Saturday 10th January London
Gloomy and overcast 4°C
Goa is one of the most popular birding destinations in India
for both organised groups and independent birders. There is a wide range of
habitats including wetlands, the coast and jungle, the latter particularly
well known through the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary in the foothills of the Western
Ghats. A visitor on a two-week tour might expect around 250 species, providing
all habitat types are covered. Vaughan Ashby, who runs Birdfinders, is an
experienced leader in Goa and has developed his itinerary with support from
three excellent Goan birders who established the superb Backwoods Camp in
1998. On this occasion we were to be co-led by Loven Pereira.
The Birdfinders 2004 Goa Group assembled at 2130hrs at London
Gatwick: Satomi & Aki Kawai from Vancouver; Eric Durbin from Ohio; Allison
& David Curtis from Mold; Julia Gibson from Guildford; Eileen & Pete
Knight from Weymouth and Pauline & Alan Cox from Farnham - quite an international
group with representatives from four countries; half the group had previous
tour experience with Vaughan. We flew with Monarch as international flights
to Goa are only allocated to Charter carriers; our Airbus A300 took off precisely
as scheduled just after 2300hrs for the 9½-hour direct flight.
Sunday 11th January Goa
Hot and cloudless 35°C
We touched down in Goa at 1410hrs local time then travelled
the 50km, first east and then north-west, via Panjim, to our coastal destination
of Baga. En-route numerous species were claimed but birding from a speeding
bus is never satisfactory. However, as we crossed the River Mandovi north
of Panjim most of the group safely identified a familiar Peregrine Falcon
roosting on one of the bridge supports. At 1630hrs we arrived at the Cavala
Beach Resort - our hotel base for the tour. The hotel is situated on the beach
road overlooking Baga fields; it provided spacious, comfortable en-suite rooms
and we soon began to enjoy the wonderful service provided by the staff led
by Elvis.
Most took a refreshing shower before the party assembled
for a quick introduction to the Baga Fields under Loven and Vaughan's guidance.
This is an internationally famous area of some 120ha bounded by the Baga river
and the coast road. It comprises dry semi-cultivated fields to the north end,
becoming wetter in a complex of paddy fields to the south. The equatorial
sunset rapidly claimed our daylight so there was little time even for a cursory
glance at the fields. Around the hotel Ashy Drongo and Common Tailorbird had
already been seen and a few steps into the fields brought contact with what
was to become a familiar avian landscape: Little Green Bee-eaters, Long-tailed
Shrikes, Black Drongos, Hoopoes, Indian Roller and Siberian Stonechat. A
male Asian Koel
delivered its manic, quickening "ko-el" urgings but
only his beautifully mottled grey female partner was seen. We had an early
endemic species addition when a Malabar Lark
was
located, first
on call and then visually grilled
to confirm the distinctive dark colouring
compared to Crested Lark; just a few present compared to the more abundant
Greater Short-toed Lark. Large pipits were evident and clearly of interest
but in this quick survey Vaughan just had time to focus us on a nearby Tawny
Pipit
[1], leaving the rather more tricky species to an in-depth session
later.
Kites quartered the fields being a mix of Brahminy and Black-eared
with up to a score seemingly permanently on view. As the light faded several
mixed flocks of passerines arrived to roost on the thin scattering of stunted
trees; we identified Scaly-breasted Munias, Rosy and Chestnut-tailed Starlings.
There are few birds more nondescript than a female or immature Munia but
the truly scaly-breasted males were a stunning sight. There was also a mixed
group of mynas including at least two Jungle and three Common Mynas.
Greenshank, Intermediate Egret, Purple Heron, Indian Pond Heron and three
Little Ringed Plovers provided a taste of nearby wetlands. With the bus journey
and the Baga Fields dash we had got to grips with 42 species; a modest start,
perhaps, but several were new birds to many in the tour party in barely an
hour's observation.
12th January Saligao to Beira Mar Hotel
Sunny and very hot by mid-day 35°C
We visited Saligao, an up-market residential area set in
attractive woodland a few km south-east of Baga. Our walk started just before
sunrise at 0700hrs and drew stumps around 1100hrs as birds quietened in the
increasing heat of the looming midday sun. The calls of barbets, drongos and
sunbirds greeted the dawn and catching the solar rays the treetops glowed
with stunning male Golden Orioles and a Coppersmith Barbet. The tri-syllabic
call of a Green Warbler was heard and the striking, and clearly aptly named,
leaf warbler was seen well, soon to be contrasted with the di-syllabic call
of Greenish Warbler
[2]. Ashy and Black Drongos were compared
and then the more distinctive White-bellied Drongo. Then we became immersed
in sunbird identification with Purple-rumped, Purple and Loten's immediately
gaining our attention, followed later by Crimson-backed Sunbird. With numerous
contacts with pairs of sunbirds we just concentrated on the males to separate
the species: Loten's was by far the longest billed and with an all dark body
was hardly confusable with the smaller, slighter billed and all dark metallic
sheen of Purple Sunbird. Seen from above Purple-rumped and Crimson-backed
were most difficult to separate until the sun reflected the iridescent tones
which provides their names, but from below the extent of the dark throat separated
them.
Jungle Babblers competed with yapping guard dogs as our
walk proceeded; a perched Shikra caused excitement prior to reaching our destination,
a spring serving as a communal laundry. Three washer women were noisily chatting
and laughing as they lathered, rinsed and finally, to expel the excess water,
violently thwacked their clothes against a rock slab worn smooth conceivably
by millennia of usage. Thus whip-like cracks echoed around a beautiful wooded
amphitheatre, formed by the valley rising from the spring on three sides.
This natural stage hosted an avian cast bewildering in its diversity and splendour.
Vaughan quickly located a party of Tawny-bellied Babblers foraging in the
leaf litter, frustrating to get on to well, but perseverance brought excellent
views of their orange underparts and pale throats and the realisation that
there were Puff-throated Babblers also present. Major distractions to the
Babbler studies were provided by stunning views of four truly exotic birds:
Blue-headed Rock Thrush, a white morph Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Orange-headed
Thrush and Tickell's Blue Flycatcher. The amazing procession of colourful
species continued with White-browed, Red-whiskered and Red-vented Bulbuls
and even Vaughan got excited when two scarce Grey-headed Bulbuls were seen;
their grey heads and necks contrasted subtly with green body tones, rather
than yellow as illustrated in Field Guides. A White-throated Fantail spread
its tail against the trunk of a tree in a fascinating display whilst a Bronzed
Drongo glistened in the canopy above us. A party of Brown-cheeked Fulvettas
and another of Black-naped Monarchs kept up the amazing pace of discovery;
some of the group had seen the dazzling blue of a Verditer Flycatcher overhead.
A Blyth's Reed Warbler gave its regular "tek" call and was soon located. While
we were concentrating on all this activity in the nearby vegetation Pauline
noted an eagle in the trees at the top of the gradient; its long head plumes
soon identified it as a Changeable Hawk-Eagle. The eagle took off and soared
across the canopy; now with our attention focussed on the sky above we added
an Oriental Honey-buzzard followed by a Crested Serpent-Eagle; the growing
warmth of the day providing these large raptors with the encouragement to
fly. Meanwhile Vaughan and Loven had worked the trees behind the spring, locating
a roosting Brown Wood Owl - a stunningly beautiful owl.
The onslaught on our senses, and life lists, continued as
we retraced our path towards the bus rendezvous point. A Black-rumped Flameback
was heard and briefly seen. Finally, there were views of at least three delightful
male Crimson Sunbirds with their bright crimson throats extending in at least
one case to the belly.
