We’ve had 2 winged visitors recently, with the wings being the only real similarity!

A Madagascar Cuckoo, not a common visitor in the Seychelles Granitics, have recently visited Cousine Island for a couple of days. This magnifiscent looking bird seemed to be a juvenile and was easily caught and rung. Measurements were taken and it’s body condition showed that this bird is in good health and that there is abundant food for it on the island.

The Madagascar Cuckoo in the hand after ringing and measuring the bird.

Ringing the bird enables researchers to recognise the individual bird as it moves around and hopefully we will over time be able to find out where this bird has been visiting if it gets recaptured or if a sharp-eyed birder out there manages to read its ring number.

Our second winged visitor was of the unfeathered kind. Squeaker, our tame Seychelles fruit bat brought a wild girlfriend home, much to Sassie’s amusement. Bats are not all that unusual a sight to see on Cousine Island when our fruit trees are in fruit, however, this little female made herself at home inside the bat aviary. She stayed around for 2 days before flying off again. It is wonderful to see our little handreared bat interacting with wild females!

Our little Sassie (on the right) keeping a watchful eye on the new girl.