Andaman Islands, Day 7, October 18th, 2011

Barefoot Scuba, Village #3

We left the resort at 6.30 in the morning to go snorkeling at Inglis Island. We arrived at Barefoot Scuba at approx 7 am and started to prepare for the 1,5 hour boat ride. Due to that my binoculars got soaked yesterday, and that I tried to rinse away the salt, my binoculars have taken in water and were now useless. I can’t say that I am too happy with Canon at the moment. I am a birdwatcher without binoculars in a place where I don’t know the birds! When we left Barefoot Scuba I did manage to nail three species of birds though! Two Pacific Swallows (Kystsvale) were resting on a couple of buoys, and were scared off when we drove past them. And a Brahminy Kite (Braminglente) was being mobbed by three Large-billed Crows (Tykknebbkråke) over land a bit further down the beach.

When we arrived back at Barefoot Scuba a Pacific Reef Heron (Sothegre) and a Common Sandpiper (Strandsnipe) were feeding along the dead corals next to the beach.

Inglis Island

Inglis Island was a true gem! A green emerald surrounded by silvery beaches and azure ocean. Although most of the corals were dead due to the rise in ocean-temperature after the tsunami, the coral-reef was still very nice to swim over. For a guy who lives a short way from the North Pole to be able to swim together with shoals of fish in all the colors of the rainbow, it is almost as spectacular as it gets. When the snorkeling was done, and we headed for land I saw two terns flying along the shore that appeared white. I could only guess that it was Black-naped Terns (Svartnakketerne), but it is difficult to be certain at 500 meters distance. We did a short jungle-trek to the other side of the Island where two first-winter Black-naped Terns were showing very well, and I got some nice photographs of them. A Pacific Reef Heron (Sothegre) also came flying by before we trekked back to the boat. When we left for the boat again a White-bellied Sea Eagle (Hvitbukhavørn) showed briefly, together with a Black Kite (Svartglente) when we arrived and two more overflying Pacific Reef Herons when we left these were the only birds that I could with certainty identify at this beautiful Island.  

Species list of the day

Barefoot Scuba, Village #3

·         Pacific Reef Heron (Sothegre)

·         Brahminy kite (Braminglente)

·         Common Sandpiper (Strandsnipe)

·         Pacific Swallow (Kystsvale)

·         Large-billed Crow (Tykknebbkråke)

Inglis Island

·         Pacific Reef Heron (Sothegre)

·         Black Kite (Svartglente)

·         White-bellied Sea Eagle (Hvitbukhavørn)

·         Black-naped Tern (Svartnakketerne)

New species today: 7

Total number of species this far: 34

Pacific Reef Heron

Black-naped Tern

Beach at Inglis Island