I welcomed 2008 in India, but only now (28Aug 08) have I found the time to post the pictures of this stupdendous wildlife extravaganza of a trip. The only consolation is that these pictures have long been sitting in my facebook album (so facebook friends would have seen most of these). Enough said about my tardiness.India is fantabulous, proffering a cornucopia of natural and cultural wonders that has left an indelible impression in my 2 weeks tour of Delhi, Ranthambhore, Bharatpur, Jaipur and Agra. I've got a journal written down in my computer somewhere, but I'm sure its too long for most to digest, so here instead, my trip speaks for itself in my photos and accompanying captions. Bird list at the end of all pictures. Enjoy!
Common Hoopoe. My dear sister Mabel, previously living in Dubai, saw it first before me, in her Hyatt - Galleria home garden. I finally caught up with it in Bharatpur, with the added pleasure of being able to creep close to it to observe its every move. Saw it again at the Taj and in Qtub Minar. Yes, it visits lawns and gardens too, so the next time you visit India (or any country up north), watch out for it. Even though it looks big in photos, it is only the size of the pigeon you always see, ie the Rock Pigeon.
Nilgai aka Blue Bull. This horse-like antelope is India's largest. Because it has the world 'bull' in its name, it is also sacred (and therefore left unharmed) in Hinduism (which honours the cow/bull beacuse of its life-giving milk). This particular juvenile male was such a darling - he marched right up to me and rubbed his head on my pants. I was afraid of him at first, because of his horns and his wild status, but was soon won over, sayanging him to bits.
Grey Nightjar at Bharatpur. One of our first few lifers.
Brown Rockchat. Very prominent in Ranthambhore Fort, but not seen anywhere else, funny enough.
Ranthambhore Fort - a hidden ruin off the beaten track. Was chasing the Rockchat for its picture and ended up at this secluded spot.
Hanuman Langur. Big and bad black-faced monkey that has no qualms snatching food from humans and each other. This cutie was eating a flower garland with gusto, a probable left over from the Lord Ganesha temple ceremony at Ranthambhore Fort.
Ranthambhore Fort. If I'm not wrong, this is what is left of a public meeting hall when the fort was still functional. Right now, it has been largely been abandoned, save for the Lord Ganesha temple at the very top which still attracts pilgrims to make the long upward trek, espcially over the New Year period when we were there.
The ubiquitous Five-striped Squirrel sometimes takes on pest proportions, behaving more like mice (congregating in large groups) than typical squirrels. Still it's an amusing one to watch.
The Red-wattled Lapwing is hard to see in Singapore, but is readily found in water bodies as small as mere puddles all over India. I managed to get within 2 meters of this stunner at the rubbish dump beside my Safari Lodge in Ranthambhore to even see that its wings had tinges of pink and green, and was not just brownish as seen from afar. Its eyes also took on a luminous red that was almost mesmerizing to watch, especially through my binoculars.
Black Storks, Indian Pond Herons, Common Moorhen, River Tern, Common Kingfisher etc awaited us at the river, which marked the end of the safari drive at Route 5 of Ranthambhore National Park. Ranthambhore is divided into 5 sectors (Route 1 to 5) and for each safari, open-top jeeps/canters are alloted their routes randomly. We ended up doing Route 5 three times. I actually hate this route because of the massive dust clouds that accompany the drive (due to the dry season), coating everything in brown and causing us to choke on our own breath. My poor beige jacket looked like it belonged to a construction worker at the end of the drive. Having said that, Route 5 was also very productive - we saw both the Leopard and Tiger here! In all we had 5 safari drives (2 a day, 3 hours each time) for our 2 1/2 days stay in Ranthambhore.
Jalebi! Lovely sweet snack that dripped of honey. Had it at Old Delhi.
Slow down its Amber. This picture came out in the Straits Times on 26 Feb 2008 thanks to Yue Yun. Camel rides with the 16th century Amber Fort in the background, Jaipur. Taken from a moving car.
Mutton Briyani at Kasbah, an expensive diner in New Delhi. The meal came with Indian crackers, onions, pickles and mint sauce, and finished off with packets of sugary sweet spices that is supposed to clear one's breath. What was nice was the pseudo-garden setting with soft sunlight streaming through its wooden rafters.
