norfolkbirding with chris mills
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Double click to editA TRIP REPORT TO NORTHERN INDIA XMAS 2004
DAY EIGHT: 27th December 2004 Dhikala, Corbett NP 0630 - 1600
We left camp early this morning as we set off for Dhikala, an area in the innermost part of Corbett NP. We were to be based there for the next 4 days and had been told that this area had been extremely good for seeing Tiger - so hopes were running high.
We made several stops at appointed rest and viewing areas, the habitat was forest interspersed with boulder strewn streams, and dried out river beds.
The pick of the birds during the morning were 3 BLUE THROATED BARBET, 2 COPPERSMITH BARBET, 4 CRESTED KINGFISHER,12 ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET, 2 JUNGLE OWLET, 1 LESSER FISH EAGLE, 1 PALLAS’S FISH EAGLE, 1 CINEREOUS VULTURE, 1 RED-HEADED VULTURE, 2 CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE, one of the most charismatic birds of the trip COLLARED FALCONET, & 1 PIED KINGFISHER that was lucky to survive the persistent dives and pursuit of a PEREGRINE, eventually submerging itself in the river to save itself.
The river and its banks also yielded MARSH CROCODILE (4-5M LONG) & a very large CATFISH.
As we headed into the forest areas stops produced 1 GREEN MAGPIE, 5 LONG TAILED MINIVET, 1 SLATY BACKED FLYCATCHER, 1 CHESTNUT HOODED TESIA, 20+ LEMON RUMPED WARBLER, 5 GREY HEADED WARBLER, 1 RED-WHISKERED BULBUL, 10 BLACK-CHINNED BABBLER, 3 BLUE WINGED MINLA, 1 WHITES THRUSH & the familiar mix of woodpeckers & nuthatches already seen.
As early afternoon approached, Kunwar & Ghosh led us to a 12m high watchtower that overlooked the river, the view was panoramic and the horizon distant. We settled down on top of the platform to enjoy our lunch, but before we had chance to take a second mouthful, Kunwar started a panic without even raising his binoculars he hissed “ TIGER, TIGER crossing the river”, there was 2 - a Tigress and a 9 month old cub. They were distant but through the scope we had terrific views, they crossed steadily the cub noticing our attentions, giving a couple of low calls - mother led the way seemingly unbothered by her cubs concerns. All the surrounding Chital & Sambar stood to attention. For 2-3 minutes we had watched them, it seemed it a lot longer then they were gone, disappearing into the vegetation.
After the excitement had died down and we had finished our lunch and Ghosh and Kunwar took us to an elephant station where they hoped we could take an elephant ride and catch up with the Tiger we had just seen. The elephant ride was an experience not to be missed, despite not relocating the tigers we had fantastic views of many of the river birds, the birds allowing much closer approach. The best birds were 1 STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER, 6 WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER, 4 CRESTED KINGFISHER, 2 PIED KINGFISHER, 6 RIVER LAPWING, 1 LITTLE HERON, 1 BLACK STORK,& 1 BLACK-NECKED STORK.
We were off the elephant and back in the jeep at around 4:30PM our next stop was Dhikala camp. But the day wasn’t quite finished, as we crossed a dried river bed en-route, Kunwar glimpsed something in the late afternoon light - the driver quickly reversed, about 25m away stood a superb adult TIGRESS - she instinctively lowered herself tight to the ground, we drove up the hill and then cutting the engine rolled back down to see if she had moved - she had and we glimpsed her a couple of times in the vegetation- fantastic!!
We just made camp in time to avoid the late gate fine - but I would have happily have paid the fine.
Footnote: We returned to the dried riverbed the following night at the same time, and saw the same Tigress and briefly a male Tiger, but views were limited to “stripes and eyes in the vegetation”.
OVERNIGHT AT DHIKALA ALL MEALS INCLUSIVE
DAY NINE: 28th December 2004Dhikala, Corbett NP0730 - 1700
Breakfast was entertaining as from the restaurant window we watched 5 GOLDEN JACKALS playing, as 2 CHITAL kept a close eye. We then headed out in the jeep to the grassland areas that adjoining the Ramganga reservoir. The reservoir does not have a great reputation for wetland birds, but nevertheless with the surrounding grassland offers a very different habitat to the rest of the park, it is a vast area with many tracks - and we added several new species for the trip. Some of the birds on today’s list were 5 INDIAN PEAFOWL, 5 BLACK FRANCOLIN, 3 GREAT EGRET, 2 INTERMEDIATE EGRET, 20+ LITTLE EGRET, 5+ GREY HERON, 30 RED-RUMPED SWALLOW, 1 BLUETHROAT, 3 HEN HARRIER, 2 WOOLLY NECKED STORK, TEAL, 1 GREENSHANK, 2 OSPREY, 30+ ZITTING CISTICOLA, 3 INDIAN POND HERON, 2 PALLAS’S FISH EAGLES, 5 RED WATTLED LAPWING, 2 CHANGEABLE HAWK EAGLE, 3 HOOPOE, 6 CINEREOUS VULTURE,2 LONG-BILLED VULTURE, 3 RED-HEADED VULTURE, 1 COLLARED FALCONET, 30 SLATY HEADED PARAKEET, 50+ CRESTED TREE SWIFT, 4 COMMON SNIPE, 1 LESSER COUCAL, 10+ INDIAN BUSHLARK, 1M HODGSONS BUSHCHAT (this rare and localised bird was an excellent find after checking hundreds of Stonechats!), 100+ STONECHAT, 2 STRIATED PRINIA, 30+ ASHY PRINIA, 1 LONG-BILLED PIPIT, & 3 TAWNY PIPIT.
