Chambal River Boat Trip

So my northern India tour is up and running and what a way to start - a boat ride on the Chambal River. We all woke up in eager anticipation of what our first proper days birding would bring and after a good breakfast we drove towards the river making our first stop amongst some arid canyons whee a quick walk gave us a close perched Shikra, followed by numerous Rose-ringed Parakeets and Laughing Doves, Spotted Owlet, Indian Robin, groups of Common and Large Grey Babblers, Lesser Whitethroat, White-eared Bulbul, Brahminy Starling, Indian Silverbill and best of all a superb White-capped Bunting perched in an Acacia and a Rufous-fronted Prinia. A Golden Jackal sat on a close ridge was also well received and boosted our animal tally, adding to some Rhesus Macaques we had seen earlier in the nearby town. A short drive brought us to another area where walked along the track and saw our first Grey Francolin, Indian Peafowl, Black Redstart, Bay-backed Shrike and Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark before cresting the ridge and getting our first views of the river below us.  A few Grey-throated Martins were flying around a narrow gulley here, and a Tree Pipit was perched up nicely as well, whilst a Crested and then a flock of Greater Short-toed Larks and a few Siberian Chiffchaffs were seen on our walk down to the river and our waiting boats. 

Masked Wagtail

As we approached the water’s edge a Masked Wagtail was seen at close quarters, a pair of Black-bellied Terns flew along the opposite shore, a pair of Great Thick-knees were spotted on a nearby island, and we also saw Comb Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, Temminck’s Stint and a flock of Red-crested Pochards. 

Great Thick-knee and Ruddy Shelducks

Once aboard our two boats we got closer to the thick-knees, who were also joined by a pair of River Lapwings and a River Tern which all gave superb close views. A boat ride along the Chambal River is one the the ‘must-do’ things a birder should do in India as the main focus is on seeing Indian Skimmer, the bird that has made this area famous. 

Indian Skimmer

Sure enough we did see them after an hour or so journey upstream and were fortunate indeed to get such great views of a flock of 45 birds roosting on a sandy island. The views of everything seen this morning were incredible and we had nice looks at a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles flying over, at one stage they mobbed an Osprey that had a recently caught fish in its talons. There was also Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, Woolly-necked and Painted Storks, Indian Black and Black-headed Ibis. 

River Lapwing

Ruddy Shelducks

Indian Black Ibis

There was also some flyover Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, a Brown Crake, a flock of Small Pratincoles,  Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Desert Wheatear, and Wire-tailed Swallow. Non avian interest was plenty with plenty of huge Gharials, as well as Marsh Muggers, a few Soft-shelled Turtles, Jungle Cat and another jackal. 

Gharials

Gharials

Following lunch and a siesta we walked around the gardens, chasing a previously reported Whistler’s Warbler without any luck, and this is a major rarity here which I eventually saw but not for long. But the walk was very pleasant and gave us 7 Yellow-wattled Lapwings, Yellow-footed Green-pigeon, a pair of day-roosting Indian Scops-owls, lots of Indian Grey Hornbills, both Brown-headed and Coppersmith Barbets,  and best of all a pair of Ashy Minivets – another really scarce bird here. There was also Taiga and Red-breasted Flycatchers, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher and Hume’s Warbler as well. That evening, just before dinner, we managed to spotlight a Common Palm Civet in the garden to round off a great day.

India - Chambal River

Had a great day at the Chambal River and will post fuller details soon. But the major highlight was the regular group of Indian Skimmers which gave great views as you can see.... Despite not having my normal 300mm f2.8 Nikon lens with me (been to the menders and Nikon couldn't be bothered to return it to me on time - thanks!!) the photos came out pretty well, despite using my old Sigma 100m - 400mm lens.

Indian Skimmers

Thailand - The Fat Lady Has Sung!

We left Kaeng Krachen after a late breakfast and did a last bit of birding around the marshes near Bangkok, which gave us 3 new trip birds: Striated Grassbird, White-browed Crake and best of all, Asian Golden Weaver. Our last trip bird turned out to be a Black-headed Gull and was number 450 that were seen by our group. What a tour we had experienced, with so many top quality birds and amazing views proving Thailand is not just about the Spoonie!

