India Day 13 - Khumeria & Kosi River

Kumeria

Once again we began our morning by birding from the hotel rooftop before we headed off to a site called Kumeria where we might find Little Forktail, so we were told by the French tour leader. Our journey there was somewhat disjointed and when we did finally arrive we only had two hours before our drivers needed to leave.

However, as it happened two hours was all we needed to connect with a good number of species, including Little Forktail and Brown Dipper; the species the site had been recommended to us for. We parked up at a hotel, the Den, and from there walked through some woodland down to the bank of the Kosi River. It was about a 20 minute walk down the track to the river but the birding in the woodland was good. We did feel a little rushed in our birding here, but we saw so much more than we had hoped, so can’t even consider complaining.

Highlights

Little Forktail - Our second Forktail species of the trip was a bit trickier to come by but we did find one at Kumeria. It was a little distant, on the other side of the river to us, but JHF and I waded out across the river in order to get better views. It was well worth getting wet feet for.

Brown Fish Owl - We had just about wrapped up at the site and a few of our group had already headed back to the cars, when a radio message came through from PC that there was a Brown Fish Owl showing above the track. Those of us still by the river raced up to see the bird, which we must have simply overlooked on our way down. Apparently PC had noticed it when a pellet had dropped next to him whilst he was watching a sunbird.

-Brown Dipper 

-Little Forktail

-Brown Fish Owl

Species List:

Kumeria: Olive-backed Pipit, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Peregrine, Common Myna, Indian Grey Hornbill, Large-billed Crow, Oriental White-eye, Cattle Egret, Little Cormorant, Red-breasted Parakeet, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, White-capped Water Redstart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Indian Pond Heron, Grey Wagtail, White-throated Fantail, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Brown Dipper, Little Forktail, Brown Fish Owl, Crested Kingfisher, Yellow Fantail, Little Fish Eagle, Grey-hooded Warbler, White-browed Wagtail, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wild Boar, Spotted Deer,

Ramnagar - Kosi River

We left Kumeria at around midday, so decided to get dropped off at the temple where the Ibisbill were, and then walk back to the digs from there. We spent a bit scoping the far river bank on this occasion and were rewarded with a few more species for our trip list, as well as many of the goodies we had seen the previous day. We began walking back along the river but then took a path up to the road, to cut out the areas where it would have been a scramble to get back.

Once back at the digs we spent the last few hours of daylight on the rooftop. The nightjar we had seen the previous two evenings finally gave us a bit of a show, and we were able to identify it to species; Indian Nightjar. Also there were a few birds moving round the garden; without doubt the best of these being a stunning White’s Thrush not a species I expected to see on the trip.

Highlights

Whites Thrush - Not a species we expected to see on the trip, but certainly a trip highlight. A bird desired by many British birders, it was nice to see one here in its main range area. The way it bobbed from side to side as it moved was extremely comical, and exactly the kind of behaviour I had seen in videos of British birds.

Ibisbill - The two birds from yesterday were still present, but yesterday we had to share them with another tour. Today we had them all to ourselves so I was able to get much closer to them. As before, they spent no time sleeping, as I feared they might, and were busy feeding all the time we were watching them.

Kingfishers -  Stork-billed Kingfisher was a new bird for the trip, and as we also managed to see the other four species; Crested, Pied, White-throated and Common it made for a five Kingfisher day!

Collard Falconet - Despite seeing one the previous evening, many people were still to connect with one. When one was picked up hunting distantly across the river it was a great relief to many in our contingent. It was then a great surprise when JHF picked it up flying overhead in the Hirundine flock. Not how I expected to see one at all!

-Blue-bearded Bee-eater

-Blue Tiger

-Crested Kingfisher

-Ibisbill

-Wallcreeper

-Collard Falconet

Species List:

Ramnagar - Kosi River: Black Kite, Crested Treeswift, Yellow Fantail, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Himalayan Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Indian Pond Heron, River Lapwing, Ibisbill, Plumbeous Water Redstart, White-capped Water Redstart, White-browed Wagtail, Collard Falconet, Amur Wagtail, Red-rumped Swallow, Wallcreeper, White-rumped Spinetail, Common House Martin, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Common Myna, Common Sandpiper, Brown-throated Martin, Red-breasted Parakeet, Large-billed Crow, Grey Wagtail, Long-billed Pipit, Grey-hooded Warbler, Pied Kingfisher, Brown Rock Chat, Feral Pigeon, Indian Peafowl, Hanuman Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Spotted Deer, Blue Tiger, Freshwater Crab sp.,

India Day 12 - Kosi River

Ramnagar - Kosi River

The morning started with scopes, looking out from the rooftop of the hotel. We had quite a few birds flying over or visiting the grounds of the hotel. This lasted for about an hour, before breakfast. 