Taking a midday rest in the shade of our hotel balcony we
could see Palm Swifts, Little (or House) Swifts, Red-rumped Swallows and House
Martins over the Baga Fields. After the heat of the day we visited Arpuro
Hill where Alpine Swifts and a Booted Eagle where soaring on thermals above
the escarpment; a few in the party had brief views of Blue-faced Malkoha and
Blue-winged Leafbird. We made a very productive stop at the Marinha Dourada
resort complex where there were two partially flooded saltpans. A Eurasian
Spoonbill was a Goan first for Vaughan: others were more interested in the
Stork-billed Kingfisher on the power line above the saltpan; a flock of 50
Small Pratincoles; a small group of Pacific Golden Plovers and singles of
Marsh Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint. More familiar waders to European eyes
included Redshank which nevertheless appealed to Eric and Aki. Another magic
session in a day already crowded with memories.
Our final call was at the legendary Beira Mar hotel were
we relaxed until nightfall. It was the first minor disappointment of the day
when there was no news on either Cinnamon Bittern or Pintail Snipe. Compensation
came in the form of good views of Blue-tailed Bee-eater; more distant views
of Black-capped Kingfisher and a supporting cast of Greater Coucal, White-breasted
Waterhen, White-browed and White Wagtails. At dusk two Spotted Owlets were
located and seen well and a more uncommon Besra flew over, followed by a procession
of Night-Herons.
The day total was a creditable 107 and a cumulative two-day
list of 116.
13th January Backwoods Camp
Misty at dawn but with a cloudless sky temperatures soon
reached the regulation 35°C.
We left for Backwoods at 0515hrs, passing through Old Goa
and Ponda in total darkness before reaching the huge national park known as
the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary at dawn. Here we stopped to view large trees
just reaching the fruiting stage. One particular tree on the edge of a clearing
was the target of several hornbills. What an exciting sight they made: huge
Malabar Pied Hornbills sailing in on flat wings, necks outstretched delicately
balancing the massive casques moulded above their gigantic bills. We could
also see several of the smaller, but hardly less impressive, Malabar Grey
Hornbills already feeding on the fruit. The amazing concentration of hornbills,
around 20, was present for only a few minutes before one by one they all departed.
Their dawn presence here would only last a few days until the fruiting cycle
finished. Fascination with the hornbills in these first few minutes of the
day distracted us from numerous other new sightings; these included up to
40 Pompadour Green Pigeons; Scarlet Minivets and a Brown-headed Barbet; two
more confiding Coppersmith Barbets. A few of the group even added a brief
appearance from a Vernal Hanging Parrot.
Another half an hour's drive and now within the park we
stopped off for a 300m roadside walk towards a river crossing at Surla. Early
morning walks an hour after sunrise provided the best birding most days and
today was no exception. We immediately had brief views of a Spangled Drongo,
a species not reliably expected to be seen again, as indeed was the case.
Loven located a female Grey Junglefowl running for cover just off the road
and those fortunate to follow his directions saw the bird very well. There
were also exceptional views of three stunning new birds: Golden-fronted Leafbird,
Black-crested Bulbul and Black-hooded Oriole. Coincidentally, both the bulbul
and the oriole species possess a similar plumage pattern of bright yellow
bodies and black heads to the nape and throat. The new species shared the
canopy in a wonderful kaleidoscope of colour with Red-whiskered, Red-vented
Bulbuls, male Crimson-backed Sunbirds and Eurasian Golden Oriole. We also
had our first views of Indian Peafowl with two males. A small accipter perched
by the riverside could be viewed well from the bridge and was identified as
a Besra. We heard and some saw our first Malabar Parakeets and for those that
missed them yesterday there was a further opportunity to view Brown-cheeked
Fulvettas.
When we arrived at Backwoods Camp we found an idyllic setting
with the tree canopy shading the cabins and tents, these were arranged in
a radial pattern with a dining area at the hub. We ate a good breakfast of
roti, omelettes and coffee. Once settled into our new abode we moved on to
the next phase of the day, a raptor watch. We made for a watch point called
Toidem but en-route stopped off to gaze for the first time on the jungle covered
slopes of the Western Ghats; both temperate and tropical trees covering the
hillside to the top of a 900m ridge. There were Aquila eagles using the thermals
above the ridge and through a process of elimination they were identified
as immature Steppe Eagles. We also had our first, albeit distant, views of
Black Eagle. At Toidem the ridge appeared closer and we saw Black Eagle again
and Crested Serpent Eagle. The best birds, however, were a flock of Brown-backed
Needletails feeding just above our heads and using the ridge thermals a Mountain
Hawk-Eagle; both species are far from certain as Goa marks the northern limit
of their Western Ghats range. The Needletails were present for most of our
stay, a superb sight dwarfing the Red-rumped Swallows and diminutive Indian
Swiftlets with which they associated. Brown-backed Needletail is one of the
largest swift species in the world and amongst the fastest. We thought we
had seen our quota of large raptors but then two Rufous-bellied Eagles, an
adult and an immature, flew directly over our heads, close enough to see their
beautiful patterned plumage before they flew steadily onwards to the south-west.
There were Malabar Larks on the ground in front of us. In the shrubs behind
there were brief views of Shikra, Black Bulbul, the white-headed race of Chestnut-tailed
Starling and a shrike which some identified as a Brown Shrike.
At the camp for lunch we could hear and occasionally saw
Asian Fairy Bluebirds and an Orange-headed Thrush feeding around the dining
area; also I was impressed to hear Red Spurfowl calling from not very far
away. Reassembling after lunch we were taken to a spot just outside the camp
where Loven had relocated a pair of Sri Lankan Frogmouth. They had moved from
their traditional roosting site after disturbance from another British touring
group. We used a single telescope and went to the viewing point one at a time
to try and relieve the pressure on the birds from inquisitive human eyes.
They looked most appealing cuddled up together on a branch, not at all like
the rather fearsome and ugly illustrations that we were familiar with; the
male was slightly smaller and grey in colour rather than the rich-brown of
the female.
Late afternoon we bussed the short distance to the strange,
gaunt blackened stone edifice of the Tambdi Surla Temple and stayed beyond
last light. Around the Temple were Jungle Crows and overhead again were Indian
Swiftlets but now mixed in with White-rumped Needletails and Little Swifts.
We checked the river course for kingfishers and located a statuesque Brown-bellied
Flycatcher. A White-bellied Woodpecker was heard calling and tape luring provided
us with excellent views of this magnificent large woodpecker and a Greater
Flameback for good measure. There was also a party of four Large Woodshrikes
which sallied forth from the high canopy in a shrike-like manner. We then
went to a clearing south of the Temple hoping to glimpse a Great Hornbill
that had been seen coming into roost on previous nights. Several Mountain
Imperial Pigeons flew past and Crested Tree Swifts emerged in the evening
light. A Crimson-fronted Barbet had been pumping out its call in front of
us and Loven located this diminutive barbet in the top of the tallest nearby
tree. Behind us we saw yet another Bulbul species when two Yellow-browed
Bulbuls made a brief appearance. Vaughan had positioned himself so that he
could use a powerful torch to illuminate an established evening perch for
a Jerdon's Nightjar. Sure enough, the bird turned up and as it glided around
the glade the torch impressively illuminated the diagnostic wing and tail
spots of a male. Tape luring also brought in the unspotted and aptly named
Grey Nightjar. After nightfall at the camp we ate an excellent supper listening
to the calls of a Brown Hawk Owl nearby.
It had been a magical day and we had seen 74 species raising
the cumulative three-day list to 153.
