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Complete Northern India – Tigers and Himalayas Exploration Tour Date: 29 December 2007 to 12 Janaury 2008 Participants: Mike Clacey, George Armbrust Guide (and report written by): Duan Biggs Total species count: 344
29 December – Ochla Sanctuary and the Red Fort, DelhiAfter our first Indian breakfast, we departed for the Ochla Sanctuary on the outskirts of India’s capital city. We were accompanied by our star local guide: Rattan Singh. We started our birding in a patch of woodland near the sanctuary. A Rufous Treepie, was a delightful introduction to Indian birds. The patch of broad-leaved woodland also delivered our first Jungle Babbler, Greenish Warbler and a Bluethroat (Rattan only). We had good views of our first Common Chiffchaff and Oriental Magpie Robin. We reached the large water-body at Ochla where we were treated a plethora of waterbirds: Indian and Great Cormorant, Northern Shoveller, Common Pochard, Great White Pelican, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, White-tailed Lapwing, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Little Grebe, Greylag Goose, Spot-billed Duck, Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-headed Ibis and Eurasian Marsh Harrier. In the adjoining grassland and woodland we enjoyed our first views of Ashy Prinia as well as Shikra, a bird not uncommon in northern India.
After a hearty and flavourful lunch near the sanctuary, we returned in the afternoon to the area around the so-called centre-point. The birding started with a Barn Owl perched in a palm – offering great views for all. The tall marshy grassland delivered the highly range-restricted White-tailed Stonechat, Pied Bushchat, the colourful Red Avadavat, Zitting Cisticola and Common Babbler. Rattan located a group of the scarce Striated Babbler in a patch of drier grassland. The whole group delighted at our first sighting of the ubiquitous Indian Robin. A single Lesser Spotted Eagle flew over and caused a fair deal of excitement whilst a pair of impressive Black Drongos were spotted in a distant tree. Before departing back to our hotel we marvelled at our first pair of Spotted Owlet.
Highlights: Bar-headed Goose, Spotted Owlet Ruddy Shelduck, White-tailed Lapwing, Spot-billed Duck, Ashy Prinia, Striated Babbler, Indian Robin.
30 December – Delhi to Chambal Wildlife SanctuaryWe left Delhi at 0700, as the first trickles of the winter sun peeked through the capital city. This was our first experience of India’s remarkable road traffic. The country’s main roads have to accommodate modern vehicles, trucks, busses, bicycles, cattle, goats, rickshaws as well as those on pilgrimage. This makes traveling the 200 or so kilometers to Chambal, a 7 to 8 hour operation. The last part of our drive was broken by a pair of seldom-seen Yellow-wattled Lapwing. A late-ish lunch at the attractive Chambal Lodge delivered the striking Brown-headed Barbet. As we approached our boat launch site on the Chambal river, we were treated to a group of Large Grey Babblers. The sandy plains of the river held Crested Lark. A boldly-coloured White-browed Wagtail was feeding nearby at a pool of water and a pair of delightful River Lapwings were resting nearby. We enjoyed a good look at Kentish Plover just before we jumped onto our boat for a boat trip to remember. Our first indulgence was a large group of Indian Skimmers on a sandy island. This was followed by a Brown Crake foraging on a nearby bank. Our first of many Indian Peafowl stood sentinel atop a nearby hill, and a Blue Rock Thrush was perched atop a riverside shrub. The boat stood in awe of a group of Great Thick-knees a stone’s throw away. A pair of nesting Bonelli’s Eagle provided perched and flying views. On our return journey we picked up on Black-bellied Tern, Lesser Whistling Duck and brief views of flying River Terns. Non-avian highlights from the boat included the peculiar fish-eating Gharial and a Golden Jackal. We returned to the crisp evening air of the Chambal Lodge having notched up 71 species that afternoon. Highlights: Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Brown-headed Barbet, Lesser Whistling Duck, Indian Peafowl, Black-bellied Tern, River Lapwing, brief views of River Tern, Brown Crake, Great Thick-knee, Gharial. 31 December – Chambal and the Taj Mahal, BharapturRattan knocked on our doors at dawn: “Time for Brown Hawk Owl.” Sure enough, a few minutes after a warming cup of coffee, he had spotted one perched in thick foliage in the lodge grounds. Owling for the morning was not done. We had Collared Scops Owl shortly thereafter. A productive pre-breakfast session in the lodge grounds delivered: the immaculate Black-rumped Flameback, our first Indian Roller, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia and cracking views of Indian Robin. After breakfast we visited one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Taj Mahal. This edifice, reputed to be the finest example of Moghul architecture was completed in 1648. Between the Taj Mahaling we spent some time searching for River Tern which can be seen at the river behind the monument – but with no luck. We had to be satisfied with large flocks of Ruddy Shelduck and distant River Lapwings. After the Taj Mahal we made our way to Bharaptur. In a short birding stint in some wetlands near the town we added Temnick’s Stint, Indian Pond Heron and Painted Stork to our lists. Highlights: Brown Hawk Owl, Collared Scops Owl, Black-rumped Flameback, the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal by Duan Biggs
