Newsletter for Birdwatchers 46 (5), 2006 67 Record of Malabar Pied ( coronatus) and other from Melghat RAJU KASAMBE* and JAYANT WADATKAR *G-1, Laxmi Apartments, 64, Vidya Vihar Colony, Pratap Nagar, Nagpur - 440022, Maharashtra. E-mail: [email protected]

Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) is located in Amravati district along the eastern edge), South of South Maharashtra of Maharashtra and covers an area of 1676.93 Sq km. The (Ratnagiri) and Sri Lanka (Rasmussen and Anderton, 2005). ’ ’ 0 0 0 ’ geographical location of MTR is 21 15 to 21 45 N and 76 57 It is a near threatened (criterion NT C1) (Islam 0 ’E. A preliminary list of 33 birds was prepared by Mr. to 77 30 and Rahmani, 2002) and its population is declining. R. T. Jenkin (D.F.O. Melghat) in 1925 and was published in the Guide to Chikhalda (Nelson,1925). Sawarkar (1987) The sighting of five birds in Melghat including an immature published the first comprehensive checklist of birds of Melghat, bird, confirms the presence of a small breeding population which included 252 species. Besides the old records of Fairy of A. coronatus. Many expert birdwatchers like Salim Ali, Blue-bird (Irena puella) and recent record of Great Black Mr. V.B. Sawarkar, Ms. Prachi Mehta, Mr. Aasheesh Kothari, Woodpecker (Dryocopus javensis), Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux Mr. Kishor Rithe, Mr. Nishikant Kale etc. have studied the blewitti) has been rediscovered in Melghat. avifauna of Melghat for many years, but had never come across this bird. Moreover, this is not a species to be It was Mr. Kamlakar Dhamge (Dy. Conservator of Forest, confused with any other species or which may escape the MTR), who first sighted three Malabar Pied near attention of a good birdwatcher. Kolkas rest house on July 20th 2003 in the canopy of a Banyan tree Ficus benghalensis. These included one We can thence presume that the species is trying to immature bird indicating successful breeding. He being a establish itself in a new habitat (Melghat), which is suitable bird enthusiast informed me (RK) of this finding. and safe. A few birds might have probably migrated from Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) in search of a th th Jayant stayed for 4 days from 5 to 8 December 2003 at suitable habitat. It is a good sign both for the survival of A. Raipur village rest house in MTR for the study of butterflies. coronatus and for the biodiversity of Melghat. On the afternoon of December 6th, he saw two more birds on a fruit laden Banyan tree. The Raipur rest house is a century Additional records for Melghat old building constructed by the British and has three equally Mr. Aashish Kothari (1998) has reported the presence of aged Banyan trees. During his stay of two more days, Jayant Stork-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon capensis) near Kolkhas rest saw the pair visiting the Banyan trees daily around noon. house. Ms. Prachi Mehta has reported the sighting of Black- Raju visited the Raipur range on 20th and 21st December capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) near Sidukund, Bar- 2003 for the study of Forest Owlets along Satish Charthal. winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus picatus) and Blue- On 21st at 0615hrs., when Raju came out with binoculars for bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis athertoni). In addition, Kishor birdwatching, a had just alighted on Rithe has sighted Fire-capped Tit (Cephalopyrus flammiceps) one of the Banyan trees. and Blue-capped Rock Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus) at Jamoda Padav, Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) in Apart from A. coronatus, several Indian Grey Hornbills the Tapi river, and a White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) at ( birostris), Yellow-footed Green Pigeons (Treron Rangubeli. Mr. Nishikant Kale again sighted the Green Munia phoenicoptera) and Asian Koels (Eudynamys scolopacea) (Amandava formosa) near Raipur village. were also flocking the tree. Other birds like Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus), Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus Raju Kasambe saw many Indian Silverbills (Lonchura xanthornus), Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima malabarica) at Chourakund and a few Little Cormorants haemacephala), Large Cuckoo Shrike (Coracina macei), (Phalacrocorax niger) across Tapi river at Rangubeli. He has White-bellied Drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens) and Greater also reported (Kasambe, R. 2003) the occurrence of Little Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) also visited the Green Heron (Butorides striatus), Black-crowned Night Heron trees. We both took photographs of A. coronatus separately. (Nycticorax nycticorax), Crested Bunting (Melophus lathami), and possibly a Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) in Melghat. The bird has an axe shaped casque on its bill with a large black patch along the upper ridge of the casque. The outer References: tail feathers are white and have a white trailing edge to wings BirdLife International (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia. The BirdLife and have pink throat patches. The male and female can be International Red Data Book, Cambridge, U.K. differentiated. Grimmet R. Inskipp C. and Inskipp T. (2000). Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Oxford University Press. It is resident in peninsular hills, from South-West West Islam, MZ & Rahmani, A. R. (2002). Threatened Birds of . Buceros. Bengal and Bihar to North Andhra, Western Ghats (mainly Vol.7 (1&2) pp.78. 68 Newsletter for Birdwatchers 46 (5),2006 Kasambe, R. M. (2003) Additions to the birds of Melghat Tiger Reserve, Nelson A. E. (1925) A Guide to Chikalda. Govt. Press Nagpur. ’ Maharashtra. Zoos Print Journal. Vol.18(3) pp.1050. Ranjitsinh M. K. (1985) Saker Falcons in the Melghat, Journal of Bom. Kasambe, R., Pande. S., Wadatkar, J., Pawashe, A. (2004): Additional Nat. Hist. Soc. Vol.82. Records of the Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti in Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, Newsletter for Ornithologists: Vol. I-II:12-14. Rasmussen, P. & Anderton, J. (2005): Birds of South Asia-The Ripley Kasambe, R., Wadatkar J., Bhusum N.S., & Kasdekar F. (2005): Forest Guide Vol.2. Attributes and Status pp.152 Owlets Heteroglaux blewitti in Melghat Tiger Reserve, Distt. Rithe K. (2003) New bird species recorded from Melghat. 18th National Amravati, Maharashtra, Newsletter for Birdwatchers: Vol.45 No.3. Symposium on Recent Trends in Life Sciences, Amravati University, pp.38-40 Amravati. pp.27-29. Kothari A. (1998) Sighting of Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata in R. Jayapal, Qamar Qureshi & Ravi Chellam (2005): Some significant Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, Newsletter for Birdwatchers. records from the central Indian highlands of Madhya Pradesh. Indian Vol.38(1).pp.11. Birds. Vol.1 (5): 98-102 M.K.S. Pasha, R. Jayapal, G. Areendran, Q. Qureshi, K. Sankar (2004). Birds of Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, central India. Sawarkar V. B. (1987) Bird survey of Melghat Tiger Reserve. Cheetal. Newsletter for Ornithologists: Vol.1 (1&2): 2-9 Vol.29.pp.4-27. Sighting of some threatened bird species in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) Bhagalpur, Bihar