14th January Backwoods Camp
Cooler morning but soon warming up and again cloudless skies
Around 0530hrs we heard our first birds of the day: the
Sri Lankan Frogmouths screeched noisy pre-dawn greetings; a Malabar Whistling
Thrush uttered its exquisite, languorous whistle and a Red-wattled Lapwing
made a ferocious racket as it passed overhead. Loven lead us off at 0700hrs
on our first visit into the jungle surrounding Backwoods. We had been advised
that it would be most unwise to venture into the jungle alone and it certainly
looked dense, extensive woodland. We soon saw the impressive Greater Racket-tailed
Drongo disclosed by its mellifluous calls and the long whistle of a Pompadour
Green Pigeon could be heard. By the river we briefly saw the red-billed and
uniform dark plumage of a Black Bulbul and further stunning views of the gularis
form of Black-crested Bulbul with its yellow body, red throat and all black
head; again it associated with Black-hooded Orioles. We checked out the leaf
warblers and had good views of a Western Crowned amongst the more common Greenish
Warblers. Both Asian Brown and Brown-bellied Flycatchers were seen and Chestnut-shouldered
Petronias. A key prize followed when David located a Malabar Whistling Thrush
and others briefly saw the dull blue plumage of this handsome, large thrush.
We turned back towards the camp and within a stone's throw we located a Tickell's
Blue Flycatcher, followed by the more uncommon White-bellied Blue Flycatcher
habituating low scrub and stationary under leaf cover for much of the time.
As we ate breakfast the Orange-headed Thrush also fed just
feet away from the relaxing team. Vaughan then discovered a Forest Wagtail
feeding near his cabin close to the road gate; thereafter it was always about
the camp in this fairly localised area but it was never easy to find without
a thorough search of the ground and low scrub. Our assemblage at the road
gate proved very productive with a Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike seen overhead,
as well as Yellow-browed Bulbuls and Scarlet Minivets. Having seen one speciality
of the camp, almost immediately we saw yet another blue riband bird. As we
entered the jungle once more Loven heard a rustling in the undergrowth and
located an Indian Pitta. It wasn't particularly shy but moved so stealthily
in the undergrowth that locating it was always going to be difficult. The
attractive head pattern was well seen but the supposed green tone of the mantle
and upper plumage looked more sombre, matching perfectly the undergrowth.
Eileen's sharp vision picked out two Velvet-fronted Nuthatches,
a small nuthatch with a coral-red bill. Attention to the canopy brought other
wonderful sightings: White-cheeked Barbet, Verditer Flycatcher, Black-naped
Monarchs and Asian Fairy-Bluebirds. On the forest floor we located Dark-fronted
Babblers and more Asian Paradise-Flycatchers. The search was now on for Malabar
Trogon that had been seen in the area earlier in the day by another group
led by Pramod. We were unsuccessful until we spread out and Peter located
the birds; others found them difficult to get onto as they moved high up in
the tall trees just beneath the canopy. This had been another very satisfying
session in the wonderful woodland and as we walked back a Red Spurfowl scuttled
through the undergrowth, again located by Loven but only otherwise seen by
Julia. We box-searched the area but the bird eluded us.
After lunch and a rest we made a second more strenuous trip
to the Tambdi Surla Temple scrambling a km or so up the river canyon to where
Loven had located a Blue-eared Kingfisher. Carrying a telescope up the steep
escarpment of a stony river course proved challenging to everyone but ultimately
we had excellent views of this striking, sought-after bird.
After nightfall both Oriental Scops Owl and the Brown Hawk
Owl were heard again back at the camp and the day total was 64 with the trip
list now on 169.
15th January Bolcarnem, Toidem and Surla
Cloudless skies all day, the forest somewhat cooler than
the coast but still very hot.
Awakened once more by the singular whistling call of a Malabar
Whistling Thrush; the eerie screeched greeting of the Frogmouths reunited
after their nighttime feeding; hoots of Brown Hawk Owls interspersed with
calls from Red Spurfowl and Malabar Pied-Hornbills. Before dawn we made the
short journey to Bolcarnem but en-route we noted Indian Peafowl and two female
Grey Junglefowls picking up grit from the road. The bus was able to approach
the Junglefowl quite closely before they made off into the bush. At Bolcarnem
the children from the village school were assembling and we attracted interest
as we walked through their grounds with the sun nudging over the horizon.
The fruiting trees were alive with birds and there were outstanding views
of a flock of Small Minivets. We walked on into a clearing where there was
a wonderful banana tree with a huge crop of bananas, a great tower of fruit
but still flowering at its base. In the treetops a Vernal Hanging Parrot was
spotted. We noted its diminutive size, uniformly brilliant green plumage and
startling coral-red bill. It performed brilliantly coming down from the canopy
and hanging upside down on the banana fruit before feeding on the blossom.
The supporting cast was exceptional: there were several Crimson-backed Sunbirds;
also Plain and Thick-billed Flowerpeckers; a Golden-fronted Leafbird and numerous
Common Ioras, Common Tailorbirds, Red-whiskered Bulbuls and Black-hooded Orioles.
There was also a small flock of superb Black-headed Cuckoo-shrikes moving
through the low scrub followed by another sighting of Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike.
Further on the scrub thickened, here the normally difficult Blue-faced Malkoha
was heard and then seen incredibly well. Finally, there was a very brief glimpse
of a Little Spiderhunter, most just catching sight of its very long decurved
bill as it sped through the canopy.
Returning to the camp we had breakfast and then when assembling
at the gate Vaughan found another Indian Pitta - we had located two of the
three known to be around the camp. A walk through the bamboo plants to the
west of the road enabled Loven to locate a pair of confiding Oriental Scops
Owls. Over the woodland gliding gracefully on spread wings we watched several
Ashy Wood Swallows.
The bus took us once more to Toidem and en-route we stopped
off in a felled elevated area of the jungle, producing a rather gaunt landscape
with scattered tree stumps. Here the target species was White-eyed Buzzard
but there was no sign, despite a careful search, until Eileen once more demonstrated
her remarkable vision by locating a distant bird which was confirmed by Loven
as indeed a White-eyed Buzzard. We got closer by walking half a mile down
the road and even through telescopes the Buzzard's features were still very
difficult to discern. When Eileen was asked how on earth she had seen the
bird at such long range, she said that when she first picked it up she wasn't
sure whether the object was a bird or inanimate, until she noted it had claws!
At this stop-over we had another fine sighting when a Crested Goshawk suddenly
appeared overhead, then fanning out its white upper tail coverts proceeded
to thrill us with its display flight. We had further views of a second Crested
Goshawk here and also Oriental Honey Buzzard. At the raptor watch point we
had further sightings of both these species, Shikra and Crested Serpent-Eagle
but the Brown-backed Needletails had gone. Other birds seen at Toidem included
Malabar Grey Hornbills, and a distant Woolly-necked Stork flying at high altitude.
After lunch those searching for their own birds gained views
of the White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, which appeared to be resident within
a few metres of the camp. Similarly the first Indian Pitta was re-located
close to its original point of discovery. I witnessed one of those nuggets
of bird behaviour that will remain in the memory for a lifetime. A male Crimson-backed
Sunbird apparently feeding on a branch just under the canopy caught my attention.
Closer inspection revealed it was probing a spider's web. Suddenly it fell
like a stone from the branch to hang suspended, bill vertically upwards as
if trapped by the strands of the web. The sunbird oscillated briefly like
a pendulum bob before steadying to the vertical and then spinning rapidly,
whereby the web strands could be seen thickening into a filament. Once this
filament had formed the sunbird tugged at it and broke it off. The sunbird
then flew off with half a metre of high-strength fibre secured in its bill
and wafting in its air stream. This complex process of gathering presumed
nesting materials wasn't something I had knowledge of and it left me with
a sense of discovery.