We rose early on the first day of 2008. Fortunately, all had a good sleep despite the vibrant Indian New Year’s celebration. We made our way to the wetland birding site of Bund Beretha. Stops on the way produced Common Rosefinch, Red-headed Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike and the rather plain Tawny Pipit on a large bare patch. The gaudy Plum-headed Parakeet was a favourite. Also on the bare patch, were Greater Short-toed Lark and Ashy-crowned Sparrowlark. A little pond on the side of the road produced sterling views of a Spotted Redshank, perched next to a Common Redshank for comparison. As we entered Bund Beretha, Rattan spotted a Crested Serpent Eagle perched in a nearby tree. This species turned out to be the most common large bird of prey that we saw on the tour. A little further down the road, a group of boisterous Yellow-eyed Babblers were doing their babbler thing in some roadside reeds. This was followed by wonderful views of a Bluethroat perched out in the open on the road. We spotted our first Asian Openbill flying over. We arrived at the ‘dam wall’ of the sizeable Bund Beretha reservoir where we spent a good three hours. Species included: Red-crested and Ferruginous Pochard, Black-tailed Godwit, EurasianWigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Pintail, Great, Indian and Little Cormorant and Whiskered Tern. We entered a patch of riverine forest at the far end of the dam wall, here our first of many Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers entertained us and we had our first Grey Wagtail and Olive-backed Pipit as well as Hume’s Warbler. A group of the exquisite and sacred Hanuman Langur fed in the trees above while we had our lunch. These were later joined by a troop of the more common Rhesus Macaque. After lunch, we continued with birding along the roads towards the back end of the reservoir. During this session, we had Little Stint and many Lesser Whitethroats (abundant in the northern Indian savanna in winter) as well as Citrine, White and Yellow Wagtails. The highlight most certainly was cracking views of Bronze-winged Jacana glistening in the afternoon sun. A single Pheasant-tailed Jacana caused much excitement. We added Garganey to our lists after some searching and had to work hard for both Painted Sandgrouse and White-capped Bunting in the arid savanna adjoining the reservoir. Highlights: Common Rosefinch, Plum-headed Parakeet, Red-headed Bunting, Spotted Redshank, Bluethroat, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Crested Serpent Eagle, Asian Openbill, Red-crested and Ferruginous Pochard, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Citrine Wagtail, Bronze-winged Jacana, Olive-backed Pipit, Painted Sandgrouse, White-capped Bunting, Hanuman Langur. 2 January – Keoladeo Ghana National Park, BharapturThe man-made lake system in Keoladeo Ghana National Park is one of India’s most famous birding sites. Its development is thanks to the royal family of Bharaptur. We started the day in the dense tall woodland around the nursery. Good views of a group of Yellow-footed Green Pigeon were savoured by all. Anyone not quite awake yet, certainly woke up when Rattan found us an Orange-headed Thrush in the woodland undergrowth. The excitement continued with a pair of Dusky Eagle Owl perched in one of the tall trees. It was to get better yet, as we picked up on Tickel’s and Scaly Thrush in quick succession as well a roosting Grey Nightjar. We moved onto the wetlands, which were remarkably dry, due to poor rainfall and increased extraction upstream. Mammals caught our attention first; we had close-up views of Nilgai or Blue Bull as well as a large species of deer known as Sambar. A single Black-necked Stork got our attention firmly back on the birding front, shortly followed by an Oriental Honey Buzzard in flight. Blythe’s Reed Warbler was sighted in some thick shrub and our good run of raptors continued with Great Spotted Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle and the aptly-named Red-headed Vulture. After a packed lunch in the national park we embarked on an extensive search for Indian Courser, spear-headed by Rattan. Bharaptur is of course his local patch. No Coursers but we did manage to add Yellow-crowned Woodpecker and Rosy Pipit to