Hi All,
George Swann, Adrian Boyle and I just returned from a trip to the Cocos
Islands and Christmas Island. Many thanks to those that traveled before
us for providing tips. Here’s a quick annotated list for the Cocos
Islands component 1 to 8 Feb. There are a few links to photographs of
the rarities scattered throughout. I'll post a similar list for
Christmas Island in a day or two.
Domestic Chicken: 10+ on each of West Is, 20+ on Home Is & 20+ on
Horsburgh Is.
Green Junglefowl: More than 100 on West Is including one or two hybrid
cockerels (with domestic fowl) near the ferry terminal.
Eurasian Teal: The long staying bird at Bechat Besar swamp. A brown bird
- wing pattern (colour and variable width of white wing bar above
speculum) proves it to be a Eurasian Teal and not an American
Green-winged Teal.
Photos here: http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/eurasian_teal
Pacific Black Duck: Up to 37 at Bechat Besar swamp, but also at
temporary wetlands and at saline sites around the lagoon edges on West
Is. 5 on Horsburgh Is.
White-tailed Tropicbird: 4 on each day that Home Is. was visited.
Red-tailed Tropicbird: 1 over the lagoon at Horsburgh Is.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater: Ones and twos & flocks to ~20 at sea off West &
Home Is.
Lesser Frigatebird: 1 over Home Is on 5 Feb.
Great Frigatebird: 1 over West Is on 2 Feb and 1 over Home Is on 7 Feb.
Red-footed Booby: Between 10 and 500 seen at various times out to sea
off West, Home and Horsburgh Islands.
Brown Booby: 1 off West Is on 2 Feb & 1 off Home Is on 3 Feb.
Yellow Bittern: 1 at the quarry on West Is on 5 Feb only, 2 (adult and
imm) at Bechat Besar swamp on 6 Feb, 1 immature on Home Is. in banana
plantations on 7 Feb and 1 immature at Bechat Besar on 8 Feb.
Pictures from Cocos and Christmas Islands here:
http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/yellow_bittern
Black Bittern: 1 photographed at Bechat Besar on 6 Feb (possibly new for
Cocos).
Cattle Egret: 2 on the airstrip at West Is throughout our stay. Being
aware of debate over these birds identity we stopped to observe and
photograph them on several occasions. We are quite convinced they are
Cattle Egrets.
Intermediate Egret: 2 at Bechat Besar swamp on 8 Feb. Photographs
suggest they are of the nominate Asian form rather than of Australian
origin.
Striated Heron: singles at the quarry and Bechat Besar swamp on West Is
and on Home Is.
Pond Heron sp.: 1 well photographed on the mudflats at the southern end
of West Is on 4 and 6 Feb. A strange looking bird whose identity is yet
to be resolved.
White-faced Heron: 1 at Rumah Baru, West Is on 3 Feb and (probably the
same) 1 at Bechat Besar swamp on 8 Feb.
Western Reef Egret: 3-4 on West Is throughout much of our stay, 1 on
Horsburgh Is.
Eastern Reef Egret: up to 100 on mudflats around West Is. About 10 on
Horsburgh Is and just 5 on Home Is.
Nankeen Night Heron: Up to 40 on West Is, especially the airstrip, 3 on
Horsburgh Is and 10 on Home Is.
Chinese Sparrowhawk: 1 near full adult male at Bechat Besar swamp on 4
Feb, 1 adult on Horsburgh Is on 5 Feb, 1 adult at Trannies Beach on 5
Feb, 1 at Quarantine Station on 8 Feb.
Photos here: http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/chinese_sparrowhawk
Japanese Sparrowhawk 1 adult male and 1 immature female at Bechat Besar
swamp on 1 Feb. A second (different) immature female at Bechat Besar
swamp on 6 Feb. 1 at Clunies Ross Mansion, Home Is, 7 Feb. I have added
a single image to our vagrant bird gallery
http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/vagrants
White-breasted Waterhen: ~60 on West Is daily, ~20 on Home Is, at least
1 on Horsburgh Is.
Watercock: Up to 6 daily on West Is. with all sightings restricted to
the grasslands adjacent to the airstrip. 1 on Home Is on the edge of the
banana plantations on 7 Feb.
Photos from Cocos and Christmas Islands here:
http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/watercock
Pacific Golden Plover: 28 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Grey Plover: 2 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Greater Sand Plover: 34 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Pin-tailed Snipe: 15 on West Is, 12 on Home Is and 3 on Horsburgh Is.
Identity is assumed given relatively small size, obvious toe projection
in flight and call. However, we were never able to study these birds on
the ground and confirm the ID with views or photographs of the
diagnostic tail structure.
Bar-tailed Godwit: 6 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Black-tailed Godwit: 1 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Common Sandpiper: 1 near airstrip on 4 Feb and 1 at quarry on West Is. 5
and 6 Feb. 1 on Home Is on 7 Feb.
Common Greenshank: 6 at Bechat Besar swamp on 8 Feb.
Ruddy Turnstone: 75 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Red Knot: 1 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Sanderling: 6 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Red-necked Stint: 9 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Grey-tailed Tattler: 1 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Common Noddy: 5-500 distant offshore West Is most days. 50+ off
Horsburgh Is on 5 Feb.
Sooty Tern: 2 off Horsburgh on 5 Feb.
White Tern: up to 30 on Home Is but just 1 on West Is.
Saunders's Tern: 10 on South Is on 2 Feb.
Photos here: http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/saunders_tern
Crested Tern: 1 on West Is flying along the lagoon shoreline in the am.
Photographed. Possibly a new bird for Cocos?
Large Hawk-Cuckoo: 1 in the gardens of the Clunies Ross mansion on Home
Is on 7 Feb found just 5 mins prior to our departure!
Pictures here: http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/large_hawk_cuckoo
Indian Cuckoo: 1 at the quarantine station on morning of 2 Feb. Not seen
subsequently. First for Australia and territories (see previous post).
Dollarbird: 1 on three different dates at the farm and nearby Bechat
Besar on West Is.
Barn Swallow: 1-3 daily at quarry on West Is.
Christmas Island White-eye: 50+ on Horsburgh Is.
Asian Brown Flycatcher: 1 in tall trees near Trannies Beach, West Is on
three different dates. A new bird for Cocos.
Cheers,
Rohan
--
Rohan Clarke
www.wildlifeimages.com.au
Latest updates
http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/root&view=recent
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