When travelling to Backwoods we had found Surla to be a
very productive site so we returned there in the late afternoon. Amongst the
Hirundine flying high above the bridge was a Dusky Crag Martin, the only all-dark
bird amongst a flock of Streak-throated, Wire-tailed and Red-rumped Swallows.
We walked off the road and had good views of Crested Tree Swifts, Grey-breasted
Prinia and three species of Bulbul. Perched amongst the treetops were a Chestnut-headed
Bee-eater and three Barbet species: Brown, White-cheeked and Crimson-fronted.
We then had our first views of an attractive Heart-spotted Woodpecker. There
was also excitement when a small flock of Malabar Parakeets flew in, demonstrating
their grey heads and green body plumage before moving on quickly. As we returned
to the road two Malabar Grey Hornbills pitched into the treetops to give good
views and a Jungle Babbler perched by the roadside.
Back at the camp Vaughan tried to tape lure some of the
owls and was rewarded when an Indian Scops-owl came in and perched just above
our heads; we had exceptional views when Loven picked it out with the torch
beam. Fortified by this success and supper, we trooped into the jungle with
torches and the tape lure to try and nail the Brown Hawk Owl. We succeeded
in setting off an owl chorus with both Scops Owls species, two Brown Hawk
Owls and at least two Jungle Owlets all performing but none came close enough
to get a sighting.
The day list was a creditable 78 and the trip list had progressed
to 183.
16th January Molem and Backwoods
Cloudless skies again cool until 1000hrs and very hot thereafter
until 1800hrs.
Before dawn both Grey Junglefowl and Red Spurfowl could
be heard as we readied ourselves for the day. It took us just 30 minutes to
reach Mowlem from the camp; Mowlem is one of the more famous portals to the
Bhagvhar Meerhan National Park. We made our usual pre-breakfast walk with
Jungle Babblers, Greater Racket-tailed Drongos and Greenish Warblers greeting
us. Early on Vaughan identified a Jungle Owlet, but it flew off as befits
a diurnal species. Then most saw a Rosy Minivet amongst a flock of Scarlet
Minivets and in the early morning feeding flocks above our heads we could
make out the now familiar Black-hooded Orioles, Asian Fairy Bluebirds and
Golden-fronted Leafbirds. However, a Rufous Treepie here had previously been
a strangely uncommon sighting for this abundant and confiding Indian bird.
Loven then relocated the Jungle Owlet and we all got convincing views of this
little gem; the same species that had given us such a cacophonous outburst
in response to Vaughan's tape lures on the previous evening. We left the trail
for breakfast and whilst eating omelette in a Spartan but adequate café we
noted a Flycatcher in a garden bush; it possessed all the credentials of the
recently split Red-throated rather than Red-breasted Flycatcher, with the
indicator features of all black tail and uppertail coverts and an all-dark
bill. When we told Vaughan he stalked the bird and got a frontal view; it
had a red throat with a grey breast band that again confirmed Red-throated
or Taiga Flycatcher - a species incidentally that has recently been recorded
in Britain.
After the meal we returned to the park and had good views
of Black-rumped Flameback, Heart-spotted Woodpecker and a flock of six Large
Woodshrikes. We also found two more Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and then worked
hard to get good views of a Rufous Woodpecker and now almost routine appearances
from Asian Paradise-Flycatcher and Brown-cheeked Fulvettas. Despite a long
walk nothing further was added with the woodland having gone quiet as the
day temperature rose into the 30s. An intriguing, if somewhat frustrating
episode, occurred when we relaxed as Vaughan explored a promising stream and
disturbed a small predominantly orange-toned Kingfisher. It flew into the
forest and despite some effort was not relocated. It could only have been
an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher so a disappointment for us all.
After our break at Backwoods we were enjoying a cup of tea
when we spotted two Malabar Pied Hornbills in the camp. Late afternoon was
spent in the bamboo woods on the south side of the camp road where Vaughan
used his excellent mini-speaker and CD system to tape lure a White-rumped
Shama. Soon the woods were echoing to several natural renditions of the Shama's
silvery tones, rivalling Nightingale in its beauty. Finally two birds were
seen well; they were stunning long-tailed chats: white rumps, grey and blue
toned upperparts and throat contrasting with red underparts. After such a
wonderful birding trip when asked: "What bird did you like best?" appears
an impossible, if even fatuous, question to reply to. It is, however, magical
when a bird you have eagerly anticipated seeing, after listening to its calls,
finally makes its appearance and is such a stunning sight. White-rumped Shama
made such a highlight for me, etched into memory forever. The whole area was
productive, we had good views of pairs of Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers,
Greater Flamebacks and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers; there were also Malabar
Grey Hornbills and Scarlet Minivets.
At Tambdi Surla Temple we seemingly settled in for a quiet
evening with routine appearances from White-rumped Needletails, a Crimson-fronted
Barbet and the anticipated fly-by from Mountain Imperial Pigeons. There was
a Great Hornbill alarm from Loven when he thought he heard the wing beats
(his suspicion was probably right as it was seen on subsequent days by other
groups). Later we tried once more to tape lure Brown Hawk-owl at Backwoods;
this time it worked, Loven was able to spotlight one on top of a nearby tree.
To see it so alert and close by was wonderful. Vaughan worked frantically
to record the bird on film
[3]
using a 600mm image-stabilised lens and a powerful flashgun
Our last full day at Backwoods had provided 66 species with
190 for the trip.
17th January Tambi Surla Temple, Bondla and
Carambolin.
Temperature around 36°C early afternoon reaching 42°C later,
although very hot at Carambolin air so dry it was tolerable.
In the hours before our departure from Backwoods I noted
a Brown Hawk Owl calling insistently from 0400hrs; the Malabar Whistling Thrush
giving its haunting rendition from 0600hrs and strident calls from a Grey
Junglefowl. We made a pre-dawn visit to Tambdi Surla Temple where we could
hear the trill of a Greater Flameback and the lovely long whistling call of
a Pompadour Green Pigeon
[4].
We moved on and arrived at a site near Bondla known for Indian Scimitar Babbler.
As soon as we arrived Vaughan thought he could hear a Scimitar Babbler. We
started to search the scrub, locating a large group of Malabar Grey Hornbills,
and familiar Red-whiskered Bulbul, Greenish Warbler and Black-headed Oriole.
Loven could hear a Little Spiderhunter and after a few minutes search, assisted
by Vaughan's tape lure, we were rewarded with wonderful views. The long sicklebill
exceeded the length of any sunbird, the body colour was yellow with grey-brown
upperparts; considerably larger than a sunbird but closely related in structure.
Despite its name it apparently has no insectivorous proclivities, a nectar
eater like the sunbirds.
Attention turned to luring the far more reluctant Indian
Scimitar Babbler into our visual range. A recording of its haunting soft drum
roll of a call "oop pu pu pu pu pu" was soon being responded to by the real
thing; seeing the bird was a much more difficult proposition. Eventually,
the babbler came in close and briefly showed. A lucky few got close views
of its dark grey head contrasting with striking white underparts and extraordinary
bright yellow bill, incredibly long and heavy and strongly decurved. Stopping
to order our breakfast at the Den restaurant for later, we went off and made
a careful but unsuccessful search for Brown Fish Owl at the nearby lake. We
did chance on two male Malabar Trogons, much better views for some than at
Backwoods, with the birds seemingly visible for several minutes. They were,
however, mostly views of the upperparts of the birds, with colours more subdued
than the vivid vermilion of the underparts noted at Backwoods. As we ate our
omelette and toast breakfast a confiding Ashy Drongo provided a good photographic
session for those still in possession of a complete telephoto system.
