Seychelles

Well after a long summer working at the golf club it was my wifes 60th so after the party we were off
to the Indian ocean. A long flight via Dubai courtesy of Emirates where we rushed to get our flight to
Mahe then by twin Otter to Praslin were we arrived exhausted darling. The following morning Carols official birthday we slept under the palm trees.

 

 The following morning I had a light breakfast and got a taxi to the Valle de Mai

where I met the local guide Gemma Jessie we were in search of the local specialitie.

The Seychelles black parrot we had close views and it even flew overhead giving

good views,the endemic bulbul also put in an appearance as the temperature rose around 1030 hrs.

Another endemic posed at close quarters this time the Seychelles Blue Pigeon ,next up the

Seychelles Fruit bat looking like a raptor across the blue sky.

Another lifer was Seychelles swiftlet  hawking for insects with Cuissine island in the

distance. I returned to the hotel and we had some rain in the afternoon.

The next morning I was off to Cousin Island for the morning at least on route noted a few terns and a

Whimbrel it was about 30 minutes by boat .

Still a bit showery  I clocked a cracking lifer a Fairy tern very close in what looked like Tamarisks.

We were then split in to two partys one English and one French we began walking through the

guano caked forest getting bitten by sand flies etc did not deter our day . White tailed Tropic birds still had young as did Lesser Noddys.

Curious Seychelles Magpie Robins came close ,but the Seychelles Fody proved elusive only

giving poor views but a least I saw it.

Climbing to the summit of the island  we came across a Wedge tailed shearwater outside its burrow.

From the top of the island we retraced our steps back down along the beach trail noting a large

Aldabra tortoise.

The lesser Noddys were fairly gregarious as they nested amongst the trees.

Nearer the tide line we was advised of Hawksbill turtles excavating nests we watched and

photographed from a distance so we did not disturb their route to nest etc.

Finally before leaving we managed to photograph the endemic Seychelles warbler, reluctantly our time on Cousin had come to an end.

What a great day to  see this island in all its glory.