Little Rann of Kutch

We kicked off the day with a jeep safari into the Little Rann of Kutch at 7am, a vast wide-open area of ‘desert’ habitat interspersed with patches of Acacia. 

Indian Thick-Knee

Along the route into the Little Rann a pair of Indian Thick-Knees were seen and it was within these isolated greener areas that we looked for Macqueen’s Bustard. We didn’t have any luck at this early stage with the bustard but did see Pallid and a Hen Harrier before shooting off for a 20km dash to a more distant areas where we hoped to find Greater Hoopoe Lark. 

Spot the Hoopoe Larks

Sure enough we found a family party of 3 birds feeding in company with 6 Eurasian Hoopoes and spent quite some time watching these charismatic birds. In this area Kevin also picked up another Desert Fox before we headed back towards the original area, taking a slight detour to check the edge of a wetland where an immature Eastern Imperial Eagle was perched on a bank and a small flock of Lesser Flamingo’s were seen. After a few minutes of driving around another patch of Acacia we had 3 Macqueen’s Bustards in flight and then had further sightings before calling it a day. 

Rose-coloured Starling

A brief stop at a temple failed to produce the hoped for Pallid Scops Owl but there was another site I hoped to check later on in the tour. 

Long-legged Buzzard

There was Eastern Orphean and Asian Desert Warbler, Long-legged Buzzard and other previously seen species in the area before we hit the main road and stopped at a few pools where Cotton Pygmy Goose, River Tern, Black-headed Wagtail, Grey-headed Swamphen, Asian Openbill, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Bluethroat, Siberian Chiffchaff, and a skulking Paddyfield Warbler were seen. 

Citrine Wagtail

One of our jeeps also saw a Rufous-tailed Lark en-route before we eventually arrived back at Rann Riders just before 2pm.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Our afternoon safari began at 3.15pm with the aim of checking out more wetlands and doing some general birding and what a very pleasant afternoon this turned out to be. A small lake held Indian Spot-billed Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Purple Heron, Intermediate Egret, and a few more familiar ducks were seen. 

Painted Stork

Then we drove to a huge lake that was full of birds and we thoroughly enjoyed spending a few hours scanning the area seeing Greylag Geese, Dalmatian and Great White Pelicans, Garganey, Greater and Lesser Flamingo’s, Painted Stork, Temminck’s Stint, Spotted Redshank, Lesser Sand Plover, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-headed Ibis, flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, flocks of Common and Demoiselle Cranes, Isabelline Wheatear and others. In the bushes there was Isabelline Shrike and a Clamorous Reed Warbler, with Richard’s Pipit, Crested Lark and Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark in the drier fields. 

Slender-billed Gull

Further down the lake Pete picked up a flock of Small Pratincoles, and we also had Slender-billed Gull as well. 

Sunset

Then, with the sun setting we drove to an open area and waited for dark when after about ten minutes of searching had a superb Sykes’s Nightjar in the spotlight giving great views to round off a good day.

Sykes's Nightjar

Mount Abu - Little Rann of Kutch

With just a few hours to find Green Avadavat the pressure was on and we began searching for it around a small village. We walked the fields for two hours without a sign of it, although there were some nice birds such as Crested Bunting, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Indian Yellow Tit, Brown Rock-Chat, and our first Plum-headed Parakeet was also much appreciated. So we returned to the hotel to pick up our luggage and packed lunch and went to a different site, although by now the day was heating up and our chances seemed poor. We searched along a path bordering dense bushes with a few open areas near another village but it didn’t look like a good area. Kevin found us Indian Scimitar-Babbler, and there was also Ashy and White-bellied Drongo, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Brown-headed Barbet and Scaly-breasted Munia. We followed the path for a kilometre or so before returning rather forlornly back towards our waiting coach. But we decided to stay a little longer and this proved fruitful when a Red Spurfowl was spotted skulking inside the bushes below us. So we waited some more and eventually we had to leave as it was 12.45 and we were faced with a 5 hour drive to the Little Rann of Kutch. 

Green Avadavat (female)

We were deep in “Fergie Time’ when all of a sudden the shout went up and in next to no time everyone was laying eyeballs on a flock of 8 awesome Green Avadavats. They were only on view for a couple of minutes before flying away but that was enough and it was high-fives all round. From the jaws of defeat we had overcome and left Mount Abu with our heads held high!! We celebrated with some Fruit & Nut and a delicious packed lunch. Oh and the drive only took five and a quarter hours, not the 10 hours we were told. Apparently we used a shortcut!

