30 May
2005
Welcome to the news page of our website.
This page is all about what's happening
on the island and how the various conservation projects are progressing.
If you would like us
to advise you when we have an update of the news page or a new web page
please email us at:
thelodge@birdislandseychelles.com
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Please note that we have NOT Increased our rates for this year. This
means that for the 5th consecutive year we have not increased our rates
(Unlike the majority of properties in Seychelles)
We have now
introduced a forum for guests of Bird Island to participate in. Only
visitors to Bird Island are currently allowed to post to the forum,
although anyone can read the posts.
http:www.birdislandseychelles.com/forum/
Sunbirds
The Seychelles Sunbird is one of 11 endemic bird species in the
granitic Seychelles. It is not endangered and is perhaps the most
widespread and abundant of the endemic bird species. It is an attractive
small passerine. As it is believed that it may have been present in the
past on the island we are planning to reintroduce it to Bird Island.
This is for both for its
ecotourism value and for its value as a pollinator, thus increasing
ecosystem diversity and complexity. Nature Seychelles have studied the
habitat and is convinced that the bird will thrive on the island.
Bird Island is suitable for the Sunbirds because there
are considerable areas of papaya and Pisonia grandis, as well as many
introduced ornamental flowering trees such as Cordia Sebestena which
flowers profusely all year and is very prolific across the island.
The plan is to take about 40 birds from Mahé and
release them on the island. The Mahé population is very large and the
capture of this quantity of birds will only affect the population by a
fraction of 1% therefore having no effect on the existing population.
It is planned to make the translocation outside of
their peak breeding season at a period when we have relatively rainfall
which will minimise the stress to the birds. This will be
in January - February 2006.
Sooty Terns
As yet the are not so many as there were this time
last year, but as these birds are very much influenced by both weather
and ocean currents we are not surprised as the SE winds and currents
haven't set in yet therefore the small fish that are brought to the
island waters by the SE Equatorial Current are too far away from the
island for them to be able to nest yet. Once the wind and currents
settle then the birds will - hopefully!!
Turtles
On the island our
Turtle season runs from July to June and now coming towards the end of
our 10th season of turtle monitoring.
The
first Green Turtle of the
season laid on 17th August 2004 and the first Hawksbill
laid on 26th September 2004.
Turtle Statistics since July 2004
New turtles tagged this
season so far: 18
Green
Turtles: Total number of emergences:
59
Total
number of nests: 41
Hawksbill Turtles:
Total number of emergences:
272
Total number of nests:
184
28 May 2005:
223 nests in total
Total Number of emergences (including
those which did not result in a nest): 331
Estimated Turtle hatching dates: (Based
on an average 58 days incubation) -
hatching can vary depending the temperature and
rainfall. The nests which still have to hatch are now ones laid by
Green Turtles as the last Hawksbill laid on 14 February.
June: 01, 06, 19
Hatching
Success:
28 May 2005
Total Nests hatched:
185
Nests seen Hatching:
147
Hatchlings Live:
16130 (Average
live per nest = 109.72)
Nests which hatched
earlier than expected
(hatchlings not seen):
38
Nests completely eaten by crabs: 5
Nests Relocated:
50 (in
danger of being eroded away by the sea.)
Nests lost as a result of
erosion: 21
 Back
to Turtle Project
Birds
Fairy Terns:
We have now got in place two different programmes for monitoring Fairy Terns.
1 At the beginning of
each month we make a count of ALL Fairy Terns either incubating eggs,
with chicks or chicks alone in the selected area.
Count of Fairy Terns 30
April: Fairy Terns incubating eggs: 79
Fairy Terns with Chicks: 19
Chicks alone: 41
It is interesting to note
however, that not all eggs counted last time are still there as they
been lost either by Mynah bird predation or due to the fact that they
were laid in a very precarious place! The overall number of eggs is
higher. Also more chicks have grown sufficiently to be left 'home alone'
2 The second programme is
being undertaken by Elza with Gareen helping her, and Lizanne. They have
selected 25 Nesting sites each and are monitoring them on a weekly basis
using a method set down by the Seychelles Seabirds Group. This has now
been finished as all nest are now empty and the figures sent to the
Seabird group so that the percentage success can be calculated.
Common Noddy Terns:
We are carrying out identical monitoring programmes for the Ground
Nesting Common Noddies. The same girls are involved.
 1. A monthly count of all Common Noddies
nesting on the ground in the selected area.
2. Elza with Gareen helping and Lizanne. They have selected 50 nesting
sites each and are monitoring them on a weekly basis.
Count of Noddy Terns 30 April:
Noddy Terns incubating eggs: 22
Noddy Terns with chicks: 12
Chicks alone:
186
Adults on nest no egg: 0
Lesser Noddy Terns:
The Lesser Noddy breeding season has
begun and we have put in place a programme of nest monitoring the same
as the Fairy and Noddy Terns, the only difference being the sample of
nests is 150, with half for Robbie and the other half for Elsa and
Gareen. It is more complicated to monitor these birds as they nest in
the trees so we have attached a mirror to a long stick so that we can
peer into the nest with it! This is on going still.
Tropic Birds:
The current number of established nesting sites is 66. These nesting sites are scattered all over the island, with the main
concentration around the chalets. To date we have ringed 72 adults and
41 chicks. Currently 3 birds are incubating eggs and there are
6
chicks.
Last year we decided that we would make a path in the
vegetation on the east side of the runway. This decision was made
because there are many Casuarina trees, the buttress roots of which
offer ideal nesting sites for the Tropic Bird, but because there is a
lot of Scaevola which prevented access these potential sites where not
available. We have now cleared a meandering path through the vegetation
which in actual fact is a lovely walk in the shade. Very useful when the
tide is very high along the east coast. Already we have had two nests
established.
Back
to Tropic Bird project
Migrants/Vagrants:
Nothing very interesting around at all. Normally at this time of year we
can expect to see migrants/vagrants stopping over on their way north,
but so far nothing, the wind is still blowing more from the north. Well
I suppose we can't expect to have a rarity every month!
Migrant Count - Since last News Update:
Grey Heron in flight at Passe Cocos
In addition to
this Robbie's weekly count with the maximum number of birds seen on any
day since the last update on 1st May is below:
138 Frigatebirds, 13 Grey Plovers, 6 Lesser Sandplovers, 13 Greater
Sandplovers,
3 Crab Plovers, 19 Whimbrels, 62 Turnstones, 2 Sanderlings, 7 Curlew Sandpipers,
1 Ringed Plover,
3
Greenshanks, 22 Crested Terns, 58 Bridled Terns, 0 Saunders Little
Terns, 5 Moorhens, 1 Common Sandpiper,
2
Oriental Pratincole, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Red-billed Tropicbird, 2 1 Red-footed Booby, 1 Grey Heron
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