BIRDING NEWS :-. Seabird passage passed Guadeloupe continues to be the highlight of the week. A 2.5 hr seawatch from the nature Reserve of Petite Terre on 11th June produced 261 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 59 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 2 SOOTY SHEARWATERS together with 77 "large" and 3 "small" unidentified shearwaters; 6 WILSON'S STORM PETRELS and a further 2 "unidentified storm petrels " and 1 "jaegar sp". However the undoubted main prize was a carefully studied BULWER'S PETREL ( the 2nd for the season in Antillean waters - see SCBA 2003-17). This concentrated movement of seabirds is as a result of recent very strong easterly winds in the area.

In St. John, US Virgin Islands, an adult STRIATED HERON (1st for VI, 2nd for West Indies) was found in a small freshwater pond at Concordia on 25 May, where it was relocated on 28 and 29 May but not thereafter, providing the northernmost record ever (only previous West Indies record was from St. Vincent). A small, unidentified swift, most likely a CHIMNEY SWIFT (2nd small swift for St. John), was briefly glimpsed over Coral Bay on 25 May. Three adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS (perhaps 2nd for St. John) turned up at Caneel Bay on 10 June. The LEAST GREBE continues to be seen at Concordia as recently as 10 June. A variety of waterbirds have been documented nesting within the past month, including WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL at Francis Bay, LITTLE BLUE HERON at Reef Bay, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON at Reef Bay and Flanagan Island, COMMON MOORHEN at Maho Bay, BLACK-NECKED STILT at Grootpan Bay and Brown Bay, and WILSON''S PLOVER at Grootpan Bay.

In St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, two nests with incubating WHITE-WINGED DOVES at Compass Point on 1 June provided the 1st documented breeding record for the island. Three BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS (perhaps 3rd for St. Thomas) at Sugar Bay on 6 June were joined by a fourth on 16 June. A survey of mangroves surrounding Bovoni Cay on 21 May yielded 13 nests of GREEN HERON with at least 14 chicks and two eggs, and 31 nests of pigeons and doves, of which at least half were WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON, at least five were SCALY-NAPED PIGEON, and at least three were ZENAIDA DOVE; a WHITE-WINGED DOVE seen flying over may also have been nesting. A single WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON was seen on adjacent Patricia Cay on 21 May, but no nests were located. Other waterbird species noted breeding within the past month include: LEAST GREBE at four sites (Fortuna Bay, Bordeaux, Dorothea Bay, and Red Hook), WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL at three sites (Turpentine Run, Sugar Bay and Sapphire Beach), a recently fledged CLAPPER RAIL at Compass Point on 3 June, and active COMMON MOORHEN nests at four sites (Dorothea Bay, Turpentine Run, Sugar Bay, and Red Hook). Yet another partially leucistic ZENAIDA DOVE was found at Compass Point on 1 June. Late Nearctic landbird migrants include a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER at Neltjeberg and a female AMERICAN REDSTART at Magens Bay on 31 May.

On Dog Island, off St. Thomas, a colony of about 410 pairs of SANDWICH TERN was studied on 28 May and 1 June. A scan survey of 200 individuals revealed that 94% appeared to be typical ''Sandwich Terns'', although a few with slight amounts of excessive yellow on the bill may have been overlooked. At least four individuals with >75% yellow coloration in their bills (one with 100%) could be considered ''Cayenne Terns''. The remaining individuals with intermediate bill coloration or excessive amounts of yellow at the base, upper ridge or tip of bill could have been hybrid Sandwich X Cayenne or pure Cayenne Terns (see photos posted at http://www.geocities.com/secaribbirds/idsandwichcayennetern).

From Tobago, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE * (first record for many years) has been reported from a garden in Charlotteville on 13th June In the northern range of Trinidad, a hike down Las Lapas trace on 18th June produced 2 GREY THROATED LEAFTOSSERS, a BLACK FACED ANT THRUSH, 4 SWALLOW TANAGERS and a SOOTY GRASSQUIT In southwest Trinidad, a CRESTED CARACARA * was spotted in headlights feeding on a roadkill beside the M2 ringroad, south of San Fernando, late on 11th June.

On the west coast of Trinidad, at the high tide roost at Brickfields on 12th June, there remains at least 300 SEMI PALMATED SANDPIPERS all in non breeding dress. Amongst them were only 3 WESTERN SANDPIPERS. Also present were a GREAT BLUE HERON,  12 COMMON TERNS and 2 CAYENNE TERNS. Nearby, at the floating temple, 2 adult male SAFFRON FINCHES were feeding in the car park.

BIRD MEETING :- a reminder that the Society for the Study and Conservation of Caribbean Birds meets in Tobago from 21st-25th July. (See SCBA 2003-17 for details) The Conference will combine lectures and field trips. Participating countries include Cuba Canada, Dominican Republic, UK, USA, Haiti, and Guadeloupe. Registration fee is TT$100.00. Special accommodation rates have been arranged at Hilton Hotel, Mt Irvine, Kariwak, Rovanel's, Violas Place and Golf View Apartments. Booking came be made at The Dept of Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 5566 Scarborough, Tobago - registration deadline 30th June. Cheque or Draft should be made payable to The Administrator, Division of Agriculture, Marine Affairs and the Environment. Contact Martyn Kenefick (Email or phone) for a summary of accommodation details & rates and daily conference agenda.

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".