We decided that the four days in the Bhagvhar Meerhan National
Park had done us proud and more time would be unlikely to lengthen the species
list, so we travelled west for an hour to Carabomlim Lake. We stopped in the
grassy stubble fields of Carambolin in the searing midday heat and commenced
a search for dry habitat species in particular Rufous-tailed Lark. We soon
found a female Pied Bushchat, Siberian Stonechat, Asian Magpie Robin and had
good views of two Paddyfield Pipits; Pauline located a Plain Prinia - a trip
tick but we failed to locate the lark. We also had views of White-bellied
Fish Eagle and everyone got good views when an adult Indian Spotted Eagle
[5]
flew close by. Returning to the welcome shade of the tree-line roadside we
noted a group of 20 Baya Weavers.
Our next stop was for much needed drinks and for those ignoring
advice to western travellers, ice cream. The stop provided our first look
at the fringes of the incredibly beautiful lily-filled Carabomlim Lake, a
sea of blooms interspersed with many wildfowl. There were flocks of Lesser
Whistling Ducks and female or immature Cotton Pygmy-geese, we found just two
males, very handsome and quite different from the drab immatures/ males. Both
jacana and three egret species were on the lake; Bronze-winged Jacana looked
particularly attractive. In an adjacent paddy field there was a Stork-billed
Kingfisher, Asian Openbills and Woolly-necked Storks. We travelled on to seek
shade and a panoramic view of the lake using the new railway platform at Karmali
Station close to Old Goa - the station was remarkably clean and airy by any
standard; unfortunately habitat had been destroyed in its construction. Passing
trains naturally interrupted our view; one incredibly long train bound for
Bangalore had a staggering range of ten different classes of carriage accommodation.
The birds were rather distant and a heat haze hampered viewing but excitement
was caused by a close quartering Osprey. Across the lake we could see three
Pied Kingfishers perched and children nearby found a Mugger Crocodile and
chased it away. Meanwhile a study of the duck flocks revealed a pair of Spot-billed
Ducks; the red and orange spots on the bills of the male and female were prominent
features. Garganey were present in some numbers, for Eric a life tick but
most unsatisfactory on such distant views. A single female Shoveler momentarily
popped its head up above the reeds but I was the only observer, so no group
tick. To get to the lakeside we drove to where the Pied Kingfishers had perched,
finding two Temminck's Stints and two Yellow Wagtails. Both the wagtails appeared
to be of the Black-headed feldegg taxon; each had washed-out yellow underparts
and dark, almost black, upper plumage with no evident head pattern, particularly
lacking supercilia
[6]. A Tree
Pipit was running around the grassy plateau, surprising on two counts: there
wasn't a tree in sight and Goa is south of the species recognised wintering
range.
We drove on to the nearby Ciba-Geigy site, formerly a must
for visiting birders; it is now fenced off, tree lined and hence barely viewable.
Enterprisingly Vaughan had sought approval from the owner of a nearby tall
building to stand on the roof to view the tree-top roosts. We were rewarded
with good views of two Woolly-necked Storks, a Black-headed Ibis and at least
eight Asian Openbills; disappointingly there were no Lesser Adjutant Storks.
The day had been a long one and with our first major contact
with wetland habitat 97 species were seen, increasing the trip list to 217.
Sunday 18th January Baga and Fort Aguada
A hot and humid day back on the coast with a freshening
breeze towards dusk.
The early morning was spent on the Baga Fields starting
at the pond where Eric had previously found Greater Painted Snipe; sure enough
eight of these gaudy birds were still present. Whilst digiscoping David saw
a crake flash across his screen view but it couldn't be relocated. There was
now time to study the tricky pipits: we located at least two and possibly
four Richard's; at least one Blyth's; some Paddyfield; three more Tree but
no Tawny Pipits. The Paddyfield call is distinctly different from either Richard's
or Blyth's; the latter pair have similar calls at Baga but there is more "psshh"
rather than "schreep" in the Blyth's call. Visually a Richard's is fairly
easy with its large size, tall and haughty stance and unambiguously pale lores.
To my eyes the Paddyfield Pipit is slightly smaller and has warmer buff underparts
and a thin lower loral stripe; Blyth's is significantly smaller and shorter-legged
than the other two and has a darker loral region. Unfortunately the median
covert patterns were too difficult in the field. Easier species included Asian
Koel, Greater Coucal, Spotted Dove, Hoopoe, Long-tailed Shrike, both Mynas
and flocks of Scaly-breasted Munias and Chestnut-tailed Starlings. New trip
birds included brief views of a typical ground-skulking female Bluethroat,
a vocal Oriental Skylark and best but disappointingly brief, a Red-headed
Bunting.
There were Pied and Siberian Stonechats on show before coming
to a field where we sought, and found, three Pintail Snipe. We never saw these
on the ground but in flight the rounded rather dark wings less contrasting
overall effect with no pale trailing edge to the upper inner wings eliminated
Common Snipe; as did the rather languid low direct flight (no zigzagging)
and the dry habitat they were frequenting. We crossed through the covered
bridge over the Baga River and walked a mile down the road before scaling
Baga Hill close to the church. There were Red-whiskered and Yellow-browed
Bulbuls, Loten's Sunbirds, both Plain and Thick-billed Flowerpeckers and difficult
views of Rufous Treepies. Overhead we had had a succession of now familiar
raptors, swifts and hirundines notably including Alpine Swift, Oriental Honey
Buzzard and a single pale phase Booted Eagle. At the top of the hill we had
a chance to study Indian Robin, surprisingly not often encountered by us,
a handsome bird with all black plumage and deep red undertail coverts.
After our midday break we bussed south through the frightful
coastal strip of Calangute and Candolim to the cooler air of the Fort Aguada
headland overlooking Mandovi Bay, to view the Arabian Sea for the first time.
In the scrub around the gaunt fort we at last found Pale-billed amongst some
Thick-billed Flowerpeckers. Shortly after this there was a dreadful accident
when Peter slipped up on a treacherous array of fruit stones shed by the roadside
trees. He fell awkwardly trying to protect his telescope and was in terrible
pain with what was clearly a severe leg injury. Fortunately, Julia's medical
knowledge as a qualified nurse was to the fore, under her direction Peter
was made more comfortable. As gently as possible we lifted Peter onto the
bus and with Loven, Julia, Eileen and Satomi in attendance he was whisked
off to the nearest private hospital in Panjim. The rest of the group walked
sombrely to Candolim. There were more Baya Weavers, good views of White-cheeked
Barbet and also White-rumped Munia but enthusiasm for birding had waned wondering
about Peter's injuries
[7].
We had seen 70 species during the day and advanced the trip
list to 227.
19th January Morjim Beach
Another perfect day ofdawn to dusk blue skies.
Just a few km north of Baga is the Chapora river estuary
and on its north shore is Morjim beach which would provide our best chance
of seeing gull, tern and plover species. This was the appropriate day for
the visit, selected with early morning high water in mind to minimise beach
disturbance. We arrived around 0700hrs just in time to scan the beach and
watch in dismay as an early dog walker flushed a huge flock of gulls, pratincoles
and plovers. Fortunately after this disturbance the birds returned and we
aligned our optics in eager anticipation. A dark phase Western Reef Egret
was quite close by affording us excellent views of its blue-grey plumage stout
legs and bill. Vaughan was soon helping us to sort out the gulls. The small
gulls were obvious and very familiar Black-headed Gulls; at least 20% larger
in size were the less numerous (in the ratio 1:10) Brown-headed Gulls. The
facial pattern and pose of Brown-headed is strikingly different to winter
Black-headed Gull making identification easy: white irides and eye-rings,
heavier bills, rather orange in tone and a larger dark ear covert spot give
them a rather gormless expression on the ground; in flight the extensive dark
wing tips were also evident. Also instantly identifiable were the much sought-after
Greater Black-headed or Pallas's Gulls. I thought we might be lucky to see
one or two but the highlight for the day perhaps was that there were at least
40 of these superb gulls in the flock, at all ages and plumage states, including
some approaching adult summer plumage.
