DOCSLIB.ORG

India Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
India Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore INDIA TIGERS, TAJ & BIRDS GALORE FEBRUARY 4–22, 2020 One of the Bengal Tigers crossing the road in the grassland near Dikhala (Photo M. Valkenburg) LEADER: MACHIEL VALKENBURG LIST COMPILED BY: MACHIEL VALKENBURG VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM BY MACHIEL VALKENBURG Another tour full of highlights in magical India! This trip had everything, from many gorgeous sightings of colorful tropical birds to being eye-to-eye with an adult male tiger. This was finished off with delicious Indian (not spicy ) food and ancient history, including the biggest symbol of love in the world, The Taj Mahal. We started our tour in the political capital of the country, the busy metropolis of Delhi. A domestic flight and a five-hour drive brought us to the wonderful Kanha National Park, the birthplace of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. During the three full days we enjoyed in the park, we made two safaris every day to find the most wanted mammal of the country, the powerful tiger. We found two tigers, with the first sighting being so close that we could have almost touched this ferocious cat. It is a feeling to be felt before it can be believed. I have seen tigers many times on many tours in India, but every time I get a tiger in my bins or viewfinder I get a big rush of enjoyment and pleasure. The second tiger we found was a female that was strolling through the fields and some wooded areas. Several times we witnessed how she marked her territory by raising her tail and spraying some urine on the bark of the trees. Bengal Tiger, resting in Kanha NP (Photo M. Valkenburg) We birded around the excellent lodge where we found many Taiga Flycatchers, Hume’s Warbler, and Lesser Whitethroats that were wintering in the garden; soon they will move north again to their breeding areas in Russia. Some typical Indian birds like the splendid Indian Golden Oriole and the bright green Jerdon’s Leafbird were around and scoped several times. In the field in front of the lodge we encountered many birds including Indian Nuthatch, Brown-headed Barbet, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Ashy- crowned Sparrow-lark, Oriental Skylark, and Large Cuckooshrike. Yellow-wattled Lapwing was very common with over 25 birds seen in a short period of birding. Finally, we drove back to Raipur to board our domestic flight that brought us back to Delhi. The road to Raipur is good birding with many Indian Rollers, White-eyed Buzzards, and Green Bee-eaters. We left the urban areas of Delhi behind us and departed for the north and the foothills of the lush green Himalayas. We spent the first nights around the entrance of the park with some very special birds. The numbers of woodpecker species and individuals seen here were high with an amazing record of 17 Great Slaty Woodpeckers but also the Greater Flameback and Greater Yellownape, which were simply great! At Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 India: Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore, 2020 the Kosi River we sought and sought, but without success, for an Ibisbill. The Rosy Pipits, Yellow-bellied Fairy-Fantails, and Chestnut-breasted Buntings, however, were cool too. Close views of a Yellow-bellied Fairy-Fantail (Photo M. Valkenburg) Our stay of three nights in the Dikhala Forest Reserve was the major highlight. This basic lodge is centrally located in Corbett National Park; sleeping here gives us the freedom to be close to the wildlife every morning from the break of dawn. We took great advantage of this, and after arrival we took a jeep drive into the grasslands. We came across a small group of female Asian Elephants led by an adult matriarch. Again, many birds were seen, with Yellow-eyed Babbler, River Tern, and Pallas’s Fish-Eagle being the top scores, the latter having a nest near the road and allowing top views in good light. The star of this particular afternoon was, again, a big adult male tiger that strolled down along a dusty road, close to our accommodations. He turned around several times and looked at us, giving a soft growl now and then. Seeing the tiger in its natural habitat in a respectful and calm approach is for sure one of the best wildlife experiences out there. The best thing about both Kanha and Corbett parks is the strict control on the numbers of people allowed to enter the park. As we experienced on this trip several times, we were all alone with a tiger instead of having to fight for a spot to get a glimpse of the biggest feline in the world. During the morning drives the birding is the best, and we had a splendid time with the many Himalayan species occurring around the park. We found many foraging flocks; these flocks mostly move around with Graceful Prinia, Red-whiskered Bulbul, White-throated Fantail, Himalayan Bulbul, and Common Woodshrike making up the biggest bunch of the group. The better birds that we found were the amazing Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, White-tailed