This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2003- 02) for 18th  January 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).

In St Martin, a research team for Environment Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) has reported the following noteworthy recent sightings :- 5 TRICOLOURED HERONS at Orient ponds on 4th Jan; 2 YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS at Fish Pond on Jan 13th & 15th; 9 RING NECKED DUCKS at Little Bay Pond on Jan 12th; 3 LESSER SCAUP at Fresh Pond on Jan 10th; a RED BREASTED MERGANSER at Baie de l'Embouchure on Jan 13th (see USVI above); a male NORTHERN SHOVELER (2nd island record)  was found at Fresh Pond on Jan 17th; hundreds of RUDDY DUCKS breeding on the island; 8 PEREGRINES (considered vagrant to the island) islandwide on Jan 4th; 175 STILT SANDPIPERS and 50 SHORT BILLED DOWITCHERS at Orient Ponds on Jan 12th; an adult LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL at Great salt Pond on Jan 12th together with a 1st winter bird found there on Jan 17th; and a first winter GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL (no previous records for the island) at Grand Case pond on Jan 12th.

Landbirds included; 15 COLLARED DOVES (no previous records for the island) islandwide on Jan 2nd; 12 WHITE WINGED DOVES (no previous record) islandwide on Jan 4th & 14th; 2 YELLOW BILLED CUCKOOS at Lotterie Farm on Jan 9th-11th; 7 MANGROVE CUCKOOS also at Lotterie Farm on Jan 8th-13th; a female CHUCK=WILL'S WIDOW at Lotterie Farm on Jan 3rd; the islands first CLIFF SWALLOW at Cul -de Sac on Jan 12th; 20 SCALY BREASTED THRASHERS (5 of which were banded) at Lotterie Farm on Jan 3rd and the islands first YELLOW THROATED VIREO at Lotterie Farm on Jan 8th.

The following new world warblers were found at Lotterie Farm . A total of 8 different BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLERS (considered as vagrant on the island) between Jan 3rd - 11th; at least 17 PRAIRIE WARBLERS  from Jan 2nd; 15 BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS (5 of which were banded) between Jan 5th-8th; at least 37 AMERICAN REDSTARTS between Jan 3rd-9th; 3 OVENBIRDS (one banded), considered vagrant status on the island on Jan 4th ; the islands first KENTUCKY WARBLER banded on Jan 6th ; a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (vagrant to the island) on Jan 4th and 12 HOODED WARBLERS (2 of which were banded) also considered vagrant status, between Jan 3rd -12th. Elsewhere, the islands first MYRTLE WARBLER at Little Bay Pond on Jan 10th and a PROTHONOTARY WARBER (vagrant status) was banded at Fish pond on Jan 15th.

Finally the islands first INDIGO BUNTING was banded at Lotterie Farm on Jan 11th.

More information concerning EPIC can be obtained from their website at "www.epicislands.org".

In Tobago, the adult male RING NECKED DUCK * (first recorded on 26th Nov 2002) was again present on Bon Accord sewage ponds on 14th Jan, with a LITTLE EGRET and 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS close by. From Crown Pt,  2 adult winter COMMON BLACK HEADED GULLS * were reported flying west on 13th Jan.

From Trinidad, a detailed summary of the Christmas bird count held on 29th Dec describes 7342 individuals from 173 species. Other than those mentioned in earlier Bird alerts, highlights include 3 SUMMER TANAGERS reported from Lopino and one of the regular SNAIL KITES on Caroni ricefields.

In south Trinidad, at Tableland on 16th Jan, a grey phase HOOK BILLED KITE * was found soaring over a citrus plantation.

On the west coast of Trinidad, the only birds worthy of mention at the high tide roost at Waterloo were a 3rd winter LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL and a GULL BILLED TERN.

A visit to Chacachacare on 18th Jan in search of the previously reported DARK BILLED CUCKOOS (see SCBA 2003-01)was unsuccessful, however the day was salvaged by excellent perched views of a rufous phased adult HOOK BILLED KITE*, together with several FUSCOUS, NORTHERN SCRUB and, BRAN COLOURED FLYCATCHERS, a few MOUSE COLOURED TYRANNULETS and large numbers of WHITE FRINGED ANT-WRENS.

