SEYCHELLES 1998
Wedge-tailed Shearwater;(Puffinus
pacificus);breeding species
Mahe -;Seen daily from the hotel feeding
offshore - maximum of 70+ on 16/8.
Bird -;20+ off the southern end, 14/8.
Audubon's Shearwater;(Puffinus
ilherminieri nicolae);breeding species
Mahe -;1, Offshore from hotel, 15/8
;2/3, Offshore from hotel, 16/8
White-tailed Tropicbird;(Phaethon
lepturus lepturus);breeding species
Mahe -;Seen daily from the hotel flying
between feeding areas out to sea and nesting areas in the ;mountains
- Up to 20 birds probably involved.
Bird -;15+ birds seen, including one
nest with chick.
Great Frigatebird;(Fregata
minor aldabrensis);non-breeding wanderer
Bird -;1, over airstrip, 14/8
Most Frigatebirds seen were not adult
males and not of this species. Although this was the only
individual identified to be this species, it is highly likely
that more were seen.
Lesser Frigatebird;(Fregata
ariel iredalei);non-breeding wanderer
Mahe -;A maximum of 8 Frigatebirds were
seen daily from the hotel, most if not all were Lessers. 1 or 2 ;males
were positively identified.
Bird -;c.10 males and female-types were
identified amongst the c.30 frigatebirds on the island.
Striated Heron;(Butorides
striatus degens);endemic sub-species
Mahe -;1 bird feeding along the stream
and rockpools near the hotel, seen on about half the days. A ;second
bird was seen on 10/8.
Cattle Egret;(Bubulcus ibis
seychellarum);endemic sub-species
Mahe -;Up to 12 seen flying past the
hotel to roost every day. Common on the airport with about 40
feeding on the grass. Ones and twos seen elsewhere on the island.
Bird -;2, around tern colony, 14/8
Grey Heron;(Ardea cinerea);recent
colonist
Mahe -;One seen in a drainage ditch in
Victoria town centre, 8/8.
Seychelles Kestrel;(Falco
araea);endemic species
Mahe -;1, on telegraph pole, Grand Anse,
8/8; 1, flying past, near Mount Seychellois, 8/8; 1, on telegraph
pole, Anse aux Pins, 8/8; 1, distant, in valley behind hotel, 9/8;
1, distant, in valley behind hotel, 17/8
Grey Plover;(Pluvialis
squatarola);migrant
Bird -;2, East beach, 14/8
Sanderling;(Calidris alba);migrant
Bird -;2, Airstrip, 14/8
Curlew Sandpiper;(Calidris
ferruginea);migrant
Bird -;c. 40, around lodges and airstrip,
14 & 15/8
Whimbrel;(Numenius phaeopus);migrant
Mahe -;1, near airport, 6/8; 1, on a
beach at south end of island, 8/8
Bird -;c.20, airstrip, 14/8
Turnstone;(Arenaria interpres
interpres);migrant
Therese - 12, on rocks, 10/8
Mahe -;1, past hotel, 11/8; 2, past
hotel, 18/8
Bird -;c.60, around lodges, on airstrip,
on beaches, 14 & 15/8
Roseate Tern;(Sterna dougallii
arideensis);breeding species
Bird -;1 adult & 1 juv, South end,
14/8
Bridled Tern;(Sterna
anaethetus antarctica);breeding species
Mahe -;Seen daily after 8/8, all flying
East past the hotel, maximum of about 30 in a day. They seemed ;nearly
all younger birds.
Bird -;c.10, South end, 14/8
Sooty Tern;(Sterna fuscata
nubilosa);breeding species
Bird -;100,000's in the colony and
feeding all around the island, 14 & 15/8.
Mahe -;3, West past the hotel, 16/8
Saunder's Little Tern;(Sterna
saundersi);breeding species
Bird -;1 juvenile, South end and off the
Lodge, 14 & 15/8.
Lesser Noddy;(Anous
tenuirostris tenuirostris);breeding species
Mahe -;Huge feeding flocks present off
the hotel all day, followed by an evening passage of birds flying
;West to roost. On 12/8 an count/estimate of 17,000 birds was
involved.
Bird -;Small numbers nesting in two
colonies. 1-200 birds seen.
Brown Noddy;(Anous stolidus
pileatus);breeding species
Mahe -;First identified on 9/8 off hotel
but present there in small numbers with Lesser Noddies.