Rubythroat, and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler. We found many raptors perched in the tops of the trees, with Collared Falconet, Lesser Fish-Eagle, Mountain Hawk- Eagle, and Changeable Hawk-Eagle being the best birds. Other perched birds included Plum-headed Parakeet, Slaty-headed Parakeet, and Black-throated Thrush. The best experiences came during the final moments of our time in the park. We started with a hooting Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl; after playing the tape for only a few seconds, it soared in and perched right above us, a new bird for yours truly. The quantities of the gorgeous Kalij Pheasants are usually higher, but this year we definitely came a lot closer than usual with several groups feeding right next to the jeeps; we could have almost touched them! The final awesome bird was a pair of Great Hornbills that were Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 India: Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore, 2020 foraging on a fruiting tree; we were, again, up-close-and-personal with such a magical bird. For over thirty minutes we enjoyed and studied every move the birds made. What a great way to end our time in this great park. One of the top birds of this trip was this excellent Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl (Photo M. Valkenburg) After leaving this wonderful park, we headed south again by way of the most magical monument in the name of love: Taj Mahal. We enjoyed and watched this World Heritage Site during sundown and sunrise before moving to the Chambal River Estuary. The boat ride is always a top attraction on our tour, and this time it was again a spectacle. Up close we enjoyed the Gharial and Mugger Crocodiles as they enjoyed the afternoon sun. The best birds included the endangered Black-bellied Tern, Blue Rock-Thrush, and Indian Skimmer. We had great views of the Ganges River Dolphin, which was a pleasure to connect with again after not having seen it for several years. The last days of the tour were spent in the lush marshes of the Bharatpur National Park. By rickshaw we moved through the park enjoying the many birds at close range. The best birds in the park were, for many of us, the plentiful Painted Storks, the gorgeous Indian Spot-billed Ducks, lots of foraging Purple Herons, interesting Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, or wonderful Brahminy Starlings. In the air an array of raptors preyed on the many wildfowl with Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, and Indian Greater Spotted and Bonelli’s eagles being the best ones. It is always a trick to find a master skulker like Black Bittern; we found several Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 India: Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore, 2020 during the days in Bharatpur, while both Cinnamon and Yellow were found earlier. Our three nights were in the famous Bagh Lodge, which offers some great birding in the early mornings, always good for a nice surprise. Our very last excursion and our very last bird in the garden was a very rare bird for the region: a tiny Fire-capped Tit, which inhabits the mountain regions of the Himalayas. Another goodie was the lovely male Orange-headed Thrush that enjoyed a bath in one of the small canals. Several species of owls used the garden to rest, with the Brown Boobook (Hawk-Owl) being very obliging! Our very obliging Great Hornbill from Corbett National Park (Photo M. Valkenburg) On our last day we drove back to Delhi, where the tour concluded in the Radisson Blue Hotel near the international airport. During our final dinner we remembered the great experiences of the tour, and we came up with a group top three: 1. Painted Stork; in large numbers in Bharatpur National Park. 2. Great Hornbill; a 30-minute experience of a pair feeding when driving out of Corbett NP. 3. Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl; extended close views of a daylight owl are always amazing! I’d like to thank all the participants for joining our Tigers, Taj and Birds Galore tour. We had a lot of good laughs and shared some magical moments out in the field. India, as always, was everything you’d expect from one of the top destinations on the planet for wildlife. The number of tigers we encountered on this trip was phenomenal, and many times we were all alone to savor the moment and make it very personal. Thanks, and I look forward to traveling with you all again in the future somewhere else in Africa or Asia! Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 India: Tigers, Taj & Birds Galore, 2020 Brown Boobook in the Bagh Hotel garden (Photo M.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Species Limits in Some Philippine Birds Including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes Lucidus
    FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 29–38 Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus N. J. COLLAR Philippine bird taxonomy is relatively conservative and in need of re-examination. A number of well-marked subspecies were selected and subjected to a simple system of scoring (Tobias et al. 2010 Ibis 152: 724–746) that grades morphological and vocal differences between allopatric taxa (exceptional character 4, major 3, medium 2, minor 1; minimum score 7 for species status). This results in the recognition or confirmation of species status for (inverted commas where a new English name is proposed) ‘Philippine Collared Dove’ Streptopelia (bitorquatus) dusumieri, ‘Philippine Green Pigeon’ Treron (pompadora) axillaris and ‘Buru Green Pigeon’ T. (p.) aromatica, Luzon Racquet-tail Prioniturus montanus, Mindanao Racquet-tail P. waterstradti, Blue-winged Raquet-tail P. verticalis, Blue-headed Raquet-tail P. platenae, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail P. flavicans, White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon (smyrnensis) gularis (with White-breasted Kingfisher applying to H. smyrnensis), ‘Northern Silvery Kingfisher’ Alcedo (argentata) flumenicola, ‘Rufous-crowned Bee-eater’ Merops (viridis) americanus, ‘Spot-throated Flameback’ Dinopium (javense) everetti, ‘Luzon Flameback’ Chrysocolaptes (lucidus) haematribon, ‘Buff-spotted Flameback’ C. (l.) lucidus, ‘Yellow-faced Flameback’ C. (l.) xanthocephalus, ‘Red-headed Flameback’ C. (l.) erythrocephalus, ‘Javan Flameback’ C. (l.) strictus, Greater Flameback C. (l.) guttacristatus, ‘Sri Lankan Flameback’ (Crimson-backed Flameback) Chrysocolaptes (l.) stricklandi, ‘Southern Sooty Woodpecker’ Mulleripicus (funebris) fuliginosus, Visayan Wattled Broadbill Eurylaimus (steerii) samarensis, White-lored Oriole Oriolus (steerii) albiloris, Tablas Drongo Dicrurus (hottentottus) menagei, Grand or Long-billed Rhabdornis Rhabdornis (inornatus) grandis, ‘Visayan Rhabdornis’ Rhabdornis (i.) rabori, and ‘Visayan Shama’ Copsychus (luzoniensis) superciliaris.
    [Show full text]
  • Papua New Guinea Huon Peninsula Extension 26Th June to 1St July 2018 (6 Days) Trip Report
    Papua New Guinea Huon Peninsula Extension 26th June to 1st July 2018 (6 days) Trip Report Pesquet’s Parrots by Sue Wright Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to Papua New Guinea Trip Report – RBL Papua New Guinea - Huon Peninsula Extension I 2018 2 Tour Summary This was our inaugural Huon Peninsula Extension. Most of the group started out with a quick flight from Moresby into Nadzab Airport. Upon arrival, we drove to our comfortable hotel on the outskirts of Lae City. After getting settled in, we set off on a short but very productive bird walk around the hotel’s expansive grounds. The best thing about the walk was how confiding the birds were –they are clearly not hunted much around here! Red-cheeked Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Torresian Imperial Pigeon, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Yellow-faced Myna, and Singing Starling all vied for our attention right in the parking lot. As we took a short wander, we added Hooded Butcherbird, New Guinea Friarbird and look-alike Brown Oriole, and Black and Olive-backed Sunbirds to our growing tally. A Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot zipped overhead providing just a quick view, but the highlight of the walk was clearly the Palm Cockatoo that sat out feeding contentedly on fruits – admittedly a bit of a surprise to find this species so close to a major urban centre! We were relieved when Sue had arrived and Pinon’s Imperial Pigeon by Markus Lilje joined us for dinner to complete the group! The real adventure began early the next morning, with a drive back to the airport where we were to board our flight into the Huon.
    [Show full text]
  • Biogeography and Biotic Assembly of Indo-Pacific Corvoid Passerine Birds
    ES48CH11-Jonsson ARI 9 October 2017 7:38 Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Biogeography and Biotic Assembly of Indo-Pacific Corvoid Passerine Birds Knud Andreas Jønsson,1 Michael Krabbe Borregaard,1 Daniel Wisbech Carstensen,1 Louis A. Hansen,1 Jonathan D. Kennedy,1 Antonin Machac,1 Petter Zahl Marki,1,2 Jon Fjeldsa˚,1 and Carsten Rahbek1,3 1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway 3Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL5 7PY, United Kingdom Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 2017. 48:231–53 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on Corvides, diversity assembly, evolution, island biogeography, Wallacea August 11, 2017 The Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Abstract Systematics is online at ecolsys.annualreviews.org The archipelagos that form the transition between Asia and Australia were https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110316- immortalized by Alfred Russel Wallace’s observations on the connections 022813 between geography and animal distributions, which he summarized in Copyright c 2017 by Annual Reviews. what became the first major modern biogeographic synthesis. Wallace All rights reserved traveled the island region for eight years, during which he noted the marked Access provided by Copenhagen University on 11/19/17. For personal use only. faunal discontinuity across what has later become known as Wallace’s Line. Wallace was intrigued by the bewildering diversity and distribution of Annu.
