This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002-02) for 18 January 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 T&TFNC 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 T&T Rare Bird Committee requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see SCBA website above and 'BIRD BRAINS' below).

PHOTO GALLERY: Recent photos of Lesser Black-backed Gull,'Mystery Gull' and Ring-billed Gull (Trinidad) have been added to the SCBA website (see address above).

HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: Along the west coast of Trinidad, the 1st- winter 'MYSTERY GULL' found on 2 December was finally relocated at San Fernando on 12 January. After careful scrutiny under considerably better conditions, it was concluded that the bird was mostly likely a large, dark-billed, lightly-streaked, 2nd-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. Other rare gulls present among roughly 600 LAUGHING GULLS include two other LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS (1st-winter immature and adult) and a 2nd-winter RING-BILLED GULL*. Inexplicably no gulls were present at San Fernando at midday on 13 January and only the adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was noted among roughly 250 LAUGHING GULLS on 15 January. Two distant, probable immature BROWN BOOBIES were noted at San Fernando on 12 December.

Farther north, an adult, breeding-plumaged BLACK-HEADED GULL* and an unidentified, large, immature white-headed gull were noted among 2000 LAUGHING GULLS at Waterloo on 17 January. Other birds noted from Waterloo include a RUFOUS CRAB-HAWK* at 'Brickfield' on 17 January, a GREAT BLUE HERON on 12 January, five early LARGE-BILLED TERNS on 12 January, four BLUE-WINGED TEAL on 12 January and ten ROYAL TERNS on 12 January.

In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, an adult WHITE-TAILED HAWK* was reported flying over the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway near Arouca on 13 January. Two early LARGE-BILLED TERNS and 40-50 COMMON WAXBILLS were noted in the Caroni Rice Fields on 15 January. In Arena Forest, a STREAKED XENOPS, three YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHERS and a DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER were tallied on 17 January. A COCOI HERON was seen at San Rafael on 17 January.

Along the east coast of Trinidad, a GREEN-THROATED MANGO was seen at Kernahan, Nariva Swamp, on 14 January.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: On Sunday, 20 January, the T&TFNC Bird Group is sponsoring a birding trip to Wallerfield and Arena Forest. We will meet at CIC Pembroke Street side at 6:10 am or at UWI south gate at 6:30 am. If interested in participating, please contact Courtenay Rookes at 622-8826 or Martyn Kenefick at 674-7609.

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: Although widely embraced by biologists, the biological species concept (BSC) has several flaws. First, it is not applicable to asexually breeding organisms, which do not interbreed; however, this flaw does not apply to birds and nearly all other sexually reproducing vertebrates. Second, reproductive isolation is a process that is difficult to evaluate, especially for geographically separated (allopatric) populations; in such cases, reproductive isolation is usually inferred on the basis of morphological, behavioral or other differences. Third, the potential to interbreed probably exists between many otherwise distinct natural species; however, the potential to interbreed does not imply free interbreeding. Fourth, gene flow generally is highly restricted within local breeding populations (demes). And fifth, reproductive isolation may be an effect rather than the cause of speciation.

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.