1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Southern Province of New Caledonia (Province Sud de Nouvelle-Calédonie) occupies the southern half of the main island of Grande Terre. It includes the capital of Nouméa and the famous Parc Provincial de Rivère-Bleue, which is the main preserve of the endemic
kagu and holds all of Grand Terre's other endemics.
A 2-person team of Kevin Vang and Wojciech Dabrowka spent 4 days, June 7-10, 2003, surveying 4 separate locations in the Province:
· Anse Vata Beach
· Parc Provincial de Rivère-Bleue
· Farino Area
· Forêt des Monts Koghis
As a gift to the Islanders for putting up with colonial rule, the French Government does not charge any income tax to local residents. Therefore prices for accommodation, food and other items are quite high when compared to Australia or New Zealand prices. It is best to purchase a package holiday, which includes airfare, car rental and accommodation. These packages often include a variety of other features, but the serious birdwatcher can ditch many of these in favour of simply going out looking at birds.
The time of year is also important with the wet season lasting from late December to early April. Usually early June is quite safe, but unfortunately, we had the remnants of a very late season Cyclone Gina which was dissipating as it approached New Caledonia from Vanuatu. It brought off and on showers, sometimes quite heavy, but generally the rain it did not impact too much on the bird watching.
2.0 AREAS VISITED
Anse Vata Beach: We got a holiday package and stayed at this famous tourist beach at the Hotel Lantana Beach. The bird watching here is not too exciting, but it is easy to see urban-type birds and the endemic
Dark-Brown Honeyeater (
Lichmera incana).
Parc Provincial de Rivère-Bleue: The park comprises the western half of the large Lac de Yaté and a large area of hill and valley forests to the west. The elevation ranges from 165m at the lake edge to 1250m on Mt Dzumac. We headed to this park on the second day to find
kagu (
Rhynochetos jubatus). Unfortunately the park had been closed since March 13, 2003 when Super-Cyclone Erica tore across the main island killing 2, injuring over 100 and leaving 1000 homeless. Fortunately we arranged special access through the park authorities. We were successful in finding the kagu and several other endemics.
Farino Area: This is a pleasant hill area in the northern part of the Province where we spent the 3rd day. Showers were becoming more persistent as Cyclone Gina approached. However, they were intermittent and not too heavy. Farino is maze of trails and roads, and the birds, including many endemics, are easy to see from the car or along trails. The elevations surveyed were from 100-500m. On the way to Farino, we stopped briefly along the road at Boulouparís, about 50 m, where some bird activity was noted.
Forêt des Monts Koghis: This hill area just to the north of Nouméa holds nice rain forest, which has very good bird watching. There are many trails, and we surveyed along a variety of them from 400-600m. However, as the day wore on the showers turned to heavy rain, and we were forced into an early afternoon after falling down a raging hillside rivulet.
3.0 SPECIES LIST
The following is a species by species account.
Little Pied Cormorant, Phalacrocorax melanoleucas
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Lac de Yate, Waypoint 295, 167 m, one seen on snag in middle of lake, 7 June 2003.
New Caledonia Goshawk,
Accipiter haplochrous
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 297, 178 m, one seen at very close range flying between trees in forest and perching in two different areas, very deep grey colour and white belly makes for handsome bird, 7 June 2003.
Swamp Harrier, Circus approximans
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, 1 seen flying low over field, white rump clearly visible, 8 June 2003.
Whistling Kite, Haliastur sphenurus
Boulouparis Area, Waypoint 299, 43 m, commonly seen individuals or pairs soaring roadside, 8 June 2003.
Buff-banded Rail,
Gallirallus philippensis
Farino Area, Waypoint 302, 326 m, one seen in grass along dirt road, common myna landed on top of it and chased it into the deeper grass, 8 June 2003.
Kagu, Rhynochetos jubatus
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 297, 178 m, one seen at very close range and photographed, see above, foraging in ground for grubs, insects, worms, occasionally made a hissing noise if approached too closely, 7 June 2003.
Spotted Turtle Dove, Streptopelia chinensis
Very common throughout southern part of island from sea-level in Nouméa to 250 m around Farino, 7-9 June 2003.
Glossy Swiftlet, Collocalia esculenta
Boulouparis Area, Waypoint 299, 43 m, commonly seen hawking in patch of roadside forest, 8 June 2003. Farino Area, Waypoint 301, 293 m, few seen hawking along forest hill, 8 June 2003.
Sacred Kingfisher, Todirhamphus sancta
Very common throughout southern part of islands from sea-level mangroves around Nouméa to 250 m around Farino, usually perched on wires or snags, 7-8 June 2003.
Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike,
Coracina caledonica caledonica, endemic subspecies.
Farino Area, pair seen and photographed at Waypoint 305, 213 m, whitish-yellow eye, 8 June 2003.
Long-tailed Triller, Lalage leocopyga
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue,Waypoint 295, 167 m, one seen in lakeside scrub, 7 June 2003. Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, few seen in garden area adjacent to forest, 8 June 2003.
