Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters

Naturetrek Tour Report 18 - 26 February 2018

Smooth-coated Otter Jungle (Grey) Nightjar

Birding the rice paddies Hundreds of bird

Report compiled by Daniel Raju Images by Denny M. Ouseph and Daniel Raju

Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

Tour Report India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters

Tour participants: Denny M. Ouseph (Tour Leader), Daniel Raju (Naturalist) with nine Naturetrek clients

Day 1 Sunday 18th February

The group departed from the UK on Emirates, flying into Dubai and connecting to Cochin.

Day 2 Monday 19th February

The group arrived at Cochin International Airport at around 8.30am. We met the group members at the arrivals hall exit, and after introductions, we set off towards the backwater village of Kumarakom. Upon arrival we checked in at the Coconut Lagoon, an aesthetic resort recreating a village atmosphere, set near the backwaters of Vembanad Lake, adjoining the Kumarakom bird sanctuary. We then gathered in the restaurant for lunch and discussed our tour programme.

We went for a birding walk through the paddy fields of Kumarakom in the late afternoon. We spotted Cattle Egret, Oriental Darter, White-throated kingfisher, Indian Pond Heron, Little and Indian Cormorants, Barn Swallow and Blue-tailed Bee-eater, amongst other species.

Later in the evening we watched Mohiniyattam, a traditional dance from Kerala, performed for the in-house guests. After the show, we discussed the sightings of the day and we had dinner together and went back to our rooms.

Day 3 Tuesday 20th February

Today, early morning around 6.30am, we went for another session of birding near the fields of Coconut Lagoon. Sightings included Stork-billed Kingfisher, Whiskered Tern, Lesser Whistling Duck, White-throated Kingfisher, Intermediate Egret, Bronze-winged Jacana, Black Drongo, Rufous Treepie and Purple Heron.

We came back to the resort for breakfast and relaxed for a while. Our houseboats arrived at the resort jetty and we checked in to them by about 12noon. We stayed in two houseboats. We started cruising towards Alleppey, initially through the vast lake and then to the narrow waterways of Alleppey. We enjoyed a traditional Kerala meal for lunch. Along with some common species such as Brahminy Kite, Cormorants, Whiskered Tern, Oriental Darters, we also spotted Painted Stork, Asian Openbill (stork) and Baya Weaver.

We also explored the backwater village on foot after the houseboats docked in the evening. During the walk we spotted Painted Stork, Baya Weaver and Rose-ringed Parakeet etc. The boats were docked next to each other and so we gathered and had our dinner on one boat. We completed the checklist before dinner.

Day 4 Wednesday 21st February

After cruising for couple of hours early in the morning and having breakfast, we were taken to the boat jetty on a smaller boat from our houseboats.

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

Across the jetty, the paddy fields had a mix of various bird types like Garganey, Black-headed Ibis, Northern Pintail, Common Greenshank, egrets etc. We spent some time watching this huge gathering of birds before starting our journey towards Periyar Tiger Reserve. We had a short tea break en route and we reached Aranya Nivas by 1.30pm.We had lunch at the hotel and had a short rest before our boat trip in the afternoon.

Our boating session started by 3.30pm from the boat landing nearby. We had sightings of Woolly-necked Stork, Pied Kingfisher, River Terns, Little and Great Cormorants and mammals like Smooth-coated Otter, Sambar deer, Wild Boar and Indian Gaur during the boat trip. We went back to our rooms after the cruise before meeting up in the lobby by 6.30 pm for the night safari. We were dropped to the trek start points from Aranya Niwas by their jeeps. We were accompanied by forest guards during the safari and saw Indian Elephants, Grey Nightjar, Mouse Deer and Sambar. We were very cautious as there we were warned of presence of elephants on our trek path and were guided by forest guards to move on to safer area. We returned in the hotel jeeps from the trek end points and reached the hotel by 9.30 pm. We gathered for dinner before going to our rooms.

Day 5 Thursday 22nd February

Today, early morning, we went on for a walk inside the tiger reserve with forest guards. Sightings included Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Malabar Parakeet, Southern Hill Myna and Indian Gaur.

We had another boat trip in the afternoon and sightings were similar to yesterday, but we had an unexpected sighting of a Peregrine Falcon with its kill on a tree stump. This was one of the highlight of the whole trip. We reached the hotel after the boating and we had rest of the day at leisure. After discussion with the guests, we did not do the night trek. Later, we gathered for dinner and also prepared the checklist.

Day 6 Friday 23rd February

We had one more walking session in the forest this morning during which we spotted a Green Imperial Pigeon, White-cheeked Barbet and another highlight of the trip, which was the sighting of a Great Hornbill. After having breakfast at the resort, we checked out around 10.30am and headed towards Munnar.

On the way to Munnar, we had a stop for lunch at a local restaurant. As the main road to Munnar was blocked for roadworks, we had to take an alternative route to reach there. We had another stop closer to Munnar for a short walk along the tea plantations and a check dam where we spotted Common Rosefinch, Pied Bush Chat, Long-tailed Shrike and Oriental White-eye.

On arrival in Munnar we checked into the Tea County Resort and rest of the day was spent at leisure. We met together later to do the checklist and had our dinner at the hotel.

Day 7 Saturday 24th February

Today we had another early morning start as we went to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary for a birding session. We arranged for packed breakfasts and had a stop en route, near a local tea shop, where we had our packed breakfasts and refreshing local tea.