Our accommodation, Camp Big Cat, was conveniently situated river on the shores of the Kosi river, the site to see Ibisbill in this area of India. As with Pangot we found ourselves well short of gen for the area. However, the hotel we had gone to the previous evening for food happened to be the same location that the French tour was stopping at, the same tour that had provided us with gen in Pangot. As a result we learned all the locations we would need for our time in Ramnagar.

We decided to walk upstream along the river bank to the Shaolin temple where the Ibisbills were being seen. It was a walk of three kilometres, and although the path seemed fit to begin with, there were a number of occasions where access along the riverbank was extremely difficult. However, we made good progress, seeing lots of new birds, and by the end of the morning we had arrived at the temple. The temple was surrounded by small stalls, and there were a lot of people around. That did not stop the Ibisbills though, and soon two located.

We decided to walk back along the road, due to the difficulty of access we had found along the river. On our way out, just before the road, we stopped off at a small tea stall for a brew. This turned out to be one of the best birding sites of the whole trip, as the woods across from us were teeming with birds, many of them new species for us. Sadly the walk back along the road was not as productive as the tea stall.

Highlights

Ibisbill - Another species from my world birding bucket-list, and the main reason I was so keen to go to India in the first place. We connected almost as soon as we arrived at the Temple, with two birds showing very well feeding alongside the river, right out in the open, allowing us for great views.

Wallcreeper - One of the most popular species we saw on the trip, and we were fortunate enough to encounter multiple individuals along our walk up the river. They really are an amazing bird, and nothing like anything I have ever seen before.

Common Green Magpie - We had just settled down at the café when AAH spotted one of these striking birds in the woods. It took us a while before all those present had connected due to the bird being so mobile, and the fact that it’s difficult to describe the location of a green bird among thick foliage in the forest. We were fortunate though, and the bird continued making its way towards the forest edge. It was at that point we realised there were more than just the single bird. A really striking bird, and not one I expected to see on the trip.

Collared Falconet - Whilst most of our contingent had ventured upriver, JAB had remained on the hotel roof scanning for raptors. From there he had seen one of the most desired species for the trip; the tiny Collared Falconet. We thought we had missed them as we did not see one in Corbett, so to get one on the trip list was very exciting. Then, just as we returned to the hotel from our walk, another or the same bird flew past and landed in the trees right next to us. You could not have timed it better. What an awesome little bird!

-Common Iora

-Crested Kingfisher

-Wallcreeper

-White-capped Redstart

-Amur Wagtail

-White-browed Wagtail

-Grey-headed Fish-Eagle

-Black Kite

-Ibisbill

-Lesser Flameback

-Common Green Magpie

-Common Emerald Dove

-Collard Falconet

-Indian Grey Hornbill

-Pallas's Fish-Eagle

Species List:

Ramnagar - Kosi River: Goosander, Peregrine, Cattle Egret, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Common Myna, Olive-backed Pipit, Black Kite, Great-white Egret, Little Cormorant, White-cheeked Bulbul, Long-billed Crow, Feral Pigeon, Black-throated Thrush, Red-rumped Swallow, Wallcreeper, Paddyfield Pipit, Little Egret, Dusky Crag Martin, Hoopoe, Crested Kingfisher, White-breasted Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, Barn Swallow, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Common Iora, River Lapwing, White-capped Water Redstart, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Jungle Owlet, Ibisbill, Lesser Flameback, Rufous Treepie, White-throated Fantail, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Greater Yellownape, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Little Pied Flycatcher, Common Green Magpie, Maroon Oriole, Yellow Fantail, Small Niltava, Emerald Ground Dove, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Western Crowned Warbler, Blue Whistling Thrush, White-headed Laughingthrush, Collard Falconet, Oriental White-eye, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Red-wattled Lapwing, Indian Pond Heron, Ring-necked Parakeet, Siberian Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, Masked Wagtail, Amur Wagtail, Red-vented Bulbul, Brown-throated Martin, Oriental Magpie Robin, Black Drongo, Black Redstart, Grey-hooded Warbler, Greenshank, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Red-breasted Parakeet, Indian Grey Hornbill, Lesser Whitethroat, Long-tailed Shrike, Hume’s Leaf Warbler, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Large Grey Babbler, Little Ringed Plover, Himalayan Swiftlet, Citrine Wagtail, Striated Heron, Spotted Deer, Rhesus Macaque, Common Mormon, Glassy Tiger, Darter sp.,

India Day 11 - Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park

As the previous morning, we were up at the crack of dawn to be in the park for first light. We were in the Bijrani zone as we had been the evening before, so we were not expecting big things. As we were driving in I spoke to the driver of our jeep and informed him that this was our last chance to see tiger. That seemed to give him a purpose to the tour and we spent the next few hours tearing across all corners of the park. We were so close; following fresh pug marks along an extremely quiet road, with the smell of tiger still lingering in the air. So close but sadly no cigar. We did get Asian Elephant as compensation though, with a tuskless bull feeding in tall reeds. The quest for tiger had very much put birding on the back seat, but it was still far more enjoyable than the previous evening.