our growing lists. It was then back to the city of Agra where we enjoyed another tasty Indian meal at the Indiana restaurant. After dinner we undertook our first of two memorable overnight train journeys in sleeper coaches to the town of Katni, gateway to Bandhavgarh National Park. Highlights: a pair of Dusky Eagle Owl, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Orangeheaded Thrush, Tickel’s and Scaly Thrush, Black-necked Stork, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Great Spotted Eagle, Red-headed Vulture, Grey Nightjar, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Rosy Pipit, Nilgai, Sambar 3 January – Bandhavgarh National ParkWe disembarked our train at 0900 and after a hearty breakfast, during which we enjoyed The Australia, India test match we made a dash for Bandhavgarh. We all had our Indian Courser goggles on - but no luck. As we got closer to Bandhavgarh we picked up on our first Wire-tailed Swallow, a group of impressive Black Ibis, the now-threatened White-rumped Vulture and Red-rumped Swallow. We arrived at our stylish and comfortable lodge in time for a scrumptious lunch. Everyone took a trifle of a nap before we went on an afternoon game drive into the National Park proper. Alexandrine and Plum-headed Parakeets were among our first birds. Roosting Brown Fish Owls certainly ranked as the bird of the day though. Our first Red Jungle-fowl caused some excitement and a roosting Collared Scops Owl was a welcome sight. Hanuman Langur, Sambar and Nilgai were the attractions on the mammal front.
The elephant camp at Bandhavgarh by Duan Biggs
Highlights: Black Ibis, Brown Fish Owl, Red Jungle-fowl, Alexandrine Parakeet, Hanuman Langur 4 January - Bandhavgarh National ParkOur morning drive was our first exposure to the lottery route practice used in many Indian parks. You are allocated a route based on a lottery system whereafter you can move around as you please. Our route traversed a mix of plains and scenic hilly country. Bird species included: Long-billed Pipit, Eurasian Golden and Black-hooded Oriole, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, the striking Scarlet Minivet, Small Minivet, Dusky Crag Martin, a group of attractive Malabar Pied Hornbills, Coppersmith Barbet and Indian Grey Hornbill. We returned to our lodge for well-deserved breakfast whereupon we took a birding walk to soak up some of the subtropical heat. A Golden-fronted Leafbird was a thrill for all and this was followed by White-naped Woodpecker and another Oriental Honey Buzzard. On our afternoon walk we were ran into a fine gentleman by the name of Mahandra based at a nearby lodge. Mahandra was a keen birder and he joined us for our afternoon stroll. Mahandra put us onto a pair of Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, which was followed by Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. As the Indian sun set we located a vociferous Jungle Owlet atop a large tree. Highlights: Dusky Crag Martin, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Scarlet and Small Minivet, Black-hooded Oriole, Coppersmith Barbet, Indian Grey Hornbill, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Jungle Owlet. 5 January – Bandhavgarh National ParkAs we had not seen Tiger yet, this was our focus for this mornings outing and boy did we get very close! A first stop, about 15 minutes after entering the park, just missed a passing tiger which we could hear growling from the forest nearby. We had a similar experience about 40 minutes later. There was, of course, some birding too and we located the vivid Verditer Flycatcher, with great views of Malabar Pied Hornbill as well as Changeable Hawk Eagle. After completing our route we joined the ‘mob’ of tourist jeeps waiting for the elephant-back ride into the jungle to view some tigers which had been located. We could hear the tigers growling as we climbed on our elephant. But alas, it was not be our tiger day, and the impressive creatures had moved on by the time our elephant got to the site. The jungle-bashing on the back of the elephant was certainly memorable though. On our afternoon return into the park, our bad tiger luck turned into very good birding luck. First up: the exquisite Black-naped Monarch in a patch of forest at the ancient Vishnu statue. The forest patch also held Brown-cheeked Fulvetta. As the afternoon grew slowly darker, our birding just got better and better; a flock of very busy Tawny-bellied Babblers feeding in bamboo thicket was followed by a bird party stop which produced the enthralling Indian Scimitar Babbler. All was not yet done. Our driver suggested we try a patch for the difficult to see Painted Spurfowl. Sure enough, shortly after arrival at the site – a pair of this skulking species appeared. Highlights: Indian Scimitar Babbler, Black-naped Monarch, Brown-cheekedFulvetta, Verditer Flycatcher, Painted Spurfowl, Tawny-bellied Babbler, tiger tracking on elephant back.
