This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2002-03) for 24 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 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: New photos of the following birds have been added to the SCBA website: Caspian Tern (Guadeloupe), Forster's Tern (Guadeloupe), Aplomado Falcon (Guadeloupe), Variegated Flycatcher (Trinidad), Bobolink (Guadeloupe), Wilson's Phalarope (Guadeloupe), Palm Warbler (Guadeloupe) and Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Guadeloupe).
TTRBC NEWS: A tentative 'Official Bird List' for Trinidad and Tobago, which includes a total tally of the species recorded from the country, has now been posted at the TTRBC website.
HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: In Guadeloupe, the immature FORSTER'S TERN (2nd for Guadeloupe) was relocated at Grand Cul de Sac Marin on 19 January. An adult MASKED BOOBY flew past the Nature Reserve of Petite-Terre on 14 January.
In the Northern Range of Trinidad, an OLIVE-STRIPED FLYCATCHER* was found on a hike about halfway between Loango Village and the summit of El Tucuche on 20 January. Other upper montane forest birds observed along the summit ridge of El Tucuche on 20 January include two ORANGE-BILLED NIGHTINGALE-THRUSHES (plus three heard), two YELLOW-LEGGED THRUSHES (plus three heard), five BLUE-CAPPED TANAGERS, three SPECKLED TANAGERS and a pair of HEPATIC TANAGERS. Once again no Band-tailed Pigeons were noted; this species formerly inhabited high elevations of Trinidad's Northern Range but has not been reliably reported since 1976. None were seen nor heard during eight hikes by an experienced ornithologist to four of the five highest summits (Cerro del Aripo twice, El Tucuche four times, Chaguaramal once and Morne Bleu once) during the last 8 years, suggesting that it may extirpated in Trinidad.
Elsewhere in the Northern Range, a GRAY-THROATED LEAFTOSSER, STREAKED XENOPS and FUSCOUS FLYCATCHER were noted at Mt. St. Benedict on 22 January, and a RINGED KINGFISHER was spotted in lower Maracas Valley on 18 January.
Along the west coast of Trinidad, a second-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL--apparently the same individual seen repeatedly in San Fernando in December--turned up among 1,435 LAUGHING GULLS at Waterloo on 19 January. LARGE-BILLED TERNS are arriving earlier than usual, with 10 tallied at Waterloo and two at Orange Valley on 19 January. A RINGED KINGFISHER was seen at Pointe-a-Pierre on 19 January.
In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, 12 participants attended the TTFNC birding trip on 20 January and tallied 73 species of birds. The highlights were a GRAY-HEADED KITE and 13 BLUE-HEADED PARROTS in Wallerfield, and two BAT FALCONS in Cumuto. We neglected to report last week that the immature SNAIL KITE* was still lingering in the Caroni Rice Fields on 15 January.
Along the east coast of Trinidad, an AZURE GALLINULE was noted in Nariva Swamp and a YELLOW-HEADED PARROT at Plum Mitan on 23 January.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: In 2001, an unprecedented three birders observed more than 300 species of birds in Trinidad and Tobago during the year. One observer saw 311 species (plus three heard), another 308 (plus five heard), and a third (at the age of 10!) saw 302 (plus five heard); these totals include two established exotics, the Rock Dove and Common Waxbill. The record, set in 1998, was 314 (plus seven heard), which included only one exotic, the Rock Dove.
ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: Given the inherent flaws of the biological species concept (BSC), numerous alternative concepts have been proposed. The phylogenetic species concept (PSC) is widely embraced by taxonomists--including some prominent ornithologists--who define a species as the smallest aggregation of populations (sexual) or lineages (asexual) diagnosable by a unique combination of character states in comparable individuals (semaphoronts). A unique combination of characters may demonstrate that a lineage is phylogenetically distinct, thus a 'real' entity. An advantage with this concept is that it is based on pattern rather than process. Next week we will discuss some of the PSC's flaws.
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.