    [Show full text]
  • ONEP V09.Pdf
    Compiled by Jarujin Nabhitabhata Tanya Chan-ard Yodchaiy Chuaynkern OEPP BIODIVERSITY SERIES volume nine OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PLANNING MINISTRY OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT 60/1 SOI PIBULWATTANA VII, RAMA VI RD., BANGKOK 10400 THAILAND TEL. (662) 2797180, 2714232, 2797186-9 FAX. (662) 2713226 Office of Environmental Policy and Planning 2000 NOT FOR SALE NOT FOR SALE NOT FOR SALE Compiled by Jarujin Nabhitabhata Tanya Chan-ard Yodchaiy Chuaynkern Office of Environmental Policy and Planning 2000 First published : September 2000 by Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (OEPP), Thailand. ISBN : 974–87704–3–5 This publication is financially supported by OEPP and may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non–profit purposes without special permission from OEPP, providing that acknowledgment of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purposes. Citation : Nabhitabhata J., Chan ard T., Chuaynkern Y. 2000. Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles in Thailand. Office of Environmental Policy and Planning, Bangkok, Thailand. Authors : Jarujin Nabhitabhata Tanya Chan–ard Yodchaiy Chuaynkern National Science Museum Available from : Biological Resources Section Natural Resources and Environmental Management Division Office of Environmental Policy and Planning Ministry of Science Technology and Environment 60/1 Rama VI Rd. Bangkok 10400 THAILAND Tel. (662) 271–3251, 279–7180, 271–4232–8 279–7186–9 ext 226, 227 Facsimile (662) 279–8088, 271–3251 Designed & Printed :Integrated Promotion Technology Co., Ltd. Tel. (662) 585–2076, 586–0837, 913–7761–2 Facsimile (662) 913–7763 2 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
    Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study on Avifauna Present in Different Zones of Chitral Districts
    Journal of Bioresource Management Volume 4 Issue 1 Article 4 A Study on Avifauna Present in Different Zones of Chitral Districts Madeeha Manzoor Center for Bioresource Research Adila Nazli Center for Bioresource Research, [email protected] Sabiha Shamim Center for Bioresource Research Fida Muhammad Khan Center for Bioresource Research Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/jbm Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Manzoor, M., Nazli, A., Shamim, S., & Khan, F. M. (2017). A Study on Avifauna Present in Different Zones of Chitral Districts, Journal of Bioresource Management, 4 (1). DOI: 10.35691/JBM.7102.0067 ISSN: 2309-3854 online (Received: May 29, 2019; Accepted: May 29, 2019; Published: Jan 1, 2017) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Bioresource Management by an authorized editor of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Study on Avifauna Present in Different Zones of Chitral Districts Erratum Added the complete list of author names © Copyrights of all the papers published in Journal of Bioresource Management are with its publisher, Center for Bioresource Research (CBR) Islamabad, Pakistan. This permits anyone to copy, redistribute, remix, transmit and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes provided the original work and source is appropriately cited. Journal of Bioresource Management does not grant you any other rights in relation to this website or the material on this website. In other words, all other rights are reserved. For the avoidance of doubt, you must not adapt, edit, change, transform, publish, republish, distribute, redistribute, broadcast, rebroadcast or show or play in public this website or the material on this website (in any form or media) without appropriately and conspicuously citing the original work and source or Journal of Bioresource Management’s prior written permission.
    [Show full text]
  • Rediscovery, Biology, Vocalisations and Taxonomy of Fish Owls in Turkey
    Rediscovery, biology, vocalisations and taxonomy of fish owls in Turkey Arnoud B van den Berg, Soner Bekir, Peter de Knijff & The Sound Approach n the Western Palearctic (WP) region, Brown Distribution and traditional taxonomy IFish Owl Bubo zeylonensis is one of the rarest Until recently, fish owls were grouped under the and least-known birds. The species’ range is huge, genus Ketupa. However, recent DNA research has from the Mediterranean east to Indochina, but it is shown that for reasons of paraphyly it is better to probably only in India and Sri Lanka that it is include this genus together with Scotopelia and regularly observed. In the 19th and 20th century, Nyctea in Bubo. Former Ketupa species, Brown a total of c 15 documented records became known Fish Owl, Tawny Fish Owl B flavipes and Buffy of the westernmost and palest taxon, semenowi, Fish Owl B ketupu cluster as close relatives of and no definite breeding was described for the Asian Bubo species like Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl WP. These records included just one for Turkey in B nipalensis and Barred Eagle-Owl B sumatranus the 20th century, in 1990. However, while the (König et al 1999, Sangster et al 2003, Knox 2008, species appears to be extinct in other WP coun- Wink et al 2008, Redactie Dutch Birding 2010). tries, several pairs have been found in southern Based on external morphology and geography, Turkey since 2004. New findings in 2009-10 cre- four subspecies of Brown Fish Owl are tradition- ated a rapid increase in our understanding of the ally recognized.
