Monday, June 27, 2011

Asian Paradise Flycatcher - male without elongated tail streamers

I have been observing a pair of Asian Paradise Flycatchers ( Terpsiphone paradisi) in Jaipur over the past three weeks. These birds are summer breeding visitors.


Now we are all quite familiar with the usual plumages of this species as the male birds get older. Sub-adult males have long rufous streamers, and in mature males the streamers turn all white (intermediate plumages occur).


Females do not have the long tail streamers, and the upperparts are rufous (amongst other differences).


Of course, there are several sub-species distributed through Asia, and even within India there are some differences between sub-species.


As far as I know, and after having spoken to several birders, and having looked at various birding websites, I haven't come across this particular plumage of male before ...


I am still trying to get a better image but without success because the pair is quite shy, so my apologies for the quality of the photograph.


Quite clearly this is a male - and he doesn't have any tail streamers.



Close examination through the bins suggests that the tail (as is) doesn't appear to have the streamers broken off, and the bird is quite normal in all respects.


I have observed him together with the female. The pair were chasing each other through the trees, and both birds were calling continuously. Haven't been able to locate the nest as yet.


Do let me know what you think at sahdevsingh2004@yahoo.co.in


The closest match seems to be that of the sub-species found in Borneo (!) - here the males moult directly into white plumage and do not have the long tail streamers ??

Monday, June 20, 2011

Jim Corbett National Park - Part 2

The Gypsy is late. We are booked on an afternoon safari in Corbett Park and time is ticking by. The family is busy in the Park Souvenir Shop, trying to choose from overpriced caps and tees. I notice that the artwork on one particular cap is upside down; while one tee sports a bizarre psychedelic print of a tiger.


My attention though, is on a flowering creeper entwined on the tree under which I stand. There are two male Purple Sunbirds busy gorging themselves on the rich nectar in the yellowish flowers. They have just noisily shooed away an intruder of which I have only just glimpsed a flash of bright red. As I watch, a pair of sunbirds returns to the creeper, the lure of the nectar irresistible. This time the interloper male is able to fend off the protesting Purple Sunbirds. Even in the dappled sunlight he is an incredible scarlet over much of the upper half of his body. The Crimson Sunbird.


As the vehicles arrive and we pile in to be driven to the Sanctuary, a Lineated Barbet perches in the thick foliage of mango laden trees in the orchard a few yards away.


We are booked on the Bijrani-Malani route in the Park. It appears day vehicles are not allowed in the more picturesque Gairal-Dhikala route. A pity, because my memories from a trip several years ago is from that area which prominently features the Ramganga River.Soon we are at the Park Gate. In the queue with 15 other Gypsies ! While the paperwork is attended to by the driver, we are accosted by the 'Bin-wallahs'. Several enterprising young men are renting out Binoculars for the safari. They have Russian-made models of all shapes and sizes, and the rentals are negotiable. An Indian lady in the next vehicle is trying out several pairs. She rejects two ( all the while peering at our vehicle just a few yards away, so she obviously is unable to focus). Then she is handed over a most impressive pair with camoflage markings and told to look at a tree much further away. As we get started she is still weaving the bins violently from one side to another ...


Corbett Park is just amazing. Not only is it a birding paradise, with some authorities putting the birdlist at close to 500 species, but the forest, the rivers, the mountains in the Northern section, and the presence of some incredile creatures that dwell on land, air and water make it quite unique. And you still have maneater tigers here. If you don't believe me you could just google for a list of attacks over the past few years. Now I must have read and reread Jim Corbett's books on the tigers of Kumaon many times. And even in the comparative safety of a vehicle with the sun shining brightly, as you pass through the gloom of a particularly dense patch of forest, and suddenly the birds stop calling, and you hear a creature moving in the dense ravine by the track, the only sound that of dry sal leaves crunching underfoot, it certainly raises the hair on the back of my neck.


OK enough talk. Let's have a look at the Park and some of the fauna here....