In St. John, US Virgin Islands, new photos surfaced from a nature photographer of what appears to be the same RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (1st for VI) found on 4 December at Francis Bay on the north coast. However, the new photos were taken on 29 November from Lameshur Bay on the south coast, indicating that this bird has been on the move. The female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER found at Baie de l'Embouchure, St. Martin, on 13 January could well be the same individual wandering eastward through the islands.

In St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, five species of waterfowl including two RUDDY DUCKS, two LESSER SCAUP, six RING-NECKED DUCKS (five females and a lucky male), a BLUE-WINGED TEAL and a few dozen WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAILS were tallied at Fredensborg Pond on 13 January. Also present at the pond were three AMERICAN COOTS and one seemingly pure CARIBBEAN COOT, which appeared loosely paired with one of the American Coots. Another AMERICAN COOT was seen on a nearby pond.

In St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, the YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER last seen at Sapphire Bay Condominiums on 8 December was relocated on 12 January.

From Guadeloupe, on 12th Jan at least 10 MYRTLE WARBLERS, were found at Port Louis Swamps. On 16th Jan, a census of wildfowl at Gaschet Res produced, 35 BLUE WINGED TEALS, 9 RUDDY DUCKS, 3 LESSER SCAUP (incl one male), 2 AMERICAN COOT and 2 CARIBBEAN COOT.

OUTING :- The Field Naturalist Club birding outing originally scheduled for 12th Jan, will now take place NOT on Sunday 19th Jan as had been advertised but on Sunday 9th February -  apologies for this unavoidable postponement . The itinery will include Roussilac swamp, Sudama Steps and the west coast coast shoreline. Interested participants should contact Courtenay Rooks on 622/8826 for timings.

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: The following abstract is from: McNair, D. G., F. Sibley, E. B. Massiah, and M. D. Frost. 2002. Ground-based Nearctic-Neotropic landbird migration during autumn in the eastern Caribbean. Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Occasional Paper 11:86-103.
We examined ground-based Nearctic-Neotropic landbird migration during autumn at coastal sites on two islands about 775 km apart in the eastern Caribbean, where autumn migration had not been previously studied using mist-nets. We sampled migrants using mist-nets at Harrison Point (HP), Barbados, for 42 days in 1997 and 31 days in 1998-1999, and at Guana Island (GI), British Virgin Islands, for 52 days during 1995-1999. We also obtained information on landbird migration from sight observations. We recorded 28 species of Nearctic-Neotropic landbird migrants at HP and 23 species at GI, for a total of 36 species. The volume of migration was low at both sites. The Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) was the most abundant migrant (98 captures, 206 observations at HP; 132 captures, 263 observations at GI). The Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was the second most abundant migrant at HP (six captures, 101 observations), but was rare at GI (seven observations). The Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo o. olivaceus), previously considered a vagrant or scarce transient in the eastern Caribbean, was the third most abundant nocturnal migrant at HP (12 captures, 8 observations). At HP and GI, respectively, 23% and 33% of captured Blackpoll Warblers were after hatching year birds, compared to 8% and 14% for other Nearctic-Neotropic migrants. At both sites we recorded many scarce transients or apparent vagrants, some verified or seen for the first time in the eastern Caribbean. All species recorded except Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) at HP and Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) at GI, have been recorded at least once during winter in South America; however, more species wintering primarily within the West Indies occurred at GI. Autumn migration of Nearctic-Neotropic landbirds is a regular phenomenon to the eastern Caribbean for a few relatively abundant species moving to their winter range in South America, and also includes a large variety of scarce species. Other than Blackpoll Warblers, which migrate during autumn over the western North Atlantic Ocean through the West Indies to South America, the other Nearctic-Neotropic landbird migrants probably departed from southeastern North America for a shorter over-water crossing through the Greater Antilles and over the Caribbean Sea.

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"