Return to trip reports.Report of some bird observations made between November 20 and December 8, during a trip to Southern India, including visits to agricultural institutes (a.o. ICRISAT) at Hyderabad.
| 19-11 | Air India flight, via London to Bombay |
| 20-11 | Morning: Bombay, Juhu Beach. Afternoon flight to Bangalore. Taxi ride to Mysore (Karnataka). |
| 21-11 | Mysore |
| 22-11 | Mysore: Ranganathittoo Bird Sanctuary. Evening: Brindavan Gardens. |
| 23-11 | Mysore (lv. 8.45 h) - Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary (arr. 22.00 h) by bus. |
| 24-11 | Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary. |
| 25-11 | Mudumalai National Park (Tamil Nadu). |
| 26-11 | Bandipur (lv. 09.30 h) - Mysore (arr. 11.30 h)
by bus. Afternoon Chamundi Hills near Mysore. |
| 27-11 | Mysore (lv. 09.15 h) - Nagarahole (arr. 12.00 h) by bus. Transfer to Kabini River Lodge (Karapura) by jeep (arr. 15.00 h). |
| 28-11 | Karapura: Kabini River Lodge. |
| 29-11 | Morning: Kabini River Lodge, incl. coracle
ride. Afternoon (14.30h) transfer by taxi to Nagarahole (Government Lodge). |
| 30-11/ 01-12 | Mysore (lv. 8.25 h) - Maddur (arr. 10.50 h) by bus. Visit to
Pelicanry at Kokkere Bellur (10.50 - 13.00 h). Afternoon transfer by bus to Bangalore (arr. 15.00 h). |
| 02-12 | Flight to Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh). |
| 03-12/ 08-12 | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Visit to International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and experimental fields. Participation in an International Meeting on Biotechnology in Agriculture. |
| 09-12 | Hyderabad downtown. Afternoon flight to Bombay. |
| 10-12 | Bombay (lv. 7.30 h) - Paris - Amsterdam (arr. 20.00 h). |
Records have been grouped into 6 geographical categories. See itinerary for dates.
Bo = Bombay, records mainly at Juhu Beach.
My = Mysore, including Ranganathittoo Bird Sy. and Brindavan Gardens.
Ba = Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary, including Mudumalai Nat. Park.
Na = Nagarahole Nat. Park, incl. area around Kabini River Lodge (Karapura).
KB = Kokkere Bellur (Pelicanrynear Maddur).
Hy = Hyderabad and ICRISAT expl. fields.
Symbols:
+ = species present, no counts
n = actual number of species observed
A = 1 - 5 specimen per day
B = 6 - 20 per day
C = 21 - 100 per day
D - 101 - 1000 per day
E = _ 1000 per day
SPECIES NAME Bo My Ba Na KB Hy Podiceps ruficollis Little grebe . . 3 . 5 . Phalac.carbo Great Cormorant . D . 150 . . Phalac fuscicollis Indian Shag . . . 40 . . Phalac. niger Little Cormorant . C B 20 10 40 Anhinga rufa Darter . C . 2 . . Pelecanus philippensis Spotbilled Pelican . . . . 100 . Egretta garzetta Little Egret . B 15 10 100 10 Egretta intermedia Intermediate Egret . D B B 30 D Egretta alba Great Egret . 1 . A 10 . Egretta gularis Reef Heron 3 . . . . . Ardea cinerea Grey Heron . 1 . 2 1 . Bubulcus ibis Cattle Heron B + C . A C Ardea purpurea Purple Heron . 2 . 1 . 1 Nycticorax nycticorax Night Heron . B . . . 3 Ardeola grayli Paddybird 1 B B B 10 20 Ardeola striatus Green-backed Heron . 1 . . . . Anastomus oscitaus Openbill Stork . B 3 . 1 . Mycteria leucocephalus Painted Stork . 2 . . 1 . Ciconia episcopus White-necked Stork . . . . 1 . Thresk. orientalis Oriental Ibis . D . 1 40 . Pseudibis papillosa Black Ibis . 1 . . . . Anser indicus Bar-headed Goose . . . . 30 . Dendrocygna javanica Whistling Duck . . . 25 . . Nettapus coromandelianus Cotton Teal . 20 . . . . Anas poccilorhyncha Spotbill Duck . 100 . 50 50 1 Anas penelope Wigeon . . . . 200 . Anas clypeata Shoveler . . . . 10 . Anas acuta Pintail . . 150 50 . . Anas crecca Common Teal . . 10 . . . Aythya ferrina Pochard . . . . 100 . Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy Shelduck . . . . 12 . Gyps bengalensis White-b. Vulture . 1 20 6 1 1 Neophron percnopterus Egyptian Vulture . 