Bharatpur (again)

So after yesterday’s successful visit we didn’t quite know what to expect today but we needn’t have worried as we nailed a number of really good quality birds. We headed of along a different direction from the car park and soon found the first of several Ruddy-breasted Crakes, with this first bird showing particularly well down to just a few feet away. It seemed to me there were more birds in this area of the park and Frank kept a tally of 51 species seen in the first hour, followed by 45, 45 and then 51 again for the following hours birding. Lots of the same birds as yesterday were present and we really enjoyed further views of them as we walked quite slowly along. When what appeared to be a Blyth’s Reed Warbler skulking in some dense acacia branches began to sing, it set my alarm bells ringing. No way was it a Blyth’s and sure enough when I played a Sykes’s Warbler song it matched perfectly. Over the next half an hour we had repeated views as the bird moved around the tree beside the path – we even had it or another about 400m along the same path on our return. It was such a pleasure to be able to study this species at leisure. There was also a female Eastern Orphean Warbler seen well along here, and we’d see a male later in the day as well. An Indian Pygmy Woodpecker was also very responsive as I played its call on the way back to our waiting rickshaws. At lunch we did another raptor watch and had Greater Spotted Eagle, Egyptian Vulture and Booted Eagle as well.

Black Bittern

Red-wattled Lapwing

Indian Robin

Walking along the path after lunch we scanned the open area from the viewing platform and picked up a Black-necked Stork soaring over the treetops and a short while later a Red-headed Vulture soaring as well. The tree-lined path also held a fine Indian Golden Oriole, whilst out in the marshes were a pair of Sarus Cranes and an Indian Spotted Eagle flew overhead. We took the rickshaws around the far side of Mansarovar Lake but didn’t find anything new, although several Golden Jackals were here and we had a cracking finale as the sun set with huge amounts of wildfowl and waders including 3 White-tailed Lapwings, and both Common and Pintail Snipe, Greater Flamingo and others as well.

Bharatpur

Our first full day at Keoladeo National Park began with a cracking and rather confiding male Siberian Rubythroat feeding under some bushes near the car park. What a way to start the day! Then we walked over to the Nursery area and began what turned out to be a protracted search for Dusky Eagle-owl. With the new pipeline guaranteeing water here there were plenty of birds to distract us from our search, and we saw Yellow-footed Green-pigeon, Small Minivet, Bluethroat, Ashy Drongo, Tickell’s Thrush, Blyth’s Reed-warbler, Greenish Warbler, and a pair of Yellow-eyed Babblers, all accompanied to the backdrop of Grey Francolins calling everywhere.

Painted Stork Family

Returning to the main park road we jumped onto a fleet of rickshaws and headed further into the park, and the new birds began to flow. Either side of the road was filled with water and we saw all 4 egrets, Glossy and Black-headed Ibis, Comb Duck, numerous Purple Herons and lots of other birds before taking a side trail. Just a short distance along here were a pair of huge Dusky Eagle-owls roosting in a large tree on one of the Acacia covered islands, which eclipsed the pair of Black Bitterns here just a bit. So we then walked back to the main track and walked up to the Temple where we were to have our packed lunch. It took quite a while to reach the lunch point as birds were numerous and we took our time to admire the rookery, where although most of the birds had finished nesting there were still many Painted Storks nests occupied with almost fully grown young. We enjoyed close views of  almost everything, including several Steppe Eagles and a Booted Eagle, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Purple Swamphens, and a fine Yellow-crowned Woodpecker.

Booted eagle

Our picnic lunch turned out to be a hot meal brought from the hotel and was actually one of our best meals so far and much better than cheese sandwiches we had been expecting. As it was quite hot we decided to hang around in the shade and rest (or raptor watch) and during this time we had an Indian Spotted Eagle fly over, along with numerous Steppe Eagles, another Booted Eagle and a few Egyptian Vultures.

Eurasian Hoopoe

In the afternoon we walked along the path bordering Mansarovar Lake and picked up Greylag Goose, a White-tailed Lapwing, 20+ Small Pratincoles, 3 Greater Flamingos, Pintail Snipe, another Black Bittern, Eurasian Wryneck, numerous Citrine Wagtails, Indian Reed-warbler, and most surprisingly an immature Pallas’s Fish-eagle. At the far end we walked into the forest and quickly found a Brooks’s Leaf-warbler which showed quite well in the canopy above, even doing its distinctive hovering action for us. There was also a huge raft of ducks present comprising of nine common species to bump the list up and there were loads of waders present. Mainly Wood Sandpipers, but also Ruff, Temminck’s Stint, Green Sandpiper, and a few Spotted Sandpipers as well. Returning to our coach by rickshaw we stopped along the way to look at a Yellow Bittern and found a Moustached Warbler picking its way quietly along the waterside vegetation. And finished of with a superb male Pallid Harrier flying right over our heads just as we were about to board the bus. What a day!

Taj Mahal

We left just after breakfast and drove into Agra where we visited the Taj Mahal and spent a nice couple of hours marvelling at the architecture and sheer beauty of this most amazing building. Birds were something of a distraction (thank goodness!) and we saw Black-eared Kite, a pair of Oriental Honey-buzzards, Little Swift and Brown Rock-chat, plus a few previously seen species along the Yamuna River behind the Taj. Afterwards, we drove on a couple of hours to Bharatpur and checked in to a nice, comfortable hotel for a three-night stay. As we were a little late in arriving for lunch we headed out into the countryside straight after lunch and drove for around an hour to some arid fields. Within a few minutes we were scoping a pair of Indian Coursers – our main target here. What a stunning bird and we were fortunate to be able to manoeuvre a lot closer to get really great views. As is always the way in India we picked up lots of other birds, but most notable was an Indian Bushlark that showed nicely and allowed us to see all the salient i.d features. There was also a Peregrine, Brown Shrike, Spotted Owlet, Red Collared-dove and a nice close Black-rumped Flameback as well. 

Greater Painted Snipe

Leaving here we drove back to Bharatpur and checked out a particularly smell old drainage ditch which was surprisingly full of birds. There was a nice selection of species here with Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Wood and Green Sandpipers vying for attention, as well as numerous Black-winged Stilts, White-breasted Waterhen, Long-tailed Shrike and others all feeding just below. However, pride of place went to at least 3 male and 2 female Greater Painted Snipes, with a couple of them even feeding out in the open. 

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