Sambhar -
Cheetal -
Asian Elephant -



Corbett terrain -





Monitor Lizard -







Chestnut-tailed Starling -


Kakar or Indian Muntjac


Electric fencing around Forest Resthouses in the Park -


Nesting White-backed Vultures in twilight -


Red Junglefowl -


Thursday, June 2, 2011

Nainital - a day trip from Ranikhet





We have spent several restful days in Ranikhet. The family is now ready for a real 'touristy' sojourn away to Nainital.

It appears that a good place to stop for breakfast is at Garampani, and so it proves to be. Our menu has been set beforehand - Aloo-puri and Kumaoni raita. Miraculously that is indeed the special for the day in the dhaba. Good call. Bellies full we move on across the Kosi and start climbing up again.

The gorge narrows and the sides are sheer. Scattered trees cling to the steep slopes with scrub and grass clothing the rocky crags. Somi has just commented that the terrain is perfect 'ghooral country', that almost immediately we spot one. Ghooral or The Mountain Goat. First standing broadside, at the edge of a rock outcrop straight up the cliff from us. Then, as we spill out of the vehicle to all have a look through bins, it turns to face us, the only movement an occasional flapping of the ears.

Ghooral 


As we near Nainital the birdlife picks up. Three fairly common species that we have not encountered in Ranikhet so far are seen here. Pied Bushchat, Common Stonechat and numerous Jungle Mynas. In a few patches of forest the only sound is that of cicadas. They are very loud and the vehicle rings as we drive past. Slaty -headed Parakeets are common along the way.

Slaty-headed Parakeet 


Nainital is just as I remember it from previous visits. In many ways a typical 'Himalayan Hill Station'. The old timers will bemoan the good old days, but I think if you know what to expect and are up for it then you can enjoy yourself. Of course it is crowded with jostling tourists at this time of year. Touts are pushy. But if you go with the flow, ignore what you don't want to see or hear, then its fun.

It appears all morning there was an unusually heavy mist. Clouds are still clothing the hills that ring the lake even though the sun is strong overhead.

Hillside above Nainital


The family is quickly into their stride. First, a boat-ride. Excellent. That gives me half an hour to check out the butterflies in the small public garden. And, find the first water redstart of the trip. A Plumbeous Water Redstart flies down to the pebbly edge of the lake where the boats are moored. It keeps fanning its reddish tail dodging between the long punts bobbing in the waves.

Naini Lake


After the boatride the ladies are very keen to ride up the Cable car, as the children vacillate. Touts clamour for our attention " sir why you want to go on Govt cable car ? For 7 persons it is Rs. 1050 for 6 minute ride and waiting is 90 minutes." One flips open a small album with well-thumbed photos of children throwing snowballs and suchlike, and says " I take you to 6 best tourist sites for Rs. 1200 full day sightseeing". The ladies brush past. I know their main agenda today would be shopping. The Mall and Bhotia Market beckon.

Meanwhile the children have found a bowling alley with real wooden pins. That keeps them going for a while. Having worked up an appetite we stroll across to Sackley's, a bakery and restaurant. Chocolate ecclairs and lemon tarts are our choice from their wide assortment of tantalising pastries. 

We move slowly down the Mall. Many small shops have interesting stuff on display. They have things that you would typically find in many hill stations - walking sticks, pocket-knives, flashlights, good-luck charms. I duck into a bookstore. They have an excellent selection of books on Natural History, Shikar, Mountaineering. I am delighted to find Frank S. Smythe's 'The Valley of Flowers', such classics have long been out of print.

Lunch is at the Machan. Cosy tables overlook the busy street just below. We have been looking forward to the steamed chicken momos. These are ordered with chinese dishes ( the children all have their personal favourites so the selection is quite eclectic), and it is an excellent meal. A Tibetan family at the next table is quite enjoying their tandoori meal.


Afterwards we sit in the shade of young chinar trees next to the Flats as the ladies indulge in retail therapy. An interesting hour people-watching. Vendors with attractive fruit baskets are doing good business. I am reminded of Srinagar. Sitting on the Promenade watching the shikaras gliding past on Dal lake.

