Madagascar and Northwest and Berenty Extensions trip ... · usual suspects with Malagasy...

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THEBESTOFMADAGASCAR

ANDNORTHWESTANDBERENTYEXTENSIONS

TRIPREPORT

15September‐5October2016

ByJustinNicolau

Giant Coua - Coua gigas

2 | T R I P R E P O R T M A D A G A S C A R , 2 0 1 6


ITINERARY Day Date Start Finish 1 15 September 2016 Antananarivo Antananarivo 2 16 September 2016 Antananarivo Antananarivo 3 17 September 2016 Antananarivo Mahajanga 4 18 September 2016 Mahajanga Ankarafantsika NP 5 19 September 2016 Ankarafantsika NP Ankarafantsika NP 6 20 September 2016 Ankarafantsika NP Mahajanga 7 21 September 2016 Mahajanga Antananarivo 8 22 September 2016 Antananarivo Berenty Reserve 9 23 September 2016 Berenty Reserve Berenty Reserve 10 24 September 2016 Berenty Reserve Ifaty 11 25 September 2016 Ifaty Ifaty 12 26 September 2016 Ifaty Toliara 13 27 September 2016 Toliara Isalo 14 28 September 2016 Isalo Ranomafana NP 15 29 September 2016 Ranomafana NP Ranomafana NP 16 30 September 2016 Ranomafana NP Antsirabe 17 01 October 2016 Antsirabe Andasibe 18 02 October 2016 Andasibe Andasibe 19 03 October 2016 Andasibe Andasibe 20 04 October 2016 Andasibe Antananarivo 21 05 October 2016 Antananarivo Departure Day 1: 15 September 2016 Arriving in Antananarivo mid afternoon, the group set out after the meets and greets and currency exchange toward our hotel for the next two nights. En route the bird sightings were few and far between, as one would expect while in transit. We picked up Common Myna, Dimorphic Egret, Squacco Heron, and a few Mascarene Martins.

Malagasy Kingfisher - Corythornis vintsioides



Arriving at the hotel, bags offloaded, and room keys in hand, we set off for a brief walk around a small body of water in front of the accommodation. Here we enjoyed the likes of Black Heron, Great Egret, Squacco Heron, Mascarene Martin, Red Fody, Red-billed and Hottentot Teals, White-faced Whistling Duck, Common Moorhen, Black Crowned Night Heron, and the diminutive feathered jewel, Malagasy Kingfisher. Dinner was the next order of events, while we all got to know each other a little better during the course of our meal.

Dimorphic Egret - Egretta dimorpha

Day 2: 16 September 2016 A pre-breakfast walk around the hotel produced the likes of Great and Dimorphic Egrets, Squacco Heron and Black-crowned Night Heron, Malagasy Kingfisher, Madagascan Swamp Warbler, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Malagasy Black Swift, Mascarene Martin, Common Moorhen, Common Myna, Madagascan Cisticola, and Red Fody, while Red-billed and Hottentot Teals were fairly abundant. Stomachs full and well caffeinated, we headed off to a local bird sanctuary within the capital city. A small lake with a variety of exotic trees is home to large breeding numbers of herons and egrets and a variety of other local fauna. Right away we had large numbers of Red-billed Teal, Hottentot Teal, White-faced Whistling Duck, and a half dozen Meller’s Ducks. Western Cattle, Great, and Dimorphic (both color variations) Egrets, as well as Black, Squacco, and Malagasy Pond Herons and Black-crowned Night Heron showed well. Within the reeds we managed to pull out Madagascan Swamp Warbler and two brilliant views of White-throated Rail. Malagasy White-eye, Madagascan Hoopoe, Malagasy Coucal, Madagascan Mannikin, Madagascan Cuckoo, Malagasy Kestrel, and Yellow-billed Kite were welcome additions, as well as a fair number of Common Jery, which called from the tree tops, and additional common species. In the afternoon we headed for the Antananarivo Zoo, here we had close-up views of unusual mammals such as fossa and a variety of lemur species as well as sought-after bird and reptile species. While exploring the grounds we picked up a number of common species already seen, but added the likes of Souimanga Sunbird and Malagasy Turtle Dove.



Day 3: 17 September 2016 Once again a pre-breakfast walk was the order of the day, the hotel grounds producing the usual suspects with Malagasy Kingfisher, Madagascan Cisticola, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret, and many Red-billed Teals and White-faced Whistling Ducks entertaining us. Good numbers of Malagasy Black Swift showed briefly overhead, as did Mascarene Martin and a constant stream of Red Fodies. After breakfast we revisited the central lake in town. Here we picked up good views of Malagasy Kestrel and a large number of herons and egrets, with noteworthy sightings of breeding-plumaged Malagasy Pond Heron, and a dark-morph Dimorphic Egret. A handful of Meller’s Ducks were picked up from within the aggregation of Red-billed Teals and White-faced Whistling Ducks, while Malagasy Coucal and Malagasy Kingfisher put on quite a performance. What we assumed to be a potential escapee in the form of Lesser Vasa Parrot gave us a brief flyby, an unusual bird for the capital. After lunch we set off to the local market to get a good taste of the city before we headed to the airport for a flight to Mahajanga, where we would start our journey to the northwest of the island. This is where the real fun was about to begin.

Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax

Day 4: 18 September 2016 Departing for the coast after breakfast to jump aboard our boat, we headed towards the Betsiboka Delta; here we worked the mangrove swamps and mudflats, where we added a variety of species. Pied Crow, African Palm Swift, and countless dark-morph Dimorphic Egrets welcomed us to the river mouth. At the mouth itself we picked up Lesser Flamingo, White-faced Whistling Duck, and a number of waders/shorebirds, notably Curlew Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Common Ringed Plover, and Greater Sand Plover. Other interesting additions included Yellow-billed Kite, Olive Bee-eater, and Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, a pair of which we observed displaying above us. We also located a couple of very distant Malagasy Sacred Ibises before heading back for lunch. After lunch we made our way to Ankarafantsika National Park, locating Pied Crow, Madagascan Lark, and Namaqua Dove along the way. Once reaching the park we immediately worked the deciduous forest to seek out a few of its specials. Chabert Vanga



performed right off the bat, followed by Crested Drongo, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Blue Vanga, Long-billed Bernieria, Souimanga Sunbird, Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Buzzard, Madagascan Hoopoe, Frances’s Sparrowhawk, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, and a couple of other more commonly encountered species. Brown lemur and Coquerel’s sifaka were added to our mammal list, while a night walk prior to dinner produced golden-brown and grey mouse lemurs, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Milne-Edwards’s sportive lemur, and Oustalet’s and rhinoceros chameleons.

Frances’s Sparrowhawk - Accipiter francesiae

Day 5: 19 September 2016 Our full day in the national park commenced prior to dawn, and after a quick breakfast we headed immediately for the primary forest. Here we located the likes of Common Newtonia, Coquerel’s Coua, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Souimanga Sunbird, Rufous Vanga, Sickle-billed Vanga, Madagascan Buzzard, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Sakalava Weaver, Cuckoo Roller, and two local specials in the form of Schlegel’s Asity, where both male and female showed for a lengthy period of time, with the male’s colorful caruncle glistening in the sun. We then picked up a pair of confiding White-breasted Mesites before heading to the secondary patches of forest. Other noteworthy sightings included a male rhinoceros chameleon and two separate roosting Milne-Edwards’s sportive lemurs.



Our second walk was also somewhat productive, as we added Madagascan Buttonquail, Greater Vasa Parrot, and Crested Coua, saw many more common species, and had improved views of a variety of Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher morphs, Malagasy Bulbul, Olive Bee-eater, Lesser Vasa Parrot, and Coquerel’s sifaka, which came in to inspect us at the restaurant. We then set off in the afternoon on a boat ride around the local sacred lake, where we enjoyed the usual water birds as well as Glossy Ibis, Striated Heron, Three-banded Plover, and one of the resident Madagascan Fish Eagles. We then visited another hidden gem of a site, encountering a variety of the usual suspects and managing to locate a flock of the diminutive and eye-catching African Pygmy Goose. Day 6: 20 September 2016 This was our final morning in the area, so we decided on an earlier start and a later breakfast. This verdict bode well for us, as it wasn’t long before we heard the piercing calls of our main target for the day. Van Dam’s Vanga was near, and a few minutes later we had a spectacular male calling in full view. Following this we picked up Common Newtonia, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Coquerel’s and Crested Couas, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Souimanga Sunbird, Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Buzzard, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Sickle-billed Vanga, and a handful of others. Some time later the piercing calls now familiar to us echoed through the forest again. Agitated calls were giving away the presence of a male Frances’s Sparrowhawk, which had just caught and proceeded to kill and pluck a Crested Drongo in front of us, while the localized Van Dam’s Vangas mobbed it, together with an army of other common species. After a late breakfast some of us headed back into the forest after ogling a Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher and a family of obliging Coquerel’s sifaka. Our sole target was Red-capped Coua, and it did not take us long before we picked up on a bird in the path ahead of us. Returning to camp we bumped into the two other local coua species and White-breasted Mesite before packing the vehicle and heading back to Mahajanga. Day 7: 21 September 2016 Although not according to plan, due to flight changes today became a travel day, as we made the journey by vehicle from the northwest back to the capital to ensure that we would not have any further flights from the area canceled on us. The drive was long, but we encountered the likes of Pied Crow, Mascarene Martin, Madagascan Lark, Olive Bee-eater, Yellow-billed Kite, African Palm Swift, Black Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Common Myna, Rock Dove, Sakalava Weaver, Malagasy Kestrel, Malagasy Kingfisher, and a few more unique species such as African Pygmy Goose, Humblot’s Heron, a distant Madagascan Jacana, and a surprise flyover by Malagasy Harrier before touching base back in Antananarivo and settling down for a wonderful dinner. Day 8: 22 September 2016 Due to further delays of flights out of the capital we were hotel-bound for the morning. The local gardens produced nothing unusual, but we had good views nonetheless of Red Fody, Madagascan Wagtail, Common Myna, and other city species before we headed to the airport to catch our early-afternoon flight down to the south of the island. After touching down in Fort Dauphin we made out way to Berenty Reserve. The drive was rather slow due to current road conditions, but the unique habitat and spectacular sunset sure made up for it as well as the occasional sighting of some of the commoner bird species such as Yellow-billed Kite, Common Myna, Namaqua Dove, a tiny Madagascan Buttonquail



