Indian Birds

Photo Golden Oriole

2012-01-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

Golden Oriole By Neeraj Vegad

Spotted Owlet Photo

2012-01-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

Raju Itkelwar Spotted Owlet

Birding at Jabalpur - 22/1/2012

2012-01-22T04:56:00.000-08:00

I took the road that leads to Narmada River. I went along the way that reaches the banks of the river. I did not go to the banks but restircted myself to the road. Below is the cehceklist of bird I saw:

Barn Swallows
Green Sand Piper
Common Chiff Chaff
Lesser Whitethroat
Grey Wagtail
Black Winged Stilts
Temminck's Stint
Yellow Wattled Lapwing
Red Wattled Lapwing
Nakta or CompDuck
Lesser Whistling Teal
Cotton Pygmy Goose
Coot
Great Egret
Median Egret
Little Cormorant
Ringed Rose Parakeet
Pied Starling
Cattle Egret
Greater Coucal
Greenish Warbler
Black Redstart
Common Redshank
Common Sandpiper
Wire Tailed Swallow
Pied Kingfisher
White Throated Kingfisher
Barhminy Starling
House Sparrow
Black Winged Kite
Pariah Kite
Purple Swamphen
Baya Weaver
Bronze Winged Jacana
Pond Heron
Little Grebe

As usual this was a short birding trip and wanted to score the banks but fell short of time die to a pressing engagement with a client. Well more to come.

Red Throated Flycatcher Photo

2012-01-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

Red Throated Flycatcher by Neeraj Vegad

Malabar Pied Hornbill

2012-01-10T04:46:00.000-08:00


Malabar pied hornbill by Teerath Singh

Bandhavgarh is the right place to see and photograph hornbills - Common Gray and Malabar Pied Horbill.

2012-01-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

Blue Rock Pigeon by Neeraj Vegad

This beautiful photographed here by Neeraj in flight is oft neglected by many but is a commensal of man. Its more exotic cousins are found elsewhere in India - speckled pigeon and hill pigeon etc.

Sunday Birding Jabalpur - 8-12-2012

2012-01-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

We went to Barha Reserve Forest for early morning birding. In the company were a group of amateur nature photographers. It is encouraging to see people indulge in nature photography which is a healthy sport. They were young and excited to accompany a birder for a birding session and photography.

In this foggy and cold morning and We could see:

Streak Throated Swallows
Red Wattled Lapwing
Oriental Turtle Dove
Tailor Bird (Call)
Black Headed Oriole
Verditor Flycatcher
Black Nape Monarch
Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher
Striated Heron
Barn Swallows
Plain Martin
Rufus Treepie
Racket Tailed Drongo
Black Drongo
Greenish Warbler
Hume's Warbler (Calls)
Common Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
White Throated Kingfisher
Black Rumped Flameback
Grey Hornbill
Crested Serpent Eagle
Common Kestrel

Shikra
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
Black Ibis
Pond Heron

Little Cormorant
Jungle Babbler
Black Lored Tit (Calls)
Great Tit
Grey Wagtail
Brown Cheeked Fulvetta (Calls)
Rose Ringed Parakeet
Plum Headed Parakeet
Green Pigeon (Calls)
Spotted Dove (Calls)
Laughing Dove
Long Tailed Shrike
Red Kite
Magpie Robin
Indian Robin

Brown Headed Barbet (Calls)
Crimson Breasted Barbett (Coppersmith) (Calls)

This was a short two hour trip but we are planning to go for a long trip another Sunday. The long trip should result in much greater checklist with some exciting species.

Brown Rock Chat

2012-01-04T01:18:00.001-08:00

Brown Rock Chat by Neeraj Vegad

Lesser Whitethroat

2012-01-03T04:57:00.000-08:00


Lesser Whitethroat by Neeraj Vegad	Great Shot! A winter migrant this bird can be seen hidden in the bushes. A shy bird and the photographs are rare get.

Lesser Known Birding Destination MP

2012-01-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

Birding in India is popular among inbound tourists to popular birding spots. There is a goldmine of birding destinations in India yet to be explored. Very little work has been done in these destinations that promise exciting discoveries or better understanding of avian distribution in India.

