Newsletter September 2016

A Great Year for Sooty Terns!

This year has been one of the best for Bird Island's Sooty Tern Colony, with more birds nesting than in the past few years. By June, the main part of the colony was packed with birds nesting at high densities- up to six nests per square metre. More birds were still arriving in the month of July and occupying the open plains in the Northern part of the Island. Most years some parts of the northern plain remain unoccupied but in 2016 virtually all parts have had nesting birds. The birds have also occupied low vegetation along the crest of the western beach extending south as far as the front of the hotel, making for a spectacular sight!

This year, the birds started laying earlier than they have done for several years, with the first chick of the 2016 breeding season making its appearance on the 4th of July! Observations on Bird Island are showing that Sooty Terns this year are finding plenty of food within easy reach of their nesting sites allowing foraging birds to return to their nests reasonably quick and relieve their incubating partners. Ornithologist, Chris Feare, believes that this and the accompanying good weather have contributed to the large numbers of Sooty Terns this year.

For a more detailed article by Mr Feare on the status of the Sooty Tern Colony this year, written whilst on Bird Island carrying out his yearly research work, Click Here.

* * * Bird Island Receives Certificate of Recognition! * * *          

Bird Island Lodge is proud to receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Seychelles Sea Turtle Festival Committee, for its efforts and hard work in sea turtle conservation and protection. This coincided with the Seychelles Sea Turtle Festival which took place on the 5^th and 6^th August 2016.

“We wanted to recognise those that have worked tirelessly over the years to protect the sea turtles of Seychelles” stated Ms Walton, member of the committee.

 The Bird Island Management would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed to its conservation projects, in promoting the lodge's eco-values and in protecting the natural heritage of the Seychelles for generations to come.

The Good Life Under Clear Blue Skies

By Eleanor Coggin, The Sunday Independent, Ireland.

"Bird Island is truly amazing…There are millions of birds, and to sit on my verandah, surrounded by orange cordia and white frangipani trees, watching white-tailed tropics, lesser noddies and the little red Mad-agascar fodies was such a treat. They wander in your door and sit on the furniture. One insisted on sitting on my packet of fags and wouldn’t get up. A health-conscious avian.

…We had our own Dr Dolittle tortoise stroll past our verandah too. Esmer-alda, who is reported to be the oldest tortoise in the world, lives here. He is very heavy and breaks the scales, is very old, and likes the shade. I felt a real affinity with him (despite the name, he’s a boy). My soul-mate. Not too fond of the intense heat, struggles with the weight, and getting old. Lots of similarities."

Read more of this fun filled story here.

* * New Addition * *

Bird Island Lodge introduces ‘A Colour-In Guide To The Seychelles’, a new addition to the range of Made In Seychelles products available to guests of the lodge.

A Colour-in Guide to the Seychelles is a colouring book for children which also showcases some of the flora and fauna of the Seychelles whilst providing interesting facts on each drawing.

This entertaining and informative book, bridges the gap between fun and learning and is great as an explorative guide for youngsters and adults alike.

This is a product of Eleanor Rydin available at the Bird Island boutique.