and two chicks, which crossed the road, Purple and Striated Herons, Western Cattle Egret, Malagasy Coucal, Hamerkop, and one of the resident White-browed Hawk-Owls in the campsite once we had reached park. Day 9: 23 September 2016 Our first morning started off with a bang, as we woke to the sound of ringed-tailed lemurs jumping from roof top to roof top within the campground. Pied Crow, Sakalava Weaver, Malagasy Kestrel, Common Myna, and Crested Coua were present in the vicinity, while a walk in the neighboring forest produced flocks of Grey-headed Lovebirds, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Malagasy Turtle and Namaqua Doves, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Common Jery, Crested Drongo, Malagasy Coucal, Souimanga Sunbird, and a stunning Madagascan Sparrowhawk. Mammals included the famous dancing Verreaux’s sifaka, the introduced red-fronted brown lemur, and the charming white-footed sportive lemur.

Ring-tailed lemur - Lemur catta

After a late breakfast we headed for a second forest, where we enjoyed repeat sightings of many of these species but also added warty chameleon, grey mouse lemur, Malagasy three-eyed lizard, spider tortoise, and great views of both Running Coua and Thamnornis and a well-camouflaged Madagascan Nightjar roosting among the unique flora located within these southern spiny deserts. A later walk added Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk, Frances’s Sparrowhawk, and Giant Coua, while a night walk produced good views of warty chameleon, grey mouse lemur, and white-footed sportive lemur.



Verreaux’s sifaka

White-footed sportive lemur - Lepilemur leucopus

Day 10: 24 September 2016 Our final walk in Berenty Reserve produced great repeat views of the likes of ring-tailed, white-footed sportive, and red-fronted brown lemurs as well as Verreaux’s sifaka. We encountered many of the common bird species once again, but we also did pick up great views of a few Frances’s Sparrowhawks, Black-crowned Night Heron, Blue Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, Common Newtonia, Grey-headed Lovebird at the nest, and another Giant Coua to entertain us. We then headed for the airport, where we stopped for lunch in the bay of Fort Dauphin before flying off to Toliara.



After we stepped out of the airport we headed north to fit in some last-minute birding in the spiny inland vegetation. Here we flushed countless Namaqua Doves, Madagascan Lark, Sakalava Weaver, and Red Fody and also picked up specials such as the fairly recently described Red-shouldered Vanga, which showed exceptionally well, just before we locked onto a displaying Lafresnaye's Vanga. Then we headed to Ifaty to spend the evening. Day 11: 25 September 2016 Today was our earliest start of the trip yet, and for good reason. It warms up quickly in the south, and the birds are quick to get quiet. The unique spiny habitat littered with enormous baobabs was quite the site, and so too were the birds that inhabited it. Greater Vasa Parrot, Striped-throated Jery, Crested Coua, Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Common Jery, Malagasy White-eye, Crested Drongo, Common Newtonia, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, and more of the usual species were encountered, while more sought-after species such as Long-tailed Ground Roller, Thamnornis, Archbold’s Newtonia, Subdesert Brush Warbler, Subdesert Mesite, Running Coua, Madagascan Sparrowhawk, and a few others like White-headed Vanga and Madagascan Hoopoe also put in an appearance, as did countless additional species. Prior to lunch we quickly visited a local spot with a few water bodies and extensive saline grass flats. Here we enjoyed Madagascan Lark, Pied Crow, Western Cattle Egret, Namaqua Dove, Black-winged Stilt, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, White-fronted and Kittlitz’s Plovers, and a pair of our main target, Madagascan Plover, showing off their black chest bands beautifully. After watching Whimbrel pass by at lunch we went back to the scrublands north of Toliara, where we worked hard in the sun for the likes of Verreaux’s Coua, which posed well for us, as well as a brief glimpse of Red-capped Coua. Other species included Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Common Jery, Souimanga Sunbird, Sakalava Weaver, and Madagascan Buttonquail, to name but a few.

