Mauritius in may (1 Viewer)

Off to Mauritius in mid may anyone have any info/experience of places there for bird watching/photography

I was there in January this year. Three main areas should provide a chance for all remaining endemics.

1. Black River Gorges NP accessed from Petrin. I followed the Macchabee and Colphanes Trails and had good luck with echo parakeet and Mauritius cuckooshrike. Also Mauritius bulbul, grey white-eye and a fly-by pink pigeon. The park rangers at the gate were next to no use at suggesting where to look for birds. No entrance fee. It was very wet while I was here - >10 cm rain per day.

2. Vallee de Ferney - a forest and bird restoration programme. Runs guided walks and kestrel feeding every day. I was lucky to jam into a kestrel sighting during the walk, the feeding is more guaranteed but a 'canned' experience. Also pink pigeons here, and cuckooshrike and paradise flycatcher possible. 800 rupees entrance fee. They have a Facebook page and responded to queries via Messenger.

3. Ile aux Aigrettes - small offshore island 'ark' run by Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (contacted via Whatsapp: +230 5258 8139). A variety of tours offered, but for 800 rupees a two hour visit should provide views of Olive white-eye and Mauritius fody, as well as reptiles such as Telfair's skink.

While Black River Gorges felt like birding, the other locations are intensively managed restoration programmes. And for photography, nearly all birds seen were ringed. But that is the nature of birding Mauritius. If it were not for conservation efforts, we would be left to watch Madagascar fody and Common myna.

For more on the conservation efforts to bring these species back from the brink, 'Last Chance to See' by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine is essential reading.