Bird -;Commoner than Lesser Noddy here
with many nests and 1000's seen.
White Tern;(Gygis alba monte);breeding
species
Mahe -;Small numbers feeding off the
hotel and other areas of the coast. No more than 10 at any one ;time.
Bird -;A few hundred birds present
altogether around the island.
Feral Pigeon;(Columba livia);introduced
species
Mahe -;A handful in the hotel gardens
daily.
Madagascar Turtle Dove;(Streptopelia
picturata picturata);introduced Madagascan species
Mahe -;Up to 4 seen in hotel garden on
most dates. Small numbers seen all around the island.
Therese - 1, near beach, 10/8
Bird -;c.5 around Lodges, 14 & 15/8
Zebra Dove;(Geopelia striata);introduced
Asian species
Mahe -;Probably the commonest species on
the island, very tame and widespread.
Bird -;Also very common here.
Seychelles Blue Pigeon;(Alectroenas
pulcherrima);endemic species
Mahe -;1, Victoria Town Centre, 8/8; 2,
Botanical Gardens, 8/8; 4+, Mount Seychellois area, 8/8; 4+,
Hotel gardens, a few dates; 1, South end of island, 15/8
Therese - 1, 10/8
Seychelles Cave Swiftlet;(Collocalia
elaphra);endemic species
Mahe -;4, Hotel gardens, 6/8; 5, Valley
behind hotel, 9/8; 6, Hotel, 18/8
Seychelles Bulbul;(Ixos
crassirostris);endemic species
Mahe -;2, Botanical Gardens, 8/8; 1,
Mount Seychellois area, 8/8
Seychelles Sunbird;(Nectarina
dussumieri);endemic species
Mahe -;Quite common in gardens and other
areas with flowers.
Common Myna;(Acridotheres
tristis);introduced Asian species
Mahe -;Very common all over the island.
Bird -;Quite common on this island.
Madagascar Fody;(Foudia
madagascariensis);colonist/introduced species
Mahe -;Common all over the island.
Bird -;Very common on this island.
30 Species; 20 Ticks
MAMMALS
Seychelles Fruit Bat;(Pteropus
seychellensis);endemic species
Regularly seen around the hotel area.
REPTILES
Aldabra Giant Land Tortoise;(Geochelonia
gigantea);endemic to Aldabra
'Esmerelda' was seen on Bird Island. He
was originally a wild individual on Aldabra and was caught and
took on a ship about 200 years ago. The ship was wrecked off Bird
Island and he crawled ashore and has lived there ever since.
Mahe Stripeless Green Gecko (Phelsuma
astriata astriata);endemic species
A few were seen around the hotel complex.
Gurgling House Gecko;(Hemidactylus
frenatus);
Very common after dark feeding on
insects around the lights inside buildings.
Seychelles Skink;(Mabuya
sechellensis);endemic species
Quite common on Mahe, but very common on
Bird Island.
Two other Gecko species/sub-species were
noted on Bird Island.
FISH
Manta Ray;(Manta birostris)
One seen leaping from water outside the
hotel was 1 or 2 metres across.
Rippled Rockskipper;(Istiblennius
edentulus)
Strange fish living out of the water on
the rocks at the waters edge.
African Mudhopper;(Periophthalumus
koelreuteri)
A few living along the stream in the
hotel garden.
Lots of other unidentified fish were
seen in the sea and in the stream.
BUTTERFLIES
Two species were seen:
- a very common, tiny, spotty blue (possibly
Tiny Grass Blue),
- a bigger blue species with a dark
spot on hindwing.
MOTHS
Crimson Speckled
Lots of these were on Bird Island.
DRAGONFLIES
Three species were seen:
- a reddish coloured one, which
looked like a larger Darter,
- an all pale blue hawker,
- a black dragonfly with black
blotches on wings near body.
SPIDERS
Palm Spider;
Introduced, very common large spider
making huge webs.
CRABS
Crabs were very common everywhere. The
main large types were as following:
- Ghost Crabs sp. were seen along the
beaches, especially on Bird Island.
- Fiddler Crabs sp. were seen in the
Hotel Gardens and in the mangrove swamps on Therese.
- Dark green crabs lived on the rocks
below the hotel.
- A huge orangey species lived in the
hotel garden - about 1 ft across and 1/2 foot high.
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