Long-tailed Ground Roller - Uratelornis chimaera

Day 12: 26 September 2016



Leaving Ifaty after breakfast we headed for Toliara, where we offloaded our luggage at a new hotel and set off to catch a boat ride to the island of Nosy Ve. Successfully making it on board by the most humorous of local means, we set off into the turquoise waters. Upon reaching the island located just off the mainland we picked up the likes of Greater and Lesser Crested Terns, a single diminutive Saunders’s Tern, Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, White-fronted Plover, Whimbrel, and Dimorphic Egret. In the sky dozens of Red-tailed Tropicbirds, which nest on the island (the main attraction), circled overhead, while a lucky few of us connected with the unique Crab-plover, a single bird putting in a very brief performance. Having soaked up the sun for the morning we headed over to the mainland to enjoy a beautifully prepared lunch as well as connect with Littoral Rock Thrush before heading back to Toliara to settle down to an early rest and birthday celebration. Tomorrow would have us on the road again. Day 13: 27 September 2016 Today we commenced our journey north, stopping in the morning to try our luck for Madagascan Sandgrouse, which unfortunately did not put in an appearance. Consolation prizes in the form of Madagascan Cisticola, Grey-headed Lovebird, close-up views of Madagascan Lark, and a few others kept us entertained nonetheless. We then headed toward Zombitse National Park, where we had saturating views of two pairs of Giant Coua, Coquerel’s Coua, Red-tailed Vanga, Blue Vanga, Common Newtonia, and Long-billed Bernieria as well as a pair of the localized and endemic Appert’s Tetraka, which performed well. Hubbard’s sportive lemur and Verreaux’s sifaka were enjoyed as well as a roosting White-browed Hawk-Owl and the beautiful Standing’s day gecko. We then continued north, where we overnighted just outside of Isalo National Park. The amazing lodge grounds produced Forest Rock Thrush as well as Pied Crow, Malagasy Kestrel, Grey-headed Lovebird, Yellow-billed Kite, and Helmeted Guineafowl before we settled down for a wonderful meal. Day 14: 28 September 2016 Prior to breakfast we set out on a morning walk among the sandstone rocky outcrops surrounding the lodge. Birding was slow, but we did pick up countless Yellow-billed Kites, Pied Crow, Malagasy Coucal, Common Jery, African Palm Swift, Malagasy Kestrel, and eventually a small covey of our targeted species, Madagascan Partridge, before we bumped into a pair of Cuckoo Rollers outside the restaurant. We then pushed north, stopping briefly for lunch while soaking in the highland atmosphere before finally making our way to Ranomafana National Park by mid afternoon. Here we met up with our local guide and immediately set to work. A much-needed walk not only stretched the legs but added the likes of Madagascan Snipe, Mascarene Martin, Madagascan Wagtail, Malagasy White-eye, Malagasy Green and Souimanga Sunbirds, Madagascan Starling, and Tylas, White-headed, and Chabert Vangas. We also enjoyed Crested Drongo, Green Jery, Blue and Red-fronted Couas, Rand’s Warbler, and a really obliging Madagascan Flufftail, a true skulker of the forest floor. Day 15: 29 September 2016 This was our first full day in Ranomafana National Park, and our morning’s walk was set aside for the secondary forest. Crossing over the river into the forest we immediately started picking up birds, namely the likes of Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Madagascan Buzzard, Malagasy Kestrel, and Grey-crowned Tetraka, before we reached the higher slopes, where,



after a little patience and great work by the local guides, we had saturating views of Brown Mesite right at our feet, one of the trickier forest endemics. Further along the trail we disturbed a pair of Madagascan Wood Rails and also met Blue Coua, Wedge-tailed Jery, Crossley’s Vanga, Madagascan Starling, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, Madagascan Cuckoo, and four top targets in the form of Pitta-like Ground Roller, Scaly Ground Roller and both Common Sunbird-Asity and Velvet Asity, sporting their breeding caruncles and freshly-molted plumages. In the afternoon we headed into the primary forest, which unfortunately was not as productive as the morning walk had been by a country mile, although that walk would have been hard to beat. We did pick up red-bellied lemur, the exceptional giraffe weevil, Dark Newtonia, Spectacled Tetraka, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Blue Coua, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, and a handful of the regularly encountered forest species. Then we made our way to the main road, where we conducted our evening’s night walk. Here we picked up a few diminutive rufous mouse lemurs, heard Rainforest Scops Owl and Madagascan Owl, and located a number of amphibians as well as a few dozen chameleons, including nose-horned, cryptic, two-striped, and O’Shaughnessy’s.

