This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT October 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 Guadeloupe, at Petite Terre Nature Reserve, a male BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLER was found on 17th Oct. The following day, a mist netting session produced 4 YELLOW BILLED CUCKOOS, 1 BLACK BILLED CUCKOO (3rd record for Guadeloupe) and 18 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS. A further banding session at Pointe des Chateaux on 21st - 23rd Oct caught 209 birds including 21 YELLOW BILLED CUCKOOS, 19 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER, 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER and 3 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES.

Elsewhere on the island, a TRICOLORED HERON was found on 2nd Oct at Pole Caraibes airport, a monthly maxima of 1000 CARIBBEAN MARTINS roosted in Pointe a Pitre town cente on 3rd Oct and: 16 AMERICAN REDSTARTS were at Port Louis on 6th Oct. At sea, the best sighting for 8 hours of watching from Petite terre was a BLACK CAPPED PETREL

From Barbados, the first PEREGRINE of the seaqson was found at Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary on 14th Oct. At the same site, a RED EYED VIREO was present on the 22nd. Elsewhere, a YELLOW BILLED CUCKOO was found at The Hope on 29th Oct.

From central Trinidad, a visit to the Aripo Agriculture Research Station on 9th Oct produced 5 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, single WHITE RUMPED and STILT SANDPIPERS, a LITTLE CUCKOO, a RUDDY BREASTED SEEDEATER and the first reported PEREGRINE of the season. At dusk on 10th Aug, a LESSER NIGHTHAWK was hunting over Grand Bazaar junction

From the northern range of Trinidad, belated news that a TRINIDAD PIPING GUAN was seen briefly at Morne Bleu on 27th Sept. An OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER was found at Asa Wright Nature Centre on 6th Oct and the first reported NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH of the season was seen there the following day. On 8th Oct both SILVERED ANTBIRD and BRIGHT RUMPED ATTILA were in Lopinot valley. On 10th Oct, a BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER * was found on the Blanchisseuse Rd , a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER was reported from Asa Wright; 2 SCALED ANTPITTAS were heard calling from deep forest below Morne Bleu on both 10th and 12th Oct; a GRAY THROATED LEAFTOSSER and 2 SOOTY GRASSQUITS were found along Las Lapas on 12th Oct

In eastern Trinidad, a total of 4 WHITE THROATED SPADEBILLS were found in two separate patches of woodland north of Sangre Grande on 9 and 10th Oct. Visits to an area of flooded fields close to Kernaham village on both 24th and 26th Oct produced maximas of 59 BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, 17 BLUE WINGED TEAL, 3 MALLARD *, 3 HUDSONIAN GODWITS, 3 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 50 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 50 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 25 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 10 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 10 WILSON'S SNIPE, 2 WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPERS and a SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER. Further inland, close to Bush Bush, a YELLOW BILLED CUCKOO * was seen on both days, also on the 24th , a CRIMSON CRESTED WOODPECKER and 2 pairs of BLUE AND YELLOW MACAWS flew over. Both MERLIN and PEREGRINE were hunting the area

In south west Trinidad, early morning at Sudama Steps on 11th Oct produced at least 8 PINNATED BITTERNS, single STRIPE BACKED BITTERN and COCOI HERON, 2 LONG WINGED HARRIERS and at least 25 YELLOW WARBLERS, 10 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES and 5 SPOTTED TODY FLYCATCHERS

On the west coast of Trinidad, the tidal mudflats between Orange Valley and Brickfields produced up to 6 juvenile and 1 sub-adult GREATER (CARIBBEAN) FLAMINGOS *, 3 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS (all 3rd winter), 11 CAYENNE TERNS, 2 SANDWICH TERNS and a GULL BILLED TERN between 11th and 15th Oct. By 21st Oct, there were still 90 LARGE BILLED TERNS, 35 YELLOW BILLED TERNS a single ROYAL TERN and 25 BLACK NECKED STILTS

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"