Qtub Minar. I'm standing at one of the arches at the Tomb of Iltutmish. According to www.exploredelhi.com, the tomb has plain and stark exteriors, but its interiors are lavishly ornamented with geometrical and arabesque patterns in Saracenic tradition. Along with this, ancient Hindu motifs, such as wheel, bell-and-chain, tassel, lotus and diamond, can also be seen here. It was these carvings that led a pundit to remark that this tomb is 'one of the richest examples of Hindu art applied to Mohammedan purposes'. It's no wonder that Qtub Minar is my top-rated cultural destination.
Shirley and I at Jantar Mantar, an amazing astronomical observatory in Jaipur built between 1727 and 1734 by Maharajah Jai Singh II. These architectural wonders are orientated and precisely constructed for astronomical measurements, accurately doing things like telling the time (down to 20 and even 2 seconds accuracy), indicating the position of the north star, calculating the destinies of kings based on their birth month, time etc etc. Our guide explained the functions of some of these strange geometrical constructions, demonstrating their accuracy with the time machine which required us to add 29 minutes to derive Indian Standard Time. We were awed.
We stayed at the ornate and luxurious Alsisar Haveli, a palatial mansion converted to heritage hotel, built by Rajput merchants who were sometimes richer than their rulers. Here, I'm resting after a bout of garden birding where I added lifers like the Laughing Dove, Little Green Bee-eater and Eurasian Collared Dove.
Qtub Minar. Intricate and beautiful carvings in multi-coloured sandstone.
Surprisingly, India is more environmentally conscious than Singapore. All its commercial vehicles (buses, autorickshaws etc) run on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), with CNG refulleing stations everywhere (compared to Singapore which only has a paltry handful in remote locales). I can attest to the fact that CNG is cleaner - you don't see black smoke coming out of the exhaust - making breathing a breeze. Having said that, I found myself wheezing away still...because of constant nose bleed/coagulated blood in my left nostril due to the very dry winter air, I think the driest I've ever experienced (maybe because I was in Rajasthan where the Thar desert looms). My nose bleed resolved itself naturally when I returned home to humid Singapore.
India's National Emblem - a replica of the Lion of Sarnath. The Lion Capital was erected in the 3rd century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Lord Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west, separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus, and crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). The motto Satyameva Jayate inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means 'truth alone triumphs'. Photographed this at the Indira Gandhi Memorial in New Delhi.
Soldiers in Action. I was lucky to catch this contigent of smart Indian soldiers rehearsing for the Republic Day of India parade held on 26-29 January at India Gate, Rajpath, New Delhi.
Anand Arya and I. My birding pal in Sultanpur National Park, who hosted me with utmost hospitality and found me 20 new birds! He's an acclaimed bird photographer and a very regular birder.
Pied Kingfisher - a desired bird that I watched fishing very accurately in its classic hovering fashion at Sultanpur.
Temminck's Stint standing in a roadside puddle which we photographed from the car. India is truly bird rich. I expected about 40-50 lifers, but got 101 instead. Shirley probably got much more lifers since this is her first 'serious' overseas birding trip. She only accompanied me for the first 8 days of the trip (Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambhore, Baratphur & a bit of Agra). I was alone for the last six days in Agra and Delhi. So she missed out on the splendour of Sultanpur.
Citrine Wagtail. Another wanted bird that I delighted to find.
Common Cranes flying in classic V formation near Sultanpur National Park, Haryana.
Sunset at Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Sunsets are always stunning in Rajasthan, a golden orb made more beautiful by the clear desert skies.
Birding in Bharatpur (aka Keolado Ghana National Park) with our excellent bird guide Hari Singh and Shirley. Here, we are snacking on Pakora, which I also fed to a tame Nilgai.
Indian Rock Python (Python molurus molurus). Bharatpur is famous for Indian Rock Pythons, this is even mentioned in Lonely Planet. They live underground in hollows often shared with Porcupines and can be found sunning themselves at midday or curled up beneath a bush. It reaches a maximum of 6.4 m in length, and can weigh as much as 91 kg. We saw ours with a baby python. Pictured here is the adult, which remained stock still the entire time we were there. It had a visible bulge around its tummy, and was apparently happily digesting its last meal. Hari told us to keep absolutely silent in order not to provoke an attack.