Birding in India is a commercial venture organized by many tour companies. Birding as hobby has yet to increase to a higher level of involvement. The reasons could be popularity of wildlife and bird photography, cost of optics and perhaps lack of encouragement etc.

Nevertheless people are becoming aware of the avian friends in the neighborhood all over the country.

I have visited many places in Central India that offer good birding potential but have yet to be explored.

Pachmarhi = High altitude variation, diverse flora, cold climate.
Satpura Tiger Reserve = Large Reservoir, Dense Forest Canopy Altitude Variation.
Amarkantak = High altitude variation, diverse flora, cold climate.

Nauradehi WLS = Dry Deciduous Forest, Grasslands, Scrub and Fields.
Kanha National Park - Tiger Reserve
Bandhavgarh National Park - Tiger Reserve
Pench National Park - Tiger Reserve

Geographical position of Central India makes in ideal to score for taxa from different regions of India and migrants. Organized and guided bird watching in Madhya Pradesh is the best option. Though not in regular birding path the expedition would be rewarding.

Bird Photos By Neeraj Vegad Jabalpur

2012-01-01T21:01:00.001-08:00

Verditor Flycatcher

Little Green Bee Eater

Golden Oriole

Bee Eater

Indian Roller

White Throated Kingfisher

Long Billed Vulture Photo

2011-12-28T19:31:00.000-08:00


Photo: Neeraj Vegad Jabalpur		A critically endangered bird this vulture now inhabits few ecosystems that support its breeding biology. The bird makes nest on steep cliff out of the reach of humans.

Magpie Robin

2011-12-27T22:01:00.001-08:00


Magpie Robin by Neeraj Vegad Common in most part of India this bird is an amazing songster. It is heard throughout the day during the breeding season in summers.

Long Billed Pipit Photos

2011-12-27T19:56:00.000-08:00

The photos have been taken by Jagat Flora based in Jabalpur, MP, India

Birding on Narmada Banks

2011-12-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

We visited the Gaur River Railway Bridge on Sunday 25/12/2011 in search of Green Munia. I had seen the species about few years back and wanted a cap on its status in Jabalpur. We were not fortunate enough to see the Green Avadavat but could come across some interesting avian. The banks once dense forest now comprise of srubs, grass and few bushes with lot of scrub and deserted fields.

Long Billed Pipit (Anthus similis decaptus). We had earlier seen Anthus similis jerdoni in Jabalpur

Paddyfield pipit
Rufous Tailed Lark
Singing Bush Lark
Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark
Common Rosefinch
Jungle Bush Quail
Common Iora
Plain Prinia
Ashy Primia
Common Tailorbird
Black Redstart
Tickell's Leaf Warbler
Hume's Warbler
Greenish Wabler
Indian Robin
Magpie Robin
Lesser Whitethroat
Red Rumped Swallow
Streak Throated Swallow

I wish to share information on Green Munia which is said to be loosing ground in India very fast.

Noradehi Wildlife

2011-11-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

Birds of Noradehi in Central India

Birding at Marble Rocks

2011-11-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

The magical mystical falls Dhuandhar on River Narmada are the beginning of the gorge that Capt Forsyth so vividly described - Marble Rocks. Much remains of the magnificent splendor the he described excpet the surroundings have become devoid of greenery in recent times.

A concrete pathway and driveway with an overhead rope way has opened new vista of tourism. The river were once surrounded with dense forests on the cliffs - all gone now. Wherever man steps in destruction is bound to occur.

Anyway while my guests were busy visiting the falls I was busy bird watching on the cliff bang opposite. I could see some house martins flying all around the Egyptian Vultures most of them were juvenile. It was quite late but I did manage to see a blue rock thrush female. These birds visit the rocky surroundings near the hills of Bargi which are nearby. Another good sightings was rufous tailed larks sitting pensively on of the rocks. White wagtail and large pied wagtails were in plentyful.

I could not sight the Brown Fish Owl which frequent the boating area and surroundings. But they are certainly visible during the evening time whence they come out of the fissures amidst the marble rocks in the over hanging cliffs.