Highlights

Asian Elephant - It took until our last trip but we finally saw one of the parks rare large mammals. It was nice to end our time in the park on a high, the only disappointment being that the other jeep failed to connect with anything.

-Indian Elephant

-Sambar

Species List:

Corbett National Park: Red-vented Bulbul, Feral Pigeon, Brown-headed Barbet, Jungle Babbler, Spotted Dove, Common Myna, Lesser Flameback, Oriental White-eye, Black Redstart, White-cheeked Bulbul, Long-tailed Minivet, Changeable Hawk-eagle, Pied Bushchat, Siberian Stonechat, Ring-necked Parakeet, Little Egret, Grey Bushchat, Green Sandpiper, Blue Whistling Thrush, Indian Elephant, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Golden Jackal, Hanuman Langur, Rhesus Macaque,

Hotel de Floresta

After the morning in the park we decided to continue birding around the hotel. We had a number of nights still to go in Ramnagar, so it seemed a good option to continue working an area that had been so productive the previous day. We retraced our steps from the day before, but continuing further upriver into a more wooded habitat. It was a fairly chilled out afternoon! We were back at the hotel for late afternoon before heading off to our next digs; Big Cat Camp Ramnagar.

It was almost dark by the time we arrived at our new accommodation, but still had enough time to be shown the roof of the hotel; a potential vis-mig hotspot. The potential was realised almost immediately when a nightjar sp. dropped out of the sky and into the neighbouring trees. It wasn’t until later in the trip that we were able to identify which species.

Highlights

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch - Along the walk TDJ and JAB found a nice male Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch in a small plantation. However, when I went in after them I not only saw Chestnut-bellied but the weird looking Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. It’s quite a peculiar looking bird, but very smart.

Verditer Flycatcher - Perhaps the most stunning bird of the day, although not showy and only viewed from a distance. It flew across the river in a flash of vivid blue before alighting in a tree some distance away. It then sat out for a short while before dropping down into thicker vegetation never to reappear.

Butterflies - Not only was there a large variety of butterflies but they were all extremely beautiful. Common Tigers were abundant, as were a number of white or blue tiger species. Every garden had its own assortment of beautiful insects.

-Cinereous Tit

-Little Pied Flycatcher

-White-throated Fantail

-Crested Treeswift

-White-rumped Spinetail

-Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

-Baronet 

-Fulvous Forest Skimmer

-Black-crested Bulbul

-Common Mormon 

-Black Bulbul

-Lizard sp. 

Species List:

Hotel de Floresta: Jungle Owlet, Long-billed Pipit, Grey Bushchat, Black Kite, Lineated Barbet, European Black Vulture, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Plain Prinia, Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow Fantail, Red-wattled Lapwing, White-throated Fantail, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Spangled Drongo, Barn Swallow, Oriental Magpie Robin, Greenish Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Brown-throated Martin, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Crested Treeswift, Spotted Dove, White-rumped Spinetail, Himalayan Swiftlet, White-capped Water Redstart, White-browed Wagtail, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Fulvous Breasted Woodpecker, Himalayan Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Ashy Drongo, Verditer Flycatcher, Citrine Wagtail, Siberian Chiffchaff, Indian Robin, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Little Pied Flycatcher, Cattle Egret, Dusky Crag Martin, Brown-headed Barbet, Rustic, Baronet, Mottled Emigrant, Common Grass Yellow, Pallas’s Glider, Common Beak, Common Pierrot, Common Mormon,

India Day 10 - Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park

Our mornings birding began very early when we were picked up by the parks tour jeeps. Our first tour was in the Jhima zone of the park, the area that’s better for birding. We saw a few species of large mammal, but sadly tiger evaded us on this occasion. The tour took us through tall grassland and dry woodland. We saw many species but most were restricted to difficult or brief views as a result of being restricted to birding in the jeeps. By mid-morning we had wrapped up the first tour, and whilst we were pleased with the birds we had seen, it did feel a little disappointing after so much hype.