6 January Bandhavgarh to KatniThe group decided that they did not feel like another ‘tourist mob tiger chasing experience’ so we opted for an early morning walk instead, joined again by Mahendra. A pair of Grey-breasted Prinia was our first sighting followed by the Thick-billed Flowerpecker. We engaged in some Phylloscopusing, which delivered the attractive Sulphur-bellied Warbler, picked out from the more common Common Chiffchaffs, Greenish, Hume’s and Buff-barred Warblers. A single Ultra-marine Flycatcher caused much excitement, but not as much as the Spotted Creeper, a very rare bird in India. After brunch, we headed on the road back to Katni for our overnight train back to Delhi. We enjoyed a large group of Black Ibis at a wetland on the way and located a Brown Shrike in some agricultural lands. Our ambitious plans to bird the area around Katni for Streak-throated Swallow and Indian Courser, was curtailed by an aggressive swarm of bees that we encountered whilst birding from a bridge. In the light of a few bee-stings we decided that a relaxing afternoon would be more appropriate, which is what we did. We embarked on our second and last overnight train journey back to Delhi, having all calmed down and recovered from the “bee attack”. Highlights: Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Grey-breasted Prinia, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Spotted Creeper, Ultra-marine Flycatcher, Brown Shrike. 7 January – Delhi to Jungle Lore Birding Lodge, Nainital via the GangesOur train arrived in Delhi, at around 0800. We disembarked into the thick and somewhat mystical winter smog. A warm shower, followed by a hearty breakfast (and shoe polish for Mike) saw us heading for the mountains. Just before a late lunch, we stopped at the sacred Ganges River. The spectacle of Indian life visible from the bridge above never fails to amaze. We searched here for more views of River Tern, which we had sighted only briefly at Chambal. We failed and had to be satisfied with a large and busy of Black-headed Gulls. As evening fell, we drove up spectacular Indian mountain passes into the crisp mountain air. We arrived at our mountain lodge, which overlooks the Ganges plain far below, to enjoy a hot bowl of soup followed by another tasty Indian dinner. Highlights: The Ganges River, a wonderful and welcome dinner.
8 January – Jungle Lore Birding Lodge, Pangot and surroundsToday we hardly had time to breathe between bird sightings. George was up to watch the first rays of sun strike the Himalayan foothills and deservedly found a Chestnut Thrush, which we did not see again. A well-received cup of coffee was enjoyed with our first Rufous Sibias. Shortly thereafter a flock of 40-plus noisy and alluring White-throated Laughingthrushes arrived at our lodge’s bird-feeder. The party contained the striking Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush as well as the Streaked Laughingthrush. Rattan said that it was time to move on. A stroll towards the nearby village of Pangot delivered one new bird a minute. First up: the sizeable Blue Whistling Thrush. This was shortly followed by our first Blue-fronted Redstart. We telescoped a flock of seed-eaters which included Russet Sparrow and Common Rosefinch. A Himalayan Bulbul landed in a nearby tree. What a crest! It was time for a warm and hearty breakfast. Hardly had we sat down when a splendid group of White-crested Laughingthrush appeared. After breakfast, we slowly birded the road leading down into the valley from the lodge. The birding delights continued: Grey Bushchat, Cinerous Vulture, Striated Laughingthrush, colourful Slaty-headed Parakeets, Striated Prinia, Black-throated Accentor, Eurasian Crag Martin, Blue-capped Redstart, the exquisite Red-billed Blue Magpie, Black-throated Accentor Buff-barred and Ashy-throated Warbler Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Black-chinned Babbler Aberrant Bush Warbler, Spot-winged, Black-throated, Green-backed and Black-lored Tit and the endemic Upland Pipit (we had to put in a bit of effort for this one). We stopped