We are currently staying in a bungalow that is part of a small guest house complex on the French island of Mayotte. This 324 square kilometre island is part of the Comores, a group of four volcanic islands that lie between northern Madagascar and north-eastern Mozambique on the African east coast. We have come here … More Are there spies in the myna camp?
With an area of just under 20 km2, Silhouette is the third largest of Seychelles’ granitic islands. In terms of biodiversity it is one of the least disturbed islands in the archipelago, its rugged and heavily forested mountains having spared it from significant human occupation. Its fauna and flora encompass a high degree of endemism … More Myna problems on Silhouette Island, Seychelles
11.6 km2 Assumption Island lies about 1100 km south-west of Mahe, Seychelles’ largest and most populous island, and is close to Aldabra atoll, famed for its relatively undisturbed ecosystem that qualified it for World Heritage Site status. Assumption is a raised coral island and was formerly home to a vast number of seabirds, especially boobies, … More Assumption Island – a miserable past, an uncertain future
Native to Africa, Egyptian Geese were introduced into Europe as decorative additions to wildfowl collections, both private and in urban parks, and also as zoo animals. In the UK, Janet Kear (Man and Wildfowl, Poyser 1990) reported that they were introduced in the 17th century, being part of the menagerie in St James’s Park in … More Egyptian Goose added to the European Union list of Invasive Alien Species of concern
Common Mynas Acrodotheres tristis like eggs. They have been recorded eating the eggs of many species, large sad small. In the process, they can endanger the survival of some of the world’s most endangered island endemic birds. Seabird eggs are often large and thus offer introduced Mynas a substantial meal. In 2015 Christine and I, … More Mynas can express their annoyance too
Earlier posts have described progress in the myna eradication project on North Island, Seychelles. The eradication has been proceeding well and is approaching its final stages. Green Islands Foundation, who are administering the project, are now advertising for a new volunteer (https://greenislandsfoundation.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_29.html) to assist with the completion of the eradication. The full advertisement is printed … More The North Island myna eradication – update January 2017
On 12 October 2016 Christine and I drove to a complex of reservoirs to the west of Antequera. In my experience these reservoirs in Spain normally attract few birds apart from gulls and the occasional Cormorant. On this occasion, however, one of the reservoirs, Embalse de Guadalhorce, held flocks of Coot and Pochards that are … More Egyptian Geese in Andalucía
On 27 October we drove down to Brighton in the hope that Christine could witness a murmuration of Starlings: this is the term used to describe the amazing pre-roosting behaviour of large flocks of Starlings just before they enter their roost sites in the late evening. On a good evening this can be one of … More To murmurate or not to murmurate
In May 2016 Christine and I visited North Island, Seychelles, to begin another WildWings Bird Mangement-led attempt to eradicate Common Mynas from the island (see blog post of 21 May 2016). The project is being funded by both GEF/UNDP and North Island and managed by Green Islands Foundation, and is undertaken by volunteers that Christine … More News update from North Island, Seychelles
On 13 September we decided to visit one of southern England’s more pleasant coastal towns. The day was sunny and hot; in fact, it was said to have been the hottest September day for over a century! Littlehampton was crowded but tranquil – no shouting, no loud music, no litter. As we approached the sea … More Littlehampton, (West Sussex) and Bird Island (Seychelles): surprising similarities
Wild Bird Conservation 