Near by there is an old bridge that leads to Marble Rock underneath you can discover a colony of streak throated swallows. This is where you can see Brahminy Ducks and an occasional rare visitor the avocet.

Red wattled lapwing, house sparrows, are ubiquitous in Jabalpur. Humes warbler, brown rock chat and a purple sunbirds male in eclipse was what I could see before we moved on.

Spanish Nature Birding Tour to India - Peter Jones

2011-10-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Peter & Gajinder Singh

Peter strikes rapport with astounding ease and his birding skills are as astounding. He is the tour leader for Spanish Nature Birding Company. And most widely traveled on ornithological quest.

I had the pleasure of birding along with him as tour leader from DMC side (Indiafootprints). We had an exhaustive bird watching tour from November 15th to 4th December. tour Highlights - Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur, Nainital - Sat Tal, Chambal River Sanctuary, Kanha National Park and Pench Tiger Reserve.

As TL/birding guide, accompanying Peter was a learning experience. His professional skills go beyond spotting and identifying the avian species, being more analytical he could enlighten us a lot on morphology and flight patterns of raptors and birds with uniform characteristics like warblers, pipits and larks.

He loves his beer and jokes around a lot. The best evenings on tour I spent with him by the fireside....beer, bites and his ever accompanying wit. He is generous and helps the locals wherever he goes. Part of this blog entry and photographs have been published on my blog from his blog which is a professional work and highly informative. With his permission!

He is an excellent bird photographer with professional skills, his work can also be seen on Facebook.

Desert Warbler - Peter Jones/Spanish Nature

The most exciting moment was discovery of Desert Warbler at Dhikala Complex in Corbett Tiger Reserve. Our accompanying local guide Gajendra Singh spotted it in the complex towards Dhikala Chaud. Peter sighted European Roller at Kanha a rarity in these parts.

Bonelli's Eagle - Peter Jones/Spanish Nature.

Throughout the tour our checklist raced along with supersonic speed and we could sight most of the targeted species. We managed to spot Ibisbill, Greater Painted Snipe, Jack Snipe, Indian Skimmer, Great Hornbill, Eurasian Wryneck, Southern Grey Shrike, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Altai Accentor, Mountain Hawk Eagle and many many more.

Painted Snipe- Peter Jones/Spanish Nature.

Red Headed Bunting - Peter Jones/Spanish Nature.

The tour was in two parts and the last leg was in Central India - Kanha National Park and Pench Tiger Reserve. We managed to trek a big male tiger and the rest of the time of tour was spent on extensive bird watching. The reserves are best for forest birds and become more exciting in winters whence migrant arrive.

Visit Spanish Nature Birding Blog for the checklist compiled by Peter Jones.

Spanish Nature Tour Company

Western Crowned Warbler in Jabalpur

2011-10-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

Red Jungle Fowl

Plain Prinia

Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark

Bird Checklist Jabalpur

Sunday 23/10/2011 Barha R.F Jabalpur MP India

I had seen this bird earlier about seven years back but could not confirm the features due to bad light. Today's birding yielded much better sighting and a new bird added to my list.

Western Crowned Warbler
Tickell's Leaf Warbler
Hume's Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Brown Cheeked Fulvetta
Black Naped Monarch
Paradise Flycatcher
Red Throated Flycatcher (Female)
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
Black Headed Oriole
Golden Oriole Juvenile
Black Drongo
Racket Tailed Drongo
Pond Heron
Black Redstart
Common Sandpiper
Red Wattled Lapwing
Grey Wagtail
Streat Throated Swallow
Large Cuckoo Shrike
Large Babbler
Jungle Babbler
Common Tailor Bird (Calls)
Gray Breasted Prinia (Calls)
Plain Prinia (Calls)
White Eye
Common Iora (Calls)
Rufous Treepie
Common Myna
Little Grebe
Little Cormorant
Cattle Egret
Indian Robin (Calls)
Rose Ringed Parakeet
Plum Headed Parakeet (Calls)
Common Grey Hornbill (Calls)
Grey Francolin
Red Vented Bulbul
Pariah Kite
Black Shouldered Kite
Spotted Dove (Calls)
Black Rumped Flameback
Red Jungle Fowl (Calls)
Purple Heron (Flight)
Wooly Necked Stork
Black Ibis

As the winter sets in more migrants are to arrive this will make birding more interesting. This November I will be leading a group to Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in MP. This is a combined tiger safari/birding and wildlife photography tour of 10 days. I am very Happy!