    [Show full text]
  • Gtr Pnw343.Pdf
    Abstract Marcot, Bruce G. 1995. Owls of old forests of the world. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW- GTR-343. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 64 p. A review of literature on habitat associations of owls of the world revealed that about 83 species of owls among 18 genera are known or suspected to be closely asso- ciated with old forests. Old forest is defined as old-growth or undisturbed forests, typically with dense canopies. The 83 owl species include 70 tropical and 13 tem- perate forms. Specific habitat associations have been studied for only 12 species (7 tropical and 5 temperate), whereas about 71 species (63 tropical and 8 temperate) remain mostly unstudied. Some 26 species (31 percent of all owls known or sus- pected to be associated with old forests in the tropics) are entirely or mostly restricted to tropical islands. Threats to old-forest owls, particularly the island forms, include conversion of old upland forests, use of pesticides, loss of riparian gallery forests, and loss of trees with cavities for nests or roosts. Conservation of old-forest owls should include (1) studies and inventories of habitat associations, particularly for little-studied tropical and insular species; (2) protection of specific, existing temperate and tropical old-forest tracts; and (3) studies to determine if reforestation and vege- tation manipulation can restore or maintain habitat conditions. An appendix describes vocalizations of all species of Strix and the related genus Ciccaba. Keywords: Owls, old growth, old-growth forest, late-successional forests, spotted owl, owl calls, owl conservation, tropical forests, literature review.
    [Show full text]
  • Tc & Forward & Owls-I-IX
    USDA Forest Service 1997 General Technical Report NC-190 Biology and Conservation of Owls of the Northern Hemisphere Second International Symposium February 5-9, 1997 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Editors: James R. Duncan, Zoologist, Manitoba Conservation Data Centre Wildlife Branch, Manitoba Department of Natural Resources Box 24, 200 Saulteaux Crescent Winnipeg, MB CANADA R3J 3W3 <[email protected]> David H. Johnson, Wildlife Ecologist Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 600 Capitol Way North Olympia, WA, USA 98501-1091 <[email protected]> Thomas H. Nicholls, retired formerly Project Leader and Research Plant Pathologist and Wildlife Biologist USDA Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station 1992 Folwell Avenue St. Paul, MN, USA 55108-6148 <[email protected]> I 2nd Owl Symposium SPONSORS: (Listing of all symposium and publication sponsors, e.g., those donating $$) 1987 International Owl Symposium Fund; Jack Israel Schrieber Memorial Trust c/o Zoological Society of Manitoba; Lady Grayl Fund; Manitoba Hydro; Manitoba Natural Resources; Manitoba Naturalists Society; Manitoba Critical Wildlife Habitat Program; Metro Propane Ltd.; Pine Falls Paper Company; Raptor Research Foundation; Raptor Education Group, Inc.; Raptor Research Center of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho; Repap Manitoba; Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada; USDI Bureau of Land Management; USDI Fish and Wildlife Service; USDA Forest Service, including the North Central Forest Experiment Station; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; The Wildlife Society - Washington Chapter; Wildlife Habitat Canada; Robert Bateman; Lawrence Blus; Nancy Claflin; Richard Clark; James Duncan; Bob Gehlert; Marge Gibson; Mary Houston; Stuart Houston; Edgar Jones; Katherine McKeever; Robert Nero; Glenn Proudfoot; Catherine Rich; Spencer Sealy; Mark Sobchuk; Tom Sproat; Peter Stacey; and Catherine Thexton.
