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Dates: 13-29 November
2011 (16 days)
Areas visited: Antananarivo, Andasibe-Mantadia
National Park (Perinet), Ranomafana National Park, Anjaha, Isalo,
Ifaty spiny desert, Tulear, Nosy Ve, Ankarafantsika National Park
(Ampijoroa).
Detailed Trip report:
Dear Madagascar trip participants,
I think you’ll agree with me that your 16-day
Madagascar tour was jam-packed with activities, great birds and
fabulous lemurs. During your short stay we covered all the island’s
main habitats: the eastern rainforests at Perinet-Mantadia National
Park and Ranomafana National Park; the western woodlands at Ampijoroa
in the Ankarafantsika National Park; and the spiny forest at Ifaty.
We also birded the transitional woodland of Zombitse National Park,
coral rag scrub around Tulear, grasslands of Isalo National Park
and various wetland habitats scattered throughout, including the
Betsiboka delta. During this time we saw almost all possible Malagasy
endemics, although I think there were a couple of stand-out birds
that were worthy of special mention.
On our drive to Andasibe we enjoyed our only views
of the breeding-endemic Madagascar Pratincole. Then at Andasibe
we enjoyed some exceptional views of Madagascar Wood-Rail and Madagascar
Cuckoo Hawk, before spending some quality time at Mantadia. Here
highlights included all four forest ground-rollers, Meller’s
Duck, Madagascar Flufftail, beautiful Collared Nightjar and unusual
Nuthatch Vanga. Back at Perinet we added Madagascar Long-eared Owl
and Red-breasted Coua to our list of top sightings before heading
for Ranomafana National Park, with great views of Sooty Falcon en
route. The forests at Ranomafana were tough going, but we did well
to find Brown Mesite, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Red-fronted Coua,
Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher, Velvet Asity, both species of Sunbird-Asity
and Pollen’s Vanga here. Then moving to the south-west of
the island we made several stops to admire, amongst others, a beautiful
male Madagascar Harrier, Torotoroka Scops-Owl, White-browed Owl
and Benson’s Rock-Thrush at Isalo National Park, and Giant
Coua, Madagascar Buttonquail and the highly local Appert’s
Tetraka at Zombitse National Park. From here we moved on the coast
at Ifaty, finding Madagascar Plover en route. The spiny forest here
provided an other-worldly backdrop to some more gorgeous birds;
Banded Kestrel, Subdesert Mesite, Running Coua, Long-tailed Ground-Roller
and Lafresnaye’s Vanga perhaps being most memorable. From
here we moved south again a short distance to Tulear, spotting Baillon’s
Crake en route, and finding drinking Madagascar Sandgrouse, Verreaux’s
Coua, Red-shouldered Vanga, Red-tailed Tropicbird and Littoral Rock-Thrush
in this area. For the final leg of the trip we then flew way north
to Mahajunga, from where we visited Ampijoroa in Ankarafantsika
National Park and the Betsiboka delta. At Ampijoroa highlights included
Madagascar Fish Eagle, White-breasted Mesite, Madagascar Jacana,
Coquerel’s Coua, Schlegel’s Asity, Van Dam’s Vanga
and Sickle-billed Vanga, whereas we rounded off the tour at the
Betsiboka delta with our best views of Humblot’s Heron, two
Madagascar Sacred Ibis and a single Bernier’s Teal, to bring
our trip total to a shade over 180 species (see full species list
below), with just one species heard only and one species seen only
by me. We worked exceptionally hard at making sure everyone had
a good chance of seeing every species encountered, and I think in
this respect we certainly succeeded.
Besides the birds there are a host of other animals
worthy of special mention, most of them, of course, the lemurs,
with at least 23 species seen (list below). These included Indri
on our very first day in the country, four fabulous sifakas (Diademed
at Mantadia, Milne-Edwards’s at Ranomafana, Verreaux’s
at Zombitse and Coquerel’s at Ampijoroa), three species of
mouse lemur, three species of bamboo lemur, the iconic Ring-tailed
Lemur and striking Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur. Chameleons also
featured strongly, with at least eight species seen. Other highlights
included the appropriately-named Leaf-tailed Gecko Uroplatus phantasticus,
Giraffe-necked Weevil, some impressive (and thankfully harmless)
Giant Hog-nosed Snakes, various species of striking Day Gecko (Phelsuma)
and some spectacular plants, including Baobabs and the spiny forest.
Everyone knows there is nowhere on earth quite
like Madagascar, and I think you’ll all feel privileged to
have witnessed so many of the natural highlights the island has
to offer.
Annotated
list of birds and lemurs recorded: download PDF
here.
Birding Africa Trip Report
by Tour Leader Michael
Mills.
Please click here
for more information about our Madagascar
Tours.
Please click here for some photographs
from our trips in October
2011 and
November 2011.
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