Marj and I just returned from 7 days in Christmas Island and 4 on Cocos, our
first trip to these fantastic birding spots.
On Christmas Island the red crab migration began a day after our arrival.
While we were thrilled to see it, the downside was that most roads in the
National Park were closed for our stay, which limited birding. Nevertheless
we saw all the endemics including the Hawk-owl (at the golf course), with
other interesting species including Barn Swallow, Grey Wagtail (2 birds),
Yellow Wagtail (1), Red-necked Stint (2), Greater Sand-plover (2) and
White-breasted Waterhen (2). As others have reported, W-b Waterhen now seem
scarce on the island. The two we saw were in weedy shrubbery between the
golf course and Chinese cemetery, just after rain.
On Cocos (Keeling) Islands the "national" bird - Green Jungle-fowl - was
abundant. This is a really attractive and charismatic species and much
under-rated in our opinion. Other interesting birds included White Tern
(common), the local Snipe (assumed to be Pin-tailed, though we did not try
to catch one!), Western Reef-egret, White-winged Black-tern, Oriental
Pratincole, White-breasted Waterhen (common between the airport and wharf on
West Island) and the highlight a Muscicapa flycatcher which will require a
BARC submission (see yesterday's posting by Mike Carter).
Please contact me for a full list or further information
Neville Pamment
Clifton Hill, Vic
(03) 9489 -7945 (leave message)
===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
===============================
|
