Worldbirder: Madagascar: Ankarafantsika National Park

After a restful nights sleep at our hotel, we were up at dawn on 7th October bracing ourselves for the eleven hour drive north west to Ankarafantsika National Park. This part of the trip was a bit of an unknown gamble. We were wasting two days of our holiday just travelling to get there & back to Tana. Only two days actually birding in the national park itself. Delana had her reservations about this move, but I wanted to see those specials in the dry forest.

Madagascar Cisticola

As mentioned previously, once on the road, the environment is devastated! There are virtually no birds at all! Only two species could be seen for large parts of our journey: Madagascar Cisticola & Madagascar Lark flying up from the roadside as we passed. The lark proved impossible to photograph, as soon as they saw me, they flew several hundred yards away.

Even though we were driving on a major highway (for Madagascar) the route is littered with small towns & villages, which severely hampers one's progress. Everyone wants to live at the roadside in the hope of selling to passing motorists. This together with the terrible road conditions makes for slow progress & a very long journey.

We arrived at Asity Lodge just after dark. This is a very rustic, local place. Everything is very basic here, but most things worked (just)! However, the people running the lodge were fantastic, nothing was too much trouble for them. We can't really speak highly enough of them.

Delana & Olga

Up early on the 7th for our first day into this new environment. We were introduced to our local guide Olga who proved to be excellent company & very competent. Just as a footnote, one must employ a local guide in every national park in Madagascar. This ensures your safety & the possibility of not getting lost on your own; & gives one the best chance of finding the specials, as they know things like the day roosts of Owls etc. Our experience with local guides was a good one. Everyone we employed was first class & keen to show you around their special place.

Rufous Vanga

Long-billed Bernier

Malagasy Sunbird

Madagascar Hoopoe.

This species is much larger than the African or

European Hoopoe

Grey-headed Lovebird

Torotoroka Scops Owl

Found at its day roost by Olga.

Crested Coua

This particular species behaves like a Turaco.

Red-capped Coua

Coquerel's Coua

White-breasted Mesite

Blue Vanga

Madagascar Cuckooshrike

Coquerel's Sifaka

Milne-Edwards

I woke up on the 8th October feeling terrible. However, I got myself ready for the day. This was our last day in this habitat & we still needed a couple of the big boys which cannot be found elsewhere. First we walked the trail for Schlegel's Asity. We heard them & eventually saw three males & a female. This was one of the big ticks to be found here & despite feeling really bad I managed to get some photos of this rare & magnificent little bird.

Me, on my death march!

Male Schlegel's Asity

After quite a search, we finally obtained great views

of this very rare species.

Male singing.

One of the highlights of this trip!

Sickle-billed Vanga

A noisy & very active species.

Van Damm's Vanga

This is the only accessible

location for this species.

Cuckoo Roller

By mid-morning I couldn't go on. I had serious fatigue & my balance had gone completely. I couldn't walk, so we went back to the lodge & I slept, hoping to be strong enough to go out again in the afternoon. Delana went back into the forest for another couple of hours.

I managed to get myself out for the boat trip around the lake in the afternoon. I was dizzy, no balance, completely fatigued & urinating a lot of blood! But all I had to do was sit there! So off we went & it proved to be a great little trip & a nice finish to our stay in this national park.

Madagascar Fish Eagle

This species is huge!

A total monster!

Quite possibly the rarest bird of prey in the world.

Less than one hundred pairs are known.

There were a few Crocodiles in the lake.

White-faced Whistling Duck

Over one hundred birds were on the lake.

Madagascar Jacana

Yet another species which is declining due to loss

of habitat in Madagascar.

This was the only one we found on the lake.

Look at those legs!

Squacco Herons were common, but we couldn't

find any Malagasy Pond Herons.

Malagasy Malachite Kingfisher

This was a great way to conclude our stay here. Probably could have done with one more day here. However, we did clean up on all the megas found here. I was still very ill & had a terrible night.

Betsiboka River

Madagascar Pratincole

The next day was all about travelling back to Tana. However, we did make two stops: one at a wetland where we saw two Madagascar Swamp Warblers & the second stop at the Betsiboka River Gorge, where we managed to see a lone Madagascar Pratincole. At last we got it,having made several previous attempts for this species.

Lac Alarobia

Delana birding at the lake.

Just a few of the many hundreds of wildfowl

on this lake.

Mellor's Duck

Rare & declining everywhere.

After a nice evening at our hotel & a decent nights sleep, we just had time to cram in one more birding stop on the way to the airport on 10th October. Lac Alarobia is a small wetland on the edge of the city. It is a protected reserve surrounded by the mayhem which is Tana. I don't think that I have seen so many wetland species crammed into such a small area. We had a very pleasant couple of hours birding here, but I was still very ill & struggling.