Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Bird Park has been very interesting this winter and I have made several trips from December 2010 through February 2011. Have a few tales to tell you. For starters, here are some images from the weekend ...

Ruddy Shelduck ( a couple of poses)




























Painted Stork and offspring ( the youngsters seem to be saying "are these the best clothes you could get us ?")










Black-necked Storks (pair)



Great Egret and Indian Darter ( a study in contrast)




Greylag Geese ( very wary and never allowing close approach)




Purple Heron and Grey Heron ( studies in concentration)


























Spotbilled Ducks




Common Teals




Northern Pintails


Jackals (squabbling near a dead cow)

Checklist of the Birds of Jaipur February 2011

Here is a Working Checklist of the Birds of Jaipur updated through February 2011.

1 Grey Francolin -Francolinus gularis
2 Black Francolin - Francolinus francolinus - ( Bindayka & Ramgarh in Monsoon)
3 Common Quail - Coturnix coturnix
4 Rock-Bush Quail - Perdicula argoondah
5 Barred Button-Quail - Turnix suscitator
6 Indian Peafowl - Pavo cristatus
7 Painted Spurfowl - Galloperdix lunulata (Devendra Bhardwaj-Ramgarh)
8 Ruddy Shelduck - Tadorna ferruginea
9 Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna -(5 at Chandloi 16th January 2011)
10 Lesser Whistling Duck - Dendrocygna javanica
11 Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope
12 Bar-headed Goose - Anser indicus
13 Greylag Goose - Anser anser - (Pair at Chandloi 26th Dec 09 )
14 Comb Duck - Sarkidiornis melanotos
15 Cotton Pygmy-Goose - Nettapus coromandelianus
16 Common Teal - Anas crecca
17 Gadwall - Anas strepera
18 Spot-billed Duck - Anas poecilorhyncha
19 Gargeney - Anas querquedula
20 Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
21 Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
22 Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula
23 Northern Shoveller - Anas clypeata
24 Common Pochard - Aythya ferina
25 Red-crested Pochard - Rhodonessa rufina
26 Ferruginous Pochard - Aythya nyroca
27 Eurasian Wryneck - Jynx torquilla
28 Black-rumped Flameback - Dinopium benghalense
29 Yellow-crowned Woodpecker - Dendrocopos mahrattensis
30 White-naped Woodpecker - Chrysocolaptes lucidus
31 Coppersmith Barbet -Megalaima heamacephala
32 Brown-headed Barbet - Megalaima zeylonica
33 Indian Grey Hornbill - Ocyceros birostris
34 Common Hoopoe - Upupa epops
35 Indian Roller - Coracias beghalensis
36 Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis
37 White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis
38 Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudis
39 Green Bee-eater - Merops orientalis
40 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Merops persicus
41 Blue-tailed Bee-eater - Merops philippinus - (19th June 09 - Jhalana forest)
42 Pied Cuckoo - Clamator jacobinus
43 Common Hawk-Cuckoo - Hierococcyx varius
44 Eurasian Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - (25th June 09 - Grass Farm Nursery)
45 Grey-bellied Cuckoo - Cacomantis passerinus - (25th July 09 - Samode)
46 Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopacea
47 Sirkeer Malkoha - Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii - (27th Dec 08 - Smriti Van)
48 Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis
49 Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri
50 Plum-headed Parakeet - Psittacula cyanocephala
51 Alexandrine Parakeet - Psittacula eupatria
52 Eurasian Eagle Owl - Bubo bubo bengalnensis - (23rd Nov 09 - Grass Farm Nursery)
53 Brown Hawk Owl - Ninox scutulata - (Grass farm Nursery)
54 Barn Owl - Tyto alba
55 Collared Scops Owl - Otus bakkamoena
56 Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus -(1 at Chandloi 16th January 2011)
57 Spotted Owlet - Athene brama
58 Indian Nightjar - Caprimulgus asiaticus
59 Grey Nightjar - Caprimulgus indicus
60 Rock Pigeon - Columba livia
61 Yellow-footed Green Pigeon -Treron phoenicoptera
62 Laughing Dove - Streptopelia senegalensis
63 Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis
64 Red Collared Dove -Streptopelia tranquebarica
65 Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
66 White-breasted Waterhen - Amourornis phoenicurus
67 Purple Swamphen - Porphyrio porphyrio
68 Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
69 Common Coot - Fulica atra
70 Painted Sandgrouse - Pterocles indicus
71 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
72 Greater Painted Snipe - Rostratula benghalnensis
73 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
74 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
75 Marsh Sandpiper -Tringa stagnatilis
76 Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola
77 Green Sandpiper -Tringa ochropus
78 Little Stint - Calidris minuta
79 Temminck's Stint - Calidris temminckii
80 Dunlin - Calidris alpina
81 Ruff - Philomachus pugnax
82 Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus
83 Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta
84 Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
85 Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus
86 Yellow-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus malarbaricus
87 White-tailed Lapwing - Vanellus leucurus
88 Red-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus indicus
89 Pallas' Gull - Larus ichthyactus
90 Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus
91 Brown-headed Gull - Larus brunnicephalus
92 River Tern - Sterna aurantia
93 Whiskered Tern - Chlidonias hybridus
94 Little Tern - Sterna albifrons
95 Gull-billed Tern - Gelochelidon nilotica
96 Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus
97 Eurasian Griffon - Gyps fulvus
98 Red-headed Vulture -Sarcogyps Calvus
99 White Backed Vulture - Gyps Bengalensis
100 Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - ( Chandloi & Jal Mahal in Winter)
101 Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus caerulens
102 Brahminy Kite - Haliastur indus
103 Black Kite -Milvus migrans
104 Eurasian Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginousus
105 Shikra - Accipiter badius
106 Eurasian Sparrow-Hawk - Accipiter nisus-(1st Feb 09 - Smriti Van)
107 Northern Goshawk - Accipiter gentilis- ( Devendra Bhardwaj- Ramgarh)
108 Oriental Honey-Buzzard - Pernis ptilorhyncus
109 Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus (6th Dec 09 - Nahargarh Forest)
110 White-eyed Buzzard - Bitastur teesa- (23rd Oct 09 - Grass Farm Nursery)
111 Steppe Eagle - Aquila nipalensis
112 Lesser-Spotted Eagle - Aquila pomarina
113 Tawny Eagle -Aquila rapax
114 Booted Eagle -Hieraaetus pennatus -(20th Oct 09 - Chandloi)
115 Crested Serpent Eagle - Spilornis cheela -(2nd Feb 10 - Jal Mahal)
116 Short Toed Snake Eagle -Circaetus gallicus
117 Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
118 Eurasian Hobby -Falco subbuteo - (31st Oct 09 - Jal Mahal)
119 Laggar Falcon - Falco jugger
120 Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus calidus - (31st Oct 09 - Jal Mahal)
121 Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
122 Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
123 Little Cormorant - Phalacrocorax niger
