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Mauritius (1 Viewer)

monkir

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Just returned from ten days in Mauritius. Report showing where to see all the endemics is attached with some tips you may find useful.
 

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trip report

Just returned from ten days in Mauritius. Report showing where to see all the endemics is attached with some tips you may find useful.
is it possible to put this trip report into a formate that will open? (I have tryed 3 different computers)Also you could post it in cloudbirders.
 
is it possible to put this trip report into a formate that will open? (I have tryed 3 different computers)Also you could post it in cloudbirders.
Goodness knows why it doesn't open. It works on both ours and is a word doc. Sorry about that.
 
MAURITIUS – Update, September 2014. John Kirby

This report gives an update on sites visited to see the endemic species of Mauritius. I did not flog around the coast picking up shore birds as “list-fillers”. 30 species were seen in total. The only bird missed was Mauritius Bulbul. We visited each site once only.
The exchange rate was 49.60 Rupees/Pound Sterling
Hotel
We stayed at Silver Beach Hotel, Trou D’Eau Douce. This is a small friendly hotel with excellent food. It is centrally located for all birding spots.
Around the hotel.
There are extensive allotments opposite the hotel which are good for all common species including Grey Francolin.
Left of the hotel beach is an outcrop of rocks that almost reach the reef. This is good for sea-watching. Best between 6 am and 7.30 am. Many Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Brown Noddys seen.
Bras d’Eau National Park.
In the north east at Post-Lafayette. The lagoon at Mare Sarcelle can be reached from here. The visitor centre was open but unmanned. No entry fee. I took a taxi from the hotel at a cost of 3000 rupees (£60) for as long as we required it.
The star bird here is Mauritius Paradise Flycatcher. There were many Mauritius white Eyes present.
I found the flycatcher by walking back to the main road from the visitor centre and taking a track signed “Mango Orchard”, to the left of the picnic tables. Walk along the track and cross a disused railway line. Keep left where the track forks. Approximately 200m further on the track bends at right angles to the right. Stay on this for about 400m to a small clearing with large trees at each corner. The Flycatchers were on the right (3 birds). There was also a colony of Fruit Bats in these trees.
Long trousers are advised at the site due to mosquitoes and the grasses there caused itching to my legs
 
Ile Aux Aigrettes.
Reception at the hotel rang the centre to book our visit and arranged a taxi (3000R - £60)
At Point Jerome there is a wooden reception Centre where we reported and paid 800rupees each. We took the 9.30 am boat across to the island with a guide (Sandhu). She was very knowledgeable, mostly about the flora but I explained I was interested in seeing the birds and she went out of her way to show me them. The walk was short (<1K) and we did not encounter any insects.
We saw 4 Pink Pigeons, 4 Mauritius Fodys and 3 Olive White Eyes. We also saw Giant Tortoise, Fruit Bats, Skinks and Lizards.
Vallee de Ferney
We did not ring in advance but got there about 9.30 am. Taxi from the hotel cost 2000R - £40.
The charge for an unguided visit is 490R and 720R with a guide (not necessary).There is a short briefing about the estate before everyone catches a bus to drive through the sugar cane fields to the start point near the Restaurant. Here we were left alone with a map to walk the 3.5k trail. This was an easy walk but disappointing for birds. No Bulbuls seen, despite assurances that they were present. A Mauritius Kestrel flew over and some White tailed Tropicbirds.You need to be back at the restaurant by 12 noon when the free flying Kestrels come in for food. The ranger blew a whistle and held up mice, for which 6 Kestrels appeared. No trouble with insects here.
 
Black River Gorges.
We took a taxi from the hotel for the day (8.30 – 5.30) 3200R - £64.
We went to the Petrin entrance and walked along the Macchabee Track. No entry charge. Biting flies were a big problem here, so long sleeves and trousers essential although they bit through clothes too! We tried Natural insect repellent with no effect but they were a little put off by DEET. They still buzzed around us but did not land to bite on the DEET sprayed areas.
After about 1km the track splits (signpost and map board). We went left towards the kiosk. A pair of Mauritius Cuckoo-shrikes played around the top of a tree over the track. A bit further on 2 Parakeets flew over and settled in a tree near the trail with a nest site. These were identified as Echo Parakeets – Female had a black bill. A young bird was in the nest hole.
We did not get as far as the kiosk due to the flies and returned to the centre
After lunch at the Marmite Restaurant, Chamarel (Expensive but good) we went to the Coloured Earth Site. The snack bar here sells very reasonable baguettes. Another birder I met claimed to have seen Madagascar Partridge here.
We then called at the extinct volcano crater at Trou de Cerf and had many Mascarene Swiftlets at head height.

Other points.
Mascarene Martin singles seen around the allotment and at Bras D’Eau. A duck flew over at Mare Sarcelle but could not be identified (? Mellers)
Only 2 Grey Francolin seen all trip.
Taxis at the hotel are run as a collective. You may arrange a trip with one man but another will turn up on the day. Don’t worry. We had three different drivers (Mann, Nazim and Reggie). All were very friendly and helpful. The standard of driving in Mauritius is very good and much slower than we are used to. Prices seem standardized and the hotel has a list on reception.
Sea watching was disappointing (?time of year). No Petrels seen.
 
Bird List
Wedge-tailed Shearwater Mauritius Paradise Flycatcher
White-tailed Tropicbird Mauritius Grey White Eye
Mauritius Kestrel Mauritius Olive White Eye
Grey Francolin House Crow
Common Moorhen Common Myna
Grey Plover House Sparrow
Whimbrel Village Weaver
Ruddy Turnstone Red Fody
Brown Noddy Mauritius Fody
Rock Dove Common Waxbill
Pink Pigeon Yellow-fronted Canary
Madagascar Turtle Dove
Spotted Dove
Zebra Dove
Mauritius Parakeet
Mascarene Swiftlet
Mascarene Martin
 
I just visited Machabee forest 2 days ago from Le Petrin. It was a windy day with some showers
i saw Mauritius Grey White-eye (common), Red-whiskered Bulbul and at least 4 White-tailed Tropicbirds flying over the gorge. I was getting down to the view-point when I met a couple of british (non birders) who were faced by two guys machete handed and robbed.
I'd prefered to come back...

Anyway, I would suggest to visit the area from Black River Gorges Visitors Centre where I got at the parking lot, Mauritius Parakeet, Mauritius Bulbul and furthermore, Mauritius Cuckoo-Shrike.
I had also a distant view of 2 Mauritius Kestrel flying over the cliffs.

The Ile des aigrettes is the most suitable site for Pink Pidgeon and Olive-backed whiteeye.
 
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