ORNITHOLIDAYS’ TOUR TO INDIA - NORTHERN TOUR  

Birds, Tigers and the Taj

14 - 26 February 2000

A Personal Diary by Richard Coomber

Brochure

Monday, 14 February

The morning might have started fine, but by the time our party assembled at Heathrow and left for Delhi via Dubai with Emirates the weather had turned wet.

Tuesday, 15 February

We arrived at Delhi on a sunny, but hazy morning at 8.36 a.m. three hours or so after leaving Dubai, where during the night we had changed flights. The formalities were much quicker than I expected and amazingly within 40 minutes we had collected our luggage, cleared customs and were on the bus heading for our hotel.

Birds began to appear immediately - our first Black Kites, House Crows and Common Mynas were seen before we left the airport. On the way into the city Red-wattled Lapwings fed in a field and Pam spotted a Shikra in a roadside tree, which it shared with a small flock of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons.

We settled into the aptly named Imperial Hotel with the chance to relax, or as in a number of cases, sleep before lunch, which we took on the garden terrace under the gaze of ever present Black Kites. Rose-ringed Parakeets flashed green over the lawns and around the palms were Northern Palm Squirrels.

After lunch we collected our birding gear and boarded the bus for Okhla on the banks of the River Yamuna. The river was dammed and the water was only passing through some of the middle sluice gates allowing large rafts of Water Hyacinth and other debris to accumulate in the quieter areas where Indian Pond Herons sought an unsavoury meal. Out on the open waters above the dam were duck, thousands of them, with Northern Shoveler being by far the most abundant species, followed by Common Teal, Gadwall and Northern Pintail in perhaps equal numbers. Also present were Greylag Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Spot-billed Duck, Garganey, Pochard, Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks.

Flying over to find fresh feeding areas or going to roost were gulls. Black-headed Gulls were familiar of course, but with them were lesser numbers of Brown-hooded Gulls, distinguished by their larger size and black and white wing-tips. The larger gulls were mainly the eastern form of Yellow-legged Gull, now often referred to as Caspian or Pontic Gull. Largest present was a single Great Black-headed Gull, or Pallas’s Gull as they call it in the new fieldguide. (See note at end of report regarding names)

Amongst the accumulated vegetation floating along the dam wall were Bronze-winged Jacanas that looked immaculate in the afternoon sunshine, which is more than could be said for the Intermediate Egrets that had a decidedly greyish cast, no doubt from the effluent and other pollution that fouled the waterway. Along the banks were Grey and Purple Herons and our first kingfisher, the brilliant White-throated. We came across a number of shorebirds on the upstream side of the dam - Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers, but the best variety were in the pools that dotted the sandy riverbed exposed by the low water-levels below the dam. We compared Temminck’s and Little Stints and had stunning views of River Lapwing, at one time considered to have been a race of Spur-winged Plover. The Common Redshanks were a trap for the unwary being an eastern race and much paler than the ones we are used to.

Then there were all the wagtails - lots of Citrines on the floating vegetation above the dam, a Grey by one of the sluices, whilst downstream were White, White-browed and Yellow Wagtails. The Yellow Wags recalled Blue-headed, but were the race known as Syke’s Wagtail beema. Then there was a complexity of White

Wagtail races with three or four mingling together - some looking more like ours than the black hooded and white masked forms.

As we watched from the bridge that ran across the dam wall few other small birds were seen and those that were recorded we would be seeing on a regular basis such as Black Drongo, Pied Bushchat and Bank Myna and as the sun set we returned to the hotel well satisfied with our first encounters with Indian birds.

Wednesday, 16 February

We left a bustling Delhi with its smoky haze at 8 a.m. and headed across part of the neighbouring state of Haryana where Indian Rollers became a frequent sight on the telegraph wires.

We managed a couple of stops during the 200 km drive. The first at Maneshar, an area of acacia trees deeply cut with gullies. The commonest bird there was White-eared Bulbul, yet only about half an hours driving time further on they had been replaced by Red-vented Bulbuls. We came on a small feeding party of Small Minivets that included a colourful male. Apart from the bulbuls, the only real bird song in the area came from a male Indian Robin, which gave us good views. The race here is cambaiensis in which the male has an olive crown, nape and back. We also had our first Purple Sunbirds here, but not seen as well as they were later in the day at Sariska.

Further on we had a rest stop at the Jungle Babbler Resort at Dharudehra, where the first birds we saw in the grounds were indeed Jungle Babblers. Rose-ringed Parakeets were common and one bird in particular posed well for the cameras. Before leaving we came across a splendid Coppersmith Barbet in perfect sunshine that eventually led us to its nest hole.

