Aride Island

Getting ready for the off!

Enjoying the ride.

On the way to Aride.

A pair of Greater Frigatebirds.

White Tern

Common Noddy

Delana & I hired a boat to take us to Aride Island on 28th October. It was an expensive trip but it turned out to be a fantastic day out.

Our first view of Aride from the south.

The research station on the east side of the island.

Looking from Aride to Praslin Island

It is probably as close to most peoples idea 

of a tropical island paradise.

Looking back towards our boat.

Lesser Noddy

I think this island has the largest number of

Lesser Noddy nesting.

Upon landing you are greeted by a guide, 
who gives you a tour of the island.

Hundreds of Great Frigatebirds circled overhead.

This is the first thing one sees 
as you land on the beach.

It is quite a sight!

Male.

Aride is the northern most granitic island in the Seychelles & is managed as a nature reserve as over 1.2 million seabirds nest there. It took us about an hour to get to the island from La Digue seeing little on the way until we got close to the island.

Once you clear the beach you are enclosed 
by dense forest.

Seychelles Blue Pigeon

They are quite common but often keep hidden
 in the canopy.

Now for a bit of controversy!

I believe this bird to be a Seychelles Turtle Dove.

Notice the brown crown not grey.

It was also smaller & less bulky than 
Madagascar Turtle Dove.

A second bird was seen at the research station.

This individual was observed close to 
Madagascar Turtle Doves. It was browner on the 
crown, slimmer & much less bulky.
The introduced species is definitively interbreeding
with the native form & it could soon be extinct.

Giant Tortoise come & find you! 
This one likes nibbling your shorts!

Hermit Crabs stalk the forest floor

 in good numbers.

Seychelles Magpie Robin

Every individual is colour ringed.

They are very tame & actively seek out food 
from where you are walking.

Back from the brink.

In 2005 this species was listed as critically endangered, being reduced to just 25 birds all on Fregate Island. Then Seychelles Nature began to introduce this species to other islands, namely Aride; Cousin; Cousine & Denis. This has been a great success & today there are about 260 individuals on these islands.

Seychelles Warbler

A young bird begging for food.

This species used to be more widespread in the Seychelles, but by the 1960's was confined to just Cousin Island. Birds were then trans-located to several other islands including Aride. There are now thought to be around 2,000 birds on Aride.

Male Seychelles Fody

This male was singing & displaying.

Female

This species is an active forager,

 even going upside down!

Delana looking at the endemic 
Wright's gardenia.

Banyan Tree

White tailed Tropicbird

This is one of the great sights, seeing these birds

 soaring over the forest.

Quite difficult to photograph as the light is poor.

Also my lens kept steaming up because

 of the high humidity. Excuses! Excuses!

Many are nesting on the ground in hollows of trees.

Aride is a very important breeding island

 for this species.

A well grown chick.

Common Noddy

Birds sit slightly in the shade,

 where the forest comes down 

to the beach.

Everything is amazingly tame.

Common Noddy seems to use any 

 structure for resting or even nesting.

Nesting on the roof of the building.

Lesser Noddy

Very difficult to photograph because of the light.

They are quite noisy!

They make tiny mud & leaf nests in the trees.

White Tern

This species is common nesting in the forest.

Adult with well grown chick.

Getting ready to leave the island.

We then sailed around to the north side

 of the island.

Male Great Frigatebird

Female

Flocks of Common Noddy were seen.

Delana & I had a fantastic experience on Aride Island & we would have liked to stay a little longer. The island is staggeringly beautiful & of major importance for a range of breeding seabirds & also five of the Seychelles land bird endemics. One of the highlights if not the highlight of our stay on these wonderful islands.