Ringing course, Cousin & Cousine Islands, Seychelles, 11-16 Feb 2014

The conservation officers on Cousine Island (Julie Gane and Iain Olivier), and Nature Seychelles invited me to a follow-up bird ringing course on Cousine and Cousin Islands. Read about my previous visit to Cousin here.

Ringing on Cousin Island, 12-13 Feb

Research centre where I stayed	Seychelles Fody ‘Black, Metal’ still around!
Markus with Seychelles Blue Pigeon	Seychelles Blue Pigeon

Working on Cousin:
Hannah Edwards with a warbler, Tom Hiney the chief warden on Cousin, and April Burt (scientific coordinator for Nature Seychelles) ringing a fody

Madagascar Fody, male	Madagascar Fody, female
Madagascar Fody, juvenile	Seychelles Fody female, showing longer bill than in Madagascar Fody

On Cousine Island

Seychelles Warbler	Seychelles Magpie Robin, immature
Pool and ocean from the pavilion	Sunset from villa

On Praslin Island

On my first evening I stayed at the Reef Rescue centre. On my final evening Cousine Island put me in Villa des Alizes on Praslin Island. Both these sites were close to the airport where I found 3 nest sites of the Madagascar Fody.

Madagascar Fody, female at nest	Madagascar Fody, nest sites at airport
Villa des Alizes	Twin Otter, plane between mahe & Praslin

The Cousine team:
Dieter, Julie and Iain – I was able to register Julie and Iain as they had much previous experience – well done!

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Julie Gane for organising the trip! Nature Seychelles and Mr Fred Keeley funded my trip. Thanks to the wonderful hospitality of all the staff and volunteers on both islands!