|
Visited LHI over Easter with the following sightings. This may double up on
reports by others who got back before me but whose messages I've missed by being
unsubscribed from b-a.
8/4 At airport from the bus - Ruddy Turnstone, Magpie Lark, Whimbrel,
Buff-banded Rail,
Welcome Swallow, Sacred Kingfisher, White Tern, Pacific Golden Plover, Masked
Lapwing.
At Ned's Beach - Black-winged Petrel around cliffs at
far end of beach.
9/4 In grounds of Somerset early morning - pair of L.H.Woodhen ( one with
white patches
behind both ears), pair of Golden Whistlers, Emerald dove,
Song Thrush.
At Ned's Beach - Blackbirds, Kestrel,
Black Duck (or nearly), Masked Booby, L.H.
Currawong.
Near Jetty - 18 Ruddy
Turnstone.
Near aircraft wreck propeller - 4
L.H. Woodhen ( 2 A 2 J), 3 Buff-banded Rail, Blackbird
with white patches at the rear of the eyes., Golden Whistler
( F ).
Paddock at rear of Old Settlement
Beach - 5 Whimbrel, Cattle Egret, Welcome Swallows,
Mag Larks, 4 Pacific Golden Plovers, 2 Purple Swamphen,
Currawong.
Footpath up hill behind previous
paddock - Flock of Silvereyes, Golden Whistler ( M), pair
of Currawong,
Blinky Beach - Whimbrel, Mag Larks,
Black-winged Petrel, Kermadec Petrel, Providence
Petrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Currawong, White
Terns, R.T Tropicbird, Golden Whistler,
Black Noddy, Brown Noddy, Masked
Lapwing.
Muddy patch opposite airport
buildings - 2 Double-banded Plovers, Turnstones.
10/4 Boat trip to Balls Pyramid (
boat named Kermadec) - Black Noddies, Masked Booby,
Kermadec Petrels ( light and dark morphs), Providence
Petrels, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Brown
Noddies, ca 12 White-bellied Storm Petrels, Little Black Cormorant, Grey
Ternlets, White Terns,
Little Shearwater (1), Swamp Harrier over the Admiralties,
Black-winged Petrels,
Wandering Tattlers, Sooty Tern.
11/4 A group went on a pelagic (
which I declined) and saw a White-necked Petrel.
In the evening a group went to Blinky Beach with Ian Hutton where he showed them
Little Shearwaters and Wedgies in burrows.
12/4 Did a glass bottomed boat trip
with Dean Hislop ( the Phasmid man) who in the
evening took us to the
fenceline behind the aircraft wreck and called in a Masked
Owl (castanops) which we spotlighted.
When booking accommodation it pays to recognise that there is little
transport on the island. Bikes are readily available for daily hire but if you
can't ride a bike then walking is the other option. It is some 4kms from the
main shopping area to say Blinky Beach so this may be beyond some people's
abilities. Also try to get accommodation on the flatter areas - there is some
accommodation up higher which sounds nice but the hill to get up there, either
by bike or walking, is a real test and may again be beyond some people's
abilities or desire, so check carefully with your agent before booking. Food
around the island is good but pricey and Somerset for one didn't have full
kitchen facilities in the unit we had ( just a fridge and microwave). So if you
hope to do your own cooking, check this also before booking.
Hope this helps any intending visitors, but do watch out for those horrid
spiders.
Tony.
|
