Bird Holidays Trip to Madagascar from 29Th September to 16Th October 2013

Bird Holidays trip to Madagascar from 29th September to 16th October 2013 Itinerary 29/09/13 – depart London for overnight flight. Connect through Paris. 30/09/13 – Arrive Antananarivo. Drive to Antsirabe. Pm - visit rice paddies. 01/10/13 – drive to Ranomafana NP. 02/10/13 – Ranomafana NP & hotel 03/10/13 – Ranomafana NP & hotel 04/10/13 – Ranomafana NP, drive via Amboditanimena, Anja Park & Horombe Plateau to Isalo. 05/10/13 – Isalo NP: Namaza Canyon de Maki & Hotel Satrana. 06/10/13 – Drive to Tulear calling at Zombitse-Vohibasia NP 07/10/13 – Boat trip to Anakao and Nosy Ve. Pm - Caliente Beach Hotel area (Zebu Pools). 08/10/13 – Caliente Beach, La Table (Coral Rag Scrub), Arboretum d’Antsokay (Tulear). Drive to Ifaty 09/10/13 – Ifaty/Reniala Reserve Spiny Forest. pm: Nautilus Hotel & mangroves 10/10/13 – Ifaty: Nautilus Hotel & mangroves pm ; Fly to Antananarivo. 11/10/13 – Antananarivo: Lake Alarobia. Pm: drive to Perinet via Moramanga. 12/10/13 – All day at Perinet (Andasibe NP) 13/10/13 – Mantadia (Andasibe NP) 14/10/13 – Mantadia (Andasibe NP). Community Forest night walk. 15/10/13 – Perinet Community Forest. pm: Drive to Antananarivo via Moramanga 16/10/13 –Antananarivo. Fly to London via Paris. Tour Members Phil Palmer – leader Timothy and Janet Davie, Ian and Bronwen Fair, Genevieve Bridgeman, Peter Dooley, Jennifer Bannister, Colin Hedderwick. INTRODUCTION Madagascar's uniqueness is legendary and this is reflected in its birds. Of the 280 species known from the island, an incredible 100 plus are entirely endemic to Madagascar and a further 20 or so are shared only with neighbouring South West Indian Ocean islands. Of greatest interest to birders are six endemic families, the mesites, asities, cuckoo-roller, vangas, tetrakas and ground rollers. In addition, this "mini-continent" also boasts an extraordinarily diverse assemblage of endemic flora, reptiles, frogs and mammals, not least the famous lemurs and two thirds of the world's chameleons. The legendary Elephant Birds were still alive in people's memory in the 17th century, but in recent times, the Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus has gone. Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata has recently been rediscovered and is alive in captivity but the future of such fantastic creatures as Madagascar Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides and Mellers Duck remains uncertain. The endangered status of so many of its birds means that there has never been a better reason to visit this evolutionary wonderland! Our journey along the RN7 took us through the paddies and hills of the highlands past the rainforest of Ranomafana over the grassy plateau to limestone canyons at Isalo. On through sapphire mines and the unique dry forest at Zombitse before reaching the coral rag scrub belt above the mangroves at Tulear, and then into the spiny forest at Ifaty. Flying back to Antananarivo (Tana), we had a great time in a different rainforest at Andasibe National Park. Prior to our visit there had been a long drought. Many rivers and lakes were low, but our arrival brought rain…and lots of it! In fact the first days at Ranomafana were very slow in birding terms. We did manage to see many common birds; connecting with Madagascar Snipe, Forest Rock Thrush, Madagascar Long-eared Owl and Grey Emutail that could not be seen elsewhere on our itinerary. Isalo’s rocks brought us the anticipated sunshine and the highly localised Benson’s Rock Thrush as well as some fine Ring-tailed Lemurs. Zombitse didn’t fail us with the local speciality; Appert’s Greenbul. But it played second fiddle to a hand-tame Giant Coua and a White-browed Owl. The seaside gave us chance to chill out a bit, with a paddle to see tropicbirds and Crab Plovers as well as the stars of the coral rag scrub: Red-shouldered Vanga and Verreaux’s Coua. Nightjars, a miniscule mouse lemur and some chameleons highlighted how special this place is, before heading into the Spiny Forest at Ifaty. Here, we cleaned up, seeing all of the specialities in one morning: Long-tailed Ground Roller, Sickle-billed Vanga, more couas and some amazing plant life, all under the ancient baobabs. Once back at Tana, we made an unplanned visit to a lake filled with nesting herons before continuing to our last destination; Andasibe. Picking up some early Madagascar Pratincoles en- route, we then proceeded to work our way through the whole range or lemurs, weevils, geckos, tree frogs and birds that make this place so special. Indri and sifaka were appealing, but perhaps not as cute as the Tenrec, while giraffe-necked weevils confirmed that we were in ‘Attenborough land’. Maurice’s ground-roller rodeo had to be seen to be believed as was his bridge-building skills. We saw rails and vangas, couas and