Eurasian Spoonbill. Two juveniles working the waters both shallow and deep.
Jungle Babbler. Its hooded eyes makes it look fierce. This is an aggressive bird, flying fearlessly up to us while we were having lunch, with demanding calls for a piece of bread. Hahaha, our guide at Ranthambhore said that it is also nicknamed 'Japanese Tourist' (no offence to my Japanese friends), for its incoherent and incessant babbles.
Asian Pied Starling. Taj Mahal.
India's National Bird - the commonly encountered Indian Peafowl & Peahen (yes, they are the regular 'peacocks'). Seen at the Taj Nature Walk.
White-browed Wagtail. Unexpected lifer at Fatehpur Sikri. Thought it was the White Wagtail at first, luckily I took a picture and IDed it later.
Rose-ringed Parakeet resting on an ancient monument. In Delhi, this parakeet is almost as common as the Rock Pigeons you see in the foreground, noisily winging overhead in bright flashes of green.
Dusky Eagle Owl - Papa. Usually these owls are seldom seen, but because of a known nesting, we were treated to their regal presence.
Dusky Eagle Owl - Chick in Nest. Compared to richly-plumaged papa, it is still in whitish down feathers. There were supposed to be 2 chicks and Mama in and around the nest, but I could only see this baby peering down at us.
Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris). According to Wikipedia, it is literally "crocodile of the marsh, found throughout the Indian subcontinent. The name Mugger is a corruption of the Hindi word magar which means "water monster". Photographed mine at the same river on Route 5, basking and keeping absolutely still.
Rufous Treepie. A photogenic bird that is also very tame. I hand-fed one of them with crackers! I've seen quarrelsome flocks of R Treepies and Jungle Babblers as they fought amongst themselves for food hand-outs.
Golden Jackal. We saw 3 of them at close range in Bharatpur, with one baring its fangs at another - apparently competing for breeding rights. Our first sighting was at Ranthambhore.
Tiger (top right hand corner)!!! We were in the 3rd jeep trailing the male beauty as he sauntered on the dirt track barely 15 meters ahead. We were freakin' lucky, with 2 tiger sightings in 5 safaris, plus one bonus leopard sighting (which is even more difficult to see!!). During the 2nd tiger sighting on our final safari, my prayers were amazingly answered with the tiger at just 5 meters from Shirley and I. Truly intense! Ranthambhore National Park is about 400 plus sqkm, with about 200 plus sqkm allocated to limited human activity (collection of firewood, grazing of cattle), and only about 200 plus sqkm that is entirely off-limits to humans. This protected portion (200 plus sqkm) is about 1/3 the size of Singapore, with an estimated 32 tigers roaming the area, according to the forestry department. Tiger census is via plaster casts made of pug marks (tiger pawprints). Males have rounded, bigger pugs, while females have pointy toes because they use nail polish!
Sarus Cranes! My top trip bird. It was an especially emotional moment when one of the cranes threw up its head to assume its iconic stance and let out an ethereal evening call. What a way to end our birding day at Bharatpur, aka Keoladeo Ghana National Park.
Jungle Cat! A seldom seen super bonus at Bharatpur, and even more amazing that I managed to capture it on camera. This ferocious feline is about 20% bigger than the domestic cat. Hari spotted it across the river, wandering in the tall grass amidst grazing cattle.
Indian Scops Owl. A doting pair with inverted smiley eyes, especially the female on the right. My favourite bird picture! Being able to finally photograph my birds with decent results, thanks to my recent purchase of a 12x zoom Canon S5 IS, has pleased me immensely. On top of that, I don't have to lug around a big camera on a tripod. This nifty camera is simply slung across my shoulders.
Spotted Owlet. The owl has always held a special place in my heart. And the Spotted Owlet marks my 13th owl on my global life list. The funny thing was that I kept running into it - 3 times in all - and twice in the same day at Sultanpur (both times spotted by me at different locales, one of them a known stake-out). Its difficult enough to see owls at night when they are active, but to spot them in the day, when they are roosting in complete stillness is truly a blessing from God.India Bird List - Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Ranthambhore, Bharatpur
28 Dec to 11 January 2008
by Gloria Seow
Locations Birded
1 Okhla Bird Sanctuary - O
2 Ranthambhore National Park - R
3 Jaipur - J
4 Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park) - B
5 Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary - S
6 Agra (Yamuna River) - A
This list is copied directly from Excel, so the order is as follows:
No.