Fruit basket 



As I update this blog back in Jaipur on a hot sunday afternoon, I console myself that there are delicious chilled mangoes for lunch, even though I have just spent a sweaty two hours trying to get photographs of Paradise Flycatchers and Golden Orioles in the morning - without much success ...



Ranikhet- Part 2




Now that we have many of the target birds firmly under the belt in Ranikhet, it is time to explore some of the areas around and try and locate more species. Also to pick up the slack on family obligations because I have been tramping the hills for hours in the early mornings all by myself.

If you drive up to Chaubattia or towards Upat (Golf Course) or even towards Sauni, you would be able to appreciate the different types of forests here.

There are pure stands of Chir Pine. Sometimes mixed in with other mighty trees like the Deodhar (Indian Cedar). The pine needles carpet the floor choking off almost all vegetation. In general these forests are quite boring for me personally owing to the paucity of birds. They are also quite susceptible to forest fires. We have come across several scorched hillsides. The amount of resin in these trees makes them very flammable.

Pine forest ---
However, for the record let me state that we did see one of the best birds of the trip in just such a forest. An Ultramarine Flycatcher perched on a young pine sapling on a steep hillside. And the sound of the wind soughing through pine trees is always evocative.

Long-tailed Minivet on a conifer ---

As I read my notes another interesting observation is that on two occasions I heard a loud drumming on pine trees. And once a large green woodpecker flew down to a tree nearby. Very similar to the (common) Grey-headed Woodpecker, but this was fully streaked on the underparts. The Scaly-bellied Woodpecker.

Far more interesting are the mixed Oak forests. Banj Oak is a signature tree. A few Tree Rhododendrons still have red flowers late in the season. Silver Oak, Horse Chestnut (flowering) and many others cling closer to the densely foliaged steep ravines. These forests are full of birds. The foliage is dense in parts, though in this dry season there were not many grasses and wild flowers. It took some searching to locate the occasional wild strawberry, but the fruit itself was small and relatively tasteless.





The mixes forests afforded good habitat to many families of birds like flycatchers, warblers, laughingthrushes, babblers.

White-throated Laughingthrush --- Yet for a Naturalist the more challenging would be the trees and shrubs planted over a century ago in the sprawling estates surrounding the British Bungalows here. Some of these are Cypress, English Oak, Common Alder (the only reason I am mentioning this one here is that one particular specimen has an ID tag !) There are also some Eucalyptus with enormous girths and knobbly protuberances higher up the trunks. Many a flowering Magnolia adorn the better gardens.

We see several Black-headed Jays. These birds come readily to bird feeders in gardens. A pair of Wedge-tailed Green Pigeons is observed feeding on berries. On two occasions I come across a pair of Rufous Sibia. Most delightful birds with their attractive plumage. Other common birds are Grey Treepie, Grey Bushchat, Oriental Turtle Doves with their deeper cooing and Russet Sparrows.

Grey Bushchat ---
One evening our hosts take us to the Golf Course. We are all golfers but play is reserved for Army Officers only. On the way out to Upat we have passed the local rubbish dump. So I decide to walk back here to observe the vultures while the others have tea and socialise at the Club. There are several Red-headed Vultures and Egyptian Vultures here. It is interesting to observe the pecking order, the much smaller 'Pharaohs' always give way to the 'Kings'.

Red-headed Vulture ---
Both species here include adults and juveniles. I fail to spot any Himalayan Griffon, though we have seen a few of them soaring overhead on different occasions. In fact I am a little surprised that we fail to spot any Eagles in Ranikhet. The only other raptor of note was an Eurasian Hobby which flew over a valley one evening.

As I wait for the cars to return I walk over to a patch of forest behind the Toll Barrier. Luckily I am still upwind of the rubbish tip. Here a ravine with dense vegetation runs downhill. There are many birds here. A pair of Scarlet Minivets the pick of the usual suspects. A solitary bird I cannot ID. It is a Thrush obviously. I take several photos and later analysis tells us this was the female of the Blue-capped Rock Thrush.

