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North & Central India BIRDING AND MAMMALING NORTH & CENTRAL INDIA Punjab, Jaipur, Maharashtra, Gangetic plain, and Uttarakhand January-February 2019 © Uffe Gjøl Sørensen, 2019 Introduction This report hold notes on birds, mammals and a few reptiles recorded during a five-week long visit to India 18/1-22/2 2019. The first three weeks was a roundtrip with my partner, Lene Smith, with focus on a number of cultural sites, which none of us has visited before – Amritsar, Jaipur (including 5 days attending the Jaipur Literature Festival), Mumbai, Ajanta Caves, Daulatabad, Ellora Caves and New Delhi. Two exceptions were a one-day visit to Harike wetland near Amritsar (20/1) and two days in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary near Mumbai (31/1-1/2) – the latter visit was with a guide and primarily for seeing the recently rediscovered Forest Owlet. After the first three weeks, I continued alone for another two weeks: This included a nine-day visit to Corbett National Park and nearby foothills to Himalaya and some days in and around New Delhi with visits to Ohkla, Qutab Minar, Tughlaqabad, Bhindawas and Sultanpur Jheel. Observations is compiled under five subheadings: Amritsar: Observations from Amritsar, Wagah and Harike. Only last locality was proper birding. Jaipur: Observations from various activities in town and one early morning visit to Jhalala Leopard Conservancy. Maharashtra: Observations from Mumbai including boat-trip to Elephanta Island, two days of birding in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary and three days of visits to cultural sites around Aurangabad (Ajanta Caves, Bibi- ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Khuldabad (Tombs of Sufi saints), and Ellora Caves). Gangetic plain: Observations from visits to a number of cultural sites in New Delhi, from drive through Gangetic plain to/from Uttarakhand, and from birding visits to Ohkla Bird Sanctuary, Tughlaqabad, Sultanpur Jheel and Bhindawas. Uttarakhand: Observations from Corbett National Park, sites around Kosi River by Ramnagar, Pangoot and Sat Tal. 2 Brief summary: Mammals: 28 species. Notable records are a superb female Tiger with three cubs and good numbers of Asian Elephants in Corbett NP, four different types Grey Langurs (subspecies or species?) and two nice species in the foothills to Himalayas: Himalayan Brown Goral and Mountain Weasel. - Birds: 361 species. Around Amritsar, a Kashmir Chiffchaff at Harike was a good find. In Maharashtra, good records were Heuglin’s Gull and Taimyr Gull at Mumbai – the latter even with characters of Vega Gull. The visit to Tansa Wildlife Reserve provided the hoped for Forest Owlet – and Vigor’s Sunbird – the Western Ghat endemic being a recent split from Crimson Sunbird. In Uttarakhand, a wealth of birds was recorded. In Corbett stars were Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagles, Brown Fish Owl, an all too brief Long-billed Thrush and many others. Despite a concerted effort there was no Hodgson’s Bush Chat to be found – this species seems absent in recent years. Around Kosi River a record of three Pale Martins was a surprise – and in particular as the birds seemed to attend nesting holes. In case, this could be a first breeding record from India. Perhaps, the species is overlooked? Other memorable birds were Ibisbill (1), Wallcreeper (2), Little Forktail (2), a tricky Himalayan Rubythroat and many others. Pangoot is well known for Koklass Pheasant and Upland Pipit, which were both found, while I missed the third Pangoot-classic, Cheer Pheasant. Long-billed Thrush was more cooperative here – the same bird seen three times. In Sat Tal, many of the characteristic Himalayan species were found including Mountain Wood Owl. End of stay at Sultanpur National Park was rich with Indian Courser, Sind Sparrow, and highly unexpected White-crowed Penduline Tit (2) and Variable Wheatear (1; opistholeuca-form). - Reptiles: Only 7 species. Indian reptiles are not prolific during winter. All photos in the report are from the trip. An * by the name of a species indicates, that at least one photo of the species was obtained. Uffe Gjøl Sørensen Address: Overgaden Oven Vandet 68, 2, DK.1415 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Mail: contact (at) ugsorensen.dk. Mobile: +45 2421 4221. Skype: uffe.gjol.sorensen Practical information We booked flights and most accommodations on the internet – and it worked fine. Only problem was cancellation of the first leg of our booked flights Amritsar-New Delhi-Jaipur. It happened well in advance of our departure from Denmark, and became a rather convenient change as we instead could book a newly opened flight Amritsar-Dehra Dun-Jaipur so avoiding the risk of a smog-delay during a stopover in Delhi. Our guide for Tansa WS and the car with driver from Mumbai to