SAKALAVA RAIL

A COOL ADDITION TO MADAGASCAR’S BIRDING ROUTE

Leader : Christian Boix

 

 

Introduction

 

As Madagascar slowly emerges as a top, safe and enjoyable birding destination in the Indian Ocean so do a myriad of worthwhile conservation projects in the island hoping to safeguard the survival of certain species through avitourism.  One such project is the Sakalava Rail project.  Recent efforts conducted by BirdLife Madagascar have lead to the re-discovery of Sakalava Rail in the north western wetlands of Madagascar.  This near mythical species and rather good looking rallid is surprisingly neither shy nor reclusive, on the contrary it appears to be confident, conspicuous and well accustomed to human presence due to a non persecutory co-existence with lake fishermen.  This makes it a very “gettable” target species, if anyone is willing to invest the time and effort involved in getting to the right areas. Indeed the only obstacle challenging anyones viewing of this “sexy” crake was travelling logistics.  For this reason BirdLife and Tropical Birding organized a joint expedition  Lac Kinkony in order to explore a viable visitation plan and necessary travel arrangements to ensure “birders” can get to the area and enjoy this re-discovered gem and corner of Madagascar.  Below is an account of what the expedition found and endured.

 

Trip report

 

Day 1.  23rd July : Soon after arriving in Tana we were transferred to a nearby and convenient hotel close to the airport.  After a changing some money and some final errands we returned to the hotel for supper and a not so restful night due to nerves and anticipation.

 

Day 2. 24th July : Woke up at 06h00 and were soon transferred to the airport to catch the early flight to the arid Northwest. The landing in Mahajunga was as evocative as always with great views of the mudflats and the extensive mangroves over the Betsiboka Delta and the forests of Katsepy. During the brief  transfers between airports we managed to see Madagascar White-eye, Madagascar Fody, Madagascar Bee-eater, Madagascar Wagtail, Madagascar Kingfisher, Mascarene Martin, Madagascar Kestrel, Squacco , Grey & Great White Heron, Dimophic Egret and Striated Heron.

 

A BirdLife representative was awaiting us on arrival in Mahajunga, and he seemed just as excited as we were to start this expedition. We first transfered to the BirdLife HQ’s in Mahajunga, were formal introductions to the project manager, employees and the skipper were carried.  BirdLife looked as impressive as few times as I have experienced elsewhere in Africa, having arranged a seaworthy boat, good skipper and a local aide that seemed right on top of every arrangement we had carefully planned through the previous months.  All that was left was a smooth boat ride and safe passage through fairly unexplored country till reaching Kinkony Lake.

 

The skipper did a great job purchasing extra petrol for eventualities or unexpected excursions, protecting the gear and equipment from rain or sea spray and bumps, briefing us on safety issues for the ride and even some final repairs to the extra off board engine.  Whilst waiting for the tide to rise we strolled  into downtown Mahajunga to a local fresh market were we enjoyed a delicious fresh fish meal and whilst eating we enjoyed sights of Grey-Headed Lovebird and Madagascar Mannikin. 

 

 

Grey-headed Lovebirds-common, cosmopolitan, bright, colorful and charming

 

When the tide was right, everything was ready and everyone was rearing to leave…thus we prowled our stern due south to the Mahavavy Delta and roared off.  The three hour ride was far more grueling than anticipated. It was wet, windy and with choppy sea conditions. The ride did turn up a few species, namely, Swift Terns, Turnstones, a Pod of Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphinus) and a solitary but most welcome Audubon’s Shearwater at the delta.

 

We reached the Delta at dusk, and whilst cruising up the Mahavavy River we came across some feeding flocks of Madagascar Sacred Ibis, it was magic watching them take off and fly alongside the boat for nearly a kilometer upstream, all the while giving us a great chance to admire this rather special and vulnerable species.

 

Whilst arranging motorized transport from the river docks through to the nearby town of Namakia,  we were serenaded by several Madagascar Nightjars and Torotoroka Scops-Owl.

 

The accommodation at Namakia was candid, with massive big rooms sparsely adorned with a bed, a cupboard, a chair and not much else. They were nonetheless clean, with mosquito screens, working lights, and cold showers (although hot water could have been arranged!!).  We were tired and salt encrusted from the ride, so any form of shower felt like a blessing.  Supper at a local restaurant was  typical with loads of rice soaked in some very tasty tomato sauce and the challenge of finding some zebu meat chunks amidst it.  But fortunately it was copious, warm, flavorsome and washed down beautifully with ice cold beer provided.  During supper we met our driver, the one that would transfer us back to the docks in the morning and show us around the maze of mangroves at the Mahavavy Delta.