at mountain stream crossing for lunch. Just as we put our binoculars down to dig into a wonderful lunch, Rattan spotted the enchanting White-capped Water Redstart. We had hardly been watching this species for a minute when shouts of Plumbeous Water Redstart were heard! We finally settled into our well-deserved lunch. Our afternoon session started with the beguiling Great Barbet. A feeding party kept us busy for a good while. In the party an excited Rattan put us onto the rare and somewhat out of range Tibetan Siskin. After a few more minutes of searching – and – out pops a mesmerising Rusty-cheeked Scimitarbabbler. Wow! The day was not over yet. A Grey-winged Blackbird, a Himalayan specialty appeared in the late afternoon with our first Black Bulbul. As we tumbled back into our Himalayan mountain jeep, the sun was setting over the plains below. We were in excited conversation about the day’s birding when Rattan shouted the jeep to a grinding halt to put us onto a strikingly colourful and immaculate species. A Greater Yellownape. It was a day to be remembered…
Highlights: Rufous Sibia, White-throated Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Streaked Laughingthrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Blue-fronted Redstart, Russet Sparrow, Common Rosefinch, Himalayan Bulbul, White-crested Laughingthrush, Grey Bushchat, Striated Laughingthrush, Slaty-headed Parakeets, Striated Prinia, Eurasian Crag Martin, Buff-barred and Ashy-throated Warbler, Blue-capped Redstart, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Upland Pipit, Spot-winged, Black-throated, Green-backed and Black-lored Tit, Black-chinned Babbler, Fire-tailed Sunbird, White-capped Water Redstart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Great Barbet, Tibetan Siskin, Rusty-cheeked Scimitarbabbler, Grey-winged Blackbird, Black Bulbul, Greater Yellownape
9 January – Sat Tal, NainitalAn early departure saw us heading past the oddly, Swiss-like town of Nainital and onto Sat Tal. Our first find was the impressive Kalij Pheasant in the forest undergrowth. As we descended into Nainital we were treated to a flock of Collared Grosbeak which we all relished. Not long thereafter, the impressive Long-billed Thrush was spotted by Rattan feeding on the side of the road. We arrived at Sat Tal in time for our packed breakfasts. A stroll along a forest path produced Rattan’s bird of the trip – a Woodcock – he had never seen one in India before! We all enjoyed cracking views. Further down the track the colourful Red-billed Leothrix was seen with Blue-winged Minla. It was a good outing for Flycatchers, with sightings of Rusty-tailed, Slaty Blue and the enticing Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. Despite much effort, a calling Chesnut-headed Tesia did not appear. We made up for this with a male Green-tailed Sunbird feeding within a few yards of us. A Golden Bush Robin made a very brief appearance, but did not offer tickable views. On the return walk we all enjoyed an Orange-flanked Bush Robin. After lunch, an area of coniferous forest produced good views of Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. After Nainital we made our way to the raging torrent of a Himalayan mountain stream near the Kanchi temple. Here we had both Slaty-backed and Spotted Forktail in the same view! The aptly-named Golden-spectacled Warbler appeared in the riverside vegetation, whilst the colourful Yellow-bellied Fantail hawked for insects in the open canopy above. A day was not over before enjoying close up views of a male Crested Kingfisher.
Our expert local birdfinder – Rattan Singh enjoying a tea break in the Himalayan foothills. Photo: Duan Biggs
Highlights: Kalij Pheasant, a flock of Collared Grosbeak, Woodcock, Red-billed Leothrix Blue-winged Minla. Rusty-tailed, Slaty Blue and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. Green-tailed Sunbird, Orange-flanked Bush Robin, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, both Slaty-backed and Spotted Forktail, Golden-spectacled Warbler, Yellow-bellied Fantail Crested Kingfisher.