Highlights

Hornbills - We quickly connected with all three Hornbill species that we could have expected on the trip. Grey was the most common, then Oriental Pied Hornbill which we saw perched up nicely and then Great Hornbill. Sadly of the latter I only saw a single bird fly over our jeep but other observers in our group saw others.

Crested Treeswift - The only shame is that we were unable to see these birds perched up to appreciate their ‘whiskers’. In flight they were very slim in profile, with long tail streamers for a swift. They turned out to be very common across the park.

Orange-bellied Leafbird - The most unexpected addition to our mornings birding! When JAB picked it up in the canopy of a rather tall tree it left us all a little puzzled until the guide pointed out what it was. Like a giant Bee-eater crossed with a woodpecker. A really bizarre bird!

-Indian Peafowl

-Sambar

-Blue-throated Barbet

-Golden Jackal

-Hanuman Langur

Species List:

Corbett National Park: Mallard, White-throated Kingfisher, Red Jungle Fowl, Coppersmith Barbet, Brown-headed Barbet, Changeable Hawk-eagle, Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Blue-fronted Barbet, Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, Plum-headed Parakeet, Indian Peafowl, Greater Yellownape, Lesser Flameback, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Grey-breasted Prinia, Feral Pigeon, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Black-shouldered Kite, Hen Harrier, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, White-cheeked Bulbul, Black Drongo, Common Myna, Crested Treeswift, Blyth’s Pipit, Indian Grey Hornbill, Pied Bushchat, Grey Bushchat, Siberian Stonechat, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal, Indian Muntjac, Hanuman Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Five-striped Palm Squirrel,

Hotel de Floresta

Between our tours we had a good few hours to kill, so a few of us went for a wander in the scrub adjacent to the hotel. We first followed a small river/drainage ditch which had plenty of good birds to keep us occupied. We eventually made our way out to a more substantial river with rocky shoreline. In the end it felt like a shame that we had to return to the hotel to go on our evening tour in the park.

Highlights

Brown-headed Pygmy Woodpecker - Having seen Grey-headed Pygmy Woodpecker the previous day, but at a distance, todays species was much more showy. Not only were we able to get quite close to them, but they were also feeding at eye level on the trunks of larger trees.

Long-billed Pipit - Among the rocks and boulders adjacent to the river were a good numbers of Wagtails. From among these birds we spotted our first Long-billed Pipit of the trip. It perched up on the wires which crossed the river, before dropping back down into the scrub. Although not an overly exciting species, they are my favourite pipit, so easily make a highlight.

-Red-headed Vulture

-Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

-Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker

-Common Tiger

-Jungle Owlet

-Red-whiskered Bulbul

-Shikra

-Plumbeous Water Redstart

-Great Eggfly

Species List:

Hotel de Floresta: Brown Rock Chat, Red-vented Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Black Kite, Cattle Egret, Common Tailorbird, Pied Kingfisher, Little Cormorant, Jungle Owlet, Red-headed Vulture, Red-wattled Lapwing, Cinereous Tit, Common Iora, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Indian Nuthatch, Rufous Treepie, Greylag Goose, Steppe Eagle, Grey Wagtail, Greenish Warbler, Yellow Fantail, Brown Shrike, Black Bulbul, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Shikra, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Taiga Flycatcher, Brown-headed Pygmy Woodpecker, European Black Vulture, White-browed Wagtail, Long-billed Pipit, Green Sandpiper, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Masked Wagtail, Himalayan Flameback, Amur Wagtail, Siberian Chiffchaff, Little Egret, White-throated Fantail, White-capped Water Redstart, Common Leopard, Common Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Common Crow, Angled Pierrot, Indian Red Admiral, Great Eggfly,

Corbett National Park

To say that our evening drive round Corbett was a disappointment would be an understatement. We were now in the Bijrani zone, an area of the park better for observing tigers. But not only did we not see any large mammals, but there was also a distinct lack of birds. In the three hours we spent driving round we probably saw a cumulative 20 actual birds. The habitat was nice to drive through, but it was so frustrating because it clearly had so much potential for more birds.

Highlights

Crested Kingfisher - Despite the lack of birds, we got to see one of my target birds for the trip; Crested Kingfisher. A really impressive bird, about the same size as a small crow and really nicely patterned. It made up for the disappointing drive.

-Streak-throated Woodpecker

-River Lapwing

-Spotted Deer

Species List:

Corbett National Park: Crested Kingfisher, Hume’s Leaf Warbler, Ruddy Shelduck, White-bellied Drongo, Streak-throated Woodpecker, River Lapwing, Ring-necked Parakeet, Crested Serpent Eagle, Plain Prinia, Striated Heron, Indian Pond Heron, Spotted Deer, Indian Muntjac,