Another morning we drive over to Chaubattia. As I mentioned in an earlier Post the approach is through dense mixed forest. Leopards are occasionally seen here at night. There are extensive fruit orchards here. We observe a pair of Grey-winged Blackbirds. One parent is on the nest and the other forages on the ground below.

Grey-winged Blackbird ---

We purchase fresh apricots at the little Government Shop at Chaubattia - some of this produce makes it back to Jaipur as the ladies discover a shop where the owner makes jam overnight from the fruit.




Another interesting spot is the Forest Rest House at Sauni, just short of the Binsar Mahadev Temple, a short drive from Ranikhet. We hear several Black Francolin in the terraced fields en route. I have a quick look at the rooms and the facilities at the FRH. It appears quite comfortable with pine furniture in the rooms and clean tiled bathrooms. The Caretaker is welcoming and proudly shows us the traditional kitchen with a wood-fired stove.




A wonderful stretch of mixed forest chokes a perennial stream running down the valley. A snaking forest track hugs the stream for several kms. We explore a section of this area in the time available.




Forest track at Sauni --- I look forward to returning to these parts in the winter months and adding to our birdlist. Several relatively common species have moved on to higher elevations in the summer months.
In the next post on Ranikhet I will add some photographs of butterflies.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Jim Corbett National Park - Part 1

Dawn over the River Kosi ---

We had driven up the day before, from Jaipur to Corbett National Park. From the hot and dusty plains of Rajasthan to the cooler green forests at the base of the Himalayas. Our resort is on the river Kosi, surrounded by fruiting mango and litchi orchards. Independent cottages overlook the river. The cliffs and the forest in the background add to the charm.
A restful night is enlivened by the calls of the Grey Nightjar and the Mountain Scops Owl. Spotted Owlets perch on the fence posts of the property as we walk across for dinner.

I am up early. Before 5 am I spend several minutes just outside our cottage. Amidst much birdsong I observe several Golden Orioles, Red-whiskered and Himalayan Bulbuls, Oriental White-eyes,and a pair of Scaly-breasted Munias. Vocal parakeets are out in good numbers, most of them Plum-headed Parakeets. An Indian Cuckoo calls in the distance - 'ka-phal-pa-ko'. And indeed the kaphal fruit is ripe at this time.

But the most interesting show is being played out in the mango orchard. At least 6 male Paradise Flycatchers (all adults) are vying for the attentions of a solitary female. They chase each other low over the grass, dodging through the trees. Two males rise upwards pirouetting in synchronisation from a perch, their long white tail streamers seemingly intertwined. Even when I return after several hours the birds are still around. The rest of our party also get good views of these ethereal creatures.

As I walk down to the river two pairs of River Lapwings rise from their nests calling in alarm, as this family of birds is wont to do. Birders have seen Ibisbill here, and that would be a top bird, so I keep a sharp eye out for it.
On a boulder by the flowing water is a Crested Kingfisher - our largest Kingfisher.

Crested Kingfisher 

By far the best bird here for me is a lifer. A strange flight shape has just riffled down to the edge of the river. Quite clearly it is a heron when I get it in focus in the bins. But the way it came down it looked almost duck-like in flight. Once it is on the ground I am not allowed close approach. The bird is quite shy using what little cover is provided by boulders to move along the sandy bank.

Little Heron 

When I walk back to the resort the exposed sand bank has several Martins nesting in holes. These appear to be Plain Martins. Monsoon floods have cut away the river bank - and also washed away part of the swimming pool last year.

We have not been able to book a morning safari today - they have all been sold out. But Somi has explored the forest across the river on an earlier trip, so that is where we decide to go after breakfast. Secretly I am delighted because I know this will allow me opportunities to get out of the car and walk. I really don't believe birding is much good from a vehicle. On game drives in the sanctuary, you are not allowed to get down.

