Author: Jeannette Victor
St.Lucia Warbler: Bonjour Madamme Gobe-Mouche, sa ke fete?
St.Lucia Pewee: Bonjour Madamme Sequia Ba Bad, mwe la cah chaybay.
St.Lucia Warbler: Sa bon! Mwe ousi.
St.Lucia Pewee: You know yesterday while looking for material for my nest, I overheard a little talk between two known gossipers; Carouge and Jacquot.
St.Lucia Warbler: Oh yeah, who were they talking about this time?
St.Lucia Pewee: No one. Would you believe that they were actually getting to know each other.
St.Lucia Warbler: You serious?
St.Lucia Pewee: Yes I am.
St.Lucia Warbler: Hmmmm. That’s strange! Something must be wrong with those two.
St.Lucia Pewee: No it is not. It was then and only then that it dawned on me to do the same, instead of highlighting the bad about our neighbors.
St.Lucia Warbler: Hmmmmm. Come to think of it that is true. Can we start now?
St.Lucia Pewee: Anytime! I will go first. Scientists refer to me as Contopus oberi, and our locals as you know; Gobe-Mouche or Pin Kaka; I am a flycatcher. St.Lucia forest is my world. My upperparts are dark-olive brown and my stomach area is reddish-brown. I make myself comfortable in a cup shape nest made of leaves, lichens and moss which sits on a branch. In there, between the months of May and June I lay two dark cream- colored eggs that have brown spots all over. And last but not least I enjoy a delicious meal of invertebrates and insects.
St.Lucia Warbler: Quite impressive! St.Lucia too is my only home. I go by the scientific name of Dendroica delicate and locally chic-chic or sequia ba bad. Unlike you I have a bright yellow stomach with bluish-grey upperparts. I have a yellow eyebrow stripe and a black crescent below my eye. My nest is a finely woven cup that is usually in a tree where three to four eggs with a few reddish-brown spots are laid from March to June. I love the forest and make insects and spiders my daily meal.
St.Lucia Pewee: Looks like we have similar characteristics.
St.Lucia Warbler: Our forest home is therefore very important to our survival and our beauty and that of our picturesque island home depends on everyone, young and old.
