SMR update.

The Seychelles magpie robin is a ground feeding bird, its favoured method of foraging is turning leaf litter and eating the invertebrates concealed beneath, it will however also take young lizards and small fish dropped by seabirds etc… The birds on Denis have been habituated to supplementary feeding on bird tables with special food mix prepared by Catherina. They are also opportunistic however, and often when I encounter a bird on the island I will disturb the leaf litter with my feet over an area of a square metre or two and then move a few yards away. The bird, eyes-a-glitter, rapidly descends and having cocked a sidelong glance at you to make sure you are far enough away for its comfort begins to feast on the exposed invertebrates.

A logistical mishap late Tuesday afternoon left me without a room to change etc.. and whilst I waited at the old settlement north of the runway I saw one of the single males sitting on a branch in a Banyan tree. I kicked up some leaf litter and took the opportunity to take a few photos (see sidebar).

The next morning I went to check on the captive chick which I reported on in my post of November 3rd. As I approached the aviary on Catherina’s veranda the bird was giving repetitive rasping and plaintive call. So, having checked that it had water, I set about trying to find it some food by digging around in the adjacent undergrowth and turning logs etc… Over the next 30 minutes or so I was able to bring it quite a feast of small cockroaches which are amongst their favourite food. When I approached to proffer the food the chick, with its mouth gaping yellow, would begin begging louder and louder reaching a crescendo at the point when it would pluck the cockroach from between my fingers.

I did not take the bird out to examine it or take photos (because they would have necessitated a flash) as I did not want to unduly stress it, but it looked quite healthy and I will follow up with Catherina in due course as to the status of its wing.

Keeping checking back for updates!