[Trystan]

I am looking to go to the Maldives next year, I have just pulled up the following species list from wikipedia:

Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
Garganey, Anas querquedula
Common Teal, Anas crecca
Ferruginous Duck, Aythya nyroca
Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula
Hoopoe, Upupa epops
Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis
European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea
White-throated Needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus
Common Swift, Apus apus
Pallid Swift, Apus pallidus
House Swift, Apus affinis
Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus
Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur
Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis
White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus
Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea
Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Common Coot, Fulica atra
Pintail Snipe, Gallinago stenura
Swinhoe's Snipe, Gallinago megala
Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago
Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata
Common Redshank, Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
Greenshank, Tringa nebularia
Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola
Terek Sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres
Sanderling, Calidris alba
Little Stint, Calidris minuta
Temminck's Stint, Calidris temminckii
Long-toed Stint, Calidris subminuta
Dunlin, Calidris alpina
Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
Ruff, Philomachus pugnax
Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva
Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola
Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula
Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius
Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultii
Caspian Plover, Charadrius asiaticus
Sociable Lapwing, Vanellus gregarius
Crab Plover, Dromas ardeola
Oriental Pratincole, Glareola maldivarum
White-eyed Gull, Larus leucophthalmus
Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans
Heuglin's Gull, Larus heuglini
Great Black-headed Gull, Larus ichthyaetus
Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus
Gull-billed Tern, Gelochelidon nilotica
Caspian Tern, Hydroprogne caspia
Lesser Crested Tern, Sterna bengalensis
Great Crested Tern, Sterna bergii
Roseate Tern, Sterna dougallii
Black-naped Tern, Sterna sumatrana
Common Tern, Sterna hirundo
Little Tern, Sternula albifrons
Saunders's Tern, Sternula saundersi
Bridled Tern, Onychoprion anaethetus
Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscata
White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
Brown Noddy, Anous stolidus
White Tern, Gygis alba
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
Oriental Honey-buzzard, Pernis ptilorhyncus
Marsh Harrier, Circus aeruginosus
Pallid Harrier, Circus macrourus
Montague's Harrier, Circus pygargus
Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo
Lesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni
Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
Amur Falcon, Falco amurensis
Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo
White-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra
Brown Booby, Sula leucogaster
Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor
Great White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
Eastern Great Egret, Ardea modesta
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii
Striated Heron, Butorides striatus
Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Yellow Bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Black Bittern, Dupetor flavicollis
Great Bittern, Botaurus stellaris
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Bulwer's Petrel, Bulweria bulwerii
Streaked Shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas
Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus
Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus carneipes
Audubon's Shearwater, Puffinus lherminieri
Wilson's Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus
White-faced Storm-petrel, Pelagodroma marina
Isabelline Shrike, Lanius isabellinus
Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus
House Crow, Corvus splendens
Sand Martin, Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
House Martin, Delichon urbica
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla flava
Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis
Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus
Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis


I have no idea of the accuracy or rarity of these species but I am hoping for some advice on the best island to visit to see the birds highlighted in bold as these would be lifers. The island would also need to have good accomodation, good food and good snorkelling as I will be taking my girlfriend with me!

Thanks for reading

[Richard Klim]

Originally Posted by Trystan

...I will be taking my girlfriend with me!

So probably no sleeping in rental cars this time, surviving on nuts and cereal bars...

[njlarsen]

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist...&list=clements is an alternative source. Don't overlook that the moorhen might be split in several parts sometime in the future if I recall correctly.

But sorry, I do not have island by island info

Niels

[StuartReeves]

I seem to remember a claim that the Maldives might be the worst birding destination in the world. I recall a story that a birder had been there for two weeks and seen the grand total of one bird; a Grey Heron.

[birdboybowley]

Yeah I think a majority of the species on that list are vagrant.....I seem to remember hearing the same as Stu. Go to the Seychelles or Mauritius instead!!

[Mr Happy]

i wouldnt go out of principle myself -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/mosl...e-rubbish.html

[birdboybowley]

No different to India....or here for that matter!

[AmyN]

Trys'

Avibase trip reports here.

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/links/lin...ection=reports

All I can offer is enjoy the snorkelling and choose holiday destinations more carefully!

A.

[Allen S. Moore]

Originally Posted by Mr Happy

i wouldnt go out of principle myself -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/mosl...e-rubbish.html

I would agree with Mr Happy.

No different to India....or here for that matter!

Birdboybowley, surely there's nowhere as gross as that in England?

[birdboybowley]

We just hide it better!

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by Richard Klim

So probably no sleeping in rental cars this time, surviving on nuts and cereal bars...

Absolutley not, this is a pay back holiday and actually chosen to prevent me going mad on bird watching.

If I stopped travelling to places on principle for various environmental outrages, I would not have many places to go including my own country and as well as collecting species ticks, I do collect country ticks too and the Maldives is somewhere I need to see before everyone else's combined environmental outrage puts it all underwater.

Thanks everyone for the input, I was aware it was a poor destination but from the list I put on, I'd hoped for a little more than the reports suggest is possible, oh well.

[jacana]

depends what time of year you're visiting, many (most) of these are winter visitors.

[ed keeble]

link to a report here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....es#post1755171

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by jacana

depends what time of year you're visiting, many (most) of these are winter visitors.

April I think.. too late to be classed as winter?

Originally Posted by ed keeble

link to a report here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....es#post1755171

I would settle for the list you linked in that thread but I fear my list may end up being more like yours... still that would be 2 lifers.