Nature Notes 2

Just back from a weekend visit to Denis, much of the time was spent with an SBC film and radio crew so more good media coverage which I will post about later.
It’s been awhile since I was on the island so there is a lot to report, other work commitments permitting I hope to have several posts up for readers over the next few days. I’ll start off with a few notes on various natural history observations:

• Fody Feeding Frenzy – there is a palm tree at the entrance to the hotel which is in flower and causing great activity amongst Madagascar fodies. The inflorescence was teaming constantly for 2 days with squabbling fodies. Despite watching quite closely I am still not sure upon what exactly the birds were feeding. They appeared to be particularly interested in the flowers, perhaps taking pollen/nectar but also perhaps feeding on insects drawn to the flowers. Their attention was however not restricted to the flowers perhaps feeding on insects or young parts of buds elsewhere on the inflorescence. Regardless they were numerous, combative and very vocal… so there must have been something good there!
• More Mynahs!!! – I am reluctant to mention mynahs again having posted extensively on them recently (see post of March 17th) but I got the distinct impression that their numbers are on the increase particularly around the hotel. I also encountered our king Mynah (Lerwa marten) again in its usual locale at Belle Etoile and though he continues to be shy I got a better photo of him (see sidebar) though it was at long distance.
• Grey Heron - the bird I first reported on February 15th is still on the island (might it perhaps be taking up permanent residence?) and it continues to be wary. I saw it at Belle Etoile and I was able to take a few long distance photos; but when I tried to be clever and maneuver myself closer by using some thick vegetation for cover it knew exactly where I was. So having belly-crawled to my near perfect vantage point and just brought the camera up to my eye the heron took flight north… clearly still smarter than this observer!
• Bee-eaters still with us… - interestingly some blue-cheeked bee-eaters (Merops persicus) are still with us. Having arrived in large numbers in November of last year a few have remained ever since. It’s hard to tell how many remain on the island. I saw 6 together “hawking” over the runway in the afternoon but also encountered individuals around the hotel and along the southeast coast. I would guess there are approximately 10-12 on the island.
• Crested terns – these beautiful birds are still to be encountered at Pte Mme Guichard or the offshore rocks on the southern point but there appear to be only six at the moment.
• A new restaurant visitor – finally in my post of February 23rd I talked about the nature and different rare species that guests could see, simply while taking breakfast on the Restaurant verandah. Well we can now add magpie-robin to the list. On Sunday morning I watched a magpie robin fly into the restaurant perch on a table and begin to sing! It then spent the next 30 minutes or so in and around the area. It is a single male that has taken up residence around the main hotel building apparently establishing a close relationship with the gardening staff following them closely when they rake in the morning and feasting on the insects there work exposes!