Thereafter the gulls became ostensibly more difficult to
separate with at least three species/forms of large white-headed gull to sort
out. The foreground cover of Brown and Black-headed Gulls hindered our views
of the larger gulls, so we could only see upperparts and a forest of yellow
legs behind! The Caspian Gull L.Cachinaans was relatively easy to sort out,
now that its characters are well established and described. The head of Caspian
is a good diagnostic feature with a long raking forehead peaking far back.
The heads of both adult winter and first-winter Caspian Gulls were unstreaked,
making it perhaps one of the easiest white-headed gulls to identify in immature
plumage. Amongst the flock where some very large, streak-headed gulls with
very heavy bills that showed a distinct inward curve between upper and lower
cutting edges of the mandibles which often appeared separated by a distinct
gap. Where seen the mantles of these gulls were very dark indicating Heuglin's
Gull; some believe this form to be conspecific with Lesser Black-back Gull
but it appeared to us to be a much larger gull. Most authorities now treat
Heuglin's as a separate species. The third white-headed gull type emerged
through comparison with the other two: a darker mantle than Caspian Gull but
not as dark as Heuglin's, some streaking on a more rounded head with a steeper
forehead and a stubbier bill, invariably with a dark sub-terminal band. This
gull is increasingly considered a full species with the name Steppe Gull L.
Barbarensis, historically it has been considered as a subspecies barbarensis
of L.Cachinaans, or even, according to some Russian authors, a subspecies
of Heuglin's Gull.
Gull-billed Terns patrolled the estuary whilst Sandwich,
a few lesser Crested and a single Great Crested Tern loafed on a sand bar
just off the shore. Amongst scores of Lesser Sand Plovers were a few Kentish,
around twenty Greater and a single Caspian Plover. It took us some while to
go through all the waders, which included 20/30 Small Pratincoles and a lone
Dunlin. The Greater Sand Plovers appeared significantly larger than Lesser
with proportionately longer bills, with a much greater extension beyond the
gonys point; legs look slightly coloured green-yellow - rather than the slate
grey of Lesser. We started to walk along the beach noting turtle skid marks
in the sand but avoiding the protected breeding colony of the rare Ridley
Turtle. Two Sanderlings flew down the beach. A palm-roofed, beach bar then
provided welcome refreshment before we searched a nearby copse. Here we succeeded
in seeing several Brahminy Starlings and a roost of four Night Herons.
After lunch and a swim in the warm waters of the Arabian
Sea we again set up on the beach and scoped a distant sand bar. There was
a single Caspian Tern to add to the Plover and Gull - surely a unique Caspian
day on the subcontinent. Also distantly were two Oystercatchers, two Grey
Plovers, a few Curlews and a single Bar-tailed Godwit. The gulls were still
further away and Vaughan decided we would get a better view from the other
side of the estuary, so we bussed round to Chapora Harbour from where we found
six Slender-billed Gulls in the sand bar roost. As fishing boats came into
the harbour so Brahminy and Black-eared Kites gathered overhead with an occasional
fly-by White-bellied Fish Eagle. Egrets were using the boats for sentry points
as the fish haul came ashore; there were white morph Western Reef Herons amongst
the dark morph birds and a single Little Egret for comparison. The Western
Reef Heron's bill is thicker and paler, with stout legs and huge feet in contrast
to the thin legs, smaller feet and thinner all dark bill of Little Egret.
A small flock of Pintail flew out to sea.
It had been another wonderful day with just 58 species seen
but many were new and important additions to the trip list, now 250.
20th January Southern Goa
Same recipe of sweltering heat around midday- very humid
and uncomfortable whilst travelling
We travelled south across the River Zuari and visited Batim
Lake. The only vantage point looked directly into the rising sun so it was
too difficult to assess the huge wildfowl flock in front of us, apart from
noting hordes of Garganey, noisy Whistling Ducks and Cotton Pygmy Geese. Loven
decided to return in the evening and we moved on to Curtorim Lake, which had
easier early morning viewing with access on three sides. En-route David noted
a Buzzard species approaching us that he and Vaughan thought was the vulpinus
form of Common Buzzard. At Curtorim Lake there were again hundreds of the
three common wildfowl to sort through for other species. There was a single
male Ferruginous Duck, not previously recorded by Vaughan in Goa, and our
first views of a party of the less than elegant Comb Duck. All of the now
familiar wetland species we had seen at Carambolin Lake were also present
including Oriental Darter; Shoveler and Teal were also added. A White-bellied
Fish Eagle quartered the lake and two Stork-billed Kingfishers and an Indian
Cormorant perched nearby. Indian Cormorant is larger than the more widespread
Little Cormorant with a longer sloping forehead and larger bill with a yellow
gular patch at its base. Streak-throated and Wire-tailed Swallows resting
on the telephone lines at the lakeside gave very confiding views
We moved on to the target raptor watch point for the day,
Velim, our best prospect for vultures. The veterinary use of some antibiotics
in India has led to a catastrophic widespread decline in vulture populations
across the subcontinent. Thus on arrival at Velim we counted ourselves fortunate
to see soaring White-backed Vultures passing overhead to the south; there
were eight over a half-hour period. Other raptors included Black-eared and
Brahimny Kites, Western Marsh Harrier, Shikra, Osprey, Indian Spotted Eagle,
Crested Serpent-Eagle and another buzzard species; it was suspected to be
Common Buzzard again but of the japonicus form
[8].
A dark phase Booted Eagle approached us head-on exhibiting the diagnostic
field character "headlights" at the wing roots.
In the dry scrub in front of us a small party of Yellow-wattled
Lapwings put in an appearance; there were also Tree Pipits and Blue-tailed
Bee-eaters. We left the dry fields and surveyed a paddy field from a raised
bank. As if by divine providence a bicycle-propelled vendor, with the slogan
"Himalayan Ice Cream" on his carrier, surreally approached us down a dusty
track and some, again throwing their dietary advice to the wind, relished
his fare. The paddy field held all the familiar Tringa waders and a Yellow
Wagtail that no one saw well enough to ascribe to a specific taxon. We then
travelled back to Batim Lake where viewing was much better with the light
in a different quarter. All the group could now see the more elusive Eurasian
duck species: Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Pintail. There were also a few male
Common Pochards to be added to the trip list and the Birdfinders' Birds of
Goa check list.
As we approached Panjim we stopped off at Santa Cruz marshes
where Vaughan located a group of three Broad-billed Sandpipers with two Lesser
Sand Plovers. The Broad-billed Sandpipers proved an identification challenge
as they appeared to have no split supercilium and a heavily decurved bill
but careful observation and size comparison through recorded images fully
agreed with Vaughan's call. The problem was exacerbated when it was realised
that three Curlew Sandpipers were also in the area flying around with more
Lesser Sand Plovers; later 50 Small Pratincoles arrived. We called in at the
Panjim Hospital to allow a contingent from the party to visit Peter who thankfully
they found much improved.
The day list was 82 and the trip list had reached 262.