Aurangabad (7 days) was booked through Wild World India, whom we have used before. My guide and the car with driver for the visit to Uttarakhand was booked through Asian Adventures. During my final days in Delhi, I used the same driver/car for various tasks. Acknowledgement Paul Patrick Cullen was good company during the Literature Festival in Jaipur and his enthusiasm for this special Indian event was a booster for our revisit to India. Next time we must do more birding together! Gaurav Shirodkar (Sanctuary Asia) was an excellent guide for Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, and we very much enjoyed the multiple discussion of present day India. Shiva Prasad was a good and safe driver during these days – meeting the challenges from long distances of roadwork – and flexible in his services. Photo a: Lene, Shiva, Gaurav) Sunil Kumar (Nainital) was the perfect guide for my nostalgic revisit to Uttarakhand – 33 years after first visit and 31 years after latest visit. Sunil knows the birds of Himalaya, hears even the weakest ‘tick’ from the scrub and points put the right direction. I can strongly recommend Sunil as guide. He is based in Naini Tal. Contact: snlkumar407 (at) gmail.com. Mobile: +91-9411196837. Photo b: Sandeep, Sunil, Uffe. Driver Sandeep Kumar was a genuine asset for my trip – nice company, extremely helpful and considerate 3 from the very start and right until my departure. Sandeep can be contacted on mobile no: +91-9999756046. On both organized game-drives inside Corbett NP, Vijay Kumar was the compulsory guide and he is a very good birder and guide, who knows the details of the Park. Harish Patwal was driver of the jeep for my two days in Corbett NP – dedicated, focused and actually also a good birder. A Sultanpur National Park, I met with the local guide Sanjay Sharma and was guided by his nephew, Sachia Sharma. For anyone visiting Sultanpur, Bhindawas or other sites around their services can only be recom- mended. Contact: Email sanjay.birding (at) gmail.com. Mobile: +91-9812470521. Photo c: Sandeep, Sachia. Klaus Malling Olsen (Denmark), Prasad Ganpule (India) and Saurabh Sawant (India) are thanked for good input on some ID questions (gulls, Himalayan Rubythroat, Green Warbler). Lene Smith is thanked for proff-reading of this report. a b c Itinerary 17/1 Finnair flight from Copenhagen (13.15; GMT+1) to Helsinki (15.50; GMT+2). Departure Finnair flight from Helsinki (20.20; GMT+2) 4 18/1 Arrival in Delhi Airport (06.40; GMT+4½). Domestic flight New Delhi (scheduled 13:40 but delayed to16.05) to Amritsar (arrival scheduled 14:50, but delayed to 17:20). Prepaid taxi to Hotel 19/1 By foot around centre of Amritsar with visit to the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. Afternoon by taxi to Silver temple and the Wagah border ceremony. 20/1 By taxi (06.05-18.15) to Harike, where we birded from 07.15 to 16.35. Visited neighbourhood of Sikh temple and walked 3.5 km along at the lake. Tried to reach areas east of the lake but found only intensive farmland. In mid-afternoon, we tried areas around the river to the west but a new high way crossing the river has changed everything and much of the dried-up river is open sand- and gravel-mines. 21/1 Day started with thunder. Took tuk-tuk to the park Ram Bagh and returned by tuk-tuk due to rain, which continued rest of the day. Saw the evening ceremony at the Golden Temple from the top of our hotel – nice to have a telescope! 22/1 Early morning visit to Golden Temple and Partition Museum. Transfer to airport and flight to Jaipur via Dehra Dun – flight delayed due to rain. Late afternoon landing in dry and sunny Jaipur. 23/1 Early morning check-in to Literature Festival, and met with friend Paul Patrick Cullen. Later an inflammation of the throat forced me to bed. 24/1 Lene to Literature Festival, while I stayed in bed. 25/1 We both participated in the Literature Festival and made a visit to the Palace of Winds. 26/1 All day at Literature Festival. Late afternoon walk to Central Park with pre-roosting Rosy Starlings. 27/1 Lene to Literature festival and I stayed in bed all day. 28/1 Early morning visit to Jhalana Leopard Conservancy with Paul – but no spotted cats to be seen. 29/1 Domestic flight Jaipur to Mumbai (09.30-11.25). Transfer (female taxi driver) to hotel and short walk to India Gate. Rest of day in bed. 30/1 Took the ferry from India Gate to Elephanta Islands. Interesting gulls from the ferry. 31/1 Picked up by guide Gaurav Shirodkar (Sanctuary Asia) and driver Shiva Prasad. Drove to check-in at Midway Hotel and made late afternoon visit to Tansa WS. Heard Forest Owlet briefly. 1/2 Morning and afternoon visit to Tansa WS. Found Forest Owlet and saw it well in the morning. 2/2 Early morning visit to Tansa WS and farewell to guide Gaurav Shirodkar after successful help.
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