Friday, 26 January 2018

INDIA Day 2 - 10th January


After seeing BROWN CHAT and several flyover Olive-backed Pipits from the hotel we got a rikshaw out to the edge of the wetlands in Bharatpur NP for a full days birding in the park, most of yesterday’s birds were seen again but with plenty more waterbirds added to the trip list including Grey Heron, Pied Kingfisher, Ruddy Shelduck, huge flocks of LESSER WHISTLING DUCKS, smart BRONZE-WINGED JACANAS, Little Cormorants, INDIAN CORMORANTS, Spoonbills, good numbers of Marsh Harriers, Pintail, Darters, several huge SARUS CRANES, Garganey, a Woolly-necked Storks, Greylag Geese, Black-headed Ibis, Wigeon, a drake Ferruginous Duck, Common Kingfisher, Indian Pond Heron, KNOB-BILLED DUCKS, Painted Storks, a couple of CLAMOROUS REED WARBLERS, Night Herons, Glossy Ibis, a stunning BLACK BITTERN, good views of a RUDDY-BREASTED CRAKE, Striated Herons, lots of wintering Citrine Wagtails and flyover Marsh Sandpipers.   It was pretty packed with birds throughout the day but apparently when its properly wet there are 60% more birds present with plenty of breeding activity going on.

                Other birds seen included a Hoopoe, a few PIED BUSHCHATS, a BAY-BACKED SHRIKE, a few Blyth’s Reed Warblers, a few Wire-tailed Swallows with plenty of Swallows and Plain Martins, a few Steppe Eagles, several Long-tailed Shrikes, a DUSKY EAGLE OWL on a nest, a single LONG-BILLED VULTURE (Indian Vulture) – apparently the first Vulture in the park for two years (!) after the catastrophic population crashes of Vultures in India, great views of a Crested Serpent Eagle, a few INDIAN ROLLERS, a roosting INDIAN SCOPS OWL, a cracking male EASTERN BLACK REDSTART (of the very black looking P. o. rufiventris), good views of an INDIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE (possibly a split from our Golden Oriole) and Common Stonechat.

Oriental Magpie Robin


Brahminy Starlings


Spotted Owlet

Indian Scops Owl

Brown Chat

Crested Serpent Eagle





Darters

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