Christmas Island and Cocos-keeling Islands Birding Trip Report Nov-Dec 2011. PART 4 (Final) Our final full day on the island continued to produce more mega vagrants. The first one came before breakfast when we located a EURASIAN TEAL in the wetlands which was possibly the same bird as last year. Certainly its behavior was the same as we watched it cruise the far end of the swamp and roost under the overhanging palm fronds. Just before lunch Pam Jones came rushing down to our accommodation with a photo of a starling she had just taken from the bushes adjacent to one of the local parks. Within minutes we were all assembled and looking at a young ROSE-COLOURED STARLING. That afternoon we had further views of Asian Koel, Oriental Cuckoo, Striated Heron, Barn Swallow, Asian House Martin and Large Hawk Cuckoo. With only half a day remaining before we flew home there was one more vagrant left to find. Our final morning on the island continued to be productive with nice views of the Large Hawk Cuckoo, both male and female Asian Koel, Grey Wagtail and the teal. We had heard from one of the island’s residents that he had seen a small black and red bird near the cemetery two mornings previously. Sounding like a second Mugamaki Flycatcher we searched the area, but unfortunately we only found a Striated Heron. The best bird discovered that morning was found by Peter Wilk when he photographed a JAPANESE SPARROWHAWK soaring directly over our accommodation. Conclusion: Over two weeks we found a total of 80 species on both islands, including the highest number of rarities I’ve ever recorded, totaling an incredible 26 species. Prior to our arrival there were no significant weather events that I could contribute this high number to but certainly after arriving the near daily rain fronts arriving on Christmas Island from the north contributed to the large number of swifts/swiftlets. On Cocos, there is no doubt the nearby tropical low and subsequent tropical cyclone and associated northerly winds contributed to our tally. A total of 18/26 vagrant species re-occurred from last summer on the islands. In March 2011 we returned and relocated most of the vagrants and there is no doubt many of these will again remain until Feb 25th 2012 when my next tour departs for both Christmas and Cocos. I’m also really looking forward to the Feb/March trip to see what arrives on the islands between now and then. Rarities/vagrants seen: 1. Purple-backed Starling 2. Eastern Yellow Wagtail 3. Asian House Martin 4. Edible-nest Swiftlet 5. Himalayan Swiftlet 6. House Swift 7. Grey Wagtail 8. Red-collared Dove 9. Mossy-nest Swiftlet 10. Asian Koel 11. Gadwall 12. Yellow Bittern 13. Pin-tailed Snipe 14. Silver-backed Needletail 15. Pond Heron Prob Chinese 16. Chinese Sparrowhawk 17. Eye-browed Thrush 18. Mugamaki Flycatcher 19. Watercock 20. Saunder’s Tern 21. Little Stint 22. Western Reef Egret 23. Large Hawk Cuckoo 24. Eurasian Teal 25. Rose-coloured Starling 26. Japanese Sparrowhawk Other nice birds seen: White-breasted Waterhen, Barn Swallow, Oriental Cuckoo, Oriental Pratincole, Green Junglefowl, Lesser, Christmas & Great Frigatebird, Masked, Red-footed, Abbott’s and Brown Booby, White-tailed, Golden Morph WT and Red-tailed Tropicbird, Island Thrush, CI White-eye, CI Imperial Pigeon, Variable Goshawk, Cave (Linchi) Swiftlet, CI Hawk Owl, Dollarbird, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Tree Sparrow, Lesser Crested Tern and Java Sparrow. Richard Baxter www.birdingtours.com.au Next CI/Cocos birding Tours 25 Feb to 10 March 2012 & 24 Nov to 8 Dec 2012. ===============================
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