Fiji, September 2006 - BirdForum

10.09.07

More travelling today. Morning flight to from Suva to Kadavu Island. Speedboat transfer to Wassalima Resort on far eastern tip of Kadavu. A walk around the forest at the back of the resort produced a pair of Kadavu Shining Parrots and several loudly singing Kadavu Honeyeaters. There was almost constantly Lesser Frigatebirds in view soaring over the cliffs.

11.09.07

With two Kandavu endemics left to see before leafing the island the next day, I headed off along a small track into the forest west of Wassalima in the early morning. Very quickly I picked up a single Kadavu Fantail, and more Kadavu Honeyeaters. Kadavu Shining Parrots could be heard screeching in the distance. It wasn’t long before I head the loud inflected whistle of my final Kadavu endemic, but a long time searching, and hearing several other individuals didn’t lead to any sightings. Returning to Wasssalima for lunch I heard another whistle right above my head, I looked up and there was a male Velvet Dove, just metres above me. I got excellent views of this third endemic Fijian fruit dove and even managed a nice photo in very difficult (non-existent) rainforest lighting. I spent the rest of the day snorkelling off the beach, seeing a variety of colourful reef fish.


Fiji, September 2006 - BirdForum