“See you at the Taj!” The Smith Private India Tour of 2016 27th January to 18th February 2016 Tiger by Wayne Jones Trip report compiled by tour leader Wayne Jones RBT Smith Private India 2016 Trip Report 2 Tour Summary Where to begin? For some the journey together started (or almost didn’t!) in the snowed-under eastern US. I was reunited with some familiar faces in the desert hub of Dubai airport, a stark contrast to my dazed travellers’ blizzard-ridden hometowns. While in a meteorological vein, our travelling party snowballed further with the addition of the incomparable Bablu in New Delhi. And finally our set was complete when our last two travelling companions joined us after Varanasi. Officially, though, the Smith Private India Tour began at New Delhi airport where we saw our first local bird – a Jungle Myna. The capital’s air pollution ranks as the worst in the world and we coughed our way to our hotel and back the next morning to catch our flight to India’s holiest city, Varanasi. Who could’ve imagined the amazing sights and sounds that awaited us?! We spent the afternoon in Sarnath where we marvelled at the incredibly preserved and polished sandstone Lion Capital of Ashoka, India’s national emblem. The nearby Hindu monk performing agni puja by Wayne Jones excavation site and Dhamek Stupa, an important Bhuddist monument, provided our first looks at: Rose- ringed Parakeet; Spotted Dove; Peregrine Falcon; a splendid pair of Asian Koels; Indian Grey Hornbill; Jungle Babbler, and Red-whiskered Bulbul. That evening we loaded up, two-apiece, on cycle rickshaws and took a thrilling ride through the synergistic chaos that is Indian traffic. Our destination was Dasashvamedha Ghat, where the famous nightly Ganga aarti ceremony had already begun. We watched as seven young Hindu monks performed the agni puja, or “worship to fire” ritual. Bells chimed, fiery lamps were held aloft, fans made of peacock feathers were swirled around and conch shells were trumpeted. Once it was all over we made our own offering to the sacred Ganges, setting tiny floating lamps adrift on her waters. We revisited the Ganges the following morning for a hazy boat ride that revealed the serene side of this bustling city. All along the city’s ghats – stairways leading into the river – Hindu pilgrims came to quietly bathe in her sacred waters. The only clamour came from Black-headed Gulls (of which there were hundreds up and down the river) which squabbled over occasional scraps in the water. After breakfast the credit cards were unleashed for the first (but by no means the last) time on this tour when we visited a silk brocade factory and witnessed the intricate workmanship involved in this craft, for which Varanasi is renowned. The day’s other attractions included: the Varanasi’s ghats from the River Ganges by Wayne Jones Shri Vishwanath Mandir (temple) at RBT Smith Private India 2016 Trip Report 3 Banares Hindu University; the Monkey Temple, and some welcome rest! Our tour coincided with wedding season and at our hotel we encountered the first of many nuptial ceremonies. Some went downstairs to marvel at the festivities and were quickly invited to join in the celebrations which were filled with music, colour, parades and fireworks. Our last morning in Varanasi saw us visiting the incredible room-sized relief map of the sub-continent at Bharat Mata Mandir, carved out of marble. We also managed a spot of birding; with the tiny grounds of the temple yielding: Brown- headed Barbet; White Wagtail; Brown Rock Chat; Pied Myna; Oriental Magpie- Robin, and a pair of adorable Jungle Owlets. We had a brief last taste of Varanasi’s hectic streets when we walked along a street-side produce market before setting off for the airport. Back in New Delhi we met up with the final two members of our group, who had just Jungle Owlet by Wayne Jones arrived in India. Our train today was only departing in the evening so we spent a full day in New Delhi. We paid a couple of visits to the vast Okhla Bird Sanctuary where we found huge numbers of waterfowl such as Greylag Goose, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard and the striking Tufted Duck. Other species included: our first Indian Peafowl; distant Black-headed Ibis and Eurasian Spoonbill; Black-crowned Night Heron; Purple Heron; Little, Indian and Great Cormorants; Oriental Darter; Greater Spotted Eagle; Western Marsh Harrier; White-breasted Waterhen; Grey-headed Swamphen; lovely Bronze-winged Jacana; Caspian and Pallas’s Gulls; many Yellow-footed Green Pigeons; Greater Coucal; four Spotted Owlets cuddled up to each other; Coppersmith Barbet; Grey-throated Martin; Common Chiffchaff; Greenish Warbler; Yellow-bellied Prinia; Striated Babbler, and Bluethroat and Indian Silverbill - to name but a few. In between these bouts of birding we made a stop at India Gate, a massive Arc de Triomphe-like structure in the heart of New Delhi. It was a Sunday