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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Mauritius, 18-27 June, 2005,

Greg Roberts

Largely a post-Madagascar holiday with Glenn Scherf, I managed to see all seven Mauritian endemics plus the three Mascarene endemics which occur on Mauritius, but not without some effort.  We stayed  three nights on the east coast at Pte d’Esny and a week on the west coast at Flic en Flac. As well as watching generally during drives around the coastline, the following localities were visited:

Bras d’Eau Forestry Station. Between Poste de Flaq and Roches Noires in the north-east We went here on 19/6 following a tip from Dutch birder Justin Jansen. A pair of Mascarene Paradise-Flycatchers were seen after 90mins on a sand trail going west from the forestry station headquarters, opposite the road from the walking trail through the pine forest.

Black River Gorges National Park.  21/6 – the Macchabee Forest Trail extending 4km to a lookout west of the Le Petrin park office, and briefly, Bassin Blanc, the crater in the forest 5km to the south.

23/6 – Bassin Blanc, and trails around the intersection of the road to Chamarel and the road linking Bassin Blanc to Le Petrin.
24/6 – the 10km trail linking the main (lower) Black River park office to Le Petrin, which includes the Macchabee Forest Trail walked earlier.
25/6 – the entrance road to the main park office.

BIRDS

Audabon’s/Mascarene Shearwater (several off Pte d’Esny),
White-tailed Tropicbird (common),   Common Noddy,
Whimbrel,  Green-backed Heron,  Black-crowned Night-Heron,  Spotted Turtle-Dove,  Federal Pigeon,   Zebra Dove,  Madagascar Turtle-Dove,
Helmeted Guineafowl,  Grey Francolin, 
*Pink Pigeon (several flying above Ile aux Aigrettes near Mahebourg seen from mainland; 1 on Macchabee trail),
Rose-ringed Parakeet (common and widespread),
*Mauritius Parakeet (2 on Macchabee trail 21/6, one there 24/6),
*Madagascar Kestrel (1 on entrance road to main park office, hard to find and  behaving more like an Aviceda than a falcon),
*Mascarene Swiftlet (common and widespread),
*Mascarene Paradise-Flycatchder (a pair at Bras d’Eau),
*Mauritius Cuckoo-Shrike (a pair on Macchabee trail),
*Mascarene (Mauritius Grey) White-eye (common and widespread),
*Mauritius Olive White-eye (poor views of 1 with flock of previous species, Bassin Blanc),
*Mauritius Bulbul (3 at Bassin Blanc; 1 on Macchabee trail),
Mascarene Martin (common),
*Mauritus Fody (1 between Bassin Blanc and Le Petrin),
Madagascar Fody,  Red-whiskered Bulbul,  House Sparrow,   Village Weaver,  Yellow-eyed Canary,  Common Waxbill,  Spice Finch,  House Crow.

32 species incl 10 lifers

MAMMALS

*Mauritian (Greater Mascarene) Flying-Fox (common),  Rusa Deer,  Crab-eating Macaque.


Greg Roberts scherf@powerup.com.au

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