Mammals were very numerous around the lake and surrounding habitat, 50+ CHITAL, 15+ SAMBAR, 50+ RHESUS MACAQUE, 50+ HANUMAN LANGUR, 8 GOLDEN JACKAL, & 20 WILD BOAR.
Back at camp we finished the day with a very obliging RED-BREASTED/TAIGA FLYCATCHER, an instructive bird which we eventually ascribed to TAIGA “albicilla”.
OVERNIGHT AT DHIKALA ALL MEALS INCLUSIVE
DAY TEN: 29th December 2004 Dhikala, Corbett NP0730 - 1700
Our destination today was Kanda hill on the North side of the lake and then higher up to a mountain bungalow for lunch. As we crossed the Ramaganga river we had, the now expected mix of Storks, Egrets & Kingfishers.
A brief stop along scrub before the river produced a new trip bird, with a group of 10 YELLOW-EYED BABBLERS.
The birding got more challenging and exciting as we headed into hilly primary forest, 2 stops produced a good number of birds, but nothing new - then came the call of a much sought after species, minutes passed, and all of a sudden they were in the tree tops above us, not just one but a flock of about 8-9 LONG-TAILED BROADBILLS absolutely stunning. A supporting cast of 4 GREY-CAPPED PYGMY WOODPECKER, 1 LESSER YELLOWNAPE, 6 GREY HEADED WOODPECKER, 2 GREATER FLAMEBACK, 4 SCARLET MINIVET, 10 YELLOW-BELLIED FANTAIL, 2 WHITE THROATED FANTAIL, 1 RUFOUS BELLIED NILTAVA, 5 CHESTNUT BELLIED NUTHATCH, 2 WHITE TAILED NUTHATCH, 2 VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH, BAR-TAILED TREECREEPER, 5 BLACK-LORED TIT, 2 BLACK THROATED TIT, 10 LEMON RUMPED WARBLER, 1 GREENISH WARBLER & 1 GREY HEADED WARBLER.
We continued upwards in the fine forest habitat, our journey came to an abrupt end when we reached a 30m tree that had recently fallen - straight across the track. We stopped for lunch watching some local village women collecting cattle fodder by climbing the trees and stripping leaves, our guide informed these people had walked 8 miles from their village to collect the correct leaves - and would be returning with their load in the afternoon.
Shortly after lunch we started to head back, a stop produced a another nice mixed flock, but also several WHITE-BROWED SHRIKE BABBLER and a few minutes later a lone superb male CHESTNUT-BELLIED ROCK THRUSH was another addition to the trip list.
We headed down towards the shoreline of the Ramganga reservoir this time viewing the Reservoir from its northern shoreline. Overhead we picked out a single ALPINE SWIFT, amongst a mass of CRESTED TREESWIFT. A line of guano covered trees held roosting GREAT CORMORANTS, and an inlet a single GOOSANDER. The real highlight from here, although distant was a wild group of 20 INDIAN ELEPHANT.
OVERNIGHT AT DHIKALA ALL MEALS INCLUSIVE
DAY ELEVEN: 30th December 2004 Dhikala, Corbett NP0730 - 1500
After breakfast (a non-event for me after a night of visiting the loo!) we got to grips with both SCALY BREASTED MUNIA & RED AVADAVAT, we had probably seen both in preceding days but on most occasions they would explode from the grass verge and disappear into the distance!
We then slowly headed back from Dhikala towards the main entrance of the NP, making several stops we saw a varied mix of similar birds and mammals as per the previous 3 days. We did however witness a SHIKRA kill and then pluck a Yellownape, with a GREEN MAGPIE in close attendance awaiting its turn.
The other species of note today were a RUSTY-CHEEKED SCIMITAR BABBLER, which after much patience eventually gave reasonable views, 1 BLUE-WINGED MINLA & 3 BLACK BULBUL.
We were greeted back at Forktail by our hosts and we spent a wonderful evening around the campfire relaying our tales of 5 Tigers, and a wonderful array of birds.
OVERNIGHT AT CAMP FORKTAIL ALL MEALS INCLUSIVE
DAY TWELVE: 31ST December 2004 Camp Forktail 0800 - 1130
Gharat River Lodge 1300 - 1700
Our last day before heading back to Delhi, we decided on some casual birding around Forktail in the morning and then returning to Gharat River Lodge for a quiet New Years Eve.
The HIMALAYAN RUBYTHROAT was again showing well before breakfast, the usual mix of birds were around the camp, also 1 GOLDEN FRONTED LEAFBIRD, plus a flock of 25+LINEATED & 6 BLUE THROATED BARBET passed straight through the campsite.
On the fields between camp and the village 20 YELLOW-BREASTED GREENFINCH were feeding and a flock of 30 BLACK-CRESTED BULBUL passed through.
We said our farewells to all of the wonderful staff at Camp Forktail Creek and headed off to Gharat River Lodge. We walked in via the big modern suspension bridge this time, the dried out area in front of the bridge immediately produced two new species fro the trip, 1M DESERT WHEATEAR & 1 VARIABLE WHEATEAR.
The day finished watching 1 LITTLE FORKTAIL, 1 WALLCREEPER, WATER REDSTARTS and the graceful hawking overhead of 30 BRONZED DRONGO.
OVERNIGHT AT GHARAT FISHING LODGE ALL MEALS INCLUSIVE
DAY THIRTEEN: 16th April 2004
En route to Delhi
We said fond farewells to both Ghosh and Kunwar whom had not just been great guides, but also wonderful company. Travelled back to DelhI- noted the usual masses of BLACK KITES & EGRETS ETC
OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL CONNAUGHT, DELHI - FLEW BACK TO UK NEXT MORNING
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