This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2003- 05) for 7th February 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 Anguilla, while carrying out areas searches for over-wintering migrants in the Katouche Valley  on 5th Feb , EPIC biologists located a MERLIN (rare on the island), PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (1st island record), 17 PRAIRIE WARBLERS (island high count), BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER (2nd island record), HOODED WARBLER (5th island record), 3 NORTHERN PARULAS (1st island record), MAGNOLIA WARBLER (1st island record), and MYRTLE WARBLER (2nd island record).

From St Martin, a  LESSER SCAUP was recorded at Fresh Pond on 26th Jan . During terrestrial bird surveys and banding on the 31st at Lotterie Farm , the following were recorded : 1 YELLOW BILLED CUCKOO, 6 NORTHERN PARULA, 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER (2nd island record), 4 BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, 1 MYRTLE WARBLER, 11 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, 6 BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS, 12 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 1 WORM EATING WARBLER (second island record), and 1 KENTUCKY WARBLER ( 2nd island record). On 1st Feb, 2 OVENBIRDS were found.

During a Kayak trip through the mangroves at Fish Pond on the 28th Jan, 4 MYRTLE WARBLERS, 2 PRAIRIE WARBLERS and 7 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES were seen. Also on 28th Jan, at  Mullet Bay Golf Course pine trees 7 MYRTLE WARBLERS (bringing to 12, the number seen during the week - there has been only one previous island record !) and 3 PRAIRIE WARBLERS.

In Tobago, a group of ducks at Lowlands on 5th Feb included 2 NORTHERN SHOVELER *, 1 AMERICAN WIGEON* and the male RING NECKED DUCK* (first reported on 26th Nov 2002). Elsewhere, a SORA RAIL was present at the freshwater marsh at Louis d'Or on both 2nd and 3rd Feb;   the WHITE TAILED TROPICBIRD * first recorded on Little Tobago back in April 1998 put in another appearance from the 2nd seabird lookout, and a female WHITE WINGED BECARD was in woodland behind Speyside on 3rd Feb;  37 MASKED BOOBIES* were recorded from St Giles rocks on 4th Feb and the VIOLACEOUS TROGON * was again seen on the Roxborough -Bloody Bay on the 5th. A currently unidentified Coot sp was seen distantly at Buccoo marsh on 5th Feb. It is likely to be a CARIBBEAN COOT but at present, hybrid CARIBBEAN/AMERICAN has not been ruled out.

In north east Trinidad, 3 TRINIDAD PIPING GUANS were watched at length from the usual lookout at Montevideo on 1st Feb. Also present in the area were 2 SWALLOW TAILED KITES, 2 GREY HEADED KITES, 2 DOUBLE TOOTHED KITES, a BROAD WINGED HAWK and  a COCOI HERON.

In central Trinidad, at Wallerfield, the CRANE HAWK * again flew over (presumably from roost) the main drag on 4th Feb.

TTFNC OUTING :- participants for the birding outing to Roussillac swamp and other south west localities on Sunday 9th February should meet on the "north/south" highway at Grand Bazaar at 6.15am. Contact Courtenay Rooks on 622.8826 with any queries.

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"