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Updated 16 February 2004

Special Discounts available for return guests and and also for first time visitors for reservations made via the website

Our apologies to anyone who has tried to contact us unsuccessfully through the website. This is now up and running once again.

Welcome first time visitors and return visitors alike.

We hope that you enjoy browsing through our site with its many beautiful photographs and information about the island.

This page is all about what's happening on the island and how the various conservation projects are progressing.

New to the Website:

1. Detailed information about turtles and what has been learned about the turtles that visit Bird Island

2. Complete updated list of birds which have been recorded on the island since 1972 including interesting facts about these vagrant visitors.

News Updates this month include extended hatching dates for Hawksbill Turtles as well as hatching information to date and a new topic - snails!  Update on Common Noddy nesting season.

Coming soon: A year in the life of Bird Island. This page will give information about the weather throughout the year and the various natural events and when they happen, such as the turtle nesting season.

         Noddy Chick         

Snails:
For regular visitors to Bird Island the sight of African Land Snails has become common place since 1997. They were accidentally introduced when staff were encouraged by Serge (Hotel Manager 1996-2001) to plant flowers for the restaurant and to make the village area pretty. A great idea, but unfortunately snails were introduced as a result. As snails are hermaphrodite (both sexes lay eggs and 100's at a time) they multiplied very quickly. As a result the vegetable garden was affected as were any new plants or trees. Nothing seemed to like to eat them. For humans to eat them they need a lot of fiddly preparation before they are fit to cook. Anyway we had enough to flood the French snail market so radical elimination was needed.

Many suggestions were made on how to eradicate them. We even had a snail collecting competition for the guests in February 2003! Unfortunately it was very dry and all the snails had retreated into the bushes and more or less buried themselves awaiting damper times, so whilst the guests were willing the snails weren't, and only a meagre 45Kg was collected. However, fun was had by all - with certificates for all who took part and a prize for the winner.

By December there seemed to be millions of snails so Georges decreed enough was enough and a serious competition was set up for the children of the island staff. Very quickly this developed into serious rivalry between the various families. Parents joined in. Staff were out at 04.30 in the morning collecting around the island. Bags of snails were weighed in each morning.

The competition ran for about 3 weeks. In that time 8656Kg of snails were collected. Having knocked them back considerably we then put snail bait down which got another 2 tons. All snails were dumped in the sea off the edge of the Seychelles Bank and there must be some very fat happy fish out there today.

1^st Prize Denise, Philip and family  3476Kg

2^nd Prize: Lizanne, Paul and family 2640Kg

3^rd Prize: Michel, Patlyne and family 792Kg

A competition also emerged for the biggest snail. This was as a result of Nick Bray (a guest) announcing that he had found the biggest snail on the island. Cecile and Philip found huge live snails. Whether or not they are larger than Nick's remains to be seen! Philip won. However Cecile claims that her snail's shell is bigger than Philip's who had the heavier one!! (Criteria were not set in advance!) Nick - Your snail is still the king of snails!

Turtles

Hatching Success:

09 February 2004

Nests Hatched: 79

Hatchlings Live: 5688  Representing 46 nests

Nests invaded by crabs - all eggs eaten: 7 nests

Nests eroded by wave action: 3

Nests which hatched earlier than expected (hatchlings not seen): 23 nests

Due to the normal pattern of beach sand movement at this time of year  we have had to move 13 turtle nests to a safer location higher up the beach

Back to Turtle Project

Beach Monitoring

Birds

Common Noddy Terns are now well into their breeding season, with birds sitting on eggs in all sorts of places, on the ground, in bushes and trees. The unsuspecting guest who walks to close to a nest on the ground is frequently warned off with a loud squawk, which make you jump out of your skin!

Since the beginning of this week Noddy eggs have started to hatch all around the hotel grounds. It is very interesting to note that the majority of Noddies which nest on the ground nest in the areas where people are passing all the time. Very few nest on the ground in other areas of the island. This is a phenomena which was noticed in the early 1990's. It was suggested that the birds felt safer nesting around habitation and that they had more protection from the rats which would steal both eggs and chicks. Despite the eradication of rates they still stick close to human habitation.

Our major problem with both Noddy and Fairy terns is the Mynah Bird. They work in pairs and harass the incubating bird, until it leaves the egg to try and chase it away and then the second Mynah nips in and steals the egg which they then eat. Early last year we had a police marksman come to the island and he shot 303 mynahs. However they reproduce extremely quickly and we are having major problems again. Somehow the Mynah bird seems to know when the egg is almost ready to hatch and it prefers to eat the meaty chick rather than the yolk!!

Tropic Birds:

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