Our groud agent, Madagascar Ecotours, whisked us to all the endemic hot-spots, including Perinét, Mantadia, Ampijoroa, Ranomafana, Ranohire, Zombitsy, Toliara and Ifaty.

In fact, if there were any disappointments, it was that there was not enough time to search the remote northeastern sections of the island for the few remaining endemics.

Guy had arrived on site a few weeks early to arrange the best local guides for our visits. This paid off later as we were to be in the same areas with other birding groups at the same time.

The local guides- at Perinét, Ampijoroa, Ranomafana, and Ifaty- were brilliant. We would have spent much time searching fruitlessly for many targets without their help.

At Mantadia, Maurice was able to locate close, perched looks at three different species of ground-rollers in a span of one hour. At Ampijoroa, Charles took us right to a singing Schlegel's Asity, and helped us find Coquerel's Coua, Madagascar Buttonquail and Van Dam's and Rufous Vanga.

We used an extended stay at Ranomafana to work on what we had missed at Perinet. Fidy and his wife proved adept at herding skulking Brown Mesites and a Yellow-browed Oxylabes into our view. The area also provided exclusive trip encounters with Madagascar Snipe, …'Madagascar' Marsh-Harrier (incipient from maillardi), Yellow-bellied Asity, Pollen’s Vanga, Forest Rock-thrush, and Gray Emu-tail.

Finally, at Ifaty, Moussa was able to obliterate our diminished target list of about five local endemics in a mere 2-hour hike before breakfast, taking us to (or bringing us) Long-tailed Ground-Roller, Running Coua, Subdesert Mesite, Thamnornis Warbler, Archbold's Newtonia and LaFresnaye's Vanga.

Throughout the trip, our Malagasy support team consisted of two drivers, a cook and helper, and Charles, our guide and interpreter. They managed to keep us well-fed and comfortable while in camp.

Mammals were not ignored. Louise found a tenrec, but 21 species of lemurs comprised the bulk of our mammal list.

Birding Madagascar wasn’t easy. There were several long hikes on steep trails and many of the forest birds are real skulkers, requiring a lot of patience and perseverance. But we left only 14 of 133 endemics behind (dipping on only three that were possible).

We hope that there is enough interest to support another trip to this fascinating tropical island, with its unique flora and fauna. Contact us if you are interested in a trip in October 01.