The journey took us into rocky hills, where our first identified vulture was an adult Egyptian. It was a fascinating journey through rural India, through villages large and small where tradesmen worked, paying us scant attention. We reached Sariska Palace, formerly a hunting palace of the Maharajas of Alwar before being turned into a hotel. In the large tree outside the reception area Pam found a Hume’s Warbler, once a race of Yellow-browed. During lunch the same tree held a singing Rufous Treepie as over the main building a pair of Dusky Crag Martin circled whilst Rhesus Macaques attempted to invade the building.

Brahminy Starling

At 3 p.m. we set off for the first of three drives within Sariska Tiger Reserve. Soon we were watching Jungle Bush Quail and Grey Francolins and in addition, two of the jeeps saw a pair of Painted Spurfowl. With the party split into three units a good variety of birds were recorded, with no jeep seeing the same species. At a water-hole Julia found a male Red-spotted Bluethroat and nearby a male Black Redstart was much more colourful than the western European race. The pool held a number of wildfowl species allowing us good views of a pair of Ruddy Shelduck today. At the far end was a pair of Black Storks and a solitary Eurasian Spoonbill, whilst a party of Painted Storks preened in the background, but not as colourful as breeding adults would have been. We had good views of a perched Red-headed Vulture and at one point we had Long-billed and White-rumped Vultures circling together for comparison. Much of the birding was bush birding with some seeing four species of babblers - Yellow-eyed, Large Grey, Jungle and Common, the latter recalling a heavily built prinia. Talking of which, three species were recorded - Ashy, Grey-backed and Plain. The other warblers were wintering Palearctic species - Hume’s and Lesser Whitethroat - the first of which was a ‘regular’ one, but later a party of smaller and paler Desert Lesser Whitethroats, perhaps a true species, were watched flycatching as we passed through an area of denser bush. Other species recorded included Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Indian Silverbill and White-capped Bunting.

Sariska was a good park for mammals, although we couldn’t manage a Tiger. There were plenty of prey species - Wild Boar, Chital, Sambar and Nilgai. Also seen were Golden Jackal and Hanuman Langur.

It became colder as the sun dipped behind the hills and the three vehicles regrouped watching a Spotted Owlet, before we returned to the Palace with plenty of time before dinner.

Thursday, 17 February

We left the hotel before 7 a.m. and were the first vehicles through the gate into the park. Our hope was Tiger and we heeded the drivers’ advice "If you want to see Tiger, we don’t stop for birds!" So we did, but sadly we still didn’t see one. There were birds of course, but little stirred as we headed towards the temple to the monkey god at Panadool, although there was a continuous chorus of Red-vented Bulbuls and Rose-ringed Parakeets.

A brief first stop was for the Spotted Owlet, who this morning was snuggled up to its mate for warmth at the entrance to their nest. Some way on, a small flycatcher attracted our attention, which turned out to be a Brown-breasted Flycatcher, perhaps an early migrant. The same stop produced a Chiffchaff, the Siberian race tristis winters here, and the first of the day’s Plain Prinias. One of the most memorable birds of the drive were the Indian Peafowl, for there were dozens and dozens of them, to the extent that the overall day total was probably in excess of 750! The further along the lightly wooded valley we went, the more males with full tails were encountered. Over the cliffs above the temple soared Long-billed Vultures. Dwarfing many times over, the House Swifts, Dusky Crag Martins and Red-rumped Swallows that shared the same airspace.

At the temple we were pleased to be able to stretch our legs and get the circulation going again. Common Mynas and Rufous Treepies fed and drank in the street and for a while we watched a pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets drinking from the same puddle. Nearby we had good views of a Black-rumped Flameback and found our first Red-throated Flycatcher. The journey back was warmer (marginally) and by that time the mammals were beginning to appear, but still sadly no Tiger. Black Storks fed in one stream and a Little Egret in another. Raptors were scarce - we had good views of an immature Crested Serpent-Eagle perched on top of a dead palm tree and then brief ones of an adult nearer the temple.

Breakfast taken on the terrace was perfect in the warm sunshine. A walk along the river followed and added several new birds, most of which were seen well by all. They included Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Common Kingfisher and White-breasted Waterhen. Good views were had of Common Tailorbirds and Common Woodshrike, both of which were ‘catch-up’ birds for some people. Also seen was another party of beautiful Small Minivets in trees across the river where Hume’s Warblers fed.

At lunch time Barry found a Greenish Warbler in one of the trees by the terrace and for the second time we watched the Rhesus Macaques attempting to mount another raiding party on the Palace.

Our afternoon drive covered much less ground than this morning, but more than yesterday. We started off at the first water-hole, where we found some things were the same and others had changed. We began with good views of a pair of relaxed Golden Jackals as they lay in the shade. There were no Painted Storks, but the Blacks had increased to three. There was a snipe out on a mud-bank, but without a telescope we unable to separate Common from Pintail.

