This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT August 2006 summary of sightings through the Region. Sponsored by the T&T Field Naturalists Club, our aim is to promote birding and ornithology by fostering communication among resident and visiting birders regarding the study of birds in the region. The SCBA and information about TTFNC, T&T Rare Bird Committee and our Photo Gallery are accessible at "http://www.wow.net/ttfnc" . Reports should be sent to Martyn Kenefick tel 674.7609; Email "martynkenefick@hotmail.com" The T&T Rare Birds Committee requires details for species indicated with an asterisk.

From Monserrat, an early morning hike along the Oriole trail in Centre Hills on 22nd July produced single BRIDLED QUAIL DOVE and FOREST THRUSH together with 2 MONSERRAT ORIOLES

From St Lucia, on 27th July, 4 WHITE BREASTED THRASHERS were found close to Praslin with a further 2 birds on the road between Dennery - Praslin two days later. On 28th July, a RUDDY QUAIL DOVE, 3 St LUCIA PARROTS, 2 RUFOUS THROATED SOLITAIRES and 2 St LUCIA PEWEES were found on Des Cartiers trail.

From Guadeloupe, a WILSON'S STORM PETREL on 17th Aug from Petit Terre Nature Reserve. Also from this site a HOUSE MARTIN (1st record for Guadeloupe) on 16th Aug and a banded RUDDY TURNSTONE known affectionately as "Luc" returned to the same site for it's 6th consecutive winter. Elsewhere on the island, 5 ANTILLEAN NIGHTHAWKS at Lamentin on 2nd Aug and a BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPER on Desirade Is from 16th - 27th Aug. On the 19th a HOUSE SPARROW was evidence of the colonization of Le Moule, a new town; a juvenile PURPLE MARTIN (1st for Guadeloupe) and a male MARTIN sp (either Purple or possibly Cuban) was seen amongst 1360 CARIBBEAN MARTINS at Pointe à Pitre town center.

From Tobago, seabird numbers are at their lowest at this time of year. From Little Tobago on 1st Aug; just two TROPICBIRDS were seen from the seabird lookout, one RED BILLED and one WHITE TAILED. At Bon Accord sewage lagoons, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE * was photographed on 3rd Aug

In central Trinidad, large numbers of shorebirds were on Caroni Rice Project 9th Aug including 250 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 200 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 50 STILT SANDPIPERS, 40 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 20 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Also present were 28 WHITE CHEEKED PINTAIL, 3 BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, a juvenile APLOMADO FALCON *, 35 LIMPKIN, the first reported BARN SWALLOWS of the season and 2 MASKED YELLOWTHROATS. Very heavy showers on the morning of 17th Aug produced a flock of 30 NACUNDA NIGHTHAWKS and a single LESSER NIGHTHAWK hawking flying termites near Golden Grove. On the same date, a BAT FALCON was seen at Cumuto. A census in the Aripo savannah east of Cumuto village on 20th Aug produced a total of 61 species including an adult RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON *, 3 GRAY NECKED WOOD-RAILS, 4 SULPHURY FLYCATCHERS, 2 MORICHE ORIOLES and a BLACK WHISKERED VIREO *. In the same area a WHITE THROATED SPADEBILL was found on 23rd Aug.

On the west coast of Trinidad on the tidal mudflats between Brickfields and Carli Bay maximas from numerous visits during the month include at least 1500 SEMI PALMATED SANDPIPERS, 185 SHORT BILLED DOWITCHERS, 50 WHIMBREL, 13 RED KNOT, 9 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 7 HUDSONIAN GODWITS, 2 WILSON'S PLOVERS, 1 MARBLED GODWIT *, 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 1 WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPER, 1 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, 150 LARGE BILLED TERNS, 75 YELLOW BILLED TERNS, 46 COMMON TERNS, 8 GULL BILLED TERNS, 2 ROYAL TERNS, 2 CAYENNE TERNS, 2 SANDWICH TERNS, 1 BLACK TERN, 1 LEAST TERN, 300 BLACK SKIMMERS, 1 PARASITIC JAEGER, the first YELLOW WARBLER for the season on the 28th and 2 RED CAPPED CARDINALS

In south Trinidad, two flooded football pitches in Barrackpore became the feeding grounds for 185 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 5 SHORT BILLED DOWITCHERS, 4 STILT SANDPIPERS, 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS on 26th Aug. The following day, a smaller pitch further south along Rochard Douglas Rd held 30 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 25 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 7 WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 6 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 2 SHORT BILLED DOWITCHERS and a COLLARED PLOVER. Night birds along Cumuto Rd South in the last few days of the month included up to 10 COMMON PAURAQUE 2 SHORT TAILED NIGHTHAWKS and a COMMON POTOO seen close to Basse Terre, and a MOTTLED OWL heard Highlights of censuses in the Trinity Hills on 26th & 27th Aug include 42 SWALLOW TAILED KITES, 2 BAT FALCONS, 4 CRIMSON CRESTED WOODPECKERS and a WHITE THROATED SPADEBILL

From south west Trinidad, early morning at Sudama Steps on 6th Aug produced 2 COCOI HERONS, several SPOTTED TODY-FLYCATCHERS, 2 PALE BREASTED SPINETAILS and single LONG WINGED HARRIER and GREEN KINGFISHER. At least 3 GRAY BREASTED CRAKES were heard from the freshwater marsh.

NEW GUADELOUPE BIRDING WEBSITE A new birding website has been launched "www.amazona-guadeloupe.com with text in both English and French .

RARE BIRD REPORTING :- many of the identifications from Trinidad and Tobago reported in the SCBA are tentative. The T&T Rare Birds Committee, founded 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 - Email "martynkenefick@hotmail.com"