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New Caledonia, 30th September - 3rd October 1998,
CONTENTSPART II: ITINERARY
PART III: RESERVES AND SITES
- Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue
- Lifou
PART IV: DAILY LOG
PART V : SYSTEMATIC LIST
- Systematic list of birds
PART I: GENERAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
This report is based on a trip undertaken by my Belgian friend Vital van Gorp
and myself from 30th September to 3rd October 1998. We decided to visit New
Caledonia as a spin‑off from a trip to Papua New Guinea due to its close
proximity.
Australia is nowadays a regular destination for world birders, however the relatively close island of New Caledonia does not tend to feature high on the list for places to go for probably as a result of the high cost. However this interesting South Pacific Island is easily accessible from Sydney (daily flights) and makes an ideal extension to a birding trip to Australia or even Papua New Guinea, as in our case.
New Caledonia is an overseas department of France and has a modern infrastructure. New Caledonia comprises the large island of New Caledonia itself (Grand Terre) and a chain of much smaller islands, the Loyalty Islands, to the north‑east, as well as a number of other small islands and islets.
The island of New Caledonia lies approximately 1,600km east of central Queensland, Australia, and, like many other oceanic islands, it has an endemic fauna.
This archipelago supports 19 known surviving endemics, all of which are fairly easy to see within 70 km of the modern capital Nouméa. These endemics include the island's major avian attraction, the unique Kagu, which is most likely to be seen with assistance from Yves Letocart of the New Caledonian forestry department.
Our trip concentrated on the endemic bird life of the mainland, because we lost a day in Sydney because our plane to New Caledonia was delayed for more than 24 hours.
FLIGHT AND VISA
There are a number of alternative carriers to New Caledonia, but none of them
are cheap. Vital and I travelled to Nouméa via Sydney (Qantas). Our return-ticket
(KLM) for the air journey to Sydney cost us about $1,200 (¦2,200).
Our Pacific Airpass (Qantas) cost $900 (¦1,700) and included a return flight from Sydney to Nouméa (New Caledonia) and a return flight from Sydney to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).
MONEY
The New Caledonian currency is the French Pacific Franc (CFP). In October 1998
the exchange rate was CFP53 : ¦1. All major credit cards are accepted.
ACCOMMODATION
Most hotels are very expensive, however there is a wide range of other accommodation
to choose from, including small country hotels (relais) and thatched beach bungalow
resorts (gites).
Hotel de Paris, Nouméa double room CFP 6,500
Gite St. Gabriel, Yaté bungalow resort CFP 4,500
FOOD AND DRINK
Reasonable meals (expensive!) were available at the hotel and gite where we
stayed. Drinks can be found anywhere.
MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS
Immunisation against polio, typhoid, yellow fever and hepatitis is recommended.
LANGUAGE
French is the official language but English is widely understood and spoken,
especially in Nouméa.
WEATHER
Weather in October was pleasant, dry and sunny, although the peak time to visit
New Caledonia is during November and December, because most birds are breeding
at that time of year and therefore easier to locate.
September 1998 was unusually wet in New Caledonia, so
we were lucky because a lot of birds were already breeding and easy to locate.
TRANSPORT AND ROADS
A vehicle is almost essential on the main island, Grand Terre, especially if
time is short. Rental cars are easily obtainable both at the International Airport
and in Nouméa itself. We rented a saloon car at the Avis office at the airport
(¦480 for 4 days).
Most roads are passable in 2WD during the dry season (May-November) but even a 4WD may not be good enough to get to the best sites in the wet season (December-April).
EQUIPMENT
A small tape recorder is quite useful for drawing in birds. A telescope is useful
at coastal sites and lakes and very useful for viewing canopy species especially
from roadsides.
NOMENCLATURE & TAXONOMY
In New Caledonia there is much confusion regarding the English names for birds,
and often each author, having their own preferences which results in the same
species having up to 2 or 3 different names.
I have decided to follow the English names of James F. Clements (July 1991, Birds of the World, A Check List).
Species in brackets are the English names in "Oiseaux de Nouvelle Caledonie et des Loyautes (Volume I & II) by F. Hannecart and Y. Letocart, but only mentioned when these differ significantly from the Clements Check List.
MAPS AND SKETCH MAPS
Although I have tried to make all the maps as accurate as possible, please allow
for the vagaries of memory. The sketch maps are NOT to scale!
