Fiji continued
Species List
English and scientific names follow those used by Pratt et al in The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) About 10 seen very distantly while I was on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9.
COLLARED PETREL (Pterodroma brevipes) One seen at a reasonable distance while on the cruise on 8/9, well close enough to identify the species. A few other birds were seen much further away which could have been this species but could equally have been one of the other species of Pterodroma found in the region.
White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) One rather distant on the cruise on the 8/9.
Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) Three seen from Garden Island Resort on the evening of the 5/9.
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) Four seen on the evenings of 4/9 and 5/9 off Garden Island Resort and 5+ on the Mamanuca cruise on the 8/9.
Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) A female on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9 was the only one recorded.
Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) A female in the harbour at Vunisea, Kadavu, on 4/9 and two on the cruise on 8/9.
White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae) Treated by Pratt et al as a vagrant but Dick Watling informed me that some birds are now resident in western Viti Levu. One on the river crossing on the road to Nausori Highlands on 30/8 and 31/8, two on a small marsh near Nadi Bay on 31/8 and three in the Saweni/Lautoka area on 7/9.
Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra) A pair of dark phase birds at Vunisea on Kadavu 1-4/9 and two individual white phase birds on Taveuni on 6/9.
Little (Striated) Heron (Butorides striatus) Only seen on Kadavu where one was seen on 2 and 3/9 in the bay on the east side of the airport.
Gray (Pacific Black) Duck (Anas superciliosa) Two seen flying past the Garden Island resort on Teavuni on 5/9 and 30+ in the Saweni/Lautoka area on Viti Levu on 7/9.
Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) Recorded from both Viti Levu and Kadavu but most common on the first of these two islands.
FIJI GOSHAWK (Accipiter rufitorques) FIJI ENDEMIC - Seen on all three of the main islands I visited probably most obvious on Kadavu although it was also common on Taveuni. It did not seem to be so numerous on Viti Levu.
(Buff-) Banded Rail (Rallus philippensis) Only seen on Kadavu, where I saw three on 1 and three on 3/9.
Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) Up to 18 roosting on the airstrip at Vunisea, Kadavu and c50 in the Saweni/Lautoka area on Viti Levu on 7/9.
Wandering Tattler (Heteroscelus incanus): 30+ in the Saweni/ Lautoka area, Viti Levu on 7/9.
Siberian (Grey-tailed) Tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes): About five in the Saweni wetlands on 7/9.
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): About 20 seen around the tidal flats near Lautoka on 7/9.
Great Crested Tern (Sterna bergii): Recorded on all three islands visited and on the cruise.
Black-naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana): Two off Garden Island Resort, Taveuni on 5/9 and c10 on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9.
Bridled Tern (Sterna anaethetus): One on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9.
Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus): Four individuals on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9.
Black Noddy (Anous minutus): About ten on the Mamanuca cruise on 8/9.
White-throated Pigeon (Columba vitiensis): Common around the Nausori Highlands on Viti Levu and in the forest to the west of Vunisea on Kadavu.
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis): This introduced species was seen in the lowlands on Viti Levu and in the Garden Island Resort on Taveuni.
SHY GROUND-DOVE (Gallicolumba stairii)
MANY-COLOURED FRUIT-DOVE (Ptilinopus perousii)
WHISTLING DOVE (Ptilinopus layardi)
GOLDEN DOVE (Ptilinopus luteovirens)
ORANGE DOVE (Ptilinopus victor)
PEALE'S PIGEON (Ducula latrans)
COLLARED LORY (Phigys solitarius)
RED SHINING-PARROT (Prosopeia tabuensis)
CRIMSON SHINING-PARROT (Prosopeia splendens)
MASKED SHINING-PARROT (Prosopeia personata)
White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius): Rather numerous on Viti Leu but much more scarce on the other islands.
Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta): Birds which I believe to be this species rather than Collared Kingfisher, as suggested by some authors, were seen on all three islands visited.
Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica): Not very common with only a few being recorded from all three island visited.
Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen): Just two of this introduced species were seen on Taveuni on 6/9.
POLYNESIAN TRILLER (Lalage maculosa)
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer): This introduced species was abundant on Viti Levu and also recorded from the airstrip on Vanua levu
Scarlet Robin (Petroica multicolor): A male in the Nausori Highlands, Viti Levu , on 31/8; a female on Kadavu on 3/9 and a male on Taveuni on 5/9 were the only records.
Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis): Seen and heard on all three islands visited. Play back experiments showed no response to the calls of the birds on Viti Levu by either the Taveuni or Kadavu birds. Perhaps someone should start to look at the DNA as there has to be a good chance that most of the races of this bird are actually species.
FIJI SHRIKEBILL (Clytorhynchus vitiensis)
BLACK-FACED SHRIKEBILL (Clytorhynchus nigrogularis)
SLATY FLYCATCHER (Mayrornis lessoni)
VANIKORO FLYCATCHER (Myiagra vanikorensis)
BLUE-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiagra azureocapilla)
SILKTAIL (Lamprolia victoriae)
Streaked Fantail (Rhipidura spilodera): One seen in the Nausori Highlands on 28/8, otherwise fairly common on the Des Voeux Peak trail, Taveuni, on 5/9 and one with George and Edward on 6/9.
KADAVU FANTAIL (Rhipidura personata)
FIJI BUSH-WARBLER (Cettia ruficapilla)
Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus): Two endemic races were seen. A single example of T. p. layardi in the Nausori Highlands, Viti Levu on 31/8 where as on Taveuni T. p. tempesti was a common bird early morning on the Des Voeux Peak trail on 5/9.
FIJI WOODSWALLOW (Artamus mentalis)
POLYNESIAN STARLING (Aplonis tabuensis)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis): This introduction was common on Viti Levu, Taveuni and at the airstrip on Vanua Levu.
Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus): This introduced species was common around Nadi on Viti Levu.
ORANGE-BREASTED HONEYEATER (Myzomela jugularis)
WATTLED HONEYEATER (Foulehaio carunculata)
KADAVU HONEYEATER (Xanthotis provocator)
GIANT FOREST HONEYEATER (Gymnomyza viridis)
LAYARD'S WHITE-EYE (Zosterops explorator)
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis): Common and widespread on all islands visited.
RED AVADAVAT (Amandava amandava)
RED-HEADED PARROTFINCH (Erythrura cyaneovirens)
end of report