O’Shaughnessy’s chameleon - Calumma oshaughnessyi

Day 16: 30 September 2016 Today was our last day in Ranomafana, and we set out early to make the most of it. Venturing into the primary forest we picked up Forest Rock Thrush, Mascarene Martin, Blue Coua, Cryptic Warbler, Wedge-tailed Jery, Green Jery, Spectacled and Grey-crowned Tetrakas, Dark Newtonia, Tylas Vanga, and a number of other forest species. Higher up the slopes we bumped into a pair of Rufous-headed Ground Rollers, which performed for us for a short period before vanished back into the forest understory. Not long after we picked up two of the island’s top skulkers, and although the sightings were brief, Brown Emutail and Madagascan Yellowbrow were officially on the list. Upon exiting the forest a quick roadside walk added great views of a pair of Pollen’s Vanga, Madagascan Wagtail, Mascarene Martin, Malagasy Black Swift, Madagascan Buzzard, Yellow-billed Kite, and a variety of beautiful orchids that had recently come into bloom. Our



drive north commenced, which took the later half of the day without any birding to speak of, although there were many Malagasy Kestrels and an assortment of herons and egrets that kept us busy along the way. Day 17: 01 October 2016 Today was predominantly a travel day, set aside for reaching another set of eastern escarpment rainforests. The drive took the greater portion of the day with little birding to be had, but the scenery was fantastic and the road in better condition than most. En route we picked up Black Heron, Great Egret, Squacco Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Yellow-billed Kite, Rock Dove, and a few other regulars. After reaching Antananarivo for lunch the hotel grounds produced Brown-throated Martin, Red Fody, Madagascan Wagtail, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Madagascan Swamp Warbler, and Malagasy Green Sunbird. We then took a turn towards the east, where the windy slopes led us toward the town of Andasibe. En route a brief stop for Madagascan Pratincole was unsuccessful but yielded an unexpected addition in the form of a pair of Madagascan Green Pigeon before we reached our final destination, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, and set out for a night walk shortly thereafter. Green bright-eyed frog was common, as were the tiny and localized Goodman’s mouse lemur, furry-eared dwarf lemur, and nose-horned chameleon, while a single young Parson’s chameleon also put in an appearance just before we departed.

Green bright-eyed frog - Boophis viridis

Day 18: 02 October 2016 An early morning visit to the secondary forest of Andasibe-Mantadia was one that we’ll certainly not forget. Birds here included France’s Sparrowhawk, Madagascan Flufftail, Madagascan Wood Rail, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, Greater Vasa Parrot, Madagascan Cuckoo, roosting Rainforest Scops Owl and Madagascan Owl, the unique and poorly understood Collared Nightjar, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Rand’s Warbler, Short-legged Ground Roller, and one more special up a side road in the form of a brilliant pair of Malagasy Sacred Ibises for a lucky few in the group. Late in the afternoon, after lunch and a well-deserved rest, we set off again into the secondary forest. Once again we came up short on visuals of Red-breasted Coua, which seriously made us work, but we did pick up a pair of the very sneaky Madagascan Ibis as consolation prize, while also seeing Madagascan Wood Rail, Red Fody, Madagascan Stonechat, Malagasy Bulbul, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Malagasy Kingfisher, and Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, as well as a beautiful reddish female Parson’s chameleon soaking up the last of the afternoon’s rays.



Rainforest Scops Owl - Otus rutilus

Day 19: 03 October 2016 Today we headed for the primary forest of the Mantadia section of the national park, located just north of town. We arrived fairly early in the morning and immediately set to work. The forested trails yielded Spectacled Tetraka, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, and Madagascan Ibis, which we flushed from the forest floor. Red-bellied lemurs entertained us for a some time before we reached the deeper trails, where we picked up Malagasy White-eye, Tylas Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Blue Vanga, Crested Drongo, Souimanga Sunbird, a spectacular black-and-white ruffed lemur, Blue Coua, Madagascan Cuckooshrike, a peculiar Nuthatch Vanga, and a calling Henst’s Goshawk, which we just could not seem to locate in the dense canopy. After a healthy lunch at the lake, which yielded Madagascan Swamp Warbler, Madagascan Stonechat, White-headed Vanga, Madagascan Buzzard, Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Madagascan Grebe, Madagascan Wagtail, Common Moorhen, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, Madagascan Spinetail, Mascarene Martin, Ward’s Flycatcher, and a number of others we headed for a quick walk back within the forest. Here we added Lesser Vasa Parrot and brief views of Madagascan Rail as we made our way back to the hotel and left the national park behind us.



Black-and-white ruffed lemur - Varecia variegata

Day 20: 04 October 2016 Immediately after breakfast we revisited a fruiting tree; this timing allowed us to locate two representatives of our special target, Malagasy Green Pigeon, feeding on the ripening figs. Our next agenda point was to locate our final coua, and after much work it all finally came to a sugary end when the group got onto a bird in a new patch of forest: Red-breasted Coua was finally in the bag! Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher showed for a while when we exited the forest and headed home to pack the car and start the return journey. Another brief stop to scan for Madagascan Pratincole was futile, but we picked up Common Sandpiper and a couple of African Palm Swifts instead. The rest of the drive back to Antananarivo produced good numbers of Malagasy Kestrel, Yellow-billed Kite, Squacco, Black, and Striated Herons, and Western Cattle, Great, and Dimorphic Egrets before we returned to our hotel and prepared ourselves for our final supper. Day 21: 05 October 2016 Today was the last day of what proved to have been a very successful tour. A late relaxing breakfast was the order of the day, while some of us made use of the local spa to rub away the aches and pains accumulated over the last three weeks. With our bags packed we set off



to the airport to say our good-byes, surrounded by flocks of Mascarene Martins and the ubiquitous Common Myna.