and the broad boulevard and park area surrounding the monument was teeming with people enjoying their day off. We lapped up the wonderful atmosphere, with Sally proving very popular with locals who vied to be photographed with her! That evening we observed, with fascination, the grapple-hooks and goings-on in Old Delhi Station before embarking on our great adventure - the overnight train ride! We arrived safely, if a tad sleep-deprived, at Ramnagar and quickly transferred to a resort for a tasty hot breakfast and weak coffee. Then, on to the lovely Kosi River where we rushed past Red-billed Blue Magpies to search for Ibisbill along the river before the area became too busy. It didn’t take long. We eventually found three of these striking waders braving the strong (and cold!) current to Posing for pics at India Gate by Wayne Jones RBT Smith Private India 2016 Trip Report 4 prod those famous red bills in and around the river’s rounded rocks. We even observed one swimming. The area’s other sought-after bird, Wallcreeper, gave its location away as it flashed its crimson wings while foraging along large river-side boulders. A leisurely walk along the river bank revealed: Common Merganser; Indian Peafowl; Brown Crake; a large party of Little Egrets and Little Cormorants tracking shoals of fish; Crested Serpent Eagle; White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts; River Lapwing; Tawny and Long-billed Pipits, and White- throated, Common, Pied and Crested Kingfishers. Over the next two days we visited the nearby Mohaan area and birded the forest around our lodge overlooking the Kosi River. Along the high-level Ranikhet Long-billed Thrush by Wayne Jones Road, we had better sightings of two Mountain Hawk-Eagles chasing after each other than we did of the Himalayas which just barely materialised every now and then through the smoky haze. The moist, broad-leafed, woodland and mountainous terrain offered up views of: the sought-after Long-billed Thrush; Great, Lineated and Blue-headed Barbets; Fulvous-breasted; Grey- capped Pygmy; Grey-headed and Rufous Woodpeckers; delightful Collared Falconet; Alexandrine Parakeet; Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike; Common Woodshrike; Common Iora; Long-tailed and Scarlet Minivets; Bronzed and Hair-crested Drongos; Indian Jungle Crow; Yellow-bellied Fantail; Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher; Cinereous Tit; Ashy, Black and Himalayan Bulbuls; Indian Jungle Crow; Nepal House Martin; Grey-hooded Warbler; Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler; Black-chinned Babbler; White-crested and White-throated Laughingthrushes; Chestnut-bellied and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches; Grey-winged Blackbird; White-rumped Shama; Rufous-bellied and Small Niltavas; Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher; Snowy-browed Flycatcher; Speckled Piculet; Golden-fronted and Orange-bellied Leafbirds, and Olive-backed Pipit. Several species were especially accommodating, including: the day’s third Mountain Hawk-Eagle – this one eating something up in a tree; Common Emerald Dove; a Black-rumped Flameback - sitting on top of a bare snag for ages; an exquisite White- tailed Rubythroat, and Little and Spotted Forktails. Near our accommodation, the intrepid and ever- smiling lodge hound alerted us to some Wild Boars and Golden Jackals, although it was the lodge’s tame Asian Elephant that most captured our attention. Our next point of call was the scenic Jim Corbett National Park where we were hoping to see our first big game. We were not disappointed! The forest held the occasional Northern Red Muntjac, Sambar and Wild Boar while on the open plains we saw many Chital and Hog Deer. At one point, our three-jeep convoy was separated by a herd of 8 elephants. Despite keeping a very reasonable distance and not provoking her at all, the matriarch took exception to us and started charging our vehicles, followed closely by the rest of Little Forktail by Wayne Jones RBT Smith Private India 2016 Trip Report 5 the adults. Our convoy splintered off in different directions, regrouping once the pachyderms were satisfied they’d proven their dominance. More elephant adventures lay in store the next time round, however, we were riding them - four to each beast. Thanks to the Park’s Deputy Director, a near- certain Tiger sighting earlier in the day was thwarted, but we got our next shot at a sighting sooner than we thought! Midway through our afternoon elephant ride we were informed of a Tiger up near the road (with elephants being the original “4x4”, we hadn’t exactly been sticking to the beaten track). We raced up to the spot and got glimpses - with varying degrees of satisfaction - of the beautiful large cat bounding into the bush. Along with the large game Corbett also wowed us with its large birds - we almost stopped looking at Kalij Pheasants because they became so common.