This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002- 39) for 11th October 2002. Sponsored by the T&T Field Naturalist 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, T&T Rare Birds Committee and Photo Gallery are accessible at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc. Reports should be sent to Martyn Kenefick by phone at 674-7609 or by Email at "martynkenefick@hotmail.com" The TTRBC requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see website above and RARE BIRD REPORTING below).
RECENT BIRD SIGHTINGS :- In north east Trinidad, on 5th Oct, the undoubted highlight of a 2.5 hr seawatch at Galera Pt was a MANX SHEARWATER * .Also passing east were 6 ROSEATE TERNS, 184 COMMON TERNS, 1 BLACK TERN and 192 BROWN NODDIES.
In the Caroni plain of Trinidad on the weekend of 5th - 6th Oct, a party of possibly as many as 7 MASKED DUCKS *, including one male in full breeding plumage, were seen in a secluded area on Caroni ricefields. Also seen there were 3 STRIPE BACKED, 2 LEAST and at least 7 PINNATED BITTERNS.. Other wildfowl seen on the 6th included 17 FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS and 11 WHITE FACED WHISTLING DUCKS. On the 7th, a winter plumaged PIED BILLED GREBE was found on swimming in one of the settling beds and in addition to 5 adult LEAST GREBES, there were 2 chicks swimming alongside. At least 4 YELLOW BREASTED CRAKES were heard calling close by. On 10th Oct, a second PIED BILLED GREBE had appeared, also a non breeding plumaged GLOSSY IBIS *(the first for nearly two years); both PURPLE HERON and SNAIL KITE were still present, and the juvenile APLOMADO FALCON * (not reported for a month) was again sat on an electricity pylon. There are now at least 5 LONG WINGED HARRIERS (four white morph and one dark) hunting the fields. Interesting shorebirds on the 10th included a HUDSONIAN GODWIT and 5 immature AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS; a female WHITE TAILED GOLDENTHROAT was again feeding to the south west of the airstrip and 6 BOBOLINK * appeared in the south west quadrant - exactly the same spot as last year.
In eastern Trinidad on 6th Oct,, 4 LEAST TERNS were roosting on the sandbank at Manzanilla and single AZURE GALLINULE, WHITE TAILED GOLDENTHROAT ,GREEN THROATED MANGO and BLUE CHINNED SAPPHIRE were found close to Kernaham . Further inland, near Biche, at least 200 BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS were found in one area with reports of many hundred more close by. An UPLAND SANDPIPER* was reported from the same area.
On the west coast of Trinidad on 5th Oct, a LEAST TERN was amongst the high tide roost at Brickfields . On 8th Oct in Cacandee mangrove, "winter warblers" were present in good numbers with at least 20 YELLOW WARBLERS, 12 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES and 6 AMERICAN REDSTARTS. Also in the mangrove were a CLAPPER RAIL and 3-4 NORTHERN SCRUB FLYCATCHERS. A light morph LONG WINGED HARRIER was seen "quartering" the adjacent freshwater marsh.
In, Guadeloupe, on 9th October at la Grande Saline, 2 SNOWY PLOVERS among 300 shorebirds, and a CLIFF SWALLOW on migration. On the same date 2 OSPREYS we found on Le Marais de Port-Louis.
In St. John, US Virgin Islands, two BOBOLINKS were found near Saltpond Bay on 6 October. A WHIMBREL dropped in at Francis Bay on 2 and 6 October.
In St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, a limping adult WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER turned up at Turpentine Run on 9 October. Up to 20 STILT SANDPIPERS, 10 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and two SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS lingered at Turpentine Run on 6 October. Three PIED-BILLED GREBES were noted at Raphune Pond on 6 October. A hike along the network of trails behind Magens Bay on 6 October produced a YELLOW WARBLER, two PRAIRIE WARBLERS and three NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES.
RARE BIRD REPORTING:- Do we believe what you see ? We want to ! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative. The T&T Rare Birds 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 & Tobago - email :- martynkenefick@hotmail.com