Observations on the Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus)…

Now into the fourth week of May and the Blue-cheeked bee-eater is still a common sight on Denis. My impression is that numbers have increased again over the last month with perhaps 30 or more on the island. Following the major influx in November when some 500 or so birds descended on the island. I recall watching literally hundreds hawking over the runway in the evening at the end of that month. The island was alive with these bright green birds with, so it seemed, practically every prominent perch along the paths occupied by yet another bird and their “trilling” call to be heard everywhere.

Numbers rapidly dropped after a few days but a few have been present ever since. During April the numbers went up again presumably as birds were passing through Seychelles this time on their route back north to their summer breeding grounds in southern Asia. Coming to the island on May 21st I frankly didn’t expect to see any as I presumed they would have all flown North by now – but the first bird call I heard as I got of the plane was that of a bee-eater and I could see 4 of them hawking over the beach by the runway. Later that day I saw several more along the east coast at Belle Etoile and more again around the hotel complex and late that afternoon I observed ten to a dozen feeding over the runway.

The next morning I went to photograph the beach outside the main hotel complex as part of a long term study of beach movement and erosion that I have been doing since 2005 when I encountered another bee-eater hawking from a perch on a fallen tree branch that had been washed up. I have learnt over the last 6 months that the bee-eaters are very alert and rather cautious and generally won’t let you get at all close before moving on. This bird however was otherwise occupied as the inshore breeze early that morning appeared to be channeling insects along the coast right past its vantage point. It was therefore very busy securing its breakfast and seemed little concerned with me.

Every 30 seconds or so it would dart of its perch in pursuit of an insect catch it and then stunt and turn in amazingly tight arcs to return to its original position to await its next passing snack. Over the next half-hour I utilised each of its forays to edge incrementally closer to its perch then as I got within about 10 -12 metres the sun came out from behind the clouds and giving good light to photograph the bird and capture the stunning colours of its plumage (see side bar). I was absorbed by this process; with every flight I got a few inches closer and so I believed each set of photos would be that little better than the one before.

I was then fortunate enough to observe some very interesting behavior. The bee-eater returned to its perch with a very large prey in its beak aptly enough it was a large bee – a male carpenter bee in fact.The bird then proceeded to beat the bee against the branch giving off a surprisingly loud “Thok, Thok, Thok” drumming noise as the insect’s exoskeleton hit the wood. Finishing off this bee was not to be an easy task however, despite this vicious beating! One such hit served to dislodge the bee from the bird’s beak and it was off… in a low careering flight over the sand away from its would-be captor. The bird was immediately in pursuit and in the space of 20 feet had re-captured its prey and then promptly returned to its perch to continue the drumming! This scene played out four times. Four times the bee escaped and flew for its life, four times the bee-eater shot after it recaptured it and returned to its post to continue the assault. It was fascinating to watch the blend of beauty, savagery and efficiency embodied by this stunning bird. The blows were administered by a severe whipping action of its head and neck a photo in the sidebar shows how the bird has actually turned its head 180o in order to imbue the whip-lash action with optimal force! Eventually the bee was subdued and then promptly consumed – the whole process from first capture to swallowing had taken a good 4-5 minutes.

The bird then continued with its business and I with mine edging progressively closer in search of that “perfect” photo and then suddenly it was gone. I waited for another 5 – 10 minutes in the hope it may return but it had flown off south-west down the coast doubtless to find another strategic point to continue its hunting.

I was very pleased with my morning’s “work” and I think – and I hope you agree - I was able to catch some good images of this truly wonderful bird.