Clare Keating Daly has reported a European Roller present at the airstrip, D'Arros on 30 October.

European Roller is a rare visitor to Seychelles but has been recorded in every year since 2007.

Photos: Clare Keating Daly

On 29 October, hotel staff at Alphonse island resort contacted Island Conservation Society's staff member Ariadna Fernández to say two ducks were making use of the hotel pool facilities! The ducks in question turned out to be two Garganey, a rare but annual visitor to Seychelles.

Clare Keating Daly has reported a Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus found dead at D'Arros on 22 October. This is the second report of this species from D'Arros, the first beng an adult female or subadult male also found dead on 26 September 2008. Eurasian Golden Oriole sightings have become more frequent over the last ten years

The following day, Clare found a Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus present on the island. near the main house pond. SBRC has accepted 15 previous records of this species. This is the first report from D'Arros and only the second report for the whole of the outer islands.

Janske van de Crommenacker has reported a Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris at the hydroponics farm, Fregate on 16 October. According to the agricultural staff at the farm, the bird had already been present for 3-4 days.

SBRC has accepted eight previous records of this species including one also seen by Janske, present at Denis island from December 2015 to June 2016.

Ari Fernández, Pep Nogués and Chris Narty have reported an amazing five Collared Pratincoles at the Alphonse airstrip 5-6 October.  21 of the 23 previous records of Collared Pratincole accepted by SBRC have been single birds and no more than 3 birds have ever been recorded at the same time.