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Home Trip Reports
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An invitation from Bikram Grewal to visit Dehradun during the Holi festival holidays saw me hotfooting to New Delhi for a week in March. Not that it takes an invitation to persuade me to bird around Bikram's gorgeous property on the banks of the River Tons - but it helped to firm dates, plan the trip and
bird in the enviable company of Bikram and Arun P. Singh, two of the best birders in the area.
Birding was the main objective of the trip with the inevitable accompaniment of a dose of photography. We recorded 241 species over six days, of which really three days were devoted exclusively to birding, with traveling taking up a fair bit of time. A visit to the Mandkaula wetlands in Haryana on the first day added many species to the list, though an afternoon visit at the
end of the winter season did not produce the diversity recorded during better timed visits. Good birds seen on the trip included: One of the highlights of the trip was surely the whole day spent driving through the length and breadth of Rajaji. Our high spirits on locating a small herd of Goral (goat-antelope) were punctured with the discovery that one of the tyres had deflated and needed to be changed in inhospitable terrain. Arun's manly intervention saw us rolling again only to be charged by a wild elephant from up close. A skilful exit by celebrated "Elephant Man" Bikram Grewal ensured that the crackers so thoughtfully provided by Arun for such an eventuality did not come in to use. Unfortunately, we could not test out the efficacy of the crackers in the face of a distraught pachyderm blowing hot air into our faces - but it is the thought that counts ! |
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Itinerary: |
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| Day 1: Afternoon visit with Bikram to the wetlands around Mandkaula produced a scattering of wetland species. Most of the regular duck species were observed in small numbers though the highlight was a male and three female Red-crested Pochards. Many of the waders were coming in to breeding plumage and the Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers were specially attractive in their spring colours. A pair of Sarus Cranes in the fields were of
note as was a circling Bonelli's Eagle and a large flock of Pied Avocets. Bikram and Bill Harvey had Greater Flamingos and Great White Pelicans a fortnight before from the same area, but we dipped on this occasion as return migration had commenced and most of the area had dried up. Day 2: Slow driving conditions resulted in late arrival at Bikram's cottage in Dehradun. The highlight of the remaining day, spent in the extensive gardens, was a European Goldfinch. We would later see a flock of six at the same place. A pair of feeding Grey-headed Woodpeckers were also good additions to my image collection. Day 3: We were joined today by Arun P. Singh for our trip to the higher elevation Mussoori area. Arun's knowledge of birding hotspots in the area is only comparable with his wide knowledge of local birds. It was a great pleasure to bird in his company and his ability to identify calls added a missing dimension to our birding day. We located many good birds on the trip and my highlights included Pink-browed Rosefinch, Rock Bunting and Bar-tailed Treecreeper. Good birds for the area included Rufous-breasted Accentor, Chestnut-tailed Minla and Striated Yuhina. Arun had Brown Bullfinch and Spot-winged Starling from the same area a week before. Day 4: The celebration of the Festival of Colours on this day meant restricted movement in the immediate area in and around Bikram's farm. Waiting for the Nepal Wren Babbler in its usual haunt resulted in a good look at a male Tickell's Thrush and a Lemon-rumped Warbler. The Wren Babbler of course did not show up. Day 5: Early departure for Rajaji National Park in the company of Arun. The birding for the day started at the Suswa River on the outskirts of Rajaji. Steppe Eagle, Common Chiffchaffs, River Lapwing, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch were observed in the marshy area famed for its collection of shy waders like Brown Crake and Water Rail. The waders did not show up on the day but the area looked extremely promising for good birds if time is devoted. Moving on to the Phanduwala - Kansrao - Motichur trail, we recorded Whistler's Warbler, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, both hornbill species, Crested Treeswift and Greater Flameback. Arun also heard a Black-crested Bulbul calling. Criss-crossing across the Park we reached the Chilla Range in the afternoon. The 28 km drive had White-capped Bunting, Dollarbird, White-eyed Buzzard, Indian Vulture and a lone Black Stork. Red Junglefowl and Indian Peafowl were seen in great numbers and is a highlight of Chilla. Day 6: Early morning birding around the farm had a female Lesser Yellownape and a small flock of White-rumped Munias. On the return trip to New Delhi, Assan Barrage held some ducks dominated by Ruddy Shelducks. Day 7: a.m. departure for Kolkata. Sumit K. Sen
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