cuckoo-rollers, but the amorous Madagascar Sparrowhawks were a sight that few have ever enjoyed. The difficulties of reaching such places years ago were tremendous and in this world of instant gratification, we should remember just how privileged we are to have seen such magical creatures, as I am sure future generations will not be so fortunate SYSTEMATIC LIST OF BIRDS Madagascar Grebe Tachybaptus pelzelnii A nesting pair twirled in courtship display for us on the pond by the Mantadia graphite mine. There is no description of their courtship display in literature I consulted and so it is unfortunate they we didn’t take more notes. An immature at Lake Alarobia was nowhere near as beautiful, but actually more educational when it came to identification. The current total population may number as few as 1,500-2,500 individuals (Birdlife 2007) with the present decline expected to accelerate over the next 10 years This species is classified as Vulnerable. Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda About 100 adults were seen flying over the island of Nosy Ve with a few coming ashore to feed chicks or incubate. Several young birds were found in nests under bushes. Getting so close to such an iconic bird was a real privilege. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Small numbers were seen at the coast from Tulear to Ifaty with a few on Nosy Ve. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea The local race A. p. madagascarensis is darker grey above than nominate birds. Five were seen during the first half of our trip as we travelled to Tulear. Great Egret Ardea alba The Sub-Saharan race of this widespread species was common and widespread in suitable habitat. They were regularly seen in rice paddies on travelling days, mostly around Tana. We passed 70 on our first day followed by perhaps as many as 300 between Antsirabe and Ranomafana. Only single birds were found on the coastal mudflats. Nesting birds were present at Lake Alarobia were not in the numbers occupied by the smaller herons. The birds with black bills were in breeding plumage (yellow is non-breeding). Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca This fascinating species was seen well in rice paddies in and around Tana. We saw several nesting at Lake Alarobia and in surrounding fields on 11th when about 40 were logged. On 3oth, at least two were engaged in the umbrella fishing that the species is famous for. Dimorphic Egret Egretta dimorpha (Little Egret Egretta garzetta dimorpha) Very common and widespread; controversially lumped with Little Egret recently. It seemed like each paddyfield contained at least one. Travelling days offered the best opportunity to see them with more than a couple of hundred per day noted in the central plateau from Tana to Andasibe or Ranomafana. Nesting birds were at Nosy Ve and Lake Alarobia. The latter site holding at least 500 pairs. Those in the central plateau were almost exclusively white-phased, but many of those in Tulear were dark-phased. It would appear that dark-phased birds are very scarce inland but a 50/50 split was the case at Tulear with occupied nests of both morphs found on Nosy Ve. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Present in the rice paddies around Tana in high numbers. At least 200 were seen at lake Alarobia where they breed successfully. Madagascar Pond-Heron Ardeola idae This species was considered to be common half a century ago. It is now listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The estimated world population of 2,000 to 6,000 birds is spread over an area of 2 million square kilometres. But there are now indications that the species may be on a fast track to extinction as Squacco Heron numbers increase. “The number of breeding herons at one site declined from 232 birds in 2007, to none in 2008”, while the c.10 pairs at Lake Alarobia once numbered c.750 in 1945. So the threats appear to be very real. Our first was a lucky spot in a rice paddy at Antsirabe. It was an immature and so quite similar to the young Squaccos. Two were seen from the moving bus near Zombitse but our best views were the dozen found at Lake Alarobia where birds carried sticks to nests in the reeds. Another three were seen during our journey to Perinet. (Western) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Common in all areas except Perinet and seen on 9 days. The largest numbers were seen around Tana with as many as 1000 at Lake Alarobia. Several had large young here and there were many pale blue eggshells below the trees. Striated Heron Butorides striata rutenbergi Ones and twos were seen at all wetland sites including rice paddies and mangroves. The highest daily count was four at Lake Alarobia but most memorable was the one that was seen from a rainy porch at Ranomafana each day.

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