Tag Archives: Bird Island

Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus)

Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus)

The Seychelles blue pigeon is beautiful and common species throughout the Seychelles islands, but on Bird Island where this was shot I encountered only two. It is after all a small island, so perhaps they find more of what they need on the bigger islands. Even though you might see it more often on other […]

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Another hawksbill sea turtle female on the way back to sea after successfully delivering a clutch of eggs in a safe spot in the sand of Bird Island. this female has timed it well, as it’s just 08:39 in the morning. The previous day another female finished her ordeal past 14:00 hrs, and as such […]

Laurel Dodder (Cassytha filiformis)

Laurel Dodder (Cassytha filiformis)

A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) struggling to push through the entangled vines of the laurel dodder. This is a parasitic species getting all it needs from other plants, just like all the other members of the genus cassytha of the laurel family. These thin vines will not be able to withstand the power of […]

Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus)

Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus)

A common resident throughout the Seychelles archipelago you likely will see for the first time around the airport. On Bird Island, where this was shot, I did not see it very frequently as it appeared to be only two of them there during my visit. This individual is perched in one of several large beach […]

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

The red fody is very common on many of the Seychelles islands, and here on Bird Island I was enjoying a group of them roosting in a bush right outside my room every evening.⠀ The males are impossible to ignore as their bright color is visible even through dense thickets. After every meal both males […]

Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)

Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)

Brown noddy and lesser noddy live side-by-side on Bird island, and can be hard to distinguish from one another, but when you look for these two distinct differences it should be a breeze: Lesser noddy has more grey on head and in particular between the eye and nostrils/beak (the lore). Brown noddy has distinctly darker, […]

Seychelles Sunbird (Cinnyris dussumieri)

Seychelles Sunbird (Cinnyris dussumieri)

As the name implies this is a species endemic to Seychelles, but fortunately it is so common it is not threatened. You will see it on many of the larger islands, and on Bird Island where I shot this picture. On Bird Island you get much closer to them than on Praslin and Mahe, where […]

White tern (Gygis alba)

White tern (Gygis alba)

This white tern is completely lethargic as it has been immobilized by the seeds of the Grand Devil’s-Claws (Pisonia grandis). The tree produces inconspicuous but sweet scented flowers and during the flowering one cannot see the sinister side to this species, as it is the seed that kills. As the seed develops you’ll see spikes […]

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Such a precious event – a female hawksbill sea turtle, a critically endangered species, covering her precious eggs laid in the sand. She is one of a dwindling number of individuals of this critically endangered species. She must be so hot as this is during the hottest part of the day, yet she endured. Most […]

White tern (Gygis alba)

White tern (Gygis alba)

This amazing looking bird is one of many breeding on the small island named Bird Island – the northernmost of the Seychelles islands. It is a privately owned island and how amazing that is for the birds! Before the current owners purchased it, it was mismanaged to the max by people utilizing it as a […]

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

The female red fody is nothing like its male counterpart and blends in well with its surroundings. The red fody is very common on many of the Seychelles islands, and here on Bird Island I was enjoying a group of them roosting in a bush right outside my room.⠀ ⠀ Every evening, in good time […]

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

The red fody is very common on many of the Seychelles islands, and here on Bird Island I was enjoying a group of them roosting in a bush right outside my room.⠀ ⠀ Every evening, in good time before sunset, they would come one by one and start preening or simply communicating amongst themselves.⠀ ⠀ […]

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

The red fody is very common on many of the Seychelles islands, and here on Bird Island I was enjoying a group of them roosting in a bush right outside my room.⠀ ⠀ Every evening, in good time before sunset, they would come one by one and start preening or simply communicating amongst themselves.⠀ ⠀ […]

Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)

Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)

This is a terribly lonely tortoise. It was removed from its homeland of Madagascar decades ago to this island (Bird Island) when the island was a coconut and papaya plantation, likely as a pet. Without a female companion it has not had the opportunity to reproduce and as such helped a critically endangered species hold […]

White tern (Gygis alba)

White tern (Gygis alba)

This amazing looking bird is one of many breeding on the small island named Bird Island – the northernmost of the Seychelles islands. It is a privately owned island and how amazing that is for the birds! Before the current owners purchased it, it was mismanaged to the max by people utilizing it as a […]

White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)

White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)

This is an amazingly elegant and beautiful species! Whether you see them fly together or individually between the trees or above you against the blue sky, their elegance and beauty makes you stop and simply observe their behaviour and in amazement! On Bird Island, Seychelles, you can get very close and intimate with these beauties, […]

Seychelles Sunbird (Cinnyris dussumieri)

Seychelles Sunbird (Cinnyris dussumieri)

As the name implies this is a species endemic to Seychelles, but fortunately it is so common it is not threatened. You will see it on many of the larger islands, and on Bird Island where I shot this picture. On Bird Island you get much closer to them than on Praslin and Mahe, where […]

Lesser Noddy (Anous tenuirostris)

Lesser Noddy (Anous tenuirostris)

Brown noddy and lesser noddy live side-by-side on Bird island, and can be hard to distinguish from one another, but when you look for these two distinct differences it should be a breeze: Lesser noddy has more grey on head and in particular between the eye and nostrils/beak (the lore). Brown noddy has distinctly darker, […]

White tern (Gygis alba)

White tern (Gygis alba)

This amazing looking bird is one of many breeding on the small island named Bird Island – the northernmost of the Seychelles islands. It is a privately owned island and how amazing that is for the birds! Before the current owners purchased it, it was mismanaged to the max by people utilizing it as a […]

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

Red fody (Foudia madagascariensis)

The female of this species is nothing like its male counterpart and blends in well with its surroundings. The red fody is very common on many of the Seychelles islands, and here on Bird Island I was enjoying a group of them roosting in a bush right outside my room.⠀ ⠀ Every evening, in good […]

Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)

Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)

This giant tortoise species is named after one of the largest atolls in the world, Aldabra, which is also its last stronghold after centuries of human exploitation. The Aldabra atoll is part of the Seychelles archipelago, but is far very south (more 1100 km southwest of Mahe) and difficult to get to for those very […]