Another pond was next, the one visited by some of the party yesterday, where we spent a marvellous 45 minutes or so watching Sambar and Spotted Deer come to drink, with monkeys and Wild Boar. The lighting was perfect and with no wind the reflections of male Indian Peafowl, treepies and the animals were wonderful. Many a film rolled through the cameras in a short space of time. Another subject was a group of Rhesus Macaques on the parapet of a nearby bridge, with portraits of immatures and a female grooming her offspring being particularly appealing - will they come out?

Peacocks

We attempted to find Tiger further on after Spotted Deer alarm calls were heard, but without success. However the impromptu route led us to Crested Buntings at our turnaround point, where we also watched Yellow-eyed Babblers and found a flock of Common Rosefinches, that included some pink males.

With the light fading and the air turning decidedly chilly once more we returned to the Palace and dinner, which tonight was augmented by a birthday cake for Peter. An error on my part had it addressed to his wife Adrienne - their birthdays were two days apart and I got them muddled. As a result she might be the first person on a tour to receive two cakes. I’m sorry Peter!

Friday, 18 February

Today was rather more culture than birding. We left Sariska and headed for Amber Fort without birding en route. We passed from one village to another, but with the roads being quiet we made excellent time, especially once we reached the dual-carriageway.

Amber Fort at Jaipur

At Amber we were joined by a cultural guide, who introduced himself as DK. Once off the bus we had our first experience of Indian hawkers, but they were not too persistent as we made our way to the elephant loading platform. I think that an elephant ride is preferable to one on a camel, but no doubt some will disagree! At the top DK took us through the buildings of Amber, the fort-palace of the Kachchwaha Rajputs, pointing the various features displaying wonderful craftsmanship undertaken at the end of the 16th century and the early 17th. It was fabulous and best described by pictures and not words!

The views from the top of the buildings took us across barren hills to the fortified perimeter walls that extended for some 17 kilometres. The vantage point gave us some of the birds promised by DK. Brown Rock Chats appeared from time to time on the ramparts of the fort and overhead wheeled Plain and Dusky Crag Martins, Red-rumped Swallows and House Swifts. A female Eurasian Sparrowhawk drifted over from a ridge to the north, then as we were on the point of leaving a dark phase Oriental Honey Buzzard circled overhead. A few minutes later we watched an adult Bonelli’s Eagle stoop and then chase a Rock Pigeon across a small valley - wonderful manoeuvrability on behalf of both hunter and hunted, which ended with a very close escape by the pigeon.

After a brief jeep ride we rejoined the bus by the small lake below the fort over which we had seen River Terns hawking earlier. By the time we reached the waterside they were resting on the gravel shore opposite close to feeding Black-tailed Godwit. Along the water’s edge immediately below our vantage point our first Marsh Sandpiper fed close to a Redshank. Nearby was a Temminck’s Stint that showed well in perfect sunlight. For some, the mahouts washing down their elephants were both entertaining and worthy of a few more photographs.

A little further along the road we came to Jal Mahal, a large area of water with a maharaja’s palace built some way out from the shore. On the smooth waters thousands of Northern Shoveler were interspersed with Common Teal, a few Pintail, Wigeon, Gadwall and Common Pochard A Marsh Harrier quartered the grassy bank leading to the palace around which were hundreds of Great Cormorants. River Terns rested on a gravel bank with Black-winged Stilts and on the muddy shore nearby fed a small party of Ruff. Before moving on to a second lagoon Philip pointed out an Osprey perched on a pole out in the lake. In a muddy corner four Curlew Sandpipers fed with Black-tailed Godwits, a Marsh Sandpiper and both Little and Temminck’s Stints. A small flock of Whiskered Terns dipped energetically in the bay to take morsels off the surface. On the grassy bank in front of us fed a pair of Hoopoes, a pair of Wire-tailed Swallows hawked insects overhead and then the last good bird to appear before we left was a Southern Grey Shrike that sat obligingly on top of a small acacia bush.

We had lunch and spent part of the afternoon touring the Pink Palace with DK, who then took us to a carpet and textile outlet. Our final experience was a late afternoon drive across the centre of the city to our hotel. The first good view of a Red Collared Dove was on the verge where we dropped the guide. Slightly smaller that the Eurasian Collared Doves with which it was associating, the grey head and warm ruddy body marked it from the others. On the telegraph wires above sat a party of Green Bee-eaters.