COMMON BIRDSPECIES
The following list of birds we saw frequently and if you spend any sort of time
in the right habitats you will too:
Silver Gull, Spotted Dove, Glossy Swiftlet, Sacred Kingfisher, Dark‑brown Honeyeater, New Caledonian Friarbird, Barred Honeyeater, White‑breasted Woodswallow, Common Myna.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks are due to my friends Mark van Beirs and Eric Wille for their
great help and valuable advise in planning this trip.
USEFUL ADDRESSES
Province Sud
Direction des Ressources Naturelles
Service des Réserves Terrestres
B.P. 3718
98846 Nouméa
New Caledonia
Tel: (687) 27 89 51
Tel: Rivière Bleue (687) 88 88 85
Yves Letocart
44 Rue de Colibri
Lotissement Cayrol
Mont‑Dore
New Caledonia
REFERENCES
BOOKS
A lack of a decent field guide for New Caledonia is among the greatest frustrations
facing birders in New Caledonia, although the forthcoming guide "Field
Guide to the Birds
of the Solomons, Vanuatu & New Caledonia" by Doughty,
Day & Plant will hopefully rectify this situation next year. (Now available.
Ed.)
Fortunately there are no real ID problems, which is just as well, as the only
in-print photographic guide available, that by Hannecart & Letocart, is
a long way from the high standards of more recent guides covering other parts
of the world.
- F. Hannecart, Y. Letocart. Oiseaux
de Nouvelle Caledonie et des Loyautes, Volumes I and II.
- James F. Clements.
Birds of the World. A Check List.
- Nigel Wheatley. Where
to watch birds in Australasia & Oceania. Useful at the planning
stage.
REPORTS
- Hugh Buck. Report on a visit to New Caledonia 19/11/89 - 24/11/89
- Mike Entwistle. Birding New Caledonia around Nouméa 23 - 28 January
1989.
- Tom Tarrant. New Caledonia 12 November to 19 December 1989.
SOFTWARE
BirdBase and BirdArea. Since 1996 I use this software to keep track of the birds
I have seen and to make lists of any country, labelling endemics and birds previously
seen in that country, outside it, or both.
BirdArea can produce checklists of the birds of any country
of Clements' world birds.
PART II: ITINERARY
September 27/28 Amsterdam - Sydney
September 29 Sydney
September 30 Sydney - Nouméa
October 1 Nouméa - Parc Provincial de la Rivière
Bleue - Yaté - Gite St. Gabriel
October 2 Gite St. Gabriel - Parc Provincial
de la Rivière Bleue - Gite St. Gabriel
October 3 Gite St. Gabriel - Mont Koghis - Nouméa
- Sydney
PART III: RESERVES AND SITES
For a detailed report of species and numbers please refer to the systematic list at the end of this report.
PARC PROVINCIAL DE LA RIVIERE BLEUE
Accommodation: The best place is Gite St. Gabriel c15 km south of Yaté. A
hotel in Nouméa is also possible;
the cheapest is Hotel de Paris. There are many alternative hotels in Nouméa although none of them are particularly cheap.
This reserve (9000 ha) is situated 35 km east of Nouméa en route to Yaté. From the main road it is 2.5 km to the Headquarters.
The reserve is closed on Monday. You don't need to obtain a permit in advance from the Service des Forêts.
This attractive reserve preserves the finest remaining forests in New Caledonia and is home to the island's major avian attraction, the unique Kagu, the island's national bird. Success rates can be greatly improved by contacting Yves Letocart, who has been doing research on the Kagu for many years. Yves is able to locate Kagu in the wild using telemetry equipment.
The best birding spots are along La Rivière Bleue particularly between "Le Pont Perignon" and "Grand Kaori" (see map of the reserve). This area includes the Giant Kaori Picnic Area.
The entrance fee of the reserve is 100 CFP per person and 500 CFP for the car.