10 January – Bajun walk and the Mongoli valleyWe awoke to a shower of cold mountain rain and sleet. This dampened our departure somewhat to the start of what turned out to be a rather quiet day. At the start of the Bajun walk, we were treated to great views of Himalayan Griffon. Shortly thereafter, we said goodbyes to Mike who got on a shuttle back to Delhi to catch his return flight to Johannesburg. The rest of the team enjoyed great views of a group of Red-billed Blue Magpies as well as Orange-flanked Bush Robin. We spent a frustrating 45 minutes, trying to lure a noisy Chestnut-headed Tesia out of the undergrowth but with no luck. The late afternoon session was fairly quiet, with repeats of what we had seen before. A low-flying Steppe Eagle did provide a fair deal of excitement. Highlights: Orange-flanked Bush Robin, Himalayan Griffon, cracking views of Steppe Eagle 11 January – Binayak road and Woodpecker PointAn early start on Binayak road saw us chasing for Koklass Pheasant. After some searching which entailed clambering up a steep slope we finally enjoyed brief, but satisfactory views. As we climbed higher, we bore witness to the splendour of the high Himalayas in the clear morning sky, including Nanda Devi at 7817m above sea level. As we re-entered the forest a Himalayan Fox ran across the road in front of us; much to our delight! The area around the Sigri Jungle Camp produced Dark-breasted Rosefinch. Rattan continued his star spotting performance with a Scaly-bellied Woodpecker perched out in the open in the distance. At the aptly-named Woodpecker point, we stumbled upon a rather large bird party, or bird wave as they like to call them in some Asian countries. Together with Woodpeckers and an array species that we recorded before, we located new species in the form of Yellow-browed and Rufous-naped Tit and the exotic-looking White-browed Shrike Babbler. An afternoon walk down the valley below the lodge turned out to be quite fruitful. First up, lovely views of Himalayan Woodpecker; followed by the related Lesser Yellownape. A noisy mixed troop of Rhesus Macaque and Hanuman Langur alerted us to the presence of the spectacular Mountain Hawk Eagle. As the evening sun was setting over the Ganges plains below, we tried one last time for the Golden Bush Robin. It was not to be. Highlights: Koklass Pheasant, Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-browed and Rufous-naped Tit, White-browed Shrike Babbler, Himalayan Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownape, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Himalayan Fox
12 January – Kosi River, Corbett National Park and return to DelhiWe were determined to make our last day a memorable one. To this effect we arose at 0330 to be on the road by 0415 after a quick cup of morning coffee. An owl perched in the middle of a mountain pass was our first stop. The ‘free for all’ that exists on Indian roads, does have its birding benefits sometimes, as no one in India seems to think much of anyone stopping in the middle of the road for whatsoever reason, including an owl. Our driver let us watch the owl in peace and we identified it as a Collared Scops Owl. We continued our drive and as it slowly started getting light we arrived at the legendary Kosi river, at the Kosi barrage near Ramnagar. The barrage was covered in thick morning fog. Rattan assured us not to worry and that he would find the local Wallcreeper, fog or no fog. Near the far end of the barrage, after some searching, there they were: a pair of exquisite Wallcreepers – a mere 7 metres from us! We were wide awake now and headed for the section of the Kosi river near Garjiya temple. It took some searching but sure enough a very excited Rattan had located that enigmatic Himalayan specialty, the Ibisbill. Walking quietly closer, we were enthralled with sublime views of this unique species. We had a chance to catch our breath over breakfast, whilst a flock of Ashy-crowned Sparrowlarks passed by. Next it was on to a forest patch near Dhangari gate. A flash of luminous blue turned out be the superb Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Not one but four! Nearby we added Grey-crowned Pygmy Woodpecker to our lists and enjoyed great views of a Himalayan Flameback. At Mahaan, we were treated to a pair of regal Brown Fish Owls, as well as a pair of nesting Pallas’s Fish Eagle along the Kosi River. The action-packed birding day continued and we arrived at Kumeria at around noon. One species of Fish Owl was not enough for Rattan and he made sure he found us a roosting pair of Tawny Fish Owl as well! The skies above held Mountain Hawk Eagle and a group of Crested Treeswift. Our birding was not yet done. A walk down to the Kosi River had more in store for us in the form of both Little and Spotted Forktail and the rather intriguing Brown Dipper. What a way to end the trip! We enjoyed the tours last fabulous Indian lunch and hit the road back to Delhi. Notes: Bird species names follow Grimmet, Inskipp and Inskipp 1999 – The Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. |
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated July 2010 |
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