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Dear Birders,
I returned from a recent trip to Australia and Lady
Elliot Island was next to an atoll I visited for a day tour off the Queensland
Coast at Bundeburg. As I reflected on a recent tour of a lifetime that
combined playing over 35s Rugby, watching the RWC and birding; that day was one
of the highlights. October 21, 2003.
Species List: Wedge-tailed
Shearwater (80), Brown Booby(45), Great Frigatebird (5 overhead), Eastern Reef
Heron (5+ out on reef), Buff-banded Rail (2-3 under colony), Pacific Golden
Plover (1), Far Eastern Curlew (1), Ruddy Turnstone (2), Grey-tailed Tattler
(1), Sooty Oystercatcher (Pair), Crested Tern (3) Bridled Tern (1000's
nesting), Black Noddy (1000's nesting),
We snorkeled a little, observed a solitary
clown fish dedicated to its anemone, enjoyed dolphins and turtles. During
my first experience of a tropical seabird colony we were on foot on the island
for a few hours then back to the boat for the shearwater only show on the way
back. The visitor center in Bundeberg arranged this for almost 50 of our
touring side. They were so hospitable we even got to sign a rum shirt for
them. I can't quite recall the cost, but it was worth every penny.
Prior to our trip we had been kept abreast of developments by the resort on Lady
Elliot Island, their web site is a lot of help, it even has a bird news
section. www.ladyelliot.com.au
. Uninitiated birders kept asking me about the brown
birds that were blue underneath. It was the brilliant reflection of the
water on their Brown Booby bellies.
Looking forward to coming back.
Yours Rob
Robert W. Hewitt
Director, LBJ
Enterprises
(707) 442-0339, fax (707) 260-0632, cell (707)
845-3189
Godwit Days Steering Committee
April 16-19, 2004 9th Annual, 232 species
cumulative.
I am heading to Lady Elliot island in February with a
bunch of students and would be interested to know if anyone has a bird list
for the island. I have managed to collect a likely list from the birding-aus
archives, but if anyone has any further information I would be very
grateful. Any replies can come directly to me.
Thanks. Alistair -- Dr Alistair G. B. Poore School of
Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South
Wales Sydney, 2052 Australia Phone: 61 2 9385
2154 Fax: 61 2 9385 1558 E-mail: Web: www.bees.unsw.edu.au/staff/academic/poore/teaching.html |