20 . . . 1 Elanus caeruleus Bl.-shouldered Kite . . 4 1 . . Haliastur indus Brahminy Kite . C B C 5 2 Milvus migrans Black Kite B C 10 1 5 C Circus aeruginosus Marsh Harrier . . . . . 2 Circus pygargua Montagu's Harrier . . . . . 5 Circus macrourus Pallid Harrier . . . . . 1 Circus spec. Ring-tailed Harrier . . . . . 20 Pernis ptilorhyncus Crested Honeybuzzard . . 2 3 . 1 Aquila rapax Tawny Eagle . . . . 1 1 Ictinaetus malayensis Black Eagle . . 1 1 . . Spilornis cheela Crested Serpent Eagle . . . 1 . . Ichthyopaga ichthyaetus Greyh.Fishing Eagle . . . 2 . . Pandion haliaetus Osprey . . . 4 . . Accipiter badius Shikra . 4 2 2 . 1 A. virgatus Besra . . 1 . . . Falco tinnunculus Ketrel . 1 . . . 4 Falco peregrinus Shaheen Falcon . . 1 2 . 1 Gallus sonneratii Grey Junglefowl . . 25 50 . . Pavo cristatus Peafowl . . 50 A . . Galloperdix spadicea Red Spurfowl . . 5 . . . Amourornis phoenicurus White-br.Moorhen . 2 2 1 . . Gallinula chloropus Moorhen . . . . . 3 Fulica atra Coot . 200 . 1 10 . Hydrophasianus chirurgus Pheasant-t. Jacana . 6 . . 2 . Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe . . . . . 1 Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper . . 1 2 3 1 Tringa stagnatilis Marsh Sandpiper . . . . 1 . Tringa nebularia Greenshank . 1 . . 1 . Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper . . . . 20 . Tringa hypoleucos Common Sandpiper . 1 . 1 3 . Philomachus pugnax Ruff . . . . 20 . Vanellus indicus Redwattled Lapwing . 4 4 A . 50 Charadrius leschenaultii Great Sand Plover C . . . . . Charadrius mongolus Lesser Sand Plover B . . . . . Esacus magnirostris Great Stone Plover . 6 . . . . Himautopus himautopus Stilt . . . . 200 1 Calidris alba Sanderling B . . . . . Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull B . . . . 20 Larus brunnicephalus Brown-headed Gull . . . 1 . . Larus cachinans Yellow-legged Gull 3 . . . . . Stercorarius parasiticus Arctic Skua 1 . . . . . Sterna aurantia Indian River Tern . B . 2 . . Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed Tern 20 . . . . . Sterna albifrons Little Tern C . . . . . Treron phoenicopotera Green Pigeon . . 5 21 . . Strept. decaocta Collared Dove . + + + . + S. senegalensis Palm Dove . 4 . . . . S. chinensis Spotted Dove . + + + + + Columba livia Blue Rock Pigeon . . . 6 . 20 Loriculus vernalis Indian Lorikeet . . . 2 . . Psittacula alexandri Rose-r. Parakeet + C D B B . Psittacula eupatria Alexandrine Parakeet . . . 7 . 2 Psittacula cyanocephala Blossom-h. Parakeet . . B C . 20 Psittacula columboides Blue-winged Parakeet . . 10 B . . Eudynamys scolopace Koel . B B 2 2 . Centropus senensis Coucal . . . 3 . . Cuculus varius Brainfever Bird . . . 1 . . Bubo zeylonensis Brown Fish Owl . . . 2 . . Athene brama Spotted Owlet . . . 4 . 1 Glaucidium radiatum Jungle Owlet . . . 2 . . Otus bakkamoena Collared Scops Owl . . 1 . . . Cypsiurus parvus Palm Swift A . . . . 4 Apus affinis House Swift . B . . . . Collocalia unicolor Ind. Edible-nest Swiftlet . . . D . . Hemiprocne longipennis Crested Tree Swift . . 2 . . . Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher . 2 1 1 1 . Halcyon smyrnensis Whitebr. Kingfisher . B A A 3 5 Ceryle rudis Pied Kingfisher . 2 . 10 . 2 Merops philippinus Blue-t. Bee-eater . . . 10 . . M. orientalis Ltle. Green Bee-eaater B B B B A . Anthracoceros coronatus Malabar Pied Hornbill . . . 2 . . Upupa epops Hoopoe . 3 2 3 . . Coracias benghalensis Indian Roller . 4 2 . 2 2 Megalaima haemacephala Coppersmisth . . . 2 . . Megalaima viridis Small Green Barbet . . 4 A . . Megalaima rubricapilla Crimson-thr. Barbet . . 1 . . . Dinopium mahrattensis Mahratta Woodpecker . . 3 . . . Dinopium benghalense Lesser Gold.b. Woodp. . 1 3 2 . . Chrysocolaptes lucidus Large Golden-b. Woodp. . . . 2 . . Picus chlorolophus Sm.Yellow-naped Woodp. . . 