Birds seen during our visit:
Little Pied Cormorant, White‑faced Heron, Whistling
Kite, Swamp Harrier, White‑bellied (Blue) Goshawk, Kagu,
Cloven‑feathered Dove, New Caledonian Imperial‑Pigeon, Red‑fronted
& Horned Parakeet, Rainbow Lorikeet, Shining Bronze‑Cuckoo, Glossy
& White‑rumped Swiftlet, Sacred Kingfisher, Fan‑tailed Gerygone,
Dark‑brown Honeyeater, New Caledonian Myzomela, New Caledonian Friarbird,
Crow Honeyeater, Barred Honeyeater, Yellow‑bellied Robin, New Caledonian
& Rufous Whistler, Grey & Streaked Fantail, Southern Shrikebill, New
Caledonian Flycatcher, New Caledonian Crow, White‑breasted Woodswallow,
Melanesian Cuckoo‑shrike, New Caledonian Cuckoo‑shrike, Long‑tailed
Triller, Striated Starling, Welcome Swallow, Green‑backed White‑eye,
Red‑throated Parrotfinch.
MONT KOGHIS
Accommodation: Hotel de Paris in Nouméa. There are many alternative hotels
in Nouméa although none of them are particularly cheap. It is possible to stay
in the park overnight in basic bungalows.
Several endemics birds are easier to see on Mont Koghis, a forest‑clad hill 18 km north of Nouméa, than in Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, including White‑bellied (Blue) Goshawk, Cloven‑feathered Dove and New Caledonian Grassbird.
The mountain forest is easily accessible by a series of walking tracks and the Auberge de Mont Koghis does serve magnificent food (expensive!) with a wonderful view down the coast below.
Bird around the Auberge du Mont Koghis at dawn and then walk the Point de Vue Trail above the cafe which passes through forest and, after a few kilometres, an area of ferns and long grass where the localised New Caledonian Grassbird occurs.
Birds seen during our visit:
Cloven‑feathered Dove, New Caledonian Imperial‑Pigeon, Glossy Swiftlet, Sacred Kingfisher, Fan‑tailed Gerygone, Dark‑brown Honeyeater, New Caledonian Myzomela, New Caledonian Friarbird, Barred Honeyeater, Yellow‑bellied Robin, New Caledonian & Rufous Whistler, Grey & Streaked Fantail, White‑breasted Woodswallow, Melanesian Cuckoo‑shrike, Striated Starling, Welcome Swallow, Green‑backed White‑eye, New Caledonian Grassbird.
LIFOU
Normally we would have visited this small forested island in the Loyalty group,
but we had lost a day in Australia and did not have time to visit this island.
Lifou is accessible by air and sea from Nouméa. By flying to Lifou and back it is possible to 'clean‑up Lifou' on a day‑trip from Nouméa.
This island supports two endemic white‑eyes, Large Lifou White‑eye and Small Lifou White‑eye, which are easy to see and Red‑bellied Fruit‑Dove and Cardinal Myzomela.
Several other interesting birds and races of 'mainland'
species such as Sacred Kingfisher, New Caledonian Flycatcher, Long‑tailed
Triller, Striated Starling and Silver‑eye are found here.
PART IV: DAILY LOG
September 27 - 30
Our trip started with a long KLM flight from Amsterdam via Singapore to Sydney.
The flight touched down at Sydney at 16.15 p.m. local time.
Following the punctual arrival of KLM at Sydney, a minibus transferred us to the Formule 1 Hotel near the airport, where we got an air‑conditioned room.
Next day we visited the Botanic Gardens and were able to photograph a very obliging Buff‑banded Rail.
Hereafter we headed to the airport only to find the Aircalin flight (Qantas) seriously delayed. Eventually our flight was cancelled for that day and our plane would have a 24 hours delay! We ended up taking a taxi to the very luxurious Novotel Hotel.
The following day we left Sydney at 14.30 p.m. and arrived two and a half hours later at the international Tontouta airport, which was 45 km north‑west of Nouméa. We collected the car from Avis and then headed to the cosmopolitan capital of New Caledonia. We checked into Hotel de Paris in the centre of the town.
October 1
Early next morning found us en route to the well‑known reserve La Rivière
Bleue. En route to the reserve we had our first ticks, the very common Dark‑brown
Honeyeater and New Caledonian Friarbird.
At the entrance of the reserve we asked for Yves Letocart and a very friendly warden headed with us to Yves' house, 25 km from the entrance on a very bad road. We barely made it with our saloon car and in the wet season you definitely need a 4WD here.
Yves was very hospitable and agreed to accompany us a few hours. The one bird uppermost in our minds at La Rivière Bleue was the almost mythical Kagu and getting to the site for this species required some effort. We had to walk over very steep terrain covered with rainforest and it took more than one hour before we found a pair of Kagus with a chick. The male was fitted with a radio transmitter and it was possible to approach the birds very closely.
