Christmas Island trip report 26/01/04 to 01/02/04 Part One
An isolated oceanic island 310km. south of Java and 1400km NW of
Australia, Christmas Island is the basaltic top of an extinct underwater
volcano, surrounded by cliffs and reefs, covered with coralline limestone,
phosphate rock, thick rainforest and an estimated 120 million red crabs, but
has almost no surface water, the settlement's supply is from underground
caves.
ABBOTT'S BOOBY, the CHRISTMAS ISLAND FRIGATEBIRD and fabulous GOLDEN
BOSUNBIRD breed here and nowhere else, along with seven other endemic
species or subspecies, many thousands of more widespread seabirds including
other Frigatebirds, Tropicbirds, Boobies and a Noddy. A few breeding
introductions and colonists have arrived since the first humans settled in
the late seventeen hundreds, wreaking habitat change in their quest for
phosphate fertiliser, planting lawns and gardens, making playingfields and
garbage dumps, which entice a few regular migrants during the Northern
Hemisphere winter, as well as an increasing number of vagrants, many
"tickable" nowhere else on Australian soil, (do Australian Consulates count
as Australian soil?). Migratory waders occur as well.
Human habitation is currently restricted to a road around the northeast
corner of the island, ( FlyingfishCove,theBarracks, Settlement) on a narrow
strip between forested cliff and sea, and on top of the hill along Murray
Rd to Drumsite, with Poon Saan ("halfway" in Chinese) halfway along, and
Silver City adjacent to it. Roads and tracks access much of the island .
November, the beginning of the wet season, seems to be the best time
to go, before the heavy rains put a real damper on birding, and when most
exotic records have been made. The amazing Red Crab migration and egglaying,
which, along with coral spawning, attract Whalesharks, happen when the first
monsoonal rains coincide with a particular phase of the moon. CI is a magic
Diving destination.
We flew from Sydney, on Frequent Flyer points as usual, 6.15 am
departure, 4hrs to Perth, 90min to get to National Jets nice chunky four
engined Avro at the International terminal over the runway; passports
required for Christmas Island (CI)About another 41/2 hours flying, via
Learmonth on Exmouth Gulf with its modernistic small terminal, then low over
the Cape Range bringing back memories of wonderful birding, arriving CI
about 2.00pm.local time. We landed in monsoonal rain with almost no
visibility; the original airport had a poor reputation and we blanched when
the cloud on our left turned green. It was only jungle alongside the strip,
but several passengers clapped when we touched down safely. The return
flight back to Perth is longer, goes via Cocos
Island. Weekly flights from Jakarta as well, some specials from Kuala
Lumpur, otherwise on your private yacht, the supply ship from Perth and the
resident RAN Destroyers don't carry passengers.
Booked everything on the Island through the Tourist
Information Centre, who kindly sent a road map. www.Christmas.com.au . We
hired a Rav 4, needed to get about the Island, 4wd to reach some of the best
spots without a longish walk, $A50 a day all in. Accommodation around $A100
a night for an aircond. room with en suite, plus or minus $A25. Like other
birders
and divers, we stayed at the Sunset, on the sea side of the what we called
the "Golden Bosun Boulevard", (Gaze Rd.) which runs along the narrow coastal
strip, usually with Golden Bosunbirds cruising overhead. Excellent birding
and sunsets from our veranda.
Ate at Rumah Tinggi, the Golden Bosun Tavern and CI Club, all overlooking
the sea with great local atmosphere, steak, chicken or fish with salad and
chips. Up the hill, the Seasons Palace had truly marvellous Chinese.
Of great help were;
The CI tourist map, and the Australian topographic of CI,
Auslig 1:25000, a little out of date.
A small book on Christmas Island Birds from the Info.Centre
is the only real bird guide, with photos of the endemics and a birdlist
which includes seabirds and waders. Other books on local lore also sold
there.
"Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore", Jeyarasingam &
Pearson. Oxford, for possible Asian vagrants, particularly Swifts and
Wagtails.
Birding-aus reports from Mike Carter and Rohan Clarke,
available in the Birding-aus Archives, (www.birding-aus.org )our original
inspiration and a great help with sites, thankyou.
David James at the Australian Nature Conservation Agency,
resident birding guru, took us spotlighting, unsuccessfully, for the CI Hawk
Owl and titillated us with his sightings of Asian vagrants. Max at ANCA, the
local WIRES, closeups of feeding boobies.
"Christmas Island" by Jeanette Jamieson, from ABC Bookshops,
gives some insight into the social anthropology of the place, and some
Islander's image of birdwatchers.
Part Two to follow.
Michael Hunter
Mulgoa Valley
50km west of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Scanned by PeNiCillin http://safe-t-net.pnc.com.au/
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