Saturday, 19 February

With the group as punctual as ever we had a good start leaving the hotel five minutes ahead of schedule at 7.25 a.m. Once again the pastel colours so typical of the early morning smoky haze of this part of India, muted the scene. The roads were quiet initially enabling us to make reasonable progress. Birds seen on the journey were typical of the cultivated countryside and included Indian Roller, Indian Robin, Red Collared Dove (but many more Eurasian Collared Dove). At one point Helen saw a Yellow-wattled Lapwing, but by then the road was busier and we were unable to stop there.

Later we were able to stop at a dry, flat, area where a large restless flock of Greater Short-toed Larks fed and with them for a few minutes was a pair of Indian Silverbills. We had excellent views of a Desert Wheatear perched on a small acacia bush and Julia found a male Stonechat perched on stubble. In the distance a Black Francolin called and whilst looking for it I found a small party of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in a ploughed area, which we saw through the scopes just before a herdsman with a Water Buffalo flushed them.

At the small village of Gunsi an elongated jheel was most productive. Many of the common dabbling ducks were there in small numbers including a pair of Spot-billed Duck. A solitary River Tern shared a sandbank with Ruff, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Little Stint. On the far bank was a Spotted Redshank, two White-tailed Plover and a Common Snipe. On the rising ground behind was a Tawny Pipit. Other birds here included Plain Martin, Wire-tailed Swallow, Green Bee-eater and White-throated Kingfisher. Along the road other small pools often had Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpipers and sometimes even a snipe or two feeding out in the open. We made no further exploratory birding stops, but saw an adult Short-toed Eagle over a cereal field and further on watched a splendid Sarus Crane standing in another field barely 100 yards from the road.

We reached the Tiger Moon Resort at Ranthambhor on schedule and once ensconced in our rooms had time to explore the grounds before lunch. Long-billed Crows were an addition to the very familiar House Crow and the wooded garden produced Common Iora, Asian Brown Flycatcher and Sulphur-bellied Warbler, a rather dingy phyllosc that frequented the walls of the buildings.

At 2.30 p.m. we set off for Ranthambhor National Park. In hurrying through the gates when they opened at 3 p.m. some of us missed a Brown Crake as we crossed a ford - it and others were seen well over the next couple of days.

Ranthambhor is a Project Tiger Reserve and the numbers of vehicles strictly controlled - 10 jeeps and 6 open trucks per game drive. This afternoon we were on one of the trucks, which meant that the group was together for their initial drive. The park covers 1334 km2 area and is largely a mixture of deciduous and dry thorn forest, with several lakes and a number of streams that were generally reduced to a few remaining pools. The entrance area is dominated by Ranthambhor Fort, built over 1000 years ago!

Stopping at the first lake we added Cotton Pygmy-goose and Indian Darter to the list. The former, a species with a liking for waterliles, was particularly common on the lake which it shared with Purple Swamphens and Little Grebes as well as a number of Sambar. A little further on we heard a Chital bark, other vehicles reacted, but we saw no Tiger (although we did find one in the same area the following day.) A small drying lake gave excellent views of Painted Stork, Little Ringed Plover, Ruddy Shelduck and our first Black-bellied Tern - very smart and somewhat smaller than the nearby River Tern.

Tigress at Ranthambore.

We covered quite a bit of ground that afternoon in our quest. Dreams were realised after our driver conferred with another. Soon we were scanning a wooded slope, along with several other vehicles, and then I saw it - a black, white and orange mask gazing through the trees at us - our first Tiger! It was an effort for everyone to see it, but we needn’t have worried for over the next 20 minutes or so we were to have excellent views of this one, a female, and a male that was also in close proximity. On our way to the exit we saw another Tiger, but it was walking away from a stream and up into the woodland beyond. (The views this afternoon made the single animal, a female called Noon, I saw in 1988 pale to insignificance.) Well, the leader’s death sentence was temporarily lifted, but the party let it be known that were the Taj Mahal to disappear before we arrived in Agra, the sentence would be swiftly enforced!

We returned as the rising full moon glowed orange over the lodge’s advertising board - it was our Tiger Moon!

Sunday 20 & Monday 21 February

On both days we had morning and afternoon game drives during which I rotated between vehicles. The scenery away from the attractive lakes was dry with golden grass on hilly ridges with scattered trees and denser woodland cum forest in the valleys, which being in the shade in early morning and the latter part of the afternoon, often seemed dark and lifeless.

Small birds were at a premium, Red-vented Bulbul was the commonest being almost everywhere and particularly noisy at dawn and dusk. Both Jungle and Large Grey Babblers were widespread, the former being the commoner of the two. Of the winter visitors Red-throated Flycatchers were the most abundant, but there seemed to be few wintering warblers and although buntings were seen, none well enough to be specifically identified. Occasionally we would encounter a party of Olive-backed Pipits feeding amongst the leaf-litter of the woodland. Grey Wagtails appeared at stream/river crossings and both White and White-browed Wagtails feed around the shores of the lakes. In the woodland we encountered parties of Small Minivets and Common Woodshrikes. There were scattered sightings of Asian Brown and Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers as well as White-browed Fantails.