SPECIES
SCIENTIFIC NAME
LIFER
LOCATION
NOTES
1
GREY FRANCOLIN
Francolinus pondicerianus
1
R, B, S
Happy to see it, first francolin. Like to move about in numbers. In B, we counted 8 scampering through the thorny bushes together. V cute.
2
INDIAN PEAFOWL
Pavo cristatus
2
Everywhere
All over India, even in villages, perched on roofs etc. Seen feeding in a large group, with huge chicks, together with wild boar in R.
3
GREYLAG GOOSE
Anser anser
3
S
Numerous
4
BARHEADED GOOSE
Anser indicus
4
S
A flock
5
RUDDY SHELDUCK
Tadorna ferruginea
5
B, A, S
Found in pairs. Quite common along the river Yamuna.
6
GADWALL
Anas strepera
6
S
Another non-descript duck. Usually I'd rather leave the ID of such dull birds to the experts.
7
MALLARD
Anas platyrhynchos
S
Possibly in Okhla - ducks were too far off to ID reliably.
8
SPOT-BILLED DUCK
Anas poecilorhyncha
B, A
Common. Very pretty.
9
COMMON TEAL
Anas crecca
7
R, B, S
First saw in R, although I didn't know it then. There were ducks in R that I didn't even attempt to ID.
10
NORTHERN PINTAIL
Anas acuta
S
11
NORTHERN SHOVELLER
Anas clypeata
B, S
12
BARRED BUTTONQUAIL
Turnix suscitator
8
B
Quite estactic to finally locate a buttonquail. Really cute and tiny, only the size of chicks - 15cm. 3 of them crept through the thorny scrub about 3 meters from Shirley and I. We alerted Hari to their presence. They then rotated themselves round and round as if bedding down / making a nest. This action was repeated several times as they walked along. Filmed them. As I approached to get a better pix, a stupid cat suddenly appeared. It had seen the birds and vice versa. Instead of running away, the terrified quails simply sat down and hoped to blend in with the brown earth. I was frantic and roared as well as stamped my feet to scare away the cat. At first it ignored me and I had yell real loudly before he took flight. I felt like a bird hero! Happy!
13
EURASIAN WRYNECK
Jynx torquilla
9
S
Was super excited when Anand shouted 'Wryneck'. I couldn't believe that I was looking at a much desired bird - since Japan. Beautiful. I love its cryptic coloration and unique ability to whip its head around.
14
BLACK-RUMPED FLAMEBACK
Dinopium benghalense
10
R
While in the jeep, 1st safari, Shirley and guide yelled out the bird. I caught a quick glimpse only.
15
BROWN-HEADED BARBET (H)
Megalaima zeylanica
S
Heard only.
16
INDIAN GREY HORNBILL
Ocyceros birostris
11
B, A
Only one specimen early in the morning in S. At the Taj Nature Walk, after only seeing common birds the entire evening, I was walking out when the guard told me how worried the ticket guy was that I had disappeared into the out of bounds forest. I felt bad. They asked to use my bins and I obliged. Within 1 minute I saw 2 hornbills fly-by. I snatched back my bins, apolgised, and was off chasing hornbills. God led me to this tree where about 7-8 of them were perched. Photographed one of them. Poor light.
17
COMMON HOOPOE
Upupa epops
12
B, Taj, Qtub Minar
Finally, very good views. Crept to within 3 meters of the bird at B for photos. Filmed in Taj. Smaller than the pictures looked - 33cm only.
18
INDIAN ROLLER
Coracias benghalensis
R
2 birds performing just outside our Ranthambhore Safari Lodge, perched on roadside wire.
19
COMMON KINGFISHER
Alcedo atthis
R
Saw 2 vividly coloured birds at the river. Beautiful. Dunno why colours are a lot more brilliant than those in Singapore.
20
WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER
Halcyon smyrnensis
Everywhere
21
PIED KINGFISHER
Ceryle rudis
13
S
Happy! A wished-for bird (I told Shirley I wanted to see one), and was delighted to watch it fishing in its classic hovering fashion. Very accurate, always landing a fish.
