Bird Island

October definitely was a bird month as you will agree after my Cape Town visit described below. We travel to Mahe for ten says and we end up for tow days on one of my favourite places, Bird Island in the Seychelles with some old friends, Peter and Rene. We go back long time, too long to state publicly as then this may be classified as a museum piece. Peter’s family own Bird island so we are immediately more than welcome and at home.

This our third visit to Bird Island and as Seychelles islands go very manageable on most budgets. The family owners have now taken over the management and there is a distinct improvement in the food we discover that evening after some good “imported” wine.

We start the first day with a walk and discover that the sooty terns are still there albeit in lesser numbers. After breakfast we had long wonderful drift snorkel. We see many turtles, eagle rays and normal rays. We then wait for what I came for, the elusive long tail tropic bird! These beautiful creatures come out to fly and or feed their young every morning. Catching them in flight close-up is a challenge at the best of times and need a fast and sure trigger finger. Results are mixed and patience and much luck is needed. Some of my best ones are attached below.

In the afternoon I go and shoot the sooty terns and also the lesser and greater frigate birds. There is also some time to fit in some brown noddies and  Madagascar Fodies and I also find a blue breast pigeon and of course the ever present giant tortoises.

We try again the next day before we return and get some more shots. We also take the fairy terns who start flying a bit earlier than the tropic birds. They are a bit easier to take, but as colourful against the natural blue and green backdrop.

We leave and sadly this time we missed the turtle nesting season, but  we have some good footage from a previous visit.

Previous visit link: