Hi Nina,
Here's
the trip report I wrote for my Fiji trip earlier this year. I don't know how
relevant it will be for you as I really didn't spend many daylight hours on
Viti Levu.
After
consultation with the birding-aus folks I came to the conclusion that it was a
Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) I saw that day on the beach.
Enjoy and
take care.
Mike.
Hi all,
I recently
returned home (to an inbox of 300+ birding e-mails) from a 2 week stay on the
beautiful Island of Malolo lailai, a small island in the Mamanuca island
chain, western Fiji. The island itself is quite small and consequently has few
bird species, I think I got to see pretty much every terrestrial species on
the island.
Towards the end of the trip,
swimming in the sea I noticed a huge black bird soaring effortlessly up high
above the island. I raced back to the beach where my binoculars were and had a
good long look. The bird was either a greater or lesser frigate bird.
Problem was that at the time I had no pen, paper or field guide so now I'm
relying on my memory to identify it. The next problem is that distinguishing
between the two species is hard for "inexperienced birdwatchers"
according to what I've read. I'd appreciate some help on this one.
I know the bird was female (no
red throat pouch).
White patch on breast was in
the shape of Superman's little "S" on his chest. The white didn't extend onto
the wings at all.
Face and head around the bill
was mostly white. White extended down to throat and neck was black.
That's about all I can tell
you. My "Guide to the birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia" says the lesser
f'bird's size to be 70-80cm and the great's to be 86-100cm. I really don't
feel confident about narrowing down size to within a 10cm error from memory
when I was looking at the bird about 100 odd metres up in the air, so this is
no help.
Other birding highlights from
the trip were:
-Red-faced parrot finches, red
adavats in the grass around the island.
-A resident Fiji Goshawk
was easy to find any day you were out and about and let me approach quite
close too.
-The aerobatic displays
put on by Fiji Woodswallows at the lookout, the highest point of the island
were amazing.
-Nesting black-naped terns
were an interesting thing to encounter, however the harvesting of this colony
by the local villages has led to a serious decline.
-Sitting on the balcony
admiring Vanikoro broadbills and Orange-breasted honeyeaters flitting around a
grand old fig.
Prize for wildlife lowlights have to
go to the sheer number of bloody bul buls and indian mynahs on the island, and
by evening the army of cane toads that overran the resort.
Special mentions go to the white-tip
reef shark I encountered while snorkelling and finding Mimosa pudica
(sensitive plant) on the highest point of the island.
Anyway, I'd appreciate
any help with the frigatebird quandry.
Cheers,
Mike.
The Bugtusslebunch
<> wrote:
Hi Neil and Judi Russill, David from this list
suggested I ask you for a copy of your Fiji report? Would you mind
sending me one? thanks
And thanks to all those who responed to my questions about
Fiji birds. It certainly sounds like Dick Watling's "A Guide to the Birds of
Fiji and Western Polynesia" is the one to get, that's great. I really don't
know what to expect, but I'm looking forward to it and the two weeks in
Adelaide after that!!
My thanks again
Nina
:-)