22
GREEN BEE EATER
Merops orientalis
14
J, R
Alisisar Haveli - 3 birds sallying - photos.
23
CHESTNUT HEADED BEE EATER
Merops leschnaulti
15
R
Saw chestnut on head. Birded the streets outside our Lodge.
24
COMMON HAWK CUCKOO
Hierococcyx varius
16
O
In dense portion of tree, towards the end of our birdwalk. About size of koel.
25
ASIAN KOEL
Eudynamys scolopacea
O, R, A
Saw it finally at Taj.
26
GREATER COUCAL
Centropus sinensis
O, B, S, A
Surprisingly common. Walking around much more boldy than those in Singapore.
27
ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET
Psittacula eupatria
17
R
Much bigger than ubiquitious RRP.
28
ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET
Psittacula krameri
Everywhere
Appears as often as Rock Pigeons…even on ancient monuments
29
PLUM-HEADED PARAKEET
Psittacula cynaocephala
18
R
Saw its red face. Appeared in flocks.
30
ASIAN PALM SWIFT
Cypsiurus balasiensis
R
31
HOUSE SWIFT
Apus affinis
R
32
INDIAN SCOPS OWL
Otus bakkamoena
19
B
Cute pair sleeping in tree. All guides/rickshaw riders seem to know where they roost.
33
DUSKY EAGLE OWL
Bubo coromandus
20
B
Nesting - papa and chick in nest. No thrill seeing a known nesting, but still happy that we were privileged to.
34
SPOTTED OWLET
Athene brama
21
B
At first Hari couldn't locate it. Then suddenly he knew which tree it had gone to. It sat in deep shadows, and we could only see one eye. Cute. Then it got spooked and flew off. Saw it 2 more times - once at a known stake-out before S, and 2nd time at S itself - sitting on an open bare branch winking at us.
35
GREY NIGHTJAR
Caprimulgus indicus
22
B
Hari knew exactly which side path to take, and which tree to look into for this bird - not much thrill…almost no different from a zoo exhibit.
36
ROCK PIGEON
Columba livia
Everywhere
37
ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE
Streptopelia orientalis
23
R
We saw about 3 birds, beautiful scalloping on brown wings, at a tree near our hotel. Luckily we walked down this dirt path to investigate this tree.
38
LAUGHING DOVE
Streptopelia senegalensis
24
J, R, S
Photographed it as it walked across our Haveli's rooftop.
39
SPOTTED DOVE
Streptopelia chinensis
R
Ruffling its feathers at tree just outside our lodge's restaurant.
40
RED COLLARED DOVE
Streptopelia tranquebarica
J onwards, everywhere
41
EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE
Streptopelia decaocto
25
J onwards, everywhere
42
YELLOW-FOOTED GREEN PIGEON
Treron phoenicoptera
26
R, A (?)
Something must have given the alarm call, because suddenly, about 30 pigeons and other birds flew out of the tree we were watching, en messe. Very funny looking. Later, put two and two together. It was because of the tiger - that's why all birds vacated the area. Taj - not sure if the tree full of pigeons were this bird?
43
SARUS CRANE
Grus antigone
27
B, S
Jubilant to see 2 birds only in the evening. Raised its head in its iconic stance to give out an amazing call. Very evocative, almost spiritual. Saw 3 calling and flying at S.
44
COMMON CRANE
Grus grus
28
S
2 huge flocks of cranes flying in classic V formation. Saw it while we were driving back to Delhi. Anand had to yell stop - we jumped out of the car. I had already kept my bins - so I borrowed Anand's. Took photo too.
45
WHITE-BRESTED WATERHEN
Amaurornis phoenicurus
O, R, B, S
46
PURPLE SWAMPHEN
Porphyrio porphyrio
O, S
Funny, but this bird is rare in B and R. Okhla barrage - there were at least 15-20 birds feeding together on the floating vegetation.
47
COMMON MOORHEN
Gallinula chloropus
O, R, B, S
Common
48
COMMON COOT
Fulica atra
29
O, S
Common.