Dr. D.N. CHOUDHARY* and Mr. ARBIND MISHRA** *Dept. of Zoology. P.N.College, Parsa, Saran, 841219, Bihar **Coordinator, IBCN, Bihar & Jharkhand. (Authors are senior activists of Mandar Nature Club, Bhagalpur, Bihar)

It was a pleasant morning of March 23, 2005, when we It has a rich biodiversity comprising important flora and fauna. started our boat trip to Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin In addition to Gangetic dolphins, otters, turtles and gharials, Sanctuary (VGDS) from Sultanganj Ghat. are found in the sanctuary. Moreover, it is a permanent roosting, feeding and breeding ground for a large number of Sultanganj Ghat and Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin resident and migratory birds. In view of these facts, this sanctuary are internationally recognized places. On one hand sanctuary has been selected as an IBA site of Bihar. Sultanganj ghat is the famous pilgrimage center for the “Ajgavinath” temple is situated in the Hindus. The renowned We reached Sultanganj Ghat by 6:00 am, had the Dahi- midst of river Ganga near this ghat. Pilgrims from different Chura (traditional breakfast of Sultanganj ghat) and hired a parts of India and abroad visit this place during the month of mechanized country boat for our survey. As we started our • - August), take their holy dip in Uttarbahini Sawan (July journey, we saw dolphins sliding on the water surface by Ganga and carry holy Ganga water to Babadham (Deoghar elevating their long snout in the air with a hissing sound su- … in Jharkhand) on foot to worship lord Shiva. On the other su . We enjoyed watching the frenzied activities of the hand, the famous Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin sanctuary dolphins in the main stream throughout our journey. Common (\/GDS) starts form this place. crows and a few pariah kites were seen flying overhead near this Ghat, hoping to pickup a morsel or two tossed by the VGDS has been recognised as a paradise for Ganges River pilgrims. This is a regular feature at this Ghat, particularly Dolphins. The Govt. of Bihar designated in 1991, a 50 km in the mornings. segment of the river between Sultanganj and Kahalgaon as Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary, considering the The survey began at 7:00 am and ended by 3:30 pm at ‘Soons’ or Ganges River occurrence of higher number of Bhagalpur near Bararighat. Our boat moved slowly Dolphins. The VGDS is the only protected area established throughout the main stream, sometimes along the margin specifically for the protection of Ganges River Dolphins. of the river so that we could watch the activities of birds on the bank and in the nearby cultivated fields. We also halted This sanctuary lies in the alluvial tract interspersed with now and then on the islands and river banks. agricultural fields. Geographically the sanctuary lies north °.15, 247', of the Tropic of Cancer (Sultanganj Ghat N 25 During this eight hour journey, we conducted an exhaustive °.16, 647' & Khalgaon N 25°.15,402') The Bhagalpur, N 25 survey of birds and aquatic on the river banks, area has a moderate climate and July is the rainiest islands, near cultivated fields and in the main stream, season. The sanctuary comprises many smaller and covering a 25 km segment of VGDS. larger islands (sand deposits) chaurs, crisscrossing water We encountered many resident and migratory bird species bodies, river banks, a few cultivated fields and the main during this boat ride. It was a fruitful journey. Four large river stream. flocks of migratory birds were recorded at four separate sites.