The children have all been given different animal and bird target lists by Happy and this is their first opportunity to score. And score they do. Unlike me ( the old fogey) they do not carry a notebook. The lists are on cellphones and instant feedback is provided via technology! To each his own, I guess.
We pass through some interesting habitat, mainly good Sal forest, cut through by seasonal floodstreams running down to the Kosi.

A view from a high point down to the river 

We do not see many animals except for wild boar and elephants but the birding is excellent. The very first interesting bird is a Rufous Woodpecker. While I am trying to get a better look, another woodpecker flies up from the ground to a tree nearby. A flameback with a red rump and dark head. Only later after consulting the guidebooks can I determine that this was a female Himalayan Flameback. And not the female Greater Flameback as I had first thought.
A little deeper in the forest there is a perched Crested Serpent Eagle. And I get 'the look' when I approach closer for a better photograph.

Crested Serpent Eagle 
When we stop next to a patch of dense lantana bushes where we can hear Red Junglefowl calling, Shaurya points out a skulker in the dense undergrowth. Quite clearly a babbler, medium sized, with prominent dark streaks on the breast. Again later analysis of the notes confirms this as the Puff-throated Babbler. A lifer.
This area is quite interesting with tall grasses on the other side of the track with tall tree-laden cliffs rising abruptly. A solitary Chestnut-headed Bee Eater has made this its patch and makes busy sallies after insects. It is amazing how a relatively 'quiet' forest comes to life when you alight from the vehicle and start walking around. We have seen many Black Drongos but suddenly a pair of drongos with curiously shaped tails command attention. These are Spangled Drongos. The light is excellent and their shiny metallic blue-back plumage and even the faint hair-crest is visible. Superb.
Just a short distance away a Large-billed Crow is cawing next to a sandy cave in the cliff face. And there is an owl inside the cave - possibly a juvenile because it is much smaller than the parent at the entrance of another cave a few feet away. Quite clearly a fish owl for its large size and shape of ears.

Brown Fish Owl

As the track winds higher up the hillside the character of the forest changes with fewer broad-leaved trees now, and the first of the conifers appearing. When we stop at a vantage point with fine views down to the valleys far below, we come upon the best birds of the morning for me.

These are the first of the nuthatches (and we will have more views in the hills over the next few days). They hurtle downhill and back up again, alighting on favored trees and scuttling upwards and around the trunks and thicker branches. We are able to determine the differences between two species - the White-tailed Nuthatch and the Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. I could have sworn we also saw the Velvet-fronted Nuthatch close by, but my notes fail me and we have no photos, so must cross out the last.

Nuthatch silhouette 


On the way back to the resort I make a big mistake in the ID of a raptor. In my defence, I would say that the group was anxious to move on to Ranikhet later that morning so time was short. I make the sighting, stop the vehicle and brush it off as a (seemingly common) Oriental Honey Buzzard. The size, dark brown upperparts on perch, dark greyish head etc made me jump the gun. Fortunately Abhiviraj has taken some record photos and when I review these later it is clear that this was a Changeable Hawk Eagle. A dark morph of the Limnaeetus sub-species. These Hawk-Eagles appear almost not to have a crest. And as the name suggests the plumage is extremely 'changeable', quite dark overall in this case. Lesson learned.

As we cross the river at the barrage, on an island is a forlorn, solitary Ruddy Shelduck. Over-wintering by choice, or by neccessity because it is full of shotgun pellets ? As Mark Knopffler sang " .. looking so bereaved and so bereft.."

Ruddy Shelduck 


When we get back to the resort, several young schoolchildren have just returned from safari. Each group has fanciful tales to tell each other of the tigers they saw. The most dramatic is one being recounted by a born raconteur. We overhear him saying "... and then we saw the tiger jumping at the peacock and catching it in midair" ! Fertile imaginations all.

We have an evening safari booked in the main sanctuary on our way back, so the Corbett story continues ...