49
COMMON SNIPE
Gallinago gallinago
30
S
50
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
Limosa limosa
31
S
51
COMMON REDSHANK
Tringa tetanus
B, S
52
COMMON GREENSHANK
Tringa nebularia
B
53
GREEN SANDPIPER
Tringa ochropus
32
B, S
Embarassing - mistook it for the Nordman's Greenshank. Stupid Hari called it the Spotted Greenshank (and I immediately thought it had to be rare, mixing it up with the Spotted Redshank. But it looks different - scalings on wings.
54
WOOD SANDPIPER
Tringa glareola
R
Saw it while waiting for Tiger on 1st safari.
55
MARSH SANDPIPER
Tringa stagnatilis
S
56
COMMON SANDPIPER
Actitis hypoleucos
S
57
TEMMINCK扴 STINT
Calidris temminckii
33
S
Roadside puddle. Photographed from car at 1m distance.
58
BLACK-WINGED STILT
Himantopus himantopus
O, R, B, S
Surprisingly common. Elegant
59
RIVER LAPWING
Vanellus duvaucelii
34
S
Saw only 1 bird.
60
RED-WATTLED LAPWING
Vanellus indicus
Everywhere
Common, even found in mere puddles - seen on our long drives. Photographed closeup in the rubbish dump next to Lodge.
61
BROWN-HEADED GULL
Larus brunnicephalus
35
O
Flying by, black dot on cheeks.
62
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Larus ridibundus
36
O, B
63
RIVER TERN
Sterna aurantia
37
R
64
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE
Elanus caeruleus
O
Photographed a v handsome juvenile.
65
BLACK KITE
Milvus migrans
Everywhere except R, B
Funny, but it was absent down south of Delhi. If not, there could be 20-30 BK soaring on the same thermal - quite gross to see.
66
EGYPTIAN VULTURE
Neophron percnopterus
38
B
Suddenly, in the space of 20 minutes - very majestic raptors soared in the same heavens - Great-spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Bonelli's Eagle, Egyptian Vulture and Red-headed Vulture.
67
LONG-BILLED VULTURE
Gyps indicus
39
R
Soared beautifully. Looked amazing against the cliff where it landed. My first vulture - a momentous feeling.
68
RED-HEADED VULTURE
Sacrogyps calvus
40
B
Saw its bare red head - knew instinctively it had to be a vulture. Happy!
69
WESTERN MARSH HARRIER
Circus aeruginosus
41
S
Chasing ducks all over S. Bulky and majestic.
70
SHIKRA
Accipiter badius
42
B
Saw twice in B. Could approach it down to 2 meters for photography, but poor lighting.
71
WHITE-EYED BUZZARD
Butastur teesa
43
B
Bird soaring with missing feathers. Landed also.
72
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE
Aquila clanga
44
B
Soaring - v big.
73
IMPERIAL EAGLE
Aquila heliaca
45
B
Soaring - v big.
74
BONELLI'S EAGLE
Hieraaetus fasciatus
B
75
COMMON KESTREL
Falco tinnunculus
46
S
Grasslands near S. V close perched views. Handsome. Chased it around in the car for Anand to take his pix. Unsuccessful in capturing a shot.
76
LITTLE GREBE
Tachybaptus ruficollis
O, B, S
Diving. Common
77
DARTER
Anhinga malanogaster
S
Thought it was a purple heron at first. But immediately knew it was a Darter - a joy to see.
78
LITTLE CORMORANT
Phalacrocorax niger
47
O, S
79
INDIAN CORMORANT
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
48
O, S
80
LITTLE EGRET
Egretta garzetta
R, S
81
GREAT EGRET
Casmerodius albus
O, B, S
82
INTERMEDIATE EGRET
Mesophoyx intermedia
O, B, S
83
CATTLE EGRET
Bubulcus ibis
Fields
84
INDIAN POND HERON
Ardeola grayii
49
R, S
85
GREY HERON
Ardea cinerea
O, B, R, S
86
PURPLE HERON
Ardea purpurea
O, S
87
LITTLE HERON
Butorides striatus
S
88
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
Nycticorax nycticorax
S
89
GREATER FLAMINGO
Phoenicopterus rubber
50
O
90
BLACK-HEADED IBIS
Threskiornis melanocephalus
51
O, B
91
EURASIAN SPOONBILL
Platalea leucorodia
52
B
Juvenile pair feeding. Pink bills.