The lakes held a good variety of waterbirds including the wintering wildfowl and shorebirds mixing with such local species as Cotton Pygmy-goose and both Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. Brown Crakes were seen a number of times feeding out in the open and flicking their tails like the White-breasted Waterhens seen in similar locations. During our visit we had several sightings of Black Storks and at one water hole a Painted Stork invited admiration.

The commonest raptors were the Long-billed and White-rumped Vultures - Long-bills were nesting above one of the gateways on the park’s entrance road. Crested Serpent Eagles loafed around in trees and there were several sightings of one or more Grey-headed Fish Eagle. A lone Greater Spotted Eagle was seen by one lake on Monday morning and Oriental Honey-buzzard and Shikra were seen from time to time. One Shikra was seen to take a Painted Spurfowl, which in turn was a much desired bird by those who missed the earlier ones at Sariska! The spurfowl were widely scattered and eventually seen by all the party. We only had poor views of Changeable Hawk-eagle and one raptor on the final game drive posed a problem - a large accipiter with noticeably white undertail coverts and pale, but lightly barred underparts was thought to be a male Northern Goshawk, but according to the book seemed to be too far south.

The one animal we particularly wanted to see was Tiger. I was  relieved when we had those three sightings yesterday - it took the pressure off. But our views of Tiger didn’t stop there! Including the three on the first drive Pam, Brian, Peter and Adrienne’s tally was five, Barry, Helen, Julia and Philip had six, whilst Geoff, Margaret, Kay and Paul had seven! Probably seven to nine different animals were involved. Views of course were mixed ranging from a head appearing and then disappearing in the grass, to one that walked so close to one jeep that it might have brushed the front bumper as it padded by! Brian complained that one in perfect sunlight and looking straight at his camera as it walked by, was too close to focus on! We all had special memories of the encounters and the wonderful views of Ranthambhor’s Tigers to take home with us. Our expectations had been exceeded!

Other animals recorded were Chinkara (Indian Gazelle), Nilgai, Wild Boar, Indian Porcupine, Ruddy Mongoose, Jungle Cat and Dhole - the latter being one of the rarest mammals in the park and a very lucky find for Julia, Philip, Helen and Barry. Sloth Bear tracks and diggings were seen at various times.

Sunday, 20 February

Before lunch on Sunday we walked along to the small jheel outside the lodge grounds, where there was a very good selection of waders that included Spotted Redshank and Temminck’s Stint and our first Pied Avocets. The jheel was also home to a number of the commoner wintering ducks. Around the shore we found Tawny Pipit and Rufous-tailed Lark as well as a quite confiding Southern Grey Shrike.

In the evening after our game drives we rendezvoused at a small roadside jheel to watch Painted Sandgrouse come in to drink in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Monday, 21 February

During Monday’s ‘free period’ we squeezed in an excellent visit to Soorwal Bunder - a large shallow lake behind a high bank about an hour’s drive from the lodge, which was justified by taking a picnic with us. The drive was interesting, full of local colour and some good ‘ethnic’ photographs out of the windows, although perhaps the best came later in the morning when we looked down on a nomadic camel train from the top of the bank by the lake.

As we made our way towards the lake we passed ladies harvesting ripe mustard stems and saw a Rosy Starling perched on a stack at the edge of a field. The lake was very shallow and had once been far more extensive, but now the surrounding dry areas had been turned over to agriculture. Three years have passed since the lake was a worthwhile size, but the birds still came to its waters and shores nevertheless. A large flock of Ruddy Shelduck loitered on the mudflats until a couple of shooters disturbed them. Nearby stood our first pair of Bar-headed Geese. On the mudflats, looking very much at home, was a flock of Curlew and resting in amongst some Red-wattled Lapwings was a lone Grey Plover. There were good numbers of duck, including Garganey and additional shorebirds included Pied Avocets, Common Ringed Plover as well as the usual sandpipers, stints, shanks and godwits. We watched another Black-bellied Tern fly-by and found a resting Gull-billed Tern. Where the outfall flows in times of good rains, a rocky riverbed was the ideal place for Great Thick-knees to hide themselves - careful scanning with the scopes revealed at least 27 birds - some standing out in the open and others resting with just their heads and beaks showing amongst the boulders. We had a number of raptors including good views of Egyptian Vulture and Short-toed Eagles.

The journey back after lunch was a bit if a rush as we were then out on another game drive in the park and another date with a Tiger or two!