21st January Chorao Island and Mayer Lake
Clouding over later for the first time but still extremely
hot with a freshening breeze around 1600hrs
An early morning start had us at the River Mandovi ferry
crossing to Chorao Island just in time for our permitted crossing slot with
the bus. We went straight on to Mayer Lake (spelt thus locally but rendered
Maer Lake in most guide books), parked up by the restaurant and walked along
the south shore at dawn. This beautiful lake is surrounded on three sides
by wooded slopes of palm and cashew trees. In the trees above the lake a group
of five Orange-breasted Green Pigeons roosted, almost monochromatic grey in
the early light but through a telescope there was a barely discernible green
plumage body sheen and orange marking on their breasts.
As dawn broke the canopy was alive with feeding flocks:
including Ashy, White-bellied and Bronzed Drongos; both Golden-fronted and
Blue-winged Leafbirds; Vernal Hanging Parrot and Purple-rumped Sunbirds. Most
of the group finally caught up with the beautiful Black-lored Tit, some with
Common Woodshrike but the appearance of a Banded Bay Cuckoo was new to all.
The exotic calls included Changeable Hawk-eagle, Little Spiderhunter, Indian
Scimitar Babbler and Malabar Whistling Thrush. A principal target bird for
the visit was Brown Fish-owl; as Vaughan started to search the steep slopes,
another group warned us that a Grey Nightjar was roosting close to us. Eileen
quickly found the nightjar, which stoically remained at its roost despite
numerous close-up photographic sallies. In his hillside search Vaughan startled
an Emerald Dove that no one else was to see but amazingly in compensation
he soon found a Brown Fish-owl. The party climbed the steep rocky screes to
get a line of sight onto the owl, its soft grey-streaked plumage and wonderful
facial mask illuminated by translucent yellow irides were seen by all before
it flew into deeper cover. One disturbing aspect of Mayem was the unregulated
felling of trees by two men just to take a once only nut harvest - such destruction
to eke a living. Before retiring to the restaurant for lunch we had views
of Puff-throated Babbler, Rufous Woodpecker, two Changeable Hawk-Eagles and
a Crested Serpent Eagle. We were entertained over our meal by a White-cheeked
Barbet boring a hole in a nearby tree and the House Crows efficiently cleaning
up any food spillages.
Our post-lunch call was at a series of paddy fields that
immediately looked promising with our first views of Glossy Ibis - in fact
there were 150 or so that got up when the raptor traffic got too high for
their comfort. We had settled down to watch a confiding female /immature harrier
that was pursuing insects initially and then took a liking to a Zitting Cisticola.
It put on quite a performance and was established as a first-year Pallid Harrier
with worn plumage, with the orange underwing coverts and body colour rather
faded but the pale collar was complete right across the nape down to the ear
coverts. There were several Tringa waders here and a Temminck's Stint.
Just before the ferry we stopped off to view a marsh bordering
the river and saw two quartering male Montague Harriers. The tide was low
and we had extensive areas of mud to search for Terek Sandpipers of which
there was an estimated 30; four more Grey Plovers; a Black-capped Kingfisher
resting on the mud; and a Whimbrel as well as all five egret species feeding
along the river. A huge Pintail flock estimated at 5,000 flew towards the
sea.
Loven treated us to a quite unbelievable performance on
the way back to Baga. Just past the Mandovi bridge outside Panjim the rush
hour traffic of scooters, bicycles, buses and vans was seemingly at its multi-lane
peak. We pulled over to allow Loven to access the ATM on the other side of
this major thoroughfare. The traffic never eased and he launched himself into
the thick of the flow like a Toreador playing a bull, with feints and thrusts
that carried him with darting movements of true balletic grace through the
mêlée. Somehow he crossed 12 lanes and then returned, safely repeating the
manoeuvre to a huge ovation from the traumatised tour group.
A big day with a total of 91 species and the cumulative
group totalling 270.
22nd January River Zuari Boat Trip
A few clouds about but mainly blue skies - cooler towards
evening
The bus left at 0630hrs and
we travelled through Panjim to the Citada deo Goa near Dona Paula where the
boat was moored for the river outing. It was a neat little boat with twin
outboards, comfortably accommodating the tour group of 12 and the two boatmen.
We had good views of Lesser and Greater Crested Terns, perched side by side;
also perched White-bellied Fish-eagle and Osprey. Pride of place of this relaxing
morning must go to the kingfisher species, with one Stork-billed, numerous
Common, a Pied, two Black-capped and no less than five Collared Kingfishers.
The Collared Kingfisher was the whole purpose of this special trip; rated
as a very difficult species in pre-trip planning by group members, not so
by Loven who was absolutely confident that we would see the bird. Our first
Collared Kingfisher was while we were on the main river when there was a flash
of blue green; we hove to and several of the party saw the bird before it
went further into the mangroves. Once on a little canal you could tell that
the experience of the boatman was such that all the favourite perches were
scrutinised. Having glimpsed a further two Collared Kingfishers Aki located
a fourth. It was perched quite high up in the mangroves near the riverbank.
It remained absolutely still: beautiful blue back and wings; large white collar;
massive all black bill; and the crown appeared black. The fifth and last Collared
Kingfisher was also seen well, it also had a black cap contrasting with its
blue back
[9]. With the mission accomplished we did our dutiful, but mercifully
short, tourist trip to Old Goa between 1140 and 1220hrs before getting back
to the Cavala for lunch.
Later some wandered over the
Baga Fields before we reconvened for another run to Candolim Marshes and Fort
Aguada. We searched without success for a Yellow Bittern; the local youths
seemed intent on scaring any birds out of the reed beds. We did get very rewarding
views of three Ashy Wood Swallow perched on wires. Fort Aguada again proved
unproductive although a dark phase Booted Eagle was seen by some of the group.
We finished the day with only our second visit to the Beira Mar where an immature
Shikra sat amongst the palms above the pool; initially it was wrongly called
a Besra until sorted by Vaughan and Loven. None of the daily regulars at Beira
Mar had seen Cinnamon Bittern or Watercock. The upsurge in feral dogs and
human activity in the Baga wet meadows seems to suggest that this renowned
birding hot spot is declining in interest. Nevertheless raptor sightings were
still good: to emphasise the point an Indian Spotted Eagle came in at dusk
passing close by our veranda watch point.
Just Collared Kingfisher new
in a day total of 71, advancing the trip list to 271.
23rd January Carambolim Lake, Santa Cruz
and Dona Paula
Pretty hot again but getting used it and with care you can
survive provided you get some shade as relief; wind freshening by 1500hrs.
We set off at 0705hrs and were at our appropriated lookout
building at CIBA-Geigy by 0750hrs to check for the previously missed Lesser
Adjutants. Loven and Vaughan soon confirmed that Lesser Adjutants were present;
we all saw the birds but distantly. An exciting moment as this Lesser Adjutant
roost appears now to be unique in Goa: an awesome hunk of a bird, its very
ugliness exaggerated by filaments sticking out like unkempt hair from its
head and neck. Vaughan counted eight birds present. We sought a closer vantage
point and saw one bird very well. We went to the nearby marsh which held a
good selection of waders: two Terek and a Marsh Sandpiper, both stints, a
Lesser Sand Plover and a small miracle - a feeding, and hence active, Night
Heron. After a short drive towards Carambolin we walked along a road prior
to visiting the dry field areas. An elderly man walking ahead of us was inquisitively
staring back at us; he started to gesticulate wildly at a nearby dead tree.
I intimated to Vaughan that he might have something but he suggested that
the gentlemen might be non compos mentis; at that point a Spotted Owlet and
a Black-rumped Flameback flew out of the tree, amusing me a great deal. The
old man had not finished for he then invited Loven to follow the point of
his finger aiming at the crown of a tall palm tree; precisely there were two
roosting Brown Hawk Owls! In the same fields that we had failed to locate
a Rufous-tailed Lark in the heat of the day a week ago, David soon located
a suspect, in association with some Malabar Larks, which was then confirmed
by Vaughan.