MADAGASCAR BIRD LIST SEPTEMBER 2016

Bold = country endemic Status: NT = Near-threatened, VU = Vulnerable, EN = Endangered, CR = Critically

Endangered

Common Name (IOC 6.4) Scientific Name (IOC 6.4) Trip ANSERIFORMES Ducks, Geese and Swans Anatidae White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata 1 African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus 1 Meller's Duck - EN Anas melleri 1 Bernier's Teal - EN Anas bernieri 1 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 1 Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota 1 GALLIFORMES Guineafowl Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 1 Pheasants and allies Phasianidae Madagascan Partridge Margaroperdix madagarensis 1 Common Quail Coturnix coturnix H PODICIPEDIFORMES Grebes Podicipedidae Madagascan Grebe - VU Tachybaptus pelzelnii 1 PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Flamingos Phoenicopteridae Lesser Flamingo - NT Phoeniconaias minor 1 PHAETHONTIFORMES Tropicbirds Phaethontidae Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda 1 PELECANIFORMES Ibises, Spoonbills Threskiornithidae Malagasy Sacred Ibis - EN Threskiornis bernieri 1 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 1 Madagascan Ibis - NT Lophotibis cristata 1 Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1 Striated Heron Butorides striata 1 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 1



Malagasy Pond Heron - EN Ardeola idae 1 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1 Humblot's Heron - EN Ardea humbloti 1 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 1 Great Egret Ardea alba 1 Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca 1 Dimorphic Egret Egretta dimorpha 1 Hamerkop Scopidae Hamerkop Scopus umbretta 1 ACCIPITRIFORMES Kites, Hawks and Eagles Accipitridae Madagascan Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides radiatus 1 Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk Aviceda madagascariensis 1 Frances's Sparrowhawk Accipiter francesiae 1 Madagascan Sparrowhawk - NT Accipiter madagascariensis 1 Henst's Goshawk - NT Accipiter henstii H Malagasy Harrier - VU Circus macrosceles 1 Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius 1 Madagascan Fish Eagle - CR Haliaeetus vociferoides 1 Madagascan Buzzard Buteo brachypterus 1 MESITORNITHIFORMES Mesites Mesitornithidae White-breasted Mesite - VU Mesitornis variegatus 1 Brown Mesite - VU Mesitornis unicolor 1 Subdesert Mesite - VU Monias benschi 1 GRUIFORMES Flufftails Sarothruridae Madagascan Flufftail Sarothrura insularis 1 Madagascan Wood Rail Canirallus kioloides 1 Rails, Crakes and Coots Rallidae Madagascan Rail - VU Rallus madagascariensis 1 White-throated Rail Dryolimnas cuvieri 1 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 CHARADRIIFORMES Buttonquails Turnicidae Madagascan Buttonquail Turnix nigricollis 1 Crab-plover Dromadidae Crab-plover Dromas ardeola 1 Stilts, Avocets Recurvirostridae Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 1 Plovers Charadriidae



Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola 1 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 1 Madagascan Plover - VU Charadrius thoracicus 1 Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius 1 Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris 1 White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus 1 Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 1 Painted-snipes Rostratulidae Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis 1 Jacanas Jacanidae Madagascan Jacana - NT Actophilornis albinucha 1 Sandpipers, Snipes Scolopacidae Madagascan Snipe - VU Gallinago macrodactyla 1 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 1 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 1 Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus 1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 1 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 1 Sanderling Calidris alba 1 Curlew Sandpiper - NT Calidris ferruginea 1 Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Laridae Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 1 Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis 1 Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi 1 COLUMBIFORMES Pigeons, Doves Columbidae Rock Dove Columba livia 1 Malagasy Turtle Dove Nesoenas picturatus 1 Namaqua Dove Oena capensis 1 Madagascan Green Pigeon Treron australis 1 Madagascan Blue Pigeon Alectroenas madagascariensis 1 CUCULIFORMES Cuckoos Cuculidae Malagasy Coucal Centropus toulou 1 Crested Coua Coua cristata 1 Verreaux's Coua - NT Coua verreauxi 1 Blue Coua Coua caerulea 1 Red-capped Coua Coua ruficeps 1 Red-fronted Coua Coua reynaudii 1 Coquerel's Coua Coua coquereli 1 Running Coua Coua cursor 1 Giant Coua Coua gigas 1