Tuesday, 22 February

Pre-breakfast birding in Tiger Moon’s grounds produced the immature male Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher seen by Pam earlier in our stay as well as Common Woodshrike, Black Redstart, Green Bee-eater and our first, and only, Oriental White-eye. To compensate for the series of recent early starts, we had breakfast at 8 a.m. and left at 8.45 a.m. for Bharatpur, birding en route.

The first birding was at a large lagoon formed in the dry bed of a broad river. We stopped on the road bridge and thankfully there were few other vehicles on the road for it vibrated somewhat whenever a lorry or bus rumbled across. The bridge itself was the site of a large Streak-throated Swallow colony; the birds themselves were either wheeling around or collecting mud from the lake’s margins beneath us. Looking downstream we were looking into the light, but we still had good views of a large flock of Bar-headed Geese below us. With them were some Comb Duck and a large flock of duck that seemed to be mainly Gadwall, but included a few Common Teal and Northern Pintail. Further back Barry found a party of seven Greylags.

Looking the other way with the sun behind us the lagoon extended half a mile or so, the dry bed being cultivated as long as the opportunity lasted - until the river flows again with the arrival of the monsoons in four or five months time. A sand bar out in the middle was very productive. A pair of Indian Skimmers sat or dozed idly, using the islet as a resting place, as did the Black-bellied, Gull-billed and River Terns beside them. Across the sand, where Kentish Plover, River Lapwing and other shorebirds fed, a Pallas’s Gull (or Great Black-headed) with an almost complete black hood sat next to a Common Black-headed. A second Pallas’s was seen later. Near the gulls, roosted a group of Comb Ducks and behind them a flock of Garganey included some smart drakes. Also seen were such things as Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, stints, Black-winged Stilts and Pied Kingfishers. Just as we were leaving four Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse flew by.

Our next stop at another jheel produced large numbers of Coot across its surface. The wildfowl here included six Lesser Whistling Ducks, a few Cotton Pygmy Geese, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Garganey as Whiskered Terns dipped over the surface.

Our last birding stop before lunch was at a dry riverbed, where the flow was reduced to a small stream that was still sufficient to sustain some large reedbeds. The rest, however, was just sand and scattered squat acacia bushes. Before we left the road two Rosy Starlings flew into one of the larger acacias along the river bank. Down below the bridge was a male Blue Rock Thrush and soon after Barry found an Isabelline Wheatear, which eventually showed well along with several Stonechats and Pied Bushchats. The area held several pairs of Crested Larks and we also had good views of a Long-billed Pipit.

After lunch on the bus we pressed on towards Bharatpur, passing through fascinating towns and villages full of colour and activity. Rarely were we actually stopped by congestion, which meant that those wanting photographs of the scenes had to snatch the opportunity and hope that they came out!

We eventually reached Bharatpur at 5.30 p.m. and were soon into our rooms. A short walk was little more than a leg stretch and included ‘exploration’ of an acacia thicket. Birds seen included Oriental Magpie-robin and White-breasted Waterhen. When Philip, Julia and I walked up to the reserve entrance afterwards we saw Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple Heron and had a small flock of Lesser Whistling-duck fly over calling. By the time we returned it was almost dark.

Wednesday, 23 February

Our first morning in Bharatpur with the guide, Solal was wonderful. We began visiting an area with walled grounds where a large fruiting tree attracted Brown-headed and Coppersmith Barbets together with Indian Grey Hornbills, whilst Solal scouted ahead to find us a roosting Indian Nightjar on a horizontal branch in a large acacia. Nearby we looked over the wall and saw an Orange-headed Thrush hopping along a bare log. Nearby we overlooked an area of water, watched by an adult Crested Serpent-Eagle and where White-throated Kingfishers fished and Comb Ducks dozed. There were three species of drongos here - Black, White-bellied and Ashy, the latter sharing a tree with the only Chestnut-tailed Starlings of the trip. We had to work for the last good bird in the area after it was found during one of Solal’s scouting efforts, for a Large-tailed Nightjar was very wary, but eventually we all had reasonable views.

Soon after we boarded the standard form of transport here, rickshaws, we were looking for a Cinnamon Bittern in flooded woodland, but it didn’t oblige. Further on we had an excellent view of an adult Black Bittern as we were looking at a Ruddy-breasted Crake! Nearby a Water Rail was somewhat more furtive. Blyth’s and Clamorous Reed-Warblers were seen in the same area, which also produced a Booted Warbler and a singing Marshall’s Iora.

The large lagoons were undergoing maintenance with boatmen collecting water hyacinth and other water weeds. From one of the banks where they were working we saw two Greater Painted Snipe and also found a Yellow Bittern. There were also large numbers of wildfowl, Purple Swamphens, jacanas, shorebirds and of course, numerous herons and egrets.