92
GREAT WHITE PELICAN
Pelecanus onocrotalus
53
O
Spotted by Shirley - very far away.
93
PAINTED STORK
Mycteria lecocephala
54
A, S
Lifer at Yamuna. Tonnes filling the whole tree at S, over 100 birds.
94
BLACK STORK
Ciconia nigra
55
R
Amazed to see at River in R - 2nd safari drive on Route 5 - super dusty - but good reward for having endured the dust.
95
BLACK- NECKED STORK
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
56
B
It flew in after the Sarus Cranes - last minute.
96
RUFOUS-TAILED SHRIKE
Lanius isabellinus
57
S
97
BAY-BACKED SHRIKE
Lanius vittatus
58
R
Lifer near our Lodge.
98
LONG-TAILED SHRIKE
Lanius schach
R, S
99
SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE
Lanius meridionalis
59
S
Amazing number of different shrikes around S.
100
RUFOUS TREEPIE
Dendrocitta vagabunda
R, B, S
Was shocked that such a beautiful bird could be so tame. Feeding from ground, from hand. Landing on our jeeps.
101
HOUSE CROW
Corvus splendens
Everywhere
102
LARGE- BILLED CROW
Corvus macrorhynchos
R
103
SMALL MINIVET
Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
61
B
Viewed from far.
104
LONG-TAILED MINIVET
Pericrocotus ethologus
62
B
Saw the yellow female.
105
WHITE-BROWED FANTAIL
Rhipidura aureola
63
R, B
Lifer opposite our Lodge.
106
ASHY DRONGO
Dicrurus leucophaeus
B
107
BLACK DRONGO
Dicrurus macrocercus
R, B
Sitting on grazing sambar even.
108
WHITE BELLIED DRONGO
Dicrurus caerulescens
64
R, B
Strange with white-belly.
109
ORANGE-HEADED THRUSH
Zoothera citrina
B
Only bird that got Hari excited.
110
RUSTY-TAILED FLYCATCHER
Muscicapa ruficauda
65
B
111
RED-THROATED FLYCATCHER
Ficedula parva
B
Hari said Red-throated and Red-breasted. Ding says both are the same bird aka as the Taiga FC, which I saw in Doi Chiang Dao, Inthanon.
112
GREY-HEADED CANARY FLYCATCHER
Culicicapa ceylonensis
R
Tree outside our Lodge.
113
BLUE THROAT
Luscinia svecica
66
B
Female - in bush on the banks of B. Flew across river. Dwelled near the ground.
114
ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN
Copsychus saularis
R, B, S
115
INDIAN ROBIN
Saxicoloides fulicata
67
O, R, B, S
V common. Even on roads. Toilet stop.
116
BLACK REDSTART
Phoenicurus ochruros
68
R, B, S
Surprisingly common for such a beauty.
117
COMMON STONE CHAT
Saxicola torquata
69
S
Saw only 2 birds.
118
PIED BUSH CHAT
Saxicola caprata
B, S
119
BROWN ROCK CHAT
Cercomela fusca
70
R
Common at Ranthambhore fort and nowhere else. Photos. Likes to sit on old structures and stare out at the crowds. Ided by Hari from photos.
120
BRAHMINY STARLING
Sturnus pagodarum
71
R, B
Nice bird - associated with Bank and Common Myna.
121
ASIAN PIED STARLING
Sturnus contra
72
O, B, S
Photographed/filmed it as it opened up the close-cropped grass at the Taj. Pretty.
122
COMMON MYNA
Acridotheres tristis
Everywhere
Close-up shot at Qtub Minar.
123
BANK MYNA
Acridotheres ginginianus
73
R, B
124
SAND MARTIN
Riparia riparia
74
B
Ided by Hari.
125
DUSKY CRAG MARTIN
Hirundo concolor
75
B
126
BARN SWALLOW
Hirundo rustica
B
127
WIRE-TALED SWALLOW
Hirundo smithii
76
S
128
STREAKED-THROATED SWALLOW
Hirundo fluvicola
77
O
129
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW
Hirundo daurica
R
130
WHITE-EARED BULBUL
Pycnonotus leucotis
78
B
Thought it was Great Tit at first.