Best Birding spots in Kanha National Park

2011-10-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

It can be a bit difficult birding at Kanha Tiger Reserve without prior information on best spots. Albeit the birds are spread all over the park some places are more fruitful for targeted birds. In winters dense canopy makes bird watching an arduous task. Nevertheless it is ideal time for forest birding due to arrival of migrants. Birds can be seen anywhere I am just highlighting my favorite spots below.

Some of the areas I prefer are the mixed forest zones within the park confines those at Indri Road. One can come across many species here. Scaly Munia, Red Avadavat, White Throated Kingfisher, Red Rumped Swallows, Indian Silver Bill, Green Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Wooly Necked Stork, Common Snipe, Painted Snipe, Black Stork and other water birds can be seen at the pond near the beat guard's hut. Further ahead one can come across Indian Scimitar Babbler, Sirkeer Malkoha, Brown Cheek Fulvetta, Long Tailed Minivet, Tickell's Flowerpecker, Purple Sunbird, Little Minivet, Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher, White Eye, Crimson Breasted Barbet, Asian Koel, Barred Jungle Owlet, White Backed Vulture, Long Billed Vulture and many warblers.

The canopy differs much at Bamni Dadar Road it is more mixed forest with high altitude species and mreo fruiting trees. This area is inhabited by Indian Scimitar Babbler, Honey Buzzard, White Eyed Buzzard, Shama (bamboo) Bronze Winged Dove, Yellow Footed Green Pigeon, Quails, Painted Francolin, Shikra, Common Kestrel, Common Kestrel and more.

Grassland species best seen at Parsa Tola include Common Stone Chat, Pied Bush Chat, Pipits, other birds seen are Ashy Prinia, Plain Prinia, Long Tailed, Little and Scarlet Minivet, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Brown Capped Pigmy Woodpecker, Grey Bush Chat and more.

White Rumped Shama, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, and Tawny Babbler has definite affinity for Bamboo Clumps and perhaps. Puff Throated Babbler, Tickell's and Orange Headed Thrush prefer sandy stony areas with moisture.

Link No 7 and 8 are also good birding grounds one should visit. The White Rumped Vulture and Palas's Fish Eagle can be seen near the bridge over the pond on approach to Kanha Rest House from grasslands. One can see Red and Yellow Wattled Lapwings, Red Rumped Swallows, Pipits and Larks at the grasslands of Kisli near the Rest house.

The reservoir at Nakti Ghati near the Kopedabri Camp is excellent birding spot where on can see birds such as White Backed Munia, Crested Hawk Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Verditor Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Peacock, Koel, Tickells Blue Flycatcher, White Throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Common Blue Kingfisher, Black Naped Flycatcher, Lesser Whistling Teal, Cormorant, Red Wattled Lapwing, Purple Heron, Grey Heron etc can be seen often.

Malabar Pied Hornbill are less seen at Kanha as compared to Bandhavgarh National Park in Umaria District in MP. Grey Hornbill like many places in Madhya Pradesh are a common sight.

The water bodies at Kanha, Sarvan Taal, Sondhar and Bishanpura harbor many wetland birds of which most common are Egrets, sandpipers, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Lesser Whistling Teal, Nakta, Wooly Necked Stork, Open Billed Stork, etc. Kanha is a poor representative of wetland species.

On the outskirts I have had good birding at Lake near Boda Chhapri and Kahtia Mukki Road and some other nearby places. It is a must to go bird watching on the outskirts as you are allowed a leisurely trek with ample of time to seek out the magnificent species that inhabit this wonderland.

