LATE AVAILABILITY FOR ONE PERSON - Sao Tome and Principe 6 to 15 Sept 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Hunter]

One spot available for our privately organised trip to Sao Tome and Principe (international arrivals 6 Sept; international departures 15 Sept or evening of 14 Sept)

Two exceptional leaders: Callan Cohen (Birding Africa) and Martim Mello (local expert who has studied the birds of ST & P and produced a number of articles and scientific papers e.g. A giant hidden in the rainforest - British Ornithologists' Union).

Includes camping for one night on Sao Tome to maximise chances of seeing alpine specialities. And a unique opportunity to go on a pelagic to look for Sao Tome (Band-rumped) Storm-petrel.

28 endemics in all. Cost: $3,835 sharing (which compares well to most bird tour companies)

Best flight option likely to be TAP Air from Manchester or London (most of us booked with TAP), though there plenty of other options.

This will be one great trip so do please let me know if you're interested via DM.

Mike

 

[Mike Hunter]

Quick update.

Most birders would probably target the following:

- 28 IoC recognised endemics across the two islands

[SAO TOME - Olive Pigeon; Green-pigeon; Ibis; Scops-owl; Fiscal; Oriole; Paradise-flycatcher; Prinia; White-eye; Speirops; Thrush, Newton's & Giant Sunbirds; Giant & Sao Tome Weavers; Shorttail; Grosbeak
PRINCIPE - Scops-owl; White-eye; Speirops; Dohrn's Warbler; Thrush; Sunbird; Golden Weaver.
BOTH - Island Bronze-naped Pigeon; Sao Tome Spinetail; Principe Seedeater]

• 2 Birdlife recognised endemics (both Malachite Kingfishers)
• Barn Owl which shows genetic divergence
• Band-rumped Storm-petrel (which likely either a cryptic species or part of Cape Verde Storm-petrel - blood samples taken quite recently)
• Velvet-mantled Drongo as this was previously an endemic (lumped recently) and who knows lumps do get reversed!
• Golden-backed Bishop - this is an Angola endemic introduced here

As a group we saw 32 of the 34 birds above, missing out on Sao Tome Grosbeak (which we heard), and Principe Thrush (on which we were extremely unfortunate).

Most birds are easy, exceptions listed below:

- Olive Pigeon - tricky, but with time should see
- Sao Tome Fiscal - tricky. Low density, but should see
- Sao Tome Shorttail - tough. Often they are completely silent when they are very tough. If territorial they are more responsive
- Sao Tome Grosbeak - very tough. Low density. May be best very early morning??
- Principe Scops-owl - tricky. But a lot less so now as more is known about the bird, in good accessible sites.
- Principe Thrush - tough. Some good areas are known. Time needed to work the forest slowly to find one feeding.

The birding was tougher than expected with plenty of rain, walking and muddy trails. Don't expect an easy trip, lots of early starts with camping! The highlight of the trip for me was seeing Band-rumped (Sao Tome??) Storm-petrel really well.

The literature over-simplifies the identification of Pricipe Seedeater - some in the mountains of Sao Tome were close in colouration to the grosbeak, with really pale bills. Plus seedeaters always responded to imitations of Grosbeak call. Such birds responding, in dull conditions, high up in the canopy (where they usually are), would be a real pitfall for the unwary amid all the understandable excitement.

Cheers

Mike

 

[delia todd]

Cor!!! What a great trip that was for you Mike, if I'd been 10 years younger, when I was able, I'd have loved a trip like that.

Did you get any pictures at all (or video)... the three species I've checked in The Opus (Sao Tome Olive Pigeon, Principe Seedeater and Velvet-mantled Drongo) and none of them have pictures in the Gallery. Perhaps not surprising, as we have no members there that I know of and very rarely visited by members.

Most of the birds you saw would be Gallery rarities too. Easiest if they're in the Gallery, but you could put them on this thread if you prefer.

 

[Mike Hunter]

Cor!!! What a great trip that was for you Mike, if I'd been 10 years younger, when I was able, I'd have loved a trip like that.

Did you get any pictures at all (or video)... the three species I've checked in The Opus (Sao Tome Olive Pigeon, Principe Seedeater and Velvet-mantled Drongo) and none of them have pictures in the Gallery. Perhaps not surprising, as we have no members there that I know of and very rarely visited by members.

Most of the birds you saw would be Gallery rarities too. Easiest if they're in the Gallery, but you could put them on this thread if you prefer.

Thanks. Sorry Delia I don't take photos. Others on the trip did and I'll ask them.

Best regards

Mike

 

[delia todd]

No that's OK Mike. We can't use the pictures unless they're taken by Birdforum members I'm afraid.

But never mind. At least we know the birds are still around, don't we.

 

[delia todd]

Thanks. Sorry Delia I don't take photos. Others on the trip did and I'll ask them.

Best regards

Mike

Mind, if they were interested in us using them, they could also join up to do so - it doesn't cost anything, as you know.