2 © Naturetrek April 18

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

At Chinnar also we had two forest guards to assist us during our walk inside the sanctuary. We spotted Crested (also known as Oriental) Honey Buzzard, White-bellied Minivet, Great Tit, Bronzed Drongo, Brown-breasted Flycatcher and Common Langur, amongst others. We had lunch at a local restaurant in Marayoor after the walk.

On the way back, before going to the hotel, we had a visit to the tea museum in Munnar. This gave us a chance to peek onto the history of tea in Munnar and also how tea was processed in the miniature tea factory which is part of the museum.

Day 8 Sunday 25th February

After breakfast we left Munnar and drove towards Cochin and on the way, we stopped for a break at a restaurant where we had tea and snacks. We checked into Killians Hotel in Fort Cochin around 1.30pm. We spent the afternoon visiting sights of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry, assisted by our guide Shaji.

In the evening most of us went to the Kathakali dance show and later we all gathered together for dinner at Killians. We confirmed the early morning departure time for those who were returning home after the main tour next day. The pickup time was given for those who were enjoying an extended visit in Kerala for another week and we bid goodbye to them.

Day 9 Monday 26th February

The travellers who were returning after the main tour had an early departure from the hotel in order to be at the airport in time for the Emirates flight; and said goodbye to another exciting trip of ‘Kerala’s National Parks and Backwaters” by Naturetrek.

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India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

Species Lists

Birds (=recorded but not counted) February Common name Scientific name 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 

2 Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis  

3 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo  

4 Little Cormorant Microcarbo (Phalacrocorax) niger    

5 Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster    

6 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 

7 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea   

8 Great Egret Ardea alba   

9 Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia    

10 Little Egret Egretta garzetta   

11 Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii   

12 Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus   

13 Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala 

14 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans  

15 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus  

16 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus 

17 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 

18 Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica   

19 Northern Pintail Anas acuta 

20 Garganey Spatula querquedula 

21 Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus   

22 Crested (Oriental) Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus 

23 Black Kite Milvus migrans  

24 Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus   

25 Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela 

26 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus  

27 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 

28 Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii 

29 Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus   

30 Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus   

31 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 

32 Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus    

33 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica   34 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago 

35 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 

36 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola   

37 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos  

38 River Tern Sterna aurantia  

39 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida   

40 Rock Dove Columba livia   

41 Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis    

42 Grey-fronted Green Pigeon Treron affinis 

43 Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea  

44 Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri 

45 Malabar Parakeet Psittacula columboides 

46 Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea    

47 Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 

4 © Naturetrek April 18

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

February Common name Scientific name 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 48 Jungle (Grey) Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus 

49 Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 

50 Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba 

51 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 

52 Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis  

53 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis     

54 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis  

55 Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus  

56 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti   

57 Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis  

58 Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus  

59 Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis 

60 White-cheeked Barbet Psilopogon viridis  

61 Crimson-fronted Barbet Psilopogon rubricapilla 

62 Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus 

63 Common Flameback Dinopium javanense   

64 Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus 

65 Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente 

66 Bar-winged flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus  67 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica   

68 White-browed Wagtail Motacilla madaraspatensis   

69 Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 

70 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea   

71 Paddyfield (Oriental) Pipit Anthus rufulus 

72 Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus 

73 Orange (Scarlet) Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus 

74 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus    

75 Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer  

76 Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus 

77 Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons 

78 Common Iora Aegithina tiphia  

79 Malabar Whistling Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii 

80 Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis 

81 Plain Prinia Prinia inornata  

82 Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus 

83 Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius 

84 Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 

85 Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis 

86 Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides 

87 Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris 

88 Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica  

89 Rusty-tailed Flycatcher Ficedula ruficauda 

90 Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui 

91 Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudata 

92 White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyornis pallipes 

93 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae 

94 Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis 

95 Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis     

96 Pied Bush Chat Saxicola caprata  

97 Indian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi  

98 Banasura (Grey-breasted) Laughingthrush Montecincla (Garrulax) jerdoni 

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

February Common name Scientific name 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 99 Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata 

100 Great Tit Parus major 

101 Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis 

102 Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica  

103 Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus 

104 Long-billed Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius 

105 Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile 

106 Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus  

107 Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo  

108 Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus  

109 Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella 

110 Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 

111 Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach  

112 Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus 

113 Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus    

114 Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus  

115 White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens 

116 Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus 

117 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus  

118 Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus 

119 Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda   

120 White-bellied Treepie Dendrocitta leucogastra 

121 House Crow Corvus splendens  

122 Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos  

123 Southern Hill Myna Gracula indica   

124 Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus   

125 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis      

126 Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica  

127 Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum 

128 House Sparrow Passer domesticus 

129 Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus  

130 White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata   

131 Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus 

Mammals 1 Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata    

2 Common Langur/Hanuman langur Semnopithecus entellus 

3 Nilgiri Langur Trachypithecus johnii  

4 Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus 

5 Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata  

6 Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus 

7 Indian Porcupine Hystrix indica 

8 Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus pennarum    

9 Malabar Giant Squirrel Ratufa indica  

10 Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura   11 Gaur (Indian Bison) Bos guarus  

12 Sambar Cervus unicolor  

13 Mouse Deer Tragulus memminna 

14 Indian Wild Boar Sus scrofa  

15 Asian Elephant Elephas maximus  

India - Kerala's National Parks & Backwaters Tour Report

February Common name Scientific name 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Reptiles   1 Bengal / Indian Monitor Lizard Varanus bengalensis  

Bird watching

Peregrine with prey