Solal promised us large eagles during the afternoon excursion, but began with a detour to see a large Indian Cobra, about five feet long, sunning itself on the edge of the track. Before long we were back on course and watching an immature Great Spotted Eagle attempting to deal with a live Moorhen, which it had just caught. We had excellent views, but eventually the eagle lost its balance and then lost the Moorhen as it tried to recover its stance. Perhaps the unfortunate victim was too badly injured to survive, but the eagle never managed to recover it after it fell from the tree and we couldn’t assess the outcome from the other side of the small lagoon. Further on we had marvellous views of an adult Eastern Imperial Eagle at rest and later saw another as well as more Great Spots and bulky Steppe Eagles. We came on a large number of resting Great White Pelicans and Eurasian Spoonbills. The breeding season, which they share with Painted Storks, was over for the spoonbills and they seemed quite content just to loaf about. As we looked for warblers along a ditch by a temple a Jungle Cat dashed from a small bush, across a gap and into dense cover, being seen only by a lucky few.

The sun was setting as we returned to the lodge. Black-crowned Night-herons were going out on patrol, but there was no sign of a hoped for Dusky Eagle Owl. Well, not today anyway. Later the dusk was shattered by the wailing of Golden Jackals just outside the lodge.

Thursday, 24 February

Our quest on our second day in Bharatpur was simple - Siberian Crane. Only two of these magnificent birds were wintering this year, representing the last remnants of the species western population. A sad decline on the 22 birds that were present in 1988.

We set off on the rickshaws, stopping in the area of the woodland pools to see the Cinnamon Bittern we missed yesterday. The views through the scopes as it crouched motionless waiting for a fish or frog were superb. Soon after we left, another was seen by some of the party on the other side of the road. Further on as we passed the Ghana Canal hundreds of Black-crowned Night-herons sat in trees lining the bank. A male European Golden Oriole seen as we passed was another new bird for the holiday.

Some way beyond the Temple we left the rickshaws and set off on a circular walk that turned out to be further than any of us anticipated, but it was wonderful. In the dust along the track along which Solal led us we found the footprints of a Leopard. We were surrounded by thick bush, but the tracks were not too fresh!

We spent some time trying to find a Siberian Rubythroat at a known site in deep cover beneath some bushes, but when we failed to see it, Solal concluded that it probably had moved on as the migration was already beginning for some species. Our next target was a family of Dusky Eagle Owls in large trees only a hundred yards off the track. With scopes set up we had excellent views of the two fledged youngsters and one of the adults.

Back on the trail we eventually reached an area where the bushes gave way to a drying wetland - grass dominated but there was still sufficient water to attract egrets, Ruff, ducks and Greylags. It was there we saw the Siberian Cranes standing, preening and looking dazzling white in the morning sunshine, although they were some distance away the views through the scopes were pretty good. After 15-20 minutes they took off with measured wing-beats to cross into the next impoundment. It had been a privilege.

There were lots of other birds around, a display flighting Paddyfield Pipit and confiding Citrine Wagtails, a Tawny Pipit preening by the track and a family group of Sarus Cranes gave particularly good views. Beneath a dense waterside bush Solal found a wintering Smoky Warbler, a species that was to be seen better later in the afternoon. Only a few feet away a Water Rail lurked beneath a more open bush in which a Moustached Warbler preened after bathing.

Earlier we had arranged for one of the rickshaw boys to collect a picnic lunch for us from Forest Lodge. This was enjoyed on the banks of another impoundment looking out over masses of ducks and Purple Swamphens, who were also being watched over by a passive adult Imperial Eagle. Along the track hopped Bluethroats and a superb Wryneck spotted by Julia just in time, for a few feet closer and we would probably have flushed it rather than admire it!

During the latter part of the morning we had noticed a large bush fire starting a few miles distant, but it was well into the afternoon that steps seemed to be taken to deal with it. Tractors hauled watertanks to and fro and jeeps with beaters were also sent out to tackle the blaze.

Enthusiasm for another Smoky Warbler drew only a limited response as we headed toward a temple that was our rendezvous site with the rickshaws. Those that tried for the warbler were rewarded with good views, particularly Margaret, who just sat down and waited for it to come and see her! Over one of the last extensive impoundments hawked a flock of some 50 or more Small Pratincoles, darting around like black and white winged swallows. Nearby we noticed a huge freshwater turtle, a Hard-shelled Turtle - the secret of how it grew to such a size became apparent as we approached the temple and saw a Coot being dragged under by some unseen force. For a while it looked as if it would get away, but it was in shock and had little desire to escape when it was clearly mobile for a while. We surmised that one of the turtles might be responsible for other species are known to catch doves at water-holes in Africa. Following a protracted wait for the rickshaw we checked on the unfortunate Coot every so often. On the final visit shortly before we left at 5.30 p.m. it had gone. Not a sign save the carapace of a large turtle showed above the aquatic vegetation nearby.

