01 December
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
Special Discounts available
for return guests and also for first time visitors for reservations made via the
website.
Visit our
prices page or
contact us directly.
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)
BIRD ISLAND SCOOPS RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
AWARD
 Once
again Bird Island has proved its commitment towards Responsible Tourism
by being awarded for the second time a major international tourism
award. Bird Island is the only island hotel in Seychelles to be totally
owned, managed and staffed by Seychellois. In fact it is one of the few
hotels in Seychelles able to claim this. Bird Island was the only
organisation in Seychelles to be considered for an award.
The Award scheme - organised by online travel agent
responsibletravel.com, in association with World Travel Market, The
Times, and Geographical Magazine - recognises companies and
organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant
commitment to responsible tourism.
The Awards are different from other tourism Awards in that
the winners are nominated by tourists.
In 2005 the Awards have
captured the imagination of the public with over 700 nominations from
readers of The Times, responsibletravel.com and Geographical Magazine. A
shortlist of potential winners is then put forward to a panel of 12
expert judges who review detailed responsible tourism questionnaires
submitted by those short-listed, and take up references.
Commenting on the
awards Justin Francis, CEO responsibletravel.com said “What makes these
Awards different is that tourists have nominated tourism ventures that
they felt provided an outstanding holiday destination. Responsible
tourism provides more enjoyable and authentic holiday experiences that
maximise the benefits of tourism to destinations and local people,
whilst minimising any negative social or environmental impacts of
tourism.”
Dermot Blastland, Group
Board Director First Choice Holidays PLC sponsors of the award
commented: “Responsible tourism is fast becoming a challenge that no
part of our business sector can ignore. We have been particularly
impressed with the high calibre of the entries to the Responsible
Tourism Awards. Meeting the challenge of responsible tourism is not
always easy and these companies and individuals are an inspiring example
of what can be achieved.”
In 1994,
Bird Island also won a highly commended British Airways Tourism for
Tomorrow Award. The winning of these two awards demonstrates the
on-going commitment of Bird Island towards developing a tourism formula
which on the one hand is dedicated to conservation and on the other to
the benefit of the local community, workers and visitors alike.
Turtles
The Turtle season started
off relatively slowly but as November progressed they gradually
increased in number and we are now getting an average of 3 turtles
nesting everyday.
This year for the first
time ever we advertised via an eco-tourism website (www.responsibletravel.com)
for volunteers to help with the monitoring of the turtles. We offered a
discount on our normal rate and all of our volunteers have felt that the
help they have given has been worthwhile. This has been very successful,
and from mid October until the end of November we have had at least two
couples helping out. Next month's update will include a small write up
from some of those who have taken part.
Turtle Statistics
for the season
16 July 2005 to 15 July 2006
The
first Green Turtle of the
season laid on 20th July 2005.
The first Hawksbill laid on 27th September 2005
New turtles tagged :
2
Green
Turtles: Total number of emergences:
15
Total
number of nests: 8
Hawksbill Turtles:
Total number of emergences:
74
Total number of nests:
48
31 October2005: Nests in total:
56
Total Number of emergences (including
those which did not result in a nest):
89
Estimated hatching dates: (Based
on an average 58 days incubation)
Dec: 21, 22, 23, 26, 29,
Jan: 03, 05, 08, 09, 11, 14,
18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27,29
Hatching
Success as at 31 October 2005
Total Nests hatched:
12
Nests seen Hatching:
7
Hatchlings Live:
710
Nests which hatched
earlier than expected
(hatchlings not seen):
0
Nests completely eaten by crabs:
1
Nests Relocated:
3 (in
danger of being eroded away by the sea.)
Nests lost as a result of
erosion: 0
 Back
to Turtle Project
Birds
Tropic Birds:
The current number of established nesting sites is
79. These nesting sites are scattered all over the island, with the main
concentration around the chalets. To date we have ringed 119 adults and
65 chicks.
This project was begun in July 2002 and we are able
to see which pairs use which nesting sites and when, they do not tend to
move sites as a rule. As yet none of the chicks ringed since 2002 have
nested yet.
Back
to Tropic Bird project
Migrants/Vagrants:
Migrant Count - Since last News Update:
Eurasian Bittern
In addition to this Robbie's weekly count with the maximum number of
birds seen on any day since the last update on 31st October
is below:
November
180 Frigatebirds,
31 Grey Plovers, 11 Lesser Sandplovers, 12 Greater
Sandplovers,
9 Crab Plovers, 47 Whimbrels, 191 Turnstones, 10 Sanderlings, 36 Curlew Sandpipers,
1 Golden Plover, 4 Ringed Plover,
4
Greenshanks, 28 Crested Terns, 25 Bridled Terns, 301 Saunders Little
Terns, 2 Common Sandpiper,
1
Oriental Pratincole, 2 Common Pratincole, 2 Red-footed
Booby, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Eurasian Curlews, 9 Moorhens, 1 Brown Booby, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Swallows, 1 Redstart, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1
White Wagtail, 1 Corncrake, 1 Terek Sandpiper, 1 Short-toed Lark, 1 Stone
Curlew, 1 Red-throated Pipit, 2 Tree Pipit, 5 Amur Falcons, 1 Eurasian
Bittern, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
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