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Seychelles Birding Trip Report

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Seychelles Birding Trip Report Seychelles birding trip report From December 26 (2008) to January 6 (2009) we spend our Christmas holidays on the Seychelles. Curiosity was the main driving force to visit this archipelago in the Indian ocean. Our goals were to see various islands, relax on the wonderful beaches, enjoy the local cuisine, snorkel the coral reefs, and last but not least do some birdwatching. We tried to see and photograph as many as possible endemics and tropical sea birds. December or January is definitely not the best time to visit the Seychelles because it’s the rainy season, and it’s outside the breeding season, making it hard to see some bird species or good numbers. Indeed we had a few days with a lot of rain and other days with very cloudy skies and wind. About half of the time we had marvelous sunny beach weather. Day time temperature usually was around 30°C. With regard to birding the preparation consisted of reading a number of trip reports from internet (see: www.travellingbirder.com) and the ‘Birds of the Seychelles’ by Skerrett et al. (2001). To see all endemics of the northern island of the Seychelles (the so-called granitic group) at least 4 islands need to be visit: Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, and Cousin. The first three island can be visited at any time. Tourist day trips to Cousin are usually organized on Tuesdays and Fridays and departure from Praslin, but as it turned out not on January 2, the day we were planning to go there. A fisherman was willing to take us to Cousin on another date in his small boat for 175 Euro. We decided this was too much money, and in the end we didn’t visit Cousin and missed the three endemics there (Seychelles Magpie Robin, Seychelles Warbler, and Seychelles Fody). Also we missed the hard-to-find Seychelles White-eye and Scops-Owl on Mahe, which we didn’t try with a guide. Birders often visit Bird Island as well, which can only be reached by plane from Mahe (ca. 100 km). Bird Island is known for its huge Sooty Tern breeding colony (April-September) and other tropical sea birds that are harder to see on for example Mahe, Praslin or La Digue. There are also tropical sea bird colonies on other island such as Aride, Cousin, and Cousine, that can be visited for much less money. For a Seychelles visit no visa or vaccinations are required. It’s hard to organize a budget-trip to Seychelles. Two-star hotels start at 75 Euro per night for a double room, and for that money you should not expect much apart from screeching gekkos on the ceiling above your bed. You can eat cheap on the Seychelles, but again don’t expect any good quality then. Island-hopping by ferry or airplane and boat day-excursions to, for example, Cousin will also empty your wallet rapidly. A useful link for planning your trip: http://www.seychelles.travel/en/home/index.php. Visited Islands: - Mahe from 26 to29 December and from 5 to7 January. - Praslin from 29 December to 5 January. - La Digue on 31 December and on 4 January. Checklist: * photographed species 1. Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus Iherminieri) A small shearwater with dark upperparts and white underparts flying with Wedge-tailed Shearwaters off Praslin was likely to be this species. 2. Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus)* Seen daily off Praslin, up to about 20 birds. Seen at very close distance from the Mahe-Praslin ferry. 1 3. White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)* Seen in small numbers on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Usually in pairs. 4. Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)* Seen in small numbers on Mahe and Praslin. Only females and immatures. 5. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) Up to 10 on Mahe (mainly around Victoria), and up to 2 birds on Praslin (in Baie St.E Anne) 6. Cattle Egret (Bulbulcus ibis) Common on Mahe, especially around Victoria. 7. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)* 2 birds briefly perched in a tree at dusk seen from Chalets Cote Mer, Praslin, on Dec. 31. A near-annual vagrant on Seychelles according to Skerrett et al (2001). 8. Striated Heron (Butorides striatus)* Commonly seen on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 9. Seychelles Kestrel (Falco araea)* Seen on two days from our balcony in the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel (Mahe). 10. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chlopus) 3 birds near Anse Intendance (Mahe). 11. Crab Plover (Dromas ardeola)* 5 birds at the Lagoon near Brillant Point, just north of the Int. Airport (Mahe). 12. Lesser Sandplover (Charadrius mongolus) 1 bird at Palm beach (Praslin). 13. Greater Sandplover (Charadrius leschenaultii)* Few seen at Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 14. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Some at Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. Groups of up to 5 birds. 15.Common Ringer Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) 1 bird at Palm beach (Praslin). 16. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) 1 bird at the Lagoon near Brillant Point, just north of the Int. Airport (Mahe). 2 17. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) Most common wader seen during the holidays. Seen on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 18. Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) Few seen at Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 19. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) 3 birds at Palm beach (Praslin). 20. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Up to 20 birds in the ferry harbour of La Digue. 21. Sanderling (Calidris alba) 2 birds at Palm beach (Praslin). 22. Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) 2 birds at Palm beach (Praslin). 23. Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) At total of about 10 birds seen on Mahe and Praslin. 24. Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)* 5 birds seen at various locations on Mahe. 25. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)* Seen on Mahe and Praslin. Up to 10 birds near/in the ferry harbour of La Digue. 26. White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)* One bird present for two days in the ferry harbour of Praslin. 27. Bridled Tern (Sterna anaethethus) Only a few seen at close distance at Praslin. Large groups seen feeding far at see (mainly from Mahe). 28. Little Tern (Sterna albifrons) or Saunder’s Tern (Sterna saundersi) One near Anse Magde (Praslin). 29. Lesser Noddy (Anous tenuirostris)* Individuals seen regularly from all beaches on Mahe and Praslin. Groups of up to 100 birds seen feeding at ‘mid- sea’ from the ferries between Mahe and Praslin and between Praslin and La Digue. No Brown Noddies could be identified in the field or from photographs taken of the feeding groups. 3 30. Fairy Tern (Gygis alba)* Rather common on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. Often in pairs, and often perched in trees. Also seen feeding far at sea from the ferries. 31. Madagascar Turtle Dove (Streptopelia picturata) Very common on all visited islands. 32. Barred Ground Dove (Geopelia striata)* Introduced species. Very common on all visited islands. 33. Seychelles Blue Pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrima)* Quite common on Mahe and Praslin. 34. Seychelles Black Parrot (Cor. (nigra) barklyi) Small groups of up to 5 birds seen around the Chalets Cote Mer and in Vallee De Mai NP (Praslin). 35. Seychelles Swiftlet (Aerodramus elaphrus)* 10 birds seen around the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel (Mahe) and 3 on La Digue. 36. Seychelles Bulbul (Hypsipetes crassirostris)* Not uncommon on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. 37. Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiph. corvina)* 2 adult males with long tails, 1 (sub?)adult male with short tail, and one immature seen in the Veuve (Paradise Flycatcher) reserve on La Digue. We couldn’t find the flycatchers on our first day-trip to La Digue, which was a very hot day. 38. Seychelles Sunbird (Nectarinia dussmieri)* Very common on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 39. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Introduced species. Very common on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 40. Madagascar Fody (Foudia madagascariensis)* Probable introduced species. Very common on Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. 41. Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) Probable introduced species. 2 birds seen near the Veuve reserve, La Digue. Jan Bisschop, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] 4.
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