Seychelles White-eye update
The Seychelles white-eye chick mentioned in the previous diary entry was released out of the cage after 3 days inside and has since florished and is regularly seen following the adults from tree to tree.
On the day of releasing the chick it was decided to try and catch an older unrung chick that fledged last year. We waited an hour and was just about to give up and close the mist net when the unrung bird finally appeared and flew into the net. Both this unrung bird and the young chick were both given colour rings to enable us to identify them in future.
The older unrung Seychelles White-eye in the mist net, a special net designed to catch birds safely for ringing. The small ring of white feathers around the eye is clearly visible.
After both birds were rung, they were both released. The chick flew straight into the Ficus close to the cage and was immediately joined by the adults who gave him a good grooming before calling on him to follow. His stronger sibling managed to stay in the canopies of the trees throughout. Both chicks are either seen or heard daily.
The chick sitting next to his mother after release.
This morning we released the 117th nest for this season. Up to date 14 940 hatchlings have safely made their way to sea. We are currently standing on 223 nests for the season, 110 higher than the whole of last season and thrashing all previous seasons. It is great to see the Hawksbill Turtle coming up in such increased numbers and gives everyone involved in Turtle conservation some renewed hope for this endangered species.
A Hawksbill Turtle female emerging to nest on the North Beach.
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