We went on and parked by the bar at the lake and walked
through the village where both the adults and children treated us with great
friendliness. The surrounding paddy fields held numerous Green, Wood and Common
Sandpipers but also our first Citrine Wagtails
[10] and Common Snipe contrasting with Yellow Wagtail
and Pintail Snipe. Back at the bar a supply of the local coconut oil derived
hooch was so cheap that the entire stock was requisitioned, in addition to
quantities of the rather more healthy mango juice. At the lakeside there were
Asian Openbills, Woolly-necked Storks and stunning views of Bronze-winged
Jacanas.
After our midday break we set off for Dona Paula but en-route
called in once to look over Santa Cruz marshes and the surrounding rice field,
where we located 30 Lesser Sand Plovers, 20 Pacific Golden Plovers and a Marsh
Sandpiper. We stopped off at paddy field nearby where a snipe rose rapidly
with a clear pale trailing edge to the inner wing, our second Common Snipe
of the day. David picked up a large raptor, readily identified as an Aquila
eagle species. It flew overhead and exhibited long rather narrow wings with
parallel sides without a secondary bulge. The overall body and wing colour
was a deep chocolate brown like a female Marsh Harrier; the only variations
in the plumage features were a paler crown and paler undertail coverts. The
inner wings were held completely flat with the extended hands beyond turned
down to give a noticeable anhedral angle, at the extremities, the primary
tips were flicked upwards and well separated. This set of features caused
Loven to call Tawny Eagle with confidence; on this plumage set it was evidently
an adult bird. In the early evening we arrived at Dona Paula where aeons previously
volcanic larva flow had created an arid plateau; the gaunt landscape held
Indian Robins, at least 20 Ashy-headed Finch-larks, 12 Oriental Skylarks and
a mixed flock of 20 Great Short-toed and 12 Malabar Larks. At dusk 12 Yellow-wattled
Lapwings flew in to roost.
With the wide habitat coverage we achieved our second highest
day list, 97, and the trip list increased to 277.
24th January Arpuro Hill and Baga
Rather cold at first today and wind got up as early as 1000hrs
but a beautiful morning until that point.
We arrived at Arpuro Hill at 0730hrs; it was appropriate
to spend our last morning in jungle habitat and to see this site in the crucial
post-dawn period. We were not disappointed as we had excellent views of Blue-winged
Leafbird, Loten's and Purple-backed Sunbirds and Grey-headed Bulbuls - all
delightful birds. Our last addition to the trip list was Yellow-crowned Woodpecker;
three were seen and one was studied for several minutes. There were also good
views of Rufous Woodpecker and three eagle species: Changeable Hawk-Eagle,
Crested Serpent-Eagle and White-bellied Fish-eagle; the last at a monstrous
nest with two young. Fittingly, an Indian Pitta put in a cameo performance
allowing its photograph to be taken. As the peak of the morning avian activity
waned we stopped again at the Resorte Marinha Dourada marsh; unfortunately
there was nothing to detain us unlike the productive visit two weeks previously.
After a midday rest we worked the Baga Fields where there
were 300 Short-toed Larks and several Richard's and Paddyfield Pipits. At
dusk we sat out with a drink in our hands at the Beira Mar where we had good
views of a male Bluethroat and watched a snipe moving furtively to avoid a
dog. We had a really good view through the telescopes, although the tail remained
out of sight; all present presumed it was a Common Snipe. Finally the dog
flushed the bird and to our amusement the uniformly dark wing and slow flight
revealed a Pintail Snipe. The immature Shikra still sat amongst the palms
above the pool.
A good day list of 86 and a final tour total of 278.
Another bright and sunny day with temperatures around 33°C.
No group activity for the last morning so at 0640hrs. I
walked the Baga Fields alone in the hope of finding Bush Quail or Buttonquail
or recording some pipit images. Very quiet until sunrise at 0720hrs by which
time I had located a Blyth's Pipit, confirmed with its "schushh" call, less
scalding than Richard's. Later joined by David and together we located Richard's
and Tawny Pipits.
Packed up after breakfast and rested before an early lunch
and our farewells at the Cavala. You need infinite patience to weather the
storm of Indian customs and flight check-out procedures but we were then calmed
by nine hours of flawless service from the Monarch cabin crew. Time to reflect
on Vaughan, an excellent tour leader, who had devised a superb itinerary;
the quality of Vaughan's Goan support team - particularly Loven Pereiro's
field craft; the Backwoods set-up and Elvis' service at the Cavala; above
all wonderful memories of so many birds.
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to David Curtis for the loan of his notebook
to fill in my numerous gaps and to David, Vaughan and Pauline for reviewing
and suggesting corrections to a draft of this report. However any remaining
typographical or factual mistakes are entirely down to me.
Alan Cox - February 2004- Teleoptronic Creations
[1] Tawny Pipit is a controversial
species in Goa as, according to Alström and Mild, it is restricted to North-west
India and unlikely therefore to be at Baga Fields. It is also a confusable
species with Paddyfield Pipit. For example, Hannu Jännes's commentary of his
Bird Sounds of Goa states "If your walks at Baga Fields produces several sightings
of Tawny Pipit, you are probably doing something wrong!" Nevertheless our
bird had an unstreaked mantle and strikingly dark lores and so we were in
no doubt that our first walk on Baga Fields had produced an unambiguous adult
Tawny Pipit.
[2] Greenish,
rather than Green Warbler, was the commoner of the two forms we subsequently
encountered of what taxonomists now advise is a single "ring" species.
[3] Vaughan
has a personal photo-collection of 83 owl species from his world travels and
uses his best of the year to illustrate the Birdfinders' annual brochure.
[4] I had
somehow lost an essential digiscope component, my telescope to camera coupler.
I searched the camp in the early hours but was sure it was left in the Temple
grounds, hence the diversion. The adaptor was not found.
[5] Recently
split from Lesser Spotted Eagle, and endemic to the Indian peninsular.
[6] The provenance of Yellow Wagtails is dealt with
exhaustively by Alström and Mild who recognise a reduced list of 13 subspecies
in the world, and different from most Indian field guides (the previous melanogrisea
taxon which winters in India is lumped by AM into feldegg). Although
undoubtedly several of the 13 subspecies of Yellow Wagtail winter on the subcontinent
most European birders to India would like to believe they are viewing Eastern
Yellow Wagtails, this no longer appears to be a likely proposition as they
winter further east than the subcontinent. According to AM Eastern Yellow
Wagtail is a three taxon-group within the 13 subspecies and has some, but
as yet not conclusive provenance, to be split as a separated species from
the western taxons of Yellow Wagtail, mitochondria DNA evidence suggests they
are genetically closer to one form of Citrine Wagtail!
[7] Peter had severely dislocated his ankle and fractured
his tibia. Over the next five days he received excellent medical care
from the hospital, fully financially supported by his Holiday Insurer. Afterwards
he returned to the hotel where attention was lavished on him and he was able
to make one field trip on the bus. The airport departure must have been traumatic
despite special consideration by the airport authorities; Monarch took good
care of him for the long haul to the UK.
[8] Outside
the wintering range normally ascribed to Common Buzzard but one of a number
of buzzard species that have been occasionally reported in Goa.
[9] According to field guides the crown
is concolourous blue-green as the back, not so with our birds.
[10] Two
forms of Citrine Wagtail were present; the grey-backed (M.c.citreola) and
black-backed (M.c calcarata) taxons - a potential future split.