This is the SOUTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT Feb March 2008 summary of sightings through the Region. Sponsored by the TT 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, TT 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 TT Rare Birds Committee requires details for species indicated with an asterisk.
 
From Guadeloupe, a total of 11 hours sea watching from Petit Terre Nature reserve during February produced 57 MANX SHEARWATERS, 3 unidentified small shearwaters; 2 LEACH’S STORM PETRELS; 2 MASKED BOOBIES; a single unidentified storm petrel and 2 unidentified jaegers.
Highlight of the month however was a WEST INDIAN WHISTLING DUCK together with 9 young. (1st live record for Guada and 1st breeding record)
A total of 555 shorebirds were recorded during the month including 149 SEMI PALMATED SANDPIPERS, 124 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 109 STILT SANDPIPERS, 55 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 36 SEMI PALMATED PLOVERS, 23 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 20 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 16 BLACK BELLIED PLOVERS, 11 SANDERLING, 5 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 3 SHORT BILLED DOWITCHERS and a EURASIAN WHIMBREL . Wildfowl totals included 67 BLUE WINGED TEALS and single GREEN WINGED TEAL and RING NECKED DUCK
During the last week of Mar, sea watching from Pointe des Chateaux recorded a massive 3284 MANX SHEARWATERS, 10 PARASITIC JAEGERS and single BULWER’S PETREL, LONG TAILED JAEGER and SOOTY SHEARWATER whilst at Petite terre, there were 1583 MANX SHEARWATERS, 4 PARASITIC JAEGERS, 3 WILSON’S STORM PETRELS, 2 NORTHERN GANNET, 2 BROWN BOOBY and single LEACH’S STORM PETREL, MASKED BOOBY, AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER and BLACK CAPPED PETREL together with 69 unidentified storm petrels and 7 jaegers.
Highlights on land included 2 EUROPEAN and one HUDSONICUS WHIMBRELS at Petite -terre on 9th Mar; ; 15 WHITE TAILED TROPICBIRDS at Moule on 18th Mar; a male HOODED WARBLER at Beautiran on 21st Mar and CARIBBEAN MARTINS peaking at 539 in Pointe a Pitre on 24th Mar.
 
From Barbados, on 3rd Feb a PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER was at CONGO ROAD where the SPOTTED REDSHANK, first found on 30th Dec last, was also present. In St.Lucy 4 SOUTHERN LAPWINGS remained until end of March.
 
From Tobago, single adult and 1st winter LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS * were at Pigeon Pt on 13th Feb and there is a report of a WHITE TAILED TROPICBIRD * at the seabird cliffs on Little Tobago the following day. On the 16th, a SORA at Bon Accord where up to two MANGROVE CUCKOOS were present throughout the period. At Barbados Bay, a CAYENNE TERN on 25th Feb and a 1st winter BLACK HEADED GULL* on 23rd March. From the forest behind Speyside, two HOOK BILLED KITES * were occasionally seen between 25th Feb - 27th Mar; a BLACK VULTURE soared over the road close to Studley Park on 19th Mar; a passage of approx 550 BROAD WINGED HAWKS seen flying north east over Store Bay on 22nd Mar included two black morph birds, not previously recorded in TT and up to four OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPERS were along Spring trail in the Main Ridge forest reserve on 26th Mar
 
From Asa Wright Nature Centre, the first reported PIRATIC FLYCATCHER of the season was found on 3rd Feb; a RUFOUS SHAFTED WOODSTAR seen intermittently from 6th Feb -14th Mar; a BLACK HAWK EAGLE on 9th Feb; the first reported AMERICAN SWALLOW TAILED KITES of the season on 4th Mar; an ORNATE HAWK-EAGLE intermittently between 12th Feb - 31st Mar; an OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER on 8th Mar ;a female LONG BILLED STARTHROAT on 9th Mar and a pair of SPECTACLED OWLS pre-dawn along the entrance track 18th - 22nd Mar.
 
Elsewhere in the Northern Range, a SHORT TAILED NIGHTHAWK hunted low over the forest beside the access road to the Textel station at Morne Bleu pre-dawn on 5th Feb and a male HEPATIC TANAGER was at the same site 11th Mar. A BLACK WHISKERED VIREO* an OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER and the first reported SWALLOW TANAGERS of the season were all along the upper Blanchisseuse Rd on 11th Mar. Throughout the period, a very elusive SCALED ANTPITTA* has been heard, and very occasionally seen close to the upper Blanchisseuse Rd and in the same general area at least two TRINIDAD PIPING-GUAN have been regularly reported.
 
From west Trinidad, the SPOTTED RAIL mentioned in January was still present up to 3rd Feb at least, together with 3 SORAS , 2 YELLOW BREASTED CRAKES and a STRIPE BACKED BITTERN . At Waterloo, the first reported LARGE BILLED TERN of the season was found on 3rd Mar; a pair of un-seasonal WILSON’S PLOVERS were found at Brickfields on 10th Mar and 3 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS were found on 15th Mar
 
From south west Trinidad, a COMMON WAXBILL at South Oropouche lagoon on 5th Feb. This is the first report of this species south of San Fernando. Also in the same general area was a RUDDY BREASTED SEEDEATER. Close by, at Sudama Steps, 2 LEAST BITTERNS were found in the freshwater marsh and a GREEN THROATED MANGO in the adjacent mangrove edge on 22nd Mar
 
From eastern Trinidad, a light morph WHITE TAILED HAWK * was seen intermittently between 22nd Feb - 31st Mar close to Kernaham settlement. Also on 5th Mar, an immature PARASITIC JAEGER flew along Cocos Bay and a male WHITE TAILED GOLDENTHROAT was found in the freshwater swamp close by
 
From north east Trinidad an un-seasonal WHITE COLLARED SWIFT flew over Grande Riviere on 29th Feb and, on the same date, a BLACK WHISKERED VIREO* was found in exactly the same corner on Montevideo trace as was seen in Feb 2007
 
From central Trinidad, in the vicinity of the Aripo Agriculture Station, a CRANE HAWK * was found on 8th Feb and two COCOI HERONS were present from at least 5th Mar . Elsewhere, a party of 12 GLOSSY IBIS * were seen in flight over Caroni Rice Project on 12th Feb; an adult male SUMMER TANAGER* was reported from Cumuto on 24th Feb and at Trincity ponds, the first reported YELLOW BILLED TERN of the season was found on 14th Mar .Finally, two CLIFF SWALLOWS * were reported amongst a party of BARN SWALLOWS on 31st Mar
 
RARE BIRD REPORTING :- many of the identifications from Trinidad and Tobago reported in the SCBA are tentative. The TT 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”