Birds Seen at Barha Range Jabalpur

2011-10-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

It was lazy birding but we could not sight new migrants on this Sunday. We saw some black winged stints and streak throated swallows which breed under the Gaur Bridge on the way. the other birds we saw where:

Black lored tit
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher (Calls)
Chestnut Headed Myna or Chestnut Tailed Starling
Common Myna
Hoopoe
Red Jungle Fowl
Black Hooded Oriole (Calls)
Juvenile Golden Oriole
Black Drongo
Honey Buzzard
Short Toed Snake Eagle
Pariah Kite
Rose Ringed Parakeet
Plum Headed Parakeet
Barred Jungle Owlet (Calls)
Common Iora
Common Wood Shrike (Calls)
Brown Cheeked Fulvetta
Little Grebe
Tailor Bird
Grey Breasted Prinia
Plain Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Bronze Winged Dove
Greenish Warbler
Little Cormorant
Jungle Babbler
Large Grey Babbler

The vegetation is still very dense and visibility is not very deep hence less avian species is noted. The arrival of migrants is yet to peak. We are keen to meet with our feathered friends from abroad.

Old Acquaintances Return - Winter Migrants

2011-09-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

The rains have stopped, well nearly and we have been to our first birding trip post monsoon. As usual we visited Barha as part of study to find out which migrants arrive first in Jabalpur. One of the few arrivals we met with were black redstart, barn swallows on the way to the Barha Forest Range.

At Barha we sighted the Greenish Warbler which along with the Hume's Warbler is most abundant in Jabalpur Region. Oriental turtle dove seems to have swift movement forth and back. We also saw Grey Wagtail alight on the banks of a small puddle in between the forests. Green sandpiper also returns early we should see it soon. Some bird seem to spen less time in winter quarters and more time in India. The monsoon break is big by all mean and lasts from June to Septmber mid and I get somewhat disoriented with birding.

Nevertheless the monsoon has come to an end and birdwatching has started. Hurray! Other resident birds we saw today were honey buzzard, Indian roller, spotted dove, laughing dove, rose ringed parakeet, black hooded oriole, streak throated swallow, puff throated babbler, common iora, tickle's blue flycatcher, gray vented bulbul, white eye, pied starling, common myna, red wattled lapwing, red breasted, ashy and plain prinia.

Our favorite birding spot is around forests at the bank of Narrai Nala, This is a small perennial stream which emerges from nearby mountains. This where the martyred Maharani Gurgawati was killed by her enemies. Some years back the place was inhabited by lot of chinkaras, barking deer, wild boar and spotted deer they have all been hunted down though barking deer can still be seen but rarely. The gang of poachers still enter the forests in quest of wild boar and red jungle fowl. Logging continues day to day and the density is going down with no hope for future. An occasional tiger or leopard migrates from near by forests but returns due to paucity of prey base.

We will keep an eye on for more arrivals and make a note here. Earlier at my house three nesting took place on the same vine. First to nest was purple sun bird followed by spotted munia and Indian silver bill on the latter's nest.

2011-09-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

Purple Sunbird by Jayesh Shah

Purple Sunbird in Breeding Plumage. The pectoral bands are clearly visible in the picture.The species breeds between January to June with Feb and May being the peak periods.

Sarus Crane - Breeding

2011-09-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

Sarus Crane By Jayesh Shah - Ahmedabad

The species though not persecuted much in many parts of India is exhibiting declining numbers due to habitat loss. The Sarus Crane symbol of eternal fidelity breeds in between marshy grasslands and local inundations on bunds that are natural creation by assimilation of sand and other material. The breeding period is during the monsoon.

This photograph is taken by Mr. Jayesh Shah from Ahmadabad who is an avid bird photographer and birder. He has compiled lot of material on birds especially those from Gujarat.

Smokey Warbler in Jabalpur

2011-05-10T02:42:00.000-07:00

It was a chance sighting that my friend Mr. Flora could sight the bird in his garden. The bird was limping and not her usual self.With warblers confusion always prevails. He mistook it for a sulfur bellied warbler and began to film it.

When we saw the bird in the video there were some differences that made us to dig deep. Eventually we could confirm its identification as smokey warbler a winter migrants seen up North. the white below the eye circle helped us confirm the new findings. The bird was located for the first time in Jabalpur and we were happy with the discovery.

Warblers most popularly seen in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh in Central India are winter migrants. Our regular study is going to offer a better idea of their location. These plain colored marvels along with pipts are very difficult to identify whence sighting is very slight.