Fan-tailed Gerygone, Gerygone flavolateralis
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, 1 seen in trees in open field area, 8 June 2003. Foret de Mt Khogis, 3-4 seen in forest in small wave with Streaked Fantails, and Green-backed White-eyes, note that there is distinct dark line between bill and eye reminiscent of many Australian gerygones, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
Southern Shrikebill, Clytorhynchus pachycephaloides
Forêt de Mts Khogis, 2 seen in forest in small wave with 2 Streaked Fantails, and 2 Yellow-bellied Robins, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
Melanesian Flycatcher, Myiagra caledonica caledonica, endemic subspecies
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, 1 female seen in garden area and photographed, differed from book description in that it had a solid white eye-ring and white lateral patches on tail, 8 June 2003.
Collared Fantail, Rhipidura fuliginosa bulgeri, endemic subspecies
Farino Area, Waypoints 300-303, 238-326 m, very common in open field, garden and forest, photographed at Waypoint 302, 8 June 2003.
Spotted Fantail, Rhipidura spilodera
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 296-298, 170-180 m, common along trail areas in deep forest and forest-side scrub, 7 June 2003. Forêt de Mts Khogis, common in forest usually seen in small bird waves with White-eyes, Southern Shikebill and Yellow-bellied Robin, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
Yellow-bellied Robin, Eopsaltria flaviventris
Forêt de Mts Khogis, 2 seen in small bird waves with Southern Shikebill and Streaked Flycatcher, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
New Caledonian Whistler, Pachycephala caledonica
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 296-298, 170-180 m, common along trail areas in deep forest and forest-side scrub, several males and a few females seen, 7 June 2003. Forêt de Mts Khogis, few females seen in rainforest, some near to small bird waves with Streaked Fantail, Southern Shikebill and Streaked Flycatcher, Waypoint 309-410, 490-550 m, 09 June 2003.
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris xanthetraea, endemic subspecies
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, 1 male photographed and 1 probably immature which was plain looking, white belly with no streaks, seen in garden area adjacent to forest, several more seen at Waypoint 307, 95 m, males and females with streaked bellies were seen, 8 June 2003.
Grey-breasted White Eye,
Zosterops lateralis
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, few seen in roadside garden with green-backed white eye, 8 June 2003. Forêt de Mts Khogis, common in forest usually seen in small bird waves with Southern Shikebill and Yellow-bellied Robin, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
Green-backed White Eye, Zosterops xanthrochrous
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Visitor Centre Area, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 295-298, 170-180 m, very common throughout the park in scrubby areas and in deep forest, 7 June 2003. Farino Area, Waypoints 301, 303, 238-293 m, few seen in roadside brushy area 8 June 2003. Forêt de Mts Khogis , common in forest usually seen in small bird waves with Streaked Fantail and Fan-tailed Gerygone, Waypoint 309, 490 m, 09 June 2003.
Silver-eared Honeyeater (Dark-Brown Honeyeater),
Lichmera incana incana
Nouméa, one seen and photographed at hotel at Ansa Vata Beach, noisy and feeding around palm fruit, Waypoint 292, 10 m, 7-10 June 2003. Farino Area, 1 seen and photographed in dense forest canopy, Waypoint 305, 213 m, 8 June 2003.
New Caledonian Myzomela, Myzomela caledonica
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 297, 178 m, one male at very close range and photographed, feeding on nectar of red bottle-brush-like fruit in forest, 7 June 2003.
Barred Honeyeater, Phylidonyris undulata
Parc Provincial Riviére Bleue, Grand Kaori Area, Waypoint 297, 178 m, two seen at very close range feeding on nectar of red bottle-brush-like fruit in forest, 7 June 2003.
Red-throated Parrotfinch, Erythrura psittacea
Farino Area, 1 seen and photographed at Waypoint 303, 238 m, perched on barbed wire fence at the edge of garden and then flew into grass, 8 June 2003.
Common Waxbill, Estrilda astrild
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, small group of 5-6 seen in grassy field along with one Red-throated Parrotfinch, 8 June 2003.
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
Nouméa, several seen at hotel at Ansa Vata Beach, 7 June 2003.
Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis
Common in most roadside areas and in urban parks including Nouméa throughout Southern Province, 7-10 June 2003.
Striated Starling, Aplonis striata
Boulouparis Area, Waypoint 299, 43 m, 8-10 seen flying between roadside forest patches, 1 female and 2 males seen perched at close range, 08 June 2003.
White-breasted Wood Swallow, Artamus leucorhynchus
Farino Area, Waypoint 303, 238 m, few seen and photographed in garden on phone lines, they seemed to have a odd manner of flattening itself and rocking its rump and tail up and down and from side to side, this may be due to the fact that it was raining and they were shedding water or maybe just a local habit, common also on roadside wires from Waypoint 299 to Farino, 40-250m, 8 June 2003.
New Caledonian Crow, Corvus moneduloides
Farino Area, Waypoint 304, 231 m, 1seen and photographed in canopy, calling loudly, several more seen in forest at Waypoint 306, 270 m, 1 also photographed there, very noisy, 8 June 2004.