The ground of the temple attracted mynas to scraps thrown out by visitors. Rose-ringed Parakeets squabbled in the bare trees in the garden before going to roost and on the banks of the nearby Ghana Canal, Solal showed some of the group a Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker excavating its nest hole.

We were back at the lodge just before sunset, but that was not such a bad thing as we had an early start tomorrow for our visit to the Taj Mahal and our return to Delhi.

Friday, 25 February

The early start this morning enabled us reach Agra and collect a guide by 8 a.m. for our visit to the Taj Mahal. Being early made a great difference on what was a free day, for when we came to leave the queues at the security checkpoint stretched for one hundred yards or more! We had just walked through. Birds seen on the journey included our first Asian Openbill flying by and good views of three Black Ibises feeding in a roadside field.

As always the Taj was wonderful, the early light being ideal for photographs and the relatively few people helping to maintain the magic. Our guide gave us a short talk before we explored the area at leisure until 10.30 a.m. Geoff recalled the days when he was stationed at Agra with the RAF just after the war, when he visited there were scarcely any other visitors.

Egyptian Vultures wheeled around the white dome and through the minarets, dozens rested on the mudbanks along the river and a pair was even nesting on one of the nearby mosque's minarets. Along the river, which had been dry when I was there 12 years ago, fed stilts, Ruddy Shelduck and Gull-billed Tern. Birds seen in the grounds included Hoopoe, Indian Grey Hornbill and Coppersmith Barbet. Indian and Small Grey Mongooses were also seen, the latter being our first.

Before lunch at Clark's Hotel we visited Agra Fort with its wonderful views along the River Yamuna to the Taj. We were able to spend more time there than I had anticipated, as the dining room at the hotel did not start serving lunch until 12.30 p.m. Lunch turned out to be waiter service and not the anticipated buffet, so took longer than expected. The afternoon plan was to visit Fatehpur Sikri, but when I learned that we might not reach Delhi until about 10 p.m., the group opted to give it a miss.

Perhaps going direct to Delhi was a good thing, although when we began stuck in a gridlock traffic jam as we made our way out of the city it looked as if we were going nowhere fast. We hardly moved more than a couple of hundred yards during the next hour or more, but the time gave us some wonderful opportunities for 'people' shots along the street through the bus windows.

Eventually we broke out, the delay being caused by the laying of a Japanese-sponsored sewage system.  Our journey from the lunch to the hotel in Delhi was to take five and a half hours with just a couple of brief stops including one at the mausoleum of Akbar the Great at Sikandra.

On arrival at the Ashok Hotel in Delhi, dinner was served very promptly, too promptly for it reached the table before us! As tradition has it, the wine for our final dinner together was on Nigel. I decided not to try the Indian wines, in fact I don't think any of us realised that they produced their own, so we settled for some good regular 'plonk'.

Saturday, 26 February

An early start for our Emirates flight home via Dubai. Breakfast at 6 a.m. and departure for the airport at 6. 30 a.m.prompt, but once at the airport the bureaucracy ground slowly - they rubber stamped everything! Today they had decided to re-tarmac the main runway, bringing congestion to the secondary one, which resulted in us departing 45 minutes late for Dubai. The rest of the journey went smoothly, with the chance of some duty-free shopping at Dubai before boarding our onward flight to London, arriving there at 6.30 p.m.

Once the cases arrived, farewells were said and we all set off on the final legs of our journeys home.

Our next tour to India is from the 14 January to 26 January 2004 and will be led by Richard Coomber.  The cost per person in a double/twin-bedded room is £2,199.00 and £2,399.00 per person in a single room.  In 2005 our tour is from the 12 January to 24 January  and will be led by Roger Lawrence.  The cost per person in a double/twin-bedded room is £2,299.00 and £2,499.00 per person in a single room.

Richard Coomber
Ornitholidays
29 Straight Mile
Romsey
Hampshire
SO51 9BB
Tel: 01794 519445
E-mail: Ornitholidays@compuserve.com
March 2000

Weather and itinerary

Throughout the tour the weather was consistently warm and sunny every day with mid-day temperatures varying slightly from the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and very little in the way of cloud. Early mornings were decidedly chilly with temperatures in the low 40s°F, or perhaps less when we were on the game drives at Sariska and Ranthambhor.

© Ornitholidays

Full trip list and commentary (pdf)

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