And that got me thinking about the best birds of the tour. So often people ask what was the Top 10 highlights but for this one i'm struggling to keep it below a Top 30..... So here goes:

1.  Rusty-naped Pitta
2.  Spot-breasted Laughingthrush
3.  Japanese Thrush
4.  Silver Pheasant
5.  Scarlet-faced Liocichla
6.  Spot-necked Babbler
7.  Black-throated Laughingthrush
8.  Blue Pitta
9.  Spoon-billed Sandpiper
10. Asiatic Dowitcher
11. White-fronted Scops-owl

Oh I seem to have forgotten Jerdon's Bushchat, Black-and-red Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Dusky Broadbill, Chinese Egret, Nordmann's Greenshank, Malaysian Plover, White-faced Plover, Slaty-legged Crake, Wreathed Hornbill, Banded Kingfisher, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Black-and-buff Woodpecker, Black-headed Woodpecker, Rufous-throated Partridge, Bar-backed Partridge, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Siamese Fireback, Himalayan Bluetail.......

Man I love birding in Thailand...! Looking forward to 3 tours there next year already.......

Kaeng Krachen Hides - for small groups only!!!

This is one of the major reasons why I only take small groups to Thailand, but read on........

Spent the first few hours of daylight on the approach road to the first campsite this morning and picked up a few good birds, beginning with several Southern Brown Hornbills picking their way around some leafless trees in the valley below. There was also a Greater Yellownape, Common and Greater Flamebacks, Golden-crested Myna at last, Asian Drongo-cuckoo, another Black-and-red Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon, Large Woodshrike, Great Iora but no falconets… 

Orange-breasted Trogon

During our lunch break back at the lodge a White-shouldered Starling was spotted in a flowering tree and equally unexpected was an Orange-headed Thrush that flew in next to us whilst we were drinking coffee in the dining area! 

So back to the reason for small groups....... In the afternoon we visited one of the hides near Kaeng Krachen which overlooks a small drinking pool, arriving around 2.30pm and settled in for a long wait. We expected to wait in a hot hide, getting bitten by mosquitos and only seeing the odd bird every so often. In reality the time flew by and there was always activity, not only from a procession of great birds but by a variety of squirrels as well – which pleased some of us more than others! Oh and no biting insects! 

Lesser Mouse Deer

Upon arrival we were amazed to see the first of 3 Lesser Mouse Deers coming in to some fruit put out by the owners and what a little darling it was too! Inside the first twenty minutes a group of 4 Bar-backed Partridges appeared and quietly fed in the leaf litter off to our right, but they didn’t hang around too long – and didn’t return at all. So a great start indeed. 

Bar-backed Partridge - note the red throat that this race shows

Several Black-naped Monarchs came in for a bathe and, like everything else, perched up nicely for photographs.  When a few Greater-necklaced Laughingthrushes flew in, they brought with them a pair of White-browed Scimitar-babblers and we really enjoyed studying these and all of the other birds, ‘up close and personal’. 

White-browed Scimitar-babbler

As well as the monarchs, a trickle of other ‘blue flycatchers’ were eventually drawn in with Chinese Blue Flycatcher, a few Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers, and a female Blue-throated Flycatcher. At times there was a riot of activity with numerous species all arriving simultaneously and then a short lull of a few minutes before the next burst. 

Chinese Blue Flycatcher

When 3 Scaly-breasted Partridges quietly crept in I was so pleased and relieved at the same time – a huge result. 

Scaly-breasted Partridges

Another sprinkling of stardust came when a Large Scimitar-babbler appeared but it only stayed for a few moments, as it is one of the shyest denizens of the forest and a truly tough bird to get a decent view of under normal circumstances. 

Large Scimitar-babbler

Next up were a group of Brown-cheeked Fulvettas coming in for a bathe, followed by several Pin-striped Tit-babblers and later on a pair of Abbott’s Babblers as well. 

Abbott's babbler

Abbott's Babbler

Abbott's and Puff-throated Babblers

Brown-cheeked Fulvetta

Pin-striped Tit-babbler

A Pied Fantail chose to fly through the hide we were sat in on several occasions, whilst Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush joined a party of greaters towards the end of the day. 

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

But the final piece de resistance came when a stunning Slaty-legged Crake appeared, not once but twice, to bathe in the pool. 

Slaty-legged Crake - stunning isn't it...?

I was totally stunned to be honest and never have I seen this shy, retiring, exceptionally skulking species out in the open. What a day and if only the Eared Pitta had come in instead of calling from some distance away, well that would have been cool too! And as you can see there's far too many photographs from this posting, but I wanted to convey just how busy the drinking pool was and how good the views were. 

Feel sorry for the 'big' groups that don't get to experience this..... Lol