I returned a few days ago from a two-week trip (16-31 July 2011) to Vanuatu
to coincide with the NZ school holidays, which are unseasonably late this
year so that the next school holidays can correspond with a sporting event
that's happening here.
Thanks to the Birding Aus archive once again for help in planning some
birding (around family activities).
Thanks also to Dion Hobcroft for some last-minute advice after his recent
trip.
I didn't do anything like Dion's trip up the mountain on Santo, but I did
visit Loru and Vatthe Protected Areas on Espiritu Santo, which were by far
the best birding sites I visited.
I made some enquiries about getting on a boat and heading towards the Banks
Islands to look for petrels but that was not going to be an easy venture, so
I gave up.
As has been mentioned here previously, Vanuatu is no picnic for birding.
The birds are wary and often hard to see. By and large, they don't respond
to pishing or squeaking.
I got into several conversations with residents and other visitors who
commented that they were surprised how few birds there are around.
However, there are some good things to see.
The Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher and Buff-bellied Monarch were probably the
most exciting, but things like the Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike, Cardinal
Myzomela and Melanesian Flycatcher are interesting comparisons with related
Australian birds.
Visiting Loru and Vatthe (both of which I did with the assistance of Kenneth
Iav of Santo Island Tours - office +678 36036, mobile +678 77 42151) were
unusual experiences. You arrive unannounced at the relevant nearby village,
Kenneth then endeavours to find the appropriate landowner - or whoever's
around that can give permission - and you then head off with the
local person into the forest whilst Kenneth stays with the vehicle. My two
guides, War Ser at Loru and Chief Solomon at Vatthe were very nice, helpful
and knew their forests well.
There's nothing particularly outstanding in what I recorded, although I
wouldn't mind opinions on the likelihood of Vanuatu Honeyeater on Tanna. I
saw what looked like this species on the way up to Mount Yasur, but it's
hard to determine from the literature that I have whether the species should
be on Tanna or not.
We stayed 3-4 nights each at Le Lagon - Port Vila - Efate, White Grass
Resort - Tanna, Aore Island Resort - Espiritu Santo, Turtle Bay Lodge -
Espiritu Santo.
Reptiles seen include a sea-snake - Laticauda colubrina at Le Lagon, Port
Vila; several (maybe 4) species of skinks of varying sizes, particularly on
Tanna and Santo, which I haven't identified; and geckos of at least 2
species.
Mammals seen were rats (possibly Polynesian?) in Port Vila and at Vatthe
Protected Area.
Also, flying fox/fruit-bats in numerous places, several species of microbats
in Port Vila, and Humpback Whale at White Grass Resort, Tanna.
Birds are listed below using the following codes to indicate where
particular species were recorded.
AO = Aore Island Resort, Espiritu Santo
CB = Champagne Beach, Espiritu Santo
EM = Emua, Efate
EP = Epule, Efate
ET = Eton, Efate
LO = Lonnoc, Espiritu Santo
LR = Loru Protected Area, Espiritu Santo
LU = Luganville, Espiritu Santo
ME = Mele, Efate
MY = Mt Yasur, Tanna
PO = Port Olry, Espiritu Santo
PV = Port Vila, Efate
TB = Turtle Bay Lodge, Espiritu Santo
VH = Vatthe Protected Area, Espiritu Santo
WG = White Grass, Tanna
1) Eastern Reef Egret - dark birds at EM, WG, VH, PO - single white bird at
ET
2) Striated Heron - TB
3) Swamp Harrier - PV, WG, MY, AO, VH
4) Brown Goshawk - WG
5) Vanuatu Scrubfowl - LR, VH
6) Red Junglefowl - LR, VH
7) Buff-banded Rail - EP, LR, VH, LO, CB
8) Purple Swamphen - LO
9) Wandering Tattler - 5 at WG
10) Pacific Golden Plover - 12 at WG
11) Greater Crested Tern - 2 at PV, 19 at PO, 1 at CB
12) Metallic Pigeon - WG
13) Pacific Emerald Dove - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, VH, LO, CB
14) MacKinlay's Cuckoo-Dove - AO, VH
15) Tanna Fruit-Dove - VH
16) Red-bellied Fruit-Dove - PV, WG, AO, LR, VH
17) Pacific Imperial-Pigeon - PV, AO, LR, VH
18) Rainbow Lorikeet - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, VH
19) Eastern Barn Owl - other guests at White Grass reported seeing a Barn
Owl on the way back from the volcano the night before I went
20) Glossy Swiftlet - PV, WG, LU, AO, TB, LR, VH, LO, CB
21) Uniform Swiftlet - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, LO
22) Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher - LR, VH
23) Collared Kingfisher - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, VH, LO, CB
24) Dark-brown Honeyeater - PV
25) Cardinal Myzomela - WG, AO, TB, LR, LO
26) Vanuatu Honeyeater - MY - 10km past Lenakul
27) Fan-tailed Gerygone - AO, TB, LR, VH, LO
28) Golden Whistler - AO, TB, LR, VH, LO
29) Grey Fantail - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, VH, LO
30) Streaked Fantail - AO, TB, LR, VH
31) Buff-bellied Monarch - LR, VH, LO
32) Melanesian Flycatcher - ME, WG, AO, TB, LR, VH, LO
33) Southern Shrikebill - AO, LR, VH
34) Polynesian Triller - PV, WG
35) Long-tailed Triller - WG, LU
36) White-breasted Woodswallow - PV, AO, VH
37) Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike - LR, LO, CB
38) Common Myna - PV, WG, LU, AO, TB, LR
39) Pacific Swallow - PV, WG, AO, PO, LO
40) Silvereye - PV, WG, AO, TB, LO
41) Vanuatu White-eye - PV, WG, AO, TB, LR, LO, CB often in mixed flocks
with Silvereyes
42) Blue-faced Parrotfinch - 8 at WG
43) Common Waxbill - PV
44) House Sparrow - PV
45) Black-headed Munia - LU, TB, LR
Cheers
Philip
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Philip Griffin
philipgriffin_at_gmail_dot_com <>
Auckland
New Zealand
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