    [Show full text]
  • Bird List Column A: We Should Encounter (At Least a 90% Chance) Column B: May Encounter (About a 50%-90% Chance) Column C: Possible, but Unlikely (20% – 50% Chance)
    THE PHILIPPINES Prospective Bird List Column A: we should encounter (at least a 90% chance) Column B: may encounter (about a 50%-90% chance) Column C: possible, but unlikely (20% – 50% chance) A B C Philippine Megapode (Tabon Scrubfowl) X Megapodius cumingii King Quail X Coturnix chinensis Red Junglefowl X Gallus gallus Palawan Peacock-Pheasant X Polyplectron emphanum Wandering Whistling Duck X Dendrocygna arcuata Eastern Spot-billed Duck X Anas zonorhyncha Philippine Duck X Anas luzonica Garganey X Anas querquedula Little Egret X Egretta garzetta Chinese Egret X Egretta eulophotes Eastern Reef Egret X Egretta sacra Grey Heron X Ardea cinerea Great-billed Heron X Ardea sumatrana Purple Heron X Ardea purpurea Great Egret X Ardea alba Intermediate Egret X Ardea intermedia Cattle Egret X Ardea ibis Javan Pond-Heron X Ardeola speciosa Striated Heron X Butorides striatus Yellow Bittern X Ixobrychus sinensis Von Schrenck's Bittern X Ixobrychus eurhythmus Cinnamon Bittern X Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Black Bittern X Ixobrychus flavicollis Black-crowned Night-Heron X Nycticorax nycticorax Western Osprey X Pandion haliaetus Oriental Honey-Buzzard X Pernis ptilorhynchus Barred Honey-Buzzard X Pernis celebensis Black-winged Kite X Elanus caeruleus Brahminy Kite X Haliastur indus White-bellied Sea-Eagle X Haliaeetus leucogaster Grey-headed Fish-Eagle X Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WINGS ● 1643 N. Alvernon Way Ste. 109 ● Tucson ● AZ ● 85712 ● www.wingsbirds.com
    [Show full text]
  • Download Article (PDF)
    OCCASIONAL PAPER NO 12S I f I I RECORDS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 125 A POCKET BOOK OF THE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE CHILKA LAGOON, ORISSA By T. S. N. MURTHY Southern Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India, Madrar ~VIU Edited by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta 1990 @ CDpy"g"t, Government IJ!r"dla, 199fJ Published: March, 1990 Price : Inland: Rs. Foreign: £ s Production: Publication Unit. Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta Printed in India by A. Kt. Chatterjee at . Jnanoday. Press. SSS, Kabi Su1Canta Sarani. Calcutta 700 ,O~ and Published by th" 1)jrJOiot. Zoological Surfty of India. Calcutta RECORDS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA Occasional Paper No. 125 1990 Pages 1-35 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 HIsTORY OF HERPETOLOGY OF THE CHllKA 1 Part I AMPHlTBANS 2 Part II REPTILEs S How TO. FIND AND OBSERVE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN THE CHlLKA LAGOON ... 24 CHECKLIST ... 2S GLOSSARY tt. 29 SELCECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ••• 31 INDEX ••• 33 ACKNOWU:DG~ ,t. 34 Dedicated to the memory of Nelson Annandale who pioneered the faunistic investigations of the Chilka Lake PREFACE The interesting frogs and reptiles of the Chilka lagoon in the State of Orissa seem not to have been given the attention they deserve. This small booklet introduces the few amphibians and many reptiles found in the Chilka Lake, on its several islands and hills, and along the shoreline. Literally, thousands of tourists visit the Chilka Lake round the year. Groups of school boys and girls come here regularly. It is necessary to tell them about the fauna of the lagoon and the ways of its wild denizens.
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand Highlights 14Th to 26Th November 2019 (13 Days)
    Thailand Highlights 14th to 26th November 2019 (13 days) Trip Report Siamese Fireback by Forrest Rowland Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Forrest Rowland Trip Report – RBL Thailand - Highlights 2019 2 Tour Summary Thailand has been known as a top tourist destination for quite some time. Foreigners and Ex-pats flock there for the beautiful scenery, great infrastructure, and delicious cuisine among other cultural aspects. For birders, it has recently caught up to big names like Borneo and Malaysia, in terms of respect for the avian delights it holds for visitors. Our twelve-day Highlights Tour to Thailand set out to sample a bit of the best of every major habitat type in the country, with a slight focus on the lush montane forests that hold most of the country’s specialty bird species. The tour began in Bangkok, a bustling metropolis of winding narrow roads, flyovers, towering apartment buildings, and seemingly endless people. Despite the density and throng of humanity, many of the participants on the tour were able to enjoy a Crested Goshawk flight by Forrest Rowland lovely day’s visit to the Grand Palace and historic center of Bangkok, including a fun boat ride passing by several temples. A few early arrivals also had time to bird some of the urban park settings, even picking up a species or two we did not see on the Main Tour. For most, the tour began in earnest on November 15th, with our day tour of the salt pans, mudflats, wetlands, and mangroves of the famed Pak Thale Shore bird Project, and Laem Phak Bia mangroves.
    [Show full text]