This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2003- 19) for 11th June 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 Guadeloupe, an unprecedented seawatch over the weekend of 7th and 8th June produced an incredible passage north passed the Nature Reserve of Petite-Terre. On the 7 June, a 4 hours watch tallied : 68 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 33 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 28 "unidentified large shearwaters", 16 AUDUBON'S SHEARWATERS, 6 "unidentified small shearwaters"", 3 WILSON'S STORM PETRELS and 1 "unidentified Storm Petrel" The following day, in 2.75 hrs, 111 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 97 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 26 "unidentified large shearwaters", 19 AUDUBON'S SHEARWATERS, 2 "unidentified small shearwaters", 8 WILSON'S STORM PETRELS and 1 "unidentified Storm Petrel" passed through. (By comparison, only 96 Cory's Shearwaters were seen during the whole season passage in 2002).
From the north east corner of Trinidad, at Galera Pt, a 4 hr seawatch on 10th June failed to find any shearwaters passing through. However, inshore feeding flocks included 5 SOOTY TERNS, 3 BRIDLED TERNS, 12 BROWN NODDIES, 4 ROSEATE TERNS and 125 COMMON TERNS.
In the northern range of Trinidad, belated news from the Field Naturalist Club outing to the Saut d'Eau lookout trails east of Paramin on 18th May included a grey phased HOOK BILLED KITE, up to 15 SWALLOW TANAGERS, COLLARED TROGON, RED LEGGED HONEYCREEPER and several CHANNEL BILLED TOUCANS. Just 3 SWALLOW TANAGERS were found there at midday on 8th June ,also a BLACK TAILED TITYRA and SOOTY GRASSQUIT On the Blanchisseuse Rd, approx one mile north of Paria junction a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER * was carefully studied on 8th June. Another VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER has been reported from a private estate on Heights of Aripo also on 8th June.
In the Caroni plain of Trinidad, counts at Valsayn and Caroni ricefields on 8th June produced 8 FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS, 1 LONG WINGED HARRIER, 25 LIMPKIN, 1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER (latest spring record for T&T ?) and a pair of PLAIN BREASTED GROUND-DOVES.
On the west coast of Trinidad, at Brickfield, a census of the high tide seabird roost on 7th June produced 256 YELLOW BILLED TERNS, 75 LARGE BILLED TERNS, 4 COMMON TERNS, 2 ROYAL TERNS, 73 LAUGHING GULLS and 258 BLACK SKIMMERS. Also present were 47 COLLARED PLOVERS amongst the usual over summering shorebirds.
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"