 

Day 3. 25th July : Woke up at 05h00 and headed down to the docks still chewing breakfast…or was it last nights zebu?? . En route we stopped to watch Madagascar Lark, Madagascar Crested Drongo, Common Jery, Greater  and Lesser Vasa Parrots and Madagascar Buzzard.  We drifted smoothly over glassy waters and  narrow  waterways towards the Delta.  On both sides of the channel mangroves (Rhizophora, Avicennia and Pulchera) adorned the banks.  We cruised on  a rising tide and watched the awakening of several fishing families that live here in their stilted houses, with their fishing gear, smoked  fish, steaming smokers and scores of friendly and smiling waving kids.

 

Before reaching the Delta’s mouth we had racked up a nice few additions to the list such as Black Crowned Night Heron, Whitefaced Whistling Duck, Yellowbilled Kite, Madagascar Green Pigeon, Whitefronted Plover, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, both morphs of Dirmophic Egret, Green Sunbird and a very obliging pair of Madagascar Harrier Hawks.  Approaching the Delta we were overtaken from behind by our first of many sightings of Berniers Teal, they cruised alongside the boat for a short while and eventually steered off towards the, mudflats.  The pink bill, dappled brown, and clear white speculums of this species got the boat rocking in excitement. By the end of our day the teal count was 34 individuals, and that was attained without properly searching the mudflats and spending a short time in the area. 

 

Berniers Teal... clearly a poorly studied species and potentially one of Africa's few mangrove specialists

 

The BirdLife aide suspected that the numbers here may exceed 500 individuals, which is not hard to believe given the amount of right habitat we cruised by.  The count for the day was however lower than a morning score at the Betsiboka Delta near Mahajunga, where one rarely sees less than 40 individuals in a mornings’ outing. I was surprised to learn that BirdLife did not know about the sites and swiftly encouraged them to include this area in their future census.

 

As the tide receded, navigation and access problems to certain areas became an issue. At the Delta itself we enjoyed a Lesser Crested Tern scouring the water and perching nearby. A few more flocks of Madagascar Sacred Ibis flew over us, a magnificent Madagascar Fish Eagle cruised by, a group of three Terek Sandpipers, Caspian and Swift Terns were spotted on a sandbank at the rivers mouth. Here too, a large flock of African Spoonbills fed calmly near a flock of Greater and Lesser Flamingoes that worked the churned waters of the incoming tide. We slowly returned to the Namakia docks scoring en route White-headed Vanga in the Mangroves.

 

 

Madgascar Sacred Ibis – a great looking Ibis common in the

Mahavavy Delta

 

Shortly after lunch we drove on to Mitsinjo, seeing very little en route as most of this lands have been, or were developed as cotton plantations.

 

On arrival at Mitsinjo we dropped our kit at a local bed and breakfast and headed to some nearby forest patch in search of Crowned Sifaka.  It was not long till we scored our first sightings, enjoying an individual that sat for a while staring us in disbelief and trying to work out its next move.  We felt extremely blessed by this sighting as this is quite a range-restricted species and one that not many visitors get exposed to, unless a special effort is invested.

 

 

 

Crowned Sifakas are highly range restricted,

but fortunately not hard to access and enjoy.

 

The rest of the afternoon churned out Black Egret, Madagascar Sparrowhawk, Madagascar Cuckoo Hawk, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Bee-eater, African Plam Swift,  Madagascar Turtle Dove,  Namaqua Dove, Magpie Robin, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascar Bulbul and although we did not see one the locals appeared familiar with the illustration of Schleggel’s Asity…which was encouraging.

 

At night we heard calls of Torotoroka Scops Owl, White-browed Owl, Madgascar Nightjar and White-throated Rail.

 

The accommodation was fairly basic, food was not good, and the toilet conditions and general state of disrepair of this establishment made us reconsider its usage in future trips.