While climbing, stumbling, swearing and sweating we also saw some other birds in the rainforest amongst them the huge New Caledonian Imperial‑Pigeon, Crow Honeyeater, Yellow‑bellied Robin, Southern Shrikebill, New Caledonian Flycatcher and Striated Starling, all lifers of course.
Hereafter we headed with Yves to the Giant Kaori area and at mid-afternoon hard work had produced White‑bellied (Blue) Goshawk, Cloven‑feathered Dove, Red‑fronted & Horned Parakeet, Glossy & White‑rumped Swiftlet, New Caledonian Whistler, Grey & Streaked Fantail, New Caledonian Crow and New Caledonian Cuckoo‑Shrike. Hereafter we said goodbye to Yves, a very nice guy!
In the late afternoon we headed to Yaté, a very small village at the coast, did some shopping and added Green‑backed White‑eye to our list.
15 kms south from Yaté we checked in at Gite St. Gabriel and made a stroll along the beach. Amongst the birds we saw were White‑faced Heron, Rufous Night‑Heron, Osprey and just 200 metres offshore were what we estimated to be from 10,000 to 15,000 Sooty Shearwaters and a few Black‑naped and Great Crested‑Terns.
The long bug‑infested night in the bungalow ranks as one of my worst experiences ever.
October 2
We started early on our second birding day and headed to La Rivière Bleue. At
the parking lot near the entrance while waiting for the warden to open the gate
we had a fine view of a Melanesian Cuckoo‑Shrike on the nest. The open
areas before we reached the causeway across Lac de Yaté yielded amongst others
a group of five Red‑throated Parrotfinches.
We spent all morning in the Giant Kaori area and saw almost every bird that we had not seen the previous day amongst them Barred Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler and Long‑tailed Triller.
After an afternoon break, we explored the waterfall area near "Randonnee Haute Rivière Bleue" and added New Caledonian Myzomela and Fan‑tailed Gerygone to our lifelist.
The last hour of the day we again spent along the coast at Gite St. Gabriel and noted Pacific Reef‑Egret, Whistling Kite, Whimbrel, Pacific Golden‑Plover, Silver Gull, Sacred Kingfisher, New Caledonian Crow and Silver‑eye.
The shrimps at Gite St. Gabriel's restaurant were superb.
October 3
Breakfast at 5.30 and at first light we headed to Mont Koghis. Travelling along
the large Lac de Yaté we noted Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier, Sacred Kingfisher,
the ubiquitous Dark‑brown Honeyeater and White‑breasted Woodswallow.
En route to Mont Koghis we saw our only Metallic Pigeon of the trip.
We found Mont Koghis with some difficulty and spent a great part of the day on the sometimes steep walking tracks.
There was no shortage of good birds, amongst them Cloven‑feathered Dove, New Caledonian Imperial‑Pigeon, very obliging Fan‑tailed Gerygones, New Caledonian Myzomela, Barred Honeyeater, New Caledonian & Rufous Whistler, Grey & Streaked Fantail, Melanesian Cuckoo‑Shrike and Striated Starling.
At the New Caledonian Grassbird spot we heard the bird twice, but did not see the mega-skulker.
Then storm clouds gathered overhead and consistent heavy rain sabotaged further birding. Giving up on the Grassbird and rather frustrated we left the mountain and headed to the airport. At 18.00 hours we left New Caledonia and flew to Australia for the next stage of our trip: Papua New Guinea.
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It was a fairly successful trip. We had wonderful views of almost all possible endemics and near‑endemics. We also had good looks at some quite difficult‑to‑find species including Kagu and Crow Honeyeater.
I finished this short trip with 26 lifers. The final total for the four days trip was 55 species of birds.
My three best birds of the trip? Kagu, Crow Honeyeater and Red‑throated Parrotfinch, lifers all of course.
Chaam, 30 November 1998,
If you need any help or further information, contact me at the following address and I'll try and help if I can!
Jan Vermeulen
Bredaseweg 14
4861 AH Chaam
The Netherlands
Telephone: (031) - 161 - 491327
E-mail: jem.vermeulen@wxs.nl
PART V: SYSTEMATIC LIST OF BIRDS
The nomenclature follows the taxonomy, names and sequence of James F. Clements
(July 1991, Birds
of the World. A Check List. and Supplements No. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5,
April 1998).