124 Indian Cormorant - Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
125 Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
126 Darter - Anhinga melanogaster
127 Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
128 Great Egret - Casmerodius albus
129 Intermediate Egret - Mesophoyx intermedia
130 Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
131 Brown Crake - Amourornis akool
132 Pheasant-tailed Jacana - Hydrophasianus chirurgus
133 Bronze-winged Jacana - Metopidius indicus
134 Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
135 Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia
136 Indian Pond Heron - Ardeola grayii
137 Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
138 Little Heron - Butorides striatus
139 Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nyticorax
140 Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus ruber
141 Lesser Flamingo - Phoenicopterus minor
142 Black-headed Ibis - Threskiornis melanocephalus
143 Black Ibis - Pseudibis papillosa
144 Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
145 Painted Stork - Mycteria leucocephala
146 Woolly-necked Stork - Ciconia episcopus
147 Great White Pelican - Pelecanus onocrotalus
148 Dalmatian Pelican - Pelecanus crispus
149 Indian Pitta - Pitta brachyura
150 Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus (nom. & lucionensis)
151 Bay-backed Shrike - Lanius vittatus
152 Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach
153 Southern Grey Shrike - Lanius meridionalis
154 Rufous Treepie - Dendrocitta vagabunda
155 House Crow -Corvus splendens
156 Eurasian Golden Oriole - Oriolus splendens
157 Black-hooded Oriole - Oriolus xanthornus (not been seen for many years now)
158 Large Cuckoo-Shrike - Coracina macei
159 Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike -Coracina melaschistos-(16th Sept 09 - Smriti Van)
160 Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike -Coracina melanoptera
161 Small Minivet - Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
162 White-bellied Minivet - Pericrocotus erythropygius
163 White-browed Fantail Flycatcher -Rhipidura aureola
164 Black Drongo - Dicrurus macrocercus
165 Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus
166 White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens
167 Asian Paradise Flycatcher - Terpsiphone paradisis
168 Spotted Creeper - Salpornis spilonotus
169 Common Iora - Aegithinia tiphia
170 Marshall's Iora - Aegithinia nigrolutea
171 Common Woodshrike - Tephrodornis pondicerianus
172 Blue Rock Thrush - Monticola solitarius-(16th May 09 - near Jal Mahal)
173 Tickell's Thrush -Turdus unicolor -(1st March 09 - Smriti Van)
174 Orange Headed Thrush - Zoothera citrina
175 Asian Brown Flycatcher - Muscicapa dauurica (possibly incorrect ID by fellow Birder)
176 Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis
177 Red-throated Flycatcher - Ficedula parva
178 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Cyornis tickelliae
179 Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica
180 Oriental Magpie-Robin - Copsychus saularis
181 Indian Robin -Saxicolloides fulicata
182 Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros
183 Pied Bushchat - Saxicola caprata
184 Grey Bushchat - Saxicola ferrea
185 Brown Rockchat - Cercomela fusca
186 Common Stonechat - Saxicola torquata
187 Variable Wheatear - Oenanthe picata opistholeuca- (6th Dec 09 - Nahargarh Forest)
188 Rufous-tailed Wheatear - Oenanthe xanthoprymna -(5th April 09 - Nahargarh Forest)
189 Desert Wheatear -Oenanthe deserti
190 Brahminy Starling -Sturnus pagodarum
191 Rosy Starling - Sturnus roseus
192 Common Starling -Sturnus vulgaris
193 Asian Pied Starling - Sturnus contra
194 Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis
195 Bank Myna - Acridotheres ginginiarus
196 House Swift - Apus affinis
197 Asian Palm Swift - Cypsiurus balasiensis
198 Alpine Swift - Tachymarptis melba
199 Plain Martin - Riparia paludicola
200 Sand Martin - Riparia riparia
201 Dusky Crag Martin - Hirundo concolor
202 Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
203 Red-rumped Swallow - Hirundo daurica
204 White-eared Bulbul - Pycnonotus leucotis
205 Red-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus
206 Yellow-eyed Babbler - Chrysomma sinense
207 Common Babbler - Turdoides caudatus
208 Large Grey Babbler - Turdoides malcolmi
209 Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striatus
210 Tawny Bellied Babbler - Dumetia hyperythra -(possibly incorrect ID)
211 Orphean Warbler - Sylvia hortensis -(1st Feb 09 - Smriti Van)
212 Lesser Whitethroat -Sylvia curruca
213 Common Chiffchaff- Phylloscopus collybita
214 Clamorous Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus stentoreus
215 Blyth's Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus dumetorum
216 Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius
217 Sulphur-bellied Warbler - Phylloscopus trochiloides
218 Greenish Warbler - Phylloscopus griseolus
219 Booted Warbler - Hippolais caligata
220 Tickell's Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus affinis
221 Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis -(Ramgarh)
222 Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis
223 Plain Prinia - Prinia inornata
224 Rufous-fronted Prinia - Prinia buchanani
225 Grey-breasted Prinia - Prinia hodgsonii
226 Graceful Prinia - Prinia gracilis
227 Oriental White-eye - Zosterops palpebrosus
228 Indian Bushlark - Mirafra erythroptera
229 Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark - Eremopterix grisea
230 Greater Short-toed Lark - Calandrella brachydactyla
231 Oriental Skylark - Alanda gulgula -(4th Jan 09 - Smriti Van)
232 Rufous Tailed Lark - Ammomanes phoenicurus
233 Crested Lark - Galerida cristata
234 Great Tit - Parus major
235 White-naped Tit -Parus nuchalis
236 Purple Sunbird -Nectarinia asiatica
237 House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
238 Chestnut-shouldered Petronia - Petronia xanthocollis
239 White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
240 White-browed Wagtail - Motacilla maderaspatensis
241 Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava
242 Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cineria
243 Citrine Wagtail - Motacilla citreola
244 Tree Pipit -Anthus trivialis
245 Tawny Pipit - Anthus campestris
246 Paddyfield Pipit - Anthus rufulus
247 Baya Weaver - Ploceus philippinus
248 Streaked Weaver - Ploceus manyar
249 Red Avadavat - Amandava amandava - (18th Oct 09 - Jal Mahal)
250 Indian Silverbill - Lonchura malabarica
251 Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata -(20th Oct 09 Chandloi)
252 Black-headed Munia - Lonchura malacca -(20th Oct 09 - Chandloi)
253 White Rumped Munia - Lonchura striata (not been seen for many years)
254 Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus
255 Crested Bunting - Melophus lathami
256 Red-headed Bunting - Emberiza bruniceps
257 White-capped Bunting - Emberiza stewarti
258 Grey-necked Bunting - Emberiza buchanani - (14th April 09 - Smriti Van)
259 Black-headed Bunting - Emberiza melanocephala -(20th Oct 09 -near Chandloi)
260 Rock Bunting - Emberizia cia -(Devendra Bhardwaj- Ramgarh)
261 House Bunting - Emberizia stiolata -(Devendra Bhardwaj- Ramgarh)