 

Day 4. 26th July : After a very early breakfast and an unforgettable 40 minute ride drive through some degraded riverine scrub , we joined our polers by the river at the jetty of Ambinany.  Shortly after we boarded a shallow raft and poled our way downstream.  We took a shortcut through the Kiboay channel to reach Lac Kinkony. It was not long after departure that we decided that in future it would be worth sourcing an inflatable craft with an off board motor to reach the open waters of Lac Kinkony and cruise to the Sakalava Rail sites, directly, in far less time and enjoying open skies.

 

The channel ride was long (4hrs) and fairly uneventful despite being riddled with Madagascar Kingfisher, other interesting sightings was a second Madagascar Cuckoo Hawk, Humblot’s Heron, Purple Heron, Blackcrowned Night Heron, Little Bittern, Whitefaced Whistling Duck, Redbilled Teal, Comb Duck and Whiskered Tern. 

 

We eventually reached a fishing village on the edges of Lac Kinkony called Manisakomby. We where greeted with beaming smiles and the characteristic Malagasy welcome, being offered food, shown around and introduced to a fishermen (Mnr. Tavaratra) who had been endowed by previous BirdLife visits as the “Responsible” of the Sakalava Rail.

 

After a brief interlude to stretch our legs and be civil with our hosts, we boarded some dugouts and headed for the labyrinth of channels and waterways that characterize Lac Kinkony. Bird life in the lake was prolific with several flocks of Redbilled Teals, Comb Ducks, smaller groups of Hottentot Teal , loads of Whitefaced Whistling Duck and a few Fulvous Whistling Ducks.  As always some stellar views of Pigmy Goose stole the show.  Scurrying and darting across the channels Purple Swamphens and Moorhens were glimpsed, the area did feel like a powerful magnet for Allen’s Gallinule.  Each raft of flowering water lilies heralded its own pair of Madagascar Jacana.

 

We tried at least two different sites for Sakalava Rail, without much luck, perhaps too late in the morning . We had spent an hour an a half waiting silently at areas where the fishermen had seen it before and were confident to be a territory and good stakeout. Not a single call was heard, and we were starting to consider using some African Black Crake playback to see if we coud stirr things up a bit.  Slithering down one of the waterways not far from our last waiting spot, a small rallid was seen darting between Cyperus clumps, there was no doubt in our minds that its was a Sakalava Rail but the views had been all too short.  The fishermen maneuvered the dugout skillfully around the clumps and inching its way in almost crocodile fashion parked it and requested a few minutes of patience. Soon enough the first of many sightings of Sakalava Rail emerged, feeding calmly and trustingly, well aware that we were there and keeping a conscious distance.  It foraged for invertebrates at the base of the reeds, weaving its way through the vegetation flicking its stumpy tail and behaving in much the same way as an African Black Crake.

 

We were pleasantly surprised at how relaxed the bird was, and how late in the day it was still possible to view it. There appeared to be no shortage of sites, where one could try for the bird in the area. Sure it had taken us an hour and a half to see our first one, but after our first sighting the next four sightings were not challenging, and every one better than the latter.

 

With the birds being so co-operative and used to the fishermen and dugouts approaching them, one can get within scant meters of the birds, even closer if the bird is foraging towards you. We lapped every second we had with the bird enjoying their fiery red eyes, the brilliant yellow beak, the brown mantle and back and pinkish red legs. I have often thought back in Africa what a great bird African Black Crakes would be if they were rare…and now finally I had experienced a rare black crake of sorts, photographed it and watched it for over an hour, feeding, foraging, moving through its realm, swimming across open water…behaving.

 

A once lost and now re-found species, and rather sexy I may add, is now possible to see with a little bit of effort at Lac Kinkony.

 

The rest of the day was spent getting back to Mitsinjo, via the channel. On arrival we celebrated with whatever beer we managed to found in the village, took a rustic shower and crashed feeling pretty sun kissed for one day.

 

Day 5. 27th July : This morning we drove one hour back to Namakia, and from here down to the jetty or port. The three hour boat ride back to Mahajunga produced pretty much the same species as experienced on the way to Namakia or seen at the Delta.  On arrival at Mahajunga we transferred to the Sunny Hotel where we enjoyed a great meal, hot showers, a clean bed and a long swim at the pool.  Later in the evening we met with the BirdLife guide and discussed a plan to encourage birdwatchers into the area and to experience this great bird.

 

Day 6. 28 th July 2005 : After being transferred to Mahajunga’s Airport we flew down to Tana where we were picked up by the Za Tour ground staff.