This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2003- 10) for. 14th March 2003.  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) .

BIRDING NEWS :- From St Martin comes the final weekly survey results of the EPIC biologists work on migrant and wintering species .At Fish Pond  2 PRAIRIE WARBLERS were banded with four more seen. A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was banded together with and 4 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES - a further 10 waterthrushes were also seen. In the mangrove 2 WHITE WINGED DOVES and 2 MYRTLE WARBLERS were seen. Waterbirds found were 9 RING NECKED DUCKS and 2 GREEN WINGED TEALS at Little Bay Pond;   LESSER SCAUPS at both  Fresh Pond and  Grand Case Airport Pond and a TRICOLOURED HERON at Orient Pond. Birding at Lotterie Farm forest area on the 11th and the 14th revealed the CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW (still on the same branch..we are waiting to see if it over summers on the island), 7 NORTHERN PARULAS, 2 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, 3 BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS, 10 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, and a single HOODED WARBLERS.

In summary, EPIC banded a total of 803 birds of 29 species on St Martin this winter as well as 245 recaptured birds; 75 migrant birds of 15 species and,remarkably,  454 Bananaquits. Full details of the operation can be found at  www.epicislands.org.

On St. Eustatius (Statia), EPIC biologists found 4 NORTHERN PARULAS, 6 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, 1 BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER (2nd island record), and 2 AMERICAN REDSTARTS at the Quill volcano site, together with a single SCALY BREASTED THRASHER foraging near the crater rim. This species has long been thought to be extirpated from the island.  Around the town of Oranjestad, 4 EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES were seen (1st island record) and 2 WHITE WINGED DOVES (first island record).

We thank Adam Brown and his team for their contribution to the Bird Alert and look forward to receiving their news again next winter.

In the northern range of Trinidad, on 12th March, a BLACK WHISKERED VIREO * and an OLIVE STRIPED FLYCATCHER were feeding in the same fruiting tree close to the base of Morne Bleu.

In central Trinidad, a drive from Comuto to Four Roads,Tamana produced 84 species including 6 PLUMBEOUS KITES, GREY HEADED KITE, FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL, WHITE COLLARED SWIFT, 3 CHANNEL BILLED TOUCANS, RED RUMPED WOODPECKER and TRINIDAD EUPHONIA.

In south west Trinidad on 14th March, 2 CRESTED CARACARAS *(adult and juvenile) were seen  close to Fullerton swamp. From the Icacos peninsula, a dark morph PARASITIC JAEGAR and 3 BROWN BOOBIES were seen offshore.

RARE BIRD REPORTING :-  Do we believe what you see ? We want to ! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative. For birds found in Trinidad & Tobago, 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 - Email "martynkenefick@hotmail.com"