It is not an overstatement to claim that the Indian subcontinent is a creation of the Himalayas. As a barrier, it has protected this landmass from being encroached upon by the cold northern deserts, and has nourished it by harnessing the potential of the Monsoon winds. The rivers that flow down it has, over the years, created a vast plain which supports at east a 10th of the world’s population.
But this post is about the winged little beauties that the lower Himalayas support. From Pangot in Uttarakhand to Eagle Nest in Arunachal Pradesh, the thick forests that carpet these slopes make some of the most diverse bird habitats in the world. Couple of months back the girlfriend and I took some time off and trudged up the pugdundees to the wonderfully secluded Jilling Estates in the Kumaon Himalayas. The aim was to spend as much time as possible far from the ‘civilised world’ and of course look for birds.
One of the most common birds in these parts is the green-backed tit (Parus monticolus). One colourful individual had his eye on a hole in an apple tree right in front of the bungalow we were staying in. Unfortunately, a pair of Russet sparrows (Passer rutilans) had already moved in. Not willing to give in without a fight, the tiny tit tried its best to dislodge the sparrows and failed. Undeterred by this failure, the tit returned every morning, only to be driven off.
Displaying the green back
Green backed tit
After a sudden shower
After a sudden shower
The male Russet sparrow and the tit’s tormentor-in-chief
Sparrow guarding the hole which was a source of much bickering
The hills around the cottage were also home to quite a few verditer flycatchers (Eumyias thalassinus). Electric blue, with an almost zorro-like black mask around the eyes, they appear as mere blue streaks darting through the foliage. Thanks to my utterly slow lens, photographing an individual up close (or any other bird for that matter) is next to impossible. These are what I managed to shoot:
Playing hide and seek in the thicket
Blue streak
The classic pose
High-wiring
The biggest surprise at Jilling was how the birds seem to come to you, right at the doorstep. One morning, I looked up from my thriller to find two black eagles riding the thermals right above the bungalow. I ran inside to grab my camera, determined not to miss the eagles like i missed the red-billed leiothrix earlier that very morning. Fortunately as I reappeared, lens in hand, the eagles were still airborne and I managed to get a few shots off before they disappeared over the ridge, graceful in flight.
The bird I had the most fun chasing after was the flamboyant Indian black-lored tit (Parus aplonotus). Bright yellow, with a kohl-black streak down its breast, this bird carries around a large crest, not unlike Jim Carrey’s character in the Ace Ventura film series. The first couple of days at Jilling I could see them darting around the apple orchard… never still, never resting. Eventually i did run into a rather restive individual who did not complain as I got close to him. If only all other birds shared this one’s virtues….
My first shot of this colourful friend
And i find this one exploring the courtyard
What a lovely little bird
To be honest, I am better at spotting birds in the jungle than shooting them. I am still honing my skills at being a photographer of birds, but I am limited by my equipment. So here’s a look at the other birds I managed to shoot while at Jilling.
Female Ultramarine Flycatcher
another Female Ultramarine Flycatcher
A very distant and massively cropped shot of a male Ultramarine Flycatcher
A black shouldered tit
Fire-breasted flowerpecker.
Fire-breasted flowerpecker.
Fire-breasted flowerpecker.
Fire-breasted flowerpecker.
Green tailed sunbird
Blue-headed Rock Thrush
Rufous-bellied niltava. This shot was taken from a distance under very low light conditions. Lucky to have even seen this bird
Black headed Jay eating village leftovers
Red-billed blue magpie
Little Pied Flycatcher – I had never heard of or seen this bird before. A first for me
Great Barbet – The rainbow bird of the mountains
Great Barbet posing
The ubiquitous Black drongo
Grey hooded warble
Grey hooded warble
Rufous Sibia, a record shot. It was all around me but never got a decent shot. Al;waus restless, darting between trees. Doofus Sibia, more like
Spotted Dove
For every bird I shot, four got away. If you love birds but love the mountains even more, you must go to Jilling. I wish I never came back!
Something remarkable has happened over the last year and a half. Due to reasons I cannot explain properly, I have found myself drawn to one of nature’s best creations – birds. Over the last year or so, i joined online groups, went for birding walks, bought books and read them from cover to cover. I really surprised myself when i started waking up before sunrise on weekends to go for birding walks.
The timing could not be better. My eight year old Nikon D80 was in its