Red-breasted Coua Coua serriana 1 Madagascan Cuckoo Cuculus rochii 1 STRIGIFORMES Barn Owls Tytonidae Western Barn Owl Tyto alba 1 Owls Strigidae Torotoroka Scops Owl Otus madagascariensis 1 Rainforest Scops Owl Otus rutilus 1 White-browed Hawk-Owl Ninox superciliaris 1 Madagascan Owl Asio madagascariensis 1 CAPRIMULGIFORMES Nightjars Caprimulgidae Collared Nightjar Gactornis enarratus 1 Madagascan Nightjar Caprimulgus madagascariensis 1 APODIFORMES Swifts Apodidae Madagascan Spinetail Zoonavena grandidieri 1 African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus 1 Malagasy Black Swift Apus balstoni 1 LEPTOSOMIFORMES Cuckoo Roller Leptosomidae Cuckoo Roller Leptosomus discolor 1 CORACIIFORMES Ground Rollers Brachypteraciidae Short-legged Ground Roller - VU Brachypteracias leptosomus 1 Scaly Ground Roller - VU Geobiastes squamiger 1 Pitta-like Ground Roller Atelornis pittoides 1 Rufous-headed Ground Roller - NT Atelornis crossleyi 1 Long-tailed Ground Roller - VU Uratelornis chimaera 1 Kingfishers Alcedinidae Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher Corythornis madagascariensis 1 Malagasy Kingfisher Corythornis vintsioides 1 Bee-eaters Meropidae Olive Bee-eater Merops superciliosus 1 BUCEROTIFORMES Hoopoes Upupidae Madagascan Hoopoe Upupa marginata 1 FALCONIFORMES Caracaras, Falcons Falconidae Malagasy Kestrel Falco newtoni 1 PSITTACIFORMES Old World Parrots Psittaculidae



Greater Vasa Parrot Coracopsis vasa 1 Lesser Vasa Parrot Coracopsis nigra 1 Grey-headed Lovebird Agapornis canus 1 PASSERIFORMES Broadbills Eurylaimidae Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea 1 Schlegel's Asity - NT Philepitta schlegeli 1 Common Sunbird-Asity Neodrepanis coruscans 1 Vangas Vangidae Red-tailed Vanga Calicalicus madagascariensis 1 Red-shouldered Vanga - VU Calicalicus rufocarpalis 1 Hook-billed Vanga Vanga curvirostris 1 Lafresnaye's Vanga Xenopirostris xenopirostris 1 Van Dam's Vanga - EN Xenopirostris damii 1 Pollen's Vanga - NT Xenopirostris polleni 1 Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata 1 White-headed Vanga Artamella viridis 1 Chabert Vanga Leptopterus chabert 1 Blue Vanga Cyanolanius madagascarinus 1 Rufous Vanga Schetba rufa 1 Tylas Vanga Tylas eduardi 1 Nuthatch Vanga Hypositta corallirostris 1 Dark Newtonia Newtonia amphichroa 1 Common Newtonia Newtonia brunneicauda 1 Archbold's Newtonia Newtonia archboldi 1 Ward's Flycatcher Pseudobias wardi 1 Crossley's Vanga Mystacornis crossleyi 1 Cuckooshrikes Campephagidae Madagascan Cuckooshrike Coracina cinerea 1 Drongos Dicruridae Crested Drongo Dicrurus forficatus 1 Monarchs Monarchidae Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata 1 Crows, Jays Corvidae Pied Crow Corvus albus 1 Larks Alaudidae Madagascan Lark Eremopterix hova 1 Bulbuls Pycnonotidae Malagasy Bulbul Hypsipetes madagascariensis 1 Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae Mascarene Martin Phedina borbonica 1 Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola 1



Reed Warblers and allies Acrocephalidae Malagasy Brush Warbler Nesillas typica 1 Subdesert Brush Warbler Nesillas lantzii 1 Madagascan Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus newtoni 1 Grassbirds and allies Locustellidae Brown Emutail Bradypterus brunneus 1 Malagasy Warblers Bernieridae White-throated Oxylabes Oxylabes madagascariensis 1 Long-billed Bernieria Bernieria madagascariensis 1 Cryptic Warbler Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi 1 Wedge-tailed Jery - NT Hartertula flavoviridis 1 Thamnornis Thamnornis chloropetoides 1 Spectacled Tetraka Xanthomixis zosterops 1 Appert's Tetraka - VU Xanthomixis apperti 1 Grey-crowned Tetraka - NT Xanthomixis cinereiceps 1 Madagascan Yellowbrow - NT Crossleyia xanthophrys 1 Rand's Warbler Randia pseudozosterops 1 Cisticolas and allies Cisticolidae Common Jery Neomixis tenella 1 Green Jery Neomixis viridis 1 Stripe-throated Jery Neomixis striatigula 1 Madagascan Cisticola Cisticola cherina 1 White-eyes Zosteropidae Malagasy White-eye Zosterops maderaspatanus 1 Starlings, Rhabdornis Sturnidae Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 1 Madagascan Starling Hartlaubius auratus 1 Chats, Old World Flycatchers Muscicapidae Madagascan Magpie-Robin Copsychus albospecularis 1 Littoral Rock Thrush Monticola imerina 1 Forest Rock Thrush Monticola sharpei 1 Madagascan Stonechat Saxicola sibilla 1 Sunbirds Nectariniidae Souimanga Sunbird Cinnyris sovimanga 1 Malagasy Green Sunbird Cinnyris notatus 1 Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Passeridae House Sparrow Passer domesticus 1 Weavers, Widowbirds Ploceidae Nelicourvi Weaver Ploceus nelicourvi 1 Sakalava Weaver Ploceus sakalava 1 Red Fody Foudia madagascariensis 1 Forest Fody Foudia omissa 1