This specific treatment follows Dr. Charles Sibley and Dr. Burt L. Monroe, Jr (1990, Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World, Yale University Press).
Species in brackets are the English names in "Oiseaux de Nouvelle Caledonie et des Loyautes (Volume I & II) by F. Hannecart and Y. Letocart, but only mentioned when these differ significantly from the Clements Check List.
The Dutch names follow the "Complete Checklist, Vogels van de Wereld" of Michael Walters. Numbers quoted are estimates of the minimum numbers seen.
* Endemic to New Caledonia
1. SOOTY SHEARWATER, Puffinus griseus,
Grauwe Pijlstormvogel
Incredible numbers of migrating birds along the coast at Gite
St. Gabriël.
2. LITTLE PIED CORMORANT, Phalacrocorax
melanoleucos, Kleine Bonte Aalscholver
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
3. PACIFIC BLACK DUCK, Anas superciliosa,
Wenkbrauweend
3 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
4. WHITE‑FACED HERON, Egretta
novaehollandiae, Witwangreiger
4 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 1 at along the coast
at Gite St. Gabriël.
5. PACIFIC REEF‑EGRET (REEF HERON),
Egretta sacra, Oostelijke Rifreiger
2 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
6. RUFOUS (NANKEEN) NIGHT‑HERON,
Nycticorax caledonicus, Rosse Kwak
3 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
7. OSPREY, Pandion haliaetus, Visarend
3 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
8. WHISTLING KITE, Haliastur sphenurus,
Wigstaartwouw
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 1 along the coast
at Gite St. Gabriël and 1 near Mont-Dore.
9. SWAMP HARRIER, Circus approximans,
Moeraskiekendief
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
10. * WHITE‑BELLIED (BLUE) GOSHAWK,
Accipiter haplochrous, Nieuw‑Caledonische Havik
A single observation at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
11. * KAGU, Rhynochetos jubatus,
Kagoe
A couple with a chick at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
12. WHIMBREL, Numenius phaeopus,
Regenwulp
2 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
13. PACIFIC GOLDEN‑PLOVER, Pluvialis
fulva, Kleine Goudplevier
4 along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
14. SILVER GULL, Larus novaehollandiae,
Witkopmeeuw
Common and widespread along the coast.
15. GREAT CRESTED‑TERN, Sterna
bergii, Grote Kuifstern
A few along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
16. BLACK-NAPED‑TERN, Sterna
sumatrana, Zwartnekstern
A few along the coast at Gite St. Gabriël.
17. ROCK DOVE, Columba livia, Stadsduif
Small numbers at Nouméa.
18. METALLIC (WHITE-THROATED) PIGEON,
Columba vitiensis, Witkeelduif
A single bird en route near Mont-Dore.
19. SPOTTED DOVE, Streptopelia chinensis,
Parelhalstortel
A common and widespread species.
20. * CLOVEN‑FEATHERED DOVE (GREEN
PIGEON), Drepanoptila holosericea, Zijden Jufferduif
Often heard, but seen 2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue
and 1 at Mont Koghis.
21. * NEW CALEDONIAN IMPERIAL‑PIGEON
(NOTU PIGEON), Ducula goliath, Reuzenmuskaatduif
3 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 2 at Mont Koghis.
22. RED‑FRONTED (RED-CROWNED) PARAKEET,
Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae, Roodvoorhoofdkarakiri
A single observation at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
23. * HORNED (CRESTED) PARAKEET, Eunymphicus
cornutus, Hoornparkiet
A single observation at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
24. RAINBOW LORIKEET, Trichoglossus haematodus,
Regenbooglori
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and at
Gite St. Gabriël.
25. SHINING BRONZE‑CUCKOO, Chrysococcyx
lucidus, Gouden Bronskoekoek
A single bird at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
26. GLOSSY SWIFTLET, Collocalia esculenta,
Witbuikdwergsalangaan
A common and widespread species.
27. WHITE‑RUMPED (GREY) SWIFTLET,
Collocalia spodiopygius, Witstuitsalangaan
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
28. SACRED KINGFISHER, Todirhamphus sanctus,
Heilige IJsvogel
A fairly common and widespread species.