131
RED-VENTED BULBUL
Pycnonotus cafer
79
Everywhere
IDEd by CV (Ding's driver, who remembers him as the one who likes to eat chocolate). My last sighting of it was a v good closeup view at Lotus - Bahai House of Worship while waiting 1/2 hour for my idiot Nepalese driver.
132
GRACEFUL PRINIA
Prinia gracilis
80
S
133
PLAIN PRINIA
Prinia inornata
81
Everywhere
134
ASHY PRINIA
Prinia socialis
82
Everywhere
Thought it resembled the Rufescent Prinia.
135
ORIENTAL WHITE EYE
Zosterops palpebrosus
R, S
Outside Lodge. Sultanpur - at lunch.
136
LESSER WHITE THROAT
Sylvia curruca
83
R, B, S
Common - makes sound like flowerpecker.
137
COMMON TAILORBIRD
Orthotomus sutorius
J, R, B, S
138
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF
Phylloscopus collybita
84
B
In a low, dense bush by water edge.
139
BROOK'S LEAF WARBLER
Phylloscopus subvirdis
85
R
Tree outside our Lodge.
140
CLAMOROUS REED-WARBLER
Acrocephalus stentoreus
86
B
141
BOOTED WARBLER
Hippolais caligata
87
O
Photos - mystery bird Ided by Ding and Anand.
142
SULPHER-BELLIED WARBLER
Phylloscopus griseolus
88
R
Photos - on ground in leaf litter. Ided by Ding.
143
HUME'S WARBLER
Phylloscopus humei
89
B
144
GREENISH WARBLER
Phylloscopus trochiloides
90
B
145
JUNGLE BABBLER
Turdoides striatus
91
Everywhere
From Okhla to Taj to Delhi. Even in the city.
146
INDIAN BUSHLARK
Mirafra erythroptera
92
O
Recalls Bunting.
147
ASHY-CROWNED SPARROW LARK
Eremopterix grisea
93
S
IN the grasslands, on the ground.
148
CRESTED LARK
Galerida cristata
94
S
IN the grasslands, on the ground.
149
ORIENTAL SKYLARK
Alauda gulgula
95
R
By the river, drinking water. On Route 4 Safari.
150
PURPLE SUNBIRD
Nectarinia asiatica
96
R, A
Ranthambhore fort lifer. Also at Agra - outside my garden room at Hotel.
151
HOUSE SPARROW
Passer domesticus
Everywhere
First noticed it in Jaipur - on a tree in Jantar Mantar. Female looks v different from male.
152
CHESTNUT-SHOULDERED PETRONIA
Petronia xanthocollis
97
B
153
WHITE WAGTAIL
Motacilla alba
B, S
154
WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL
Motacilla maderaspatensis
98
Fatehpur Sikri, S
Lifer at Fatehpur Sikri, through photos! Resembles the White Wagtail.
155
CITRINE WAGTAIL
Motacilla citreola
99
S
Saw 2-3 birds at marsh - happy, desired bird.
156
GREY WAGTAIL
Motacilla cinerea
B, S
157
ROSY PIPIT
Anthus roseus
100
R
158
PADDYFEILD PIPIT
Anthus rufulus
S
159
BAYA WEAVER
Ploceus philippinus
B
Plenty of its nest on palm tree.
160
RED AVADAVAT
Amandava amandava
101
O
Juvenile. Flock flew in. Pink bill base.
161
INDIAN SILVERBILL
Lonchura malabarica
60
R, S
Lifer at Ranthambhore Fort. 1st lifer ever where I took picture first, then looked thru the bins.
Mammals / Reptiles Seen
1
Hanuman Langur
2
Rhesus Macque
3
Tiger
4
Leopard
5
Jungle Cat
6
Golden Jackal
7
Short-nosed Fruitbat
8
Five-striped Squirrel
9
Grey Mongoose
10
Spotted Deer (Chital)
11
Blue Bull (Nilgai)
12
Sambar Deer
13
Indian Gazelle (Chinkara)
14
Wild Boar
15
Indian Hare
16
Black Buck
17
Mugger Crocodile
18
Indian Rock Python
19
Indian Softshell Turtle