Waxbills, Munias and allies Estrildidae Madagascan Mannikin Lepidopygia nana 1 Wagtails, Pipits Motacillidae Madagascan Wagtail Motacilla flaviventris 1 TOTAL 168

MADAGASCAR MAMMAL LIST SEPTEMBER 2016

Common Name IUCN Scientific Name IUCN Trip CHIROPTERA Pteropodidae Madagascan flying fox Pteropus rufus 1 PRIMATES Cheirogaleidae Grey mouse lemur Microcebus murinus 1 Rufous mouse lemur Microcebus rufus 1 Golden-brown mouse lemur Microcebus ravelobensis 1 Goodman's mouse lemur Microcebus lehilahytsara 1 Grey-brown mouse lemur Microcebus griseorufus 1 Furry-eared dwarf lemur Cheirogaleus crossleyi 1 Western fat-tailed dwarf lemur Cheirogaleus medius 1 Lepilemuridae White-footed sportive lemur Lepilemur leucopus 1 Milne-Edwards's sportive lemur Lepilemur edwardsi 1 Hubbard's sportive lemur Lepilemur hubbardorum 1 "Unidentified" sportive lemur Lepilemur sp. 1 Lemuridae Golden bamboo lemur Hapalemur aureus 1 Ring-tailed lemur Lemur catta 1 Black-and-white ruffed lemur Varecia variegata 1 Red-bellied lemur Eulemur rubriventer 1 Brown lemur Eulemur fulvus 1 Red-fronted brown lemur Eulemur rufifrons 1 Indriidae Lorenz von Liburnau's woolly lemur Avahi occidentalis 1 Diademed sifaka Propithecus diadema 1 Milne-Edwards's sifaka Propithecus edwardsi 1 Verreaux's sifaka Propithecus verreauxi 1 Coquerel's sifaka Propithecus coquereli 1 Indri Indri indri 1 RODENTIA



Nesomyidae Eastern red forest rat Nesomys rufus 1 TOTAL 25

MADAGASCAR HERPETOFAUNA LIST SEPTEMBER 2016

Common Name IUCN Scientific Name IUCN Trip REPTILIA CROCODYLIA Crocodylidae Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 1 SQUAMATA Chamaeleonidae Short-nosed chameleon Calumma gastrotaenia 1 Nose-horned chameleon Calumma nasutum 1 O'Shaughnessy's chameleon Calumma oshaughnessyi 1 Parson's chameleon Calumma parsonii 1 Cryptic chameleon Calumma crypticum 1 Oustalet's chameleon Furcifer oustaleti 1 Rhinoceros chameleon Furcifer rhinoceratus 1 Warty chameleon Furcifer verrucosus 1 Two-striped chameleon Trioceros bitaeniatus 1 Gekkonidae "Unidentified" dwarf gecko Lygodactylus sp. 1 Madagascar day gecko Phelsuma madagascariensis 1 Standing's day gecko Phelsuma standingi 1 Lined day gecko Phelsuma lineata 1 Common house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus 1 Gerrhosauridae Madagascar girdled lizard Zonosaurus madagascariensis 1 Western girdled lizard Zonosaurus laticaudatus 1 Opluridae Malagasy three-eyed lizard Chalarodon madagascariensis 1 Cuvier's Madagascar swift Oplurus cuvieri 1 Merrem's Madagascar swift Oplurus cyclurus 1 Boidae Madagascar tree boa Sanzinia madagascariensis 1 Pseudoxyrhophiidae Boulenger's forest snake Compsophis boulengeri 1 Southwestern night snake Ithycyphus oursi oursi 1 Psammophiidae



Common big-eyed snake Mimophis mahfalensis 1 TESTUDINES Testudinidae Spider tortoise Pyxis arachnoides oblonga 1 AMPHIBIA ANURA Ptychadenidae Mascarene grass frog Ptychadena mascareniensis 1 Mantellidae Green bright-eyed frog Boophis viridis 1 Microhylidae Barbour's giant treefrog Platypelis barbouri 1 TOTAL 28

Madagascar and Northwest and Berenty Extensions trip ... · usual suspects with Malagasy...

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