29. FAN‑TAILED GERYGONE (YELLOW-SIDED
WARBLER), Gerygone flavolateralis, Vanuatumangrovezanger
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 3 at at Mont Koghis.
30. DARK‑BROWN (GREY-EARED) HONEYEATER,
Lichmera incana, Vanuatuhoningeter
Abundant.
31. * NEW CALEDONIAN MYZOMELA, Myzomela
caledonica, Nieuw‑Caledonische Dwerghoningeter
7 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 3 at at Mont Koghis.
32. * NEW CALEDONIAN FRIARBIRD, Philemon
diemenensis, Nieuw‑Caledonische Lederkop
Common at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, a few at at Mont
Koghis.
33. * CROW HONEYEATER, Gymnomyza aubryana,
Nieuw‑Caledonische Honingeter
5 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
34. * BARRED (NEW CALEDONIAN) HONEYEATER,
Phylidonyris undulata, Gebandeerde Honingeter
Fairly common at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and Mont
Koghis.
35. * YELLOW‑BELLIED (YELLOW) ROBIN,
Eopsaltria flaviventris, Geelbuikvliegenvanger
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and at
Mont Koghis.
36. * NEW CALEDONIAN WHISTLER, Pachycephala
caledonica, Nieuw‑Caledonische Fluiter
4 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 2 at at Mont Koghis.
37. RUFOUS WHISTLER, Pachycephala rufiventris,
Grijsrugfluiter
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 3 at at Mont Koghis.
38. GREY FANTAIL, Rhipidura fuliginosa,
Grijze Waaierstaart
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and at
Mont Koghis.
39. STREAKED (SPOTTED) FANTAIL, Rhipidura
spilodera, Gevlekte Waaierstaart
A few at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and at Mont Koghis.
40. SOUTHERN SHRIKEBILL (BROWN FLYCATCHER),
Clytorhynchus pachycephaloides, Vanuatuklauwiermonarch
4 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
41. NEW CALEDONIAN (WIDE-BILLED) FLYCATCHER,
Myiagra caledonica, Vanuatumonarch
A single bird at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
42. * NEW CALEDONIAN CROW, Corvus moneduloides,
Wipsnavelkraai
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and 1 on the beach
at Gite St. Gabriël.
43. WHITE‑BREASTED WOODSWALLOW,
Artamus leucorhynchus, Witborstspitsvogel
A common and widespread species.
44. MELANESIAN CUCKOO‑SHRIKE (NEW CALEDONIAN
SHRIKE), Coracina caledonica, Melanesische Rupsvogel
4 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, 2 at at Mont Koghis.
45. * NEW CALEDONIAN CUCKOO‑SHRIKE
(MOUNTAIN GRAYBIRD), Coracina analis, Roodstuitrupsvogel
Often heard but only a single bird seen at Parc Provincial de
la Rivière Bleue.
46. LONG‑TAILED TRILLER, Lalage
leucopyga, Langstaarttriller
2 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
47. * STRIATED (NEW CALEDONIAN) STARLING,
Aplonis striata, Dikbekpurperspreeuw
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and at
Mont Koghis.
48. COMMON MYNA, Acridotheres tristis,
Treurmaina
Common near Nouméa.
49. WELCOME SWALLOW, Hirundo neoxena,
Welkomzwaluw
Small numbers en route Nouméa - Parc Provincial de la Rivière
Bleue.
50. SILVER‑EYE (GRAY-BACKED WHITE-EYE),
Zosterops lateralis, Grijsrugbrilvogel
2 at Yaté and also 2 at Gite St. Gabriël.
51. * GREEN‑BACKED WHITE‑EYE,
Zosterops xanthochrous, Groenrugbrilvogel
Small numbers at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and Mont
Koghis.
52. * NEW CALEDONIAN GRASSBIRD, Megalurulus
mariei, Nieuw‑Caledonische Zanger
Twice heard at Mont Koghis, but we did not see this mega‑skulker.
53. HOUSE SPARROW, Passer domesticus,
Huismus
A few in the Nouméa area.
54. COMMON WAXBILL, Estrilda astrild,
Sint‑Helenafazantje
10+ near Mont-Dore.
55. * RED‑THROATED PARROTFINCH,
Erythrura psittacea, Roodkoppapegaaiamadine
5 at Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue.
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