Siana - Mount Abu

At first light we drove around some fields looking for bushquails but no joy and then we returned to the site for White-bellied Minivet and again drew a blank, although birding in the warm sunshine was very pleasant and we saw Bay-backed Shrike, Common Woodshrike, Small Minivet and other commoner species. Then we returned back to the lodge for lunch before driving to Mount Abu, arriving later than expected due to an overturned truck. About sums our day! A short walk proved to be very productive with Indian Yellow Tit, several Sulphur-bellied Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatchers, Hume’s Warbler, Ashy and Grey-breasted Prinia and White-spotted Fantail.

Siana

Another early start after a horrible night spent on a mattress that resembled a plank of wood, cold temperatures and rain hitting the tent canvas. So glad to be off and away! It took until 2pm to reach the pleasant lodge at Siana, but along the way we stopped to stretch our legs and get some feeling back into our numb legs. No heating in the coach, can you believe it? Anyway, a fine male Pallid Harrier flew past us at close range, whilst a few people saw Punjab Raven and there were 100’s of Greater Short-toed Larks. Another stop in lovely warm sunshine gave us Red Collared-Dove, Rufous-fronted Prinia and a couple of Asian Desert Warblers.

It was something of a relief to finally reach Siana and after a nice cup of tea we headed out in two jeeps to an area of Acacias to look for White-bellied Minivet. We only had about an hour to wander around, seeing White-browed Fantail, Yellow-throated Sparrow and a flock of Small Minivets before having to leave and dash all the way back to the lodge and beyond it for a few kilometres. A drive across some fields took us to a secluded pool surrounded by more Acacias where just before the light fell 12 Painted Sandgrouse flew in and came to drink. Phew, we had only just made it in time and everyone was delighted to see this species, especially Keith! Then we set out on a night drive and had Savanna Nightjar, Indian Eagle Owl and, best of all, 2 Striped Hyenas to end the day on a high.

Striped Hyena

Desert National Park

We thoroughly enjoyed a full day in and around Desert National Park targeting several species we knew we wouldn’t see elsewhere on this tour. Of course, the biggie is Great Indian Bustard and with a world population of xx it is a Critically Endangered species. We set off from the hotel at 5.45 and were on site by 7.15 enjoying a really decent packed breakfast. Then we were off, walking a few kilometres to one of the few areas left in this alleged national park that has been preserved for grasses to grow and, in turn, provide in my opinion minimal habitat for the bustards. You may be able to tell from the ‘tone’ of my words that I’m not impressed with the habitat management – especially when you see big herds of goats foraging within the confines on the National Park. It really is a joke. Nevertheless, after a reasonable walk along the sandy tracks we located the first of seven Great Indian Bustard to be seen today. 

Great Indian Bustard

What a bird this is and over the course of the next hour we enjoyed sublime scope views of these almost-prehistoric creatures. Also here were a pair of Laggar Falcons hunting overhead, against a dark grey sky that at first threatened and then produced rain. I mean, rain in the desert….. Then, as we walked back towards the coach we came across a flock of Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks feeding along the track in front of us – another key species here. 

Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark

As we watched them , our first Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse of the day flew over calling. And we kept on walking, this time along the tarmac road and found 5 Cream-coloured Coursers ‘doing their thing’ about 200 yards away, and we spent some time scoping them. They are such cool birds. A Tawny Eagle gave incredible close views as it didn’t mind us walking underneath it, as it remained perched t the top of a roadside tree.

Tawny Eagle

We then drove back along the road and walked into a surprisingly well vegetated section of the park with the hope of finding White-browed Bushchat. After a lengthy search we eventually found one and it showed rather nicely. It spent most of the time out of sight on the floor amidst the knee high vegetation, occasionally flying up onto a tall bush to gauge its surroundings. 

White-browed Bushchat

What a cracker and almost as rare as the bustards! Other goodies here was a surprise Graceful Prinia, Pallid Harrier, Desert Whitethroat, and Isabelline (Xinjiang) Shrike. We then walked up onto a small hill to scope the gathering of vultures we had seen earlier. In pretty short time we had nailed a couple of Cinereous Vultures and then a Red-headed Vulture amongst the hordes of Eurasian Griffons and were much-wanted lifers for some of the group. A Long-billed Pipit was also found here.

By now it was midday and we decided to drive to the tented camp where we were to spend the night. It’s not as bad as it sounds as the tents are very large with double beds and en-suite bathrooms. A pair of Desert Larks greeted our arrival in the car park, which was a good omen. And we followed that with the first of several Red-tailed Wheatears to be seen this afternoon. After lunch, a short drive to a rocky area was enlivened by more rain but we soldiered through and finally everyone had a brilliant Indian (Rock) Eagle Owl teed up in the scope as it sat silhouetted against the clearing sky. 

Indian Eagle Owl

An Asian Desert Warbler, Desert Wheatear and a group of Trumpeter Finches completed the avian spectacle. But our exciting day concluded with Kevin and Keith rescuing a trapped Desert Fox from a snare, which needed the remains of one leg amputated before it could be released. Well done boys! And that was our action-packed day.