For only the 5^th time in history a Glossy Swiflet has been seen in Australian territory. Earlier this year the Birds Australia Rarities Committee accepted Jean-Florent Mandelbaum's submission of a Glossy Swiflet seen at Daintree last year: http://users.bigpond.net.au:80/palliser/barc/SUMM500.htm

Jean-Florent visited Daintree in August of 2006. He stayed at Crocodyllus and came out on our dawn river tour. One of his hobbies is wildlife photography and some can be seen at: www.daintreerivertours.com.au/passengersphotos.html   In the past he has had wildlife photos published in France and the UK.

To pluck out a swift as a new bird is no mean feat. Swifts don't perch like swallows or martins and the identification needs to be made on the wing. Jean-Florent did this from Stewart Creek Road overlooking the Daintree River where he found the Glossy Swiflet in amongst hundreds of our local White-rumped Swiftlets. But then Jean-Florent is no normal backpacker. He speaks 4 languages, plays the violin professionally, is a law, business & economics graduate, tutors English, maths & economics, has co-written the "Birds of Paris" field guide to be published next year and is the president of the local rowing club. Jean-Florent turns 24 in November.