Birds of Udaipur

Just returned from a short trip to Udaipur this last weekend of January 2011. While driving to and from there I was surprised by the number of raptors we saw at Nasirabad. At least 70 individuals were observed from the Expressway close to the town (perhaps there is a Municipal rubbish dump attracting the birds ?). From a distance was only able to tell that the vultures were mainly Egyptian and the eagles included some Steppe.

Birding was not really on the agenda in Udaipur but I was able to sneak in a couple of strolls to a nearby area in the middle of the City, early morning and late evening.

Here are some photos .....

Starting with - a new bird for me, the Jungle Owlet. Happy has heard it calling in the neighbourhood and was immediate in his reaction when I first showed it to him on the Camera's LCD. For comparison also posting a photo of Spotted Owlets taken the same day ( see below). Three of the Flycatchers observed were ....
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher


Red-throated Flycatcher (with prey)
The endemic White-Spotted Fantail Flycatcher ( Rhipidura albogularis)

And one of my favourite birds - the Common Iora. There were three individuals feeding through the foliage in the morning, keeping in touch with soft calls. Quite confiding but frustratingly difficult to get a clear shot as they were constantly on the move.


And some photos of relatively common birds -
Asian Koel (female)

Oriental Magpie-Robin (male)


Indian Pond Heron (perched on the boundary wall of Sahelion ki-Bari)


Cheers !