as bounded by separate evolutionary histories; individuals within a species share a single reproductive lineage. An advantage with this cocept is that asexual species and disjunct populations can be recognized as species so long as they maintain separate identities and evolve separately. However, the attainment of a separate evolutionary tendency and historical fate is a process that is difficult to evaluate.

BIRD BRAINS: Do we believe what you see? We want to! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative. The TT 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 TTRBC Secretary: Martyn Kenefick, 36 Newalloville Ave., San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago; e-mail: martynkenefick@netscape.net.