This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002-04) for 1 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).
PHOTO GALLERY: Photos of Sabine's Gull (Trinidad) have been added to the Southeastern Caribbean Birds Photo Gallery website and will be added shortly to the SCBA website.
HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: Gulls once again have become the recent focus of birders along the west coast of Trindad, where five species were recorded within the past week. The highlight was a first-winter SABINE'S GULL* (2nd for T&T and Atlantic coast of South America) associating with 1500 LAUGHING GULLS and 25 LARGE-BILLED TERNS at Waterloo on 27 January. This species is highly pelagic during winter and the Atlantic population winters chiefly off the west coast of South America; thus its occurrence in the Gulf of Paria in the absence of any storm activity is highly unusual. Furthermore, the gull appears to be lingering in the area; it was relocated at Waterloo on 30 January and 1 February, but was not found by birders on 26, 28 or 29 January. Other noteworthy bird sightings at Waterloo include a breeding-plumaged adult BLACK-HEADED GULL* on 29 January and 1 February, a 2nd-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL from 29 January to 1 February, eight SANDWICH ('Cayenne') TERNS on 29 January, a GULL-BILLED TERN on 27 January and 1 February, up to four GREAT BLUE HERONS on 27 January, a PEREGRINE FALCON on 27 January, and a light-morph LONG-WINGED HARRIER on 27 January.
Elsewhere along the west coast of Trinidad, the second-winter RING-BILLED GULL* and five LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS* (two first-winter, one second-winter 'mystery gull', two adults; thus at least six different birds this winter) were noted among roughly 500 LAUGHING GULLS and a COMMON TERN at San Fernando on 27 January. Other birds noted on 27 January include: a RINGED KINGFISHER, two CLAPPER RAILS, two AMERICAN REDSTARTS, and two juvenile SHINY COWBIRDS being fed on five occasions by a male BICOLORED CONEBILL on two distant territories at Cacandee; a COCOI HERON at Pointe-a-Pierre; three SPOTTED TODY-FLYCATCHERS and two PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS along the South Oropouche River near Penal; and two LEAST GREBES at Pitch Lake. A probable LESSER NIGHTHAWK--which would be remarkable at this time of the year--was seen in Caroni Swamp on 29 January. An early YELLOW-BILLED TERN of the season was seen at Orange Valley on 26 January (earliest date for T&T). A MANGROVE CUCKOO was seen at Cacandee on 26 January.
Forty-one species of birds were found in seldom-birded Roussillac Swamp on 24 January, including three GREEN-THROATED MANGOES and both STRAIGHT-BILLED WOODCREEPER and STREAKED-HEADED WOODCREEPER. However, the swamp appears to be dying...
At Chacachacare (Bocas Islands), a BELTED KINGFISHER, two BLUE-TAILED EMERALDS, two NORTHERN SCRUB-FLYCATCHERS, a BRAN-COLORED FLYCATCHER and a STREAKED SALTATOR were noted on 31 January.
In the Northern Range of Trinidad, two GRAY-THROATED LEAFTOSSERS, a SLATY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER, and a male SUMMER TANAGER* were tallied at Las Lapas on 28 January; the SUMMER TANAGER could not be relocated on 30 January, when a SLATY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER and two SPECKLED TANAGERS were noted. At Morne Bleu, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen on 30 January and two SPECKLED TANAGERS on 28 January. A BROAD-WINGED HAWK and two RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMARS were seen at Morne La Croix on 28 January. A GRAY-THROATED LEAFTOSSER was seen at Mount Saint Benedict on 26 January. ORNATE HAWK-EAGLES are being observed regularly at the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC). Late reports from the AWNC include a RUFOUS-SHAFTED WOODSTAR* on 13 January and a RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON* reported without details (we still suspect this bird may be a Fasciated Tiger-Heron) from Clearwater Creek, Bamboo Valley Trail, on 15 January.
In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, a MORICHE ORIOLE*, a GRAY POTOO and ten WHITE-TAILED NIGHTJARS were tallied at Wallerfield on 30 January. Two BAT FALCONS and a male CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKER were noted at Cumuto on 30 January. A PINNATED BITTERN and five LARGE-BILLED TERNS were noted in the Caroni Rice Fields on 26 January. Two LARGE-BILLED TERNS were at Trincity on 25 January.
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: Despite its popularity among many systematic taxonomists, the phylogenetic species concept (PSC) has been heavily criticized (see Johnson et al., Resolution of the debate over species concepts in ornithology: a new comprehensive biologic species concept, pp. 1470-1482 in Proc. 22nd Int. Ornithol.
Congress, 1999). First, phylogenetic species are not inherently phylogenetic; the PSC merely draws lines around clusters of individuals with shared characters assumed--but not proven--to have a genetic basis. As a consequence, such species are subjectively defined, physical entities. The PSC can be applied equally well to inanimate objects, whereas the biological species concept can be applied only to living organisms.
Further criticisms of the PSC will be presented next week.
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.