1 . . . Dendrocopos moluccensis Brown-capped Woodp. . . 2 . . . Hemicircus canente Heartspotted Woodp. . . 1 1 . . Mirafra assamica Bush Lark . . 1 . . . Alauda gulgula Small Skylark . . . . . 2 Hirundo concolor Dusky Crag Martin . B . . . 30 Hirundo fluvicola Ind.Cliff Swallow . C . . . . Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow C + + + + + Hirundo smithii Wire-tailedSwallow . . . . . 4 Hirundo daurica Red-rumped Swallow . . . 4 5 4 Anthus novae-seelandiae Richard's Pipit . . . . . 10 Anthus hodgsoni Olive-backed Pipit . . . . . B Motacilla alba White Wagtail . . . . . 1 M. maderaspatensis Large Pied Wagtail . 4 3 1 . . M. indica Forest Wagtail . . 3 . . . Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail . 3 A A . . M. flava Yellow Wagtail 2 . . . 3 + Coracina novaehollandiae Large Cuckoo-shrike . . 1 . . 1 Coracina melanoptera Blackh. Cuckoo-shrike 2 1 2 . . . Tephr. pondicerianus CommonWood Shrike . . B . . . Pericrocotus cinnamomeus Small Minivet . . B 2 . . Pericrocotus flammeus Scarlet Minivet . . 1 10 . . Pycnonotus cafer Red-vented Bulbul . . B B B + Pycnonotus jocosus Red-whisk. Bulbul . . B B . . Chloropsis aurifrons Goldenfr. Leaf Bird . 6 2 8 . . Aegithina tuphia Common Iora . 1 4 5 . . Copsychus saularis Magpie Robin . 1 5 4 . 2 Monticola solitarius Blue Rock Thrush . . . . . 2 Saxicola torquata Stone Chat . . . . . 5 Saxicola caprata Pied Bush Chat . 1 A 1 1 2 Saxicoloides fulicata Indian Robin . 1 . . . 2 Erithacus svecicus Bluethroat . . . . . 1 Phylloscopus collybitta Chiffchaff . . A . . . Ph. trochiloides Greenish Warbler . B B B . A Ph. magnirostris L.billed Leaf Warbler . . . 1 . . Hippolais caligata Booted Warbler . A A A . . Acrocephalus agricola Paddyfield Warbler . . . . . 3 Orthotomus sutorius Tailor Bird . 3 1 1 . . Prinia socialis Ashy Prinia . . . . . 1 Prinia subflava IndianPrinia . . A . . 4 Zosterops palpebrosa IndianWhite-eye . . 2 1 . . Turdoides striatus Jungle Babbler . . 3 20 B . Pellorneum ruficeps Spotted Babbler . . . 2 . . Turdoides affinis White-h. Babbler . . 15 . . . Parus major Great Tit . . B 3 . . Sitta castanea Chestnut-br. Nuthatch . . 4 1 . . Sitta frontalis Velvet-fr. Nuthatch . . . 8 . . Nectarinia asiatica Purple Sunbird . B A A . A N. zeylonica Purple-r. Sunbird . 3 2 A . A Dicaeum erythrorhynchos Tickell's Flowerpecker . 2 3 . . . Artamus fuscus Ashy Swallow Shrike . . 10 . . Lanius cristatus Brown Shrike . . . 3 . 1 Lanius schach Long-tailed Shrike . B 1 1 . 3 Lanius vittatus Bay-backed Shrike . A 5 2 . . Hemipus picatus Pied Flyc.Shrike . . 8 . . . Terpsiphone paradisi Paradise Flycatcher . . . 2 . . Muscicapa latirostris BrownFlycatcher . . 1 3 . . Muscicapa muttui Brownbr. Flycatcher . . 1 . . . Muscicapa subrubra Kashmir Redbr. Flyc. . . 1 1 . . Muscicapa tickelliae Tickell's Blue Flyc. 1 . . . . . Hypothymis azurea Blacknaped Flyc. . . . 1 . . Rhipidura aureola White-browed Fantail . . 15 . . . Rhipidura albicollis White-spotted Fantail . 2 . 1 . . Lonchura punctulata Spotted Munia . . . 15 . . Lonchura malabarica White-thr. Munia . . . . . 2 Ploceus philippinus Baya Weaver . . . . B . Petronia xanthocollis Yellow-thr. Sparrow . 5 . . . . Passer domesticus House Sparrow + + + . . + Acridotheres tristis Common Myna + D D C C C Acridotheres fuscus Jungle Myna . B B A . . Sturnus pagodarum Brahminy Myna . . C B . 5 Sturnus malabaricus Grey-headed Myna . . 40 10 . . Gracula religiosa Hill Myna . . . 20 . . Dendrocitta vagabunda Indian Tree-pie . . 6 4 . . Oriolus oriolus Golden Oriole . . . 15 . 1 Corvus macrorhynchos Jungle Crow B B B B B B Corvus splendens House Crow C C B B A B Dicrurus adsimilis Black Drongo . B 40 B 4 B Dicrurus leucophaeus Grey Drongo . 1 . 7 . . Dicrurus caerulescens White-bellied Drongo . . 6 4 . . Dicrurus paradiseus Large racket-t. Drongo . . 10 . . . Dicrurus aeneus Bronzed Drongo . . . 3 . 1