This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002-23) for 5 June 2002. Sponsored by the TT 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, TT Rare Bird Committee and photo gallery are accessible at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc. Reports should be sent to Floyd Hayes by phone at 662-9327 (H) or 645-3232 x2206 (W), or by e-mail at floyd_hayes@hotmail.com. The TTRBC requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see website above and 'BIRD BRAINS' below).
HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: In the Caroni Rice Fields of Trinidad, the SNAIL KITE* continues to be seen in the vicinity of the runway, where it was seen as recently as 2 June. The apparent hybrid GREEN X STRIATED HERON was relocated just west of the runway on 2 June.
Waterfowl numbers continue to increase, with up to 22 WHITE-FACED WHISTLING-DUCKS, 27 FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS and two BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS tallied on 2 June. Lingering Nearctic migrants include 19 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, eight LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a very late BARN SWALLOW on 4 June. A dark-morph LONG-WINGED HARRIER was also noted on 4 June.
Along the west coast of Trinidad, a WHITE-TAILED KITE* continues to be reported intermittently from St. Mary's, just east of the Waterloo High School, where it was seen in the late afternoon of 31 May and 1 June. Although a concerted effort to find it on 2 June was unsuccessful, an evening flight of 11 LARGE-BILLED TERNS heading southward was unexpected.
Along the north coast of Trinidad, a male WHITE-WINGED BECARD and a FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL were seen in forest north of the Tucker Valley Golf Course on 2 June.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: The T&TFNC Bird Group is sponsoring a birding trip to Fort George on Sunday, 9 June. We will be meeting at the traffic lights along the Fore Shore Highway just east of Thomas Peake at 6:30 am. If you wish to participate, please call the leader, Courtenay Rooks, at 622-8826 (home) or 756-2355 (cell).
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: Does the Swainson's Hawk migrate across the Caribbean? In a recent article titled "First sight records of Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) for Trinidad and Chacachacare Island, with comments on its status and trans-Caribbean migration" (Pitirre 14:63-65, 2001), F. E. Hayes reports a light-morph adult Swainson's Hawk from Trinidad on 16 and 17 May 1998, and a light- morph immature at Chacachacare, Bocas Islands, from 29 October 1999 to 13 January. Several previous records from Tobago are further reviewed. Most T&T records are from late spring to summer on the northeast coast of Trinidad and Tobago, suggesting that they may be lingering prior to migrating northward across the Caribbean. The Chacachacare immature comprises the only autumn record. The origin of T&T birds is uncertain: they may have flown southward across the Caribbean in autumn, eastward from Panama in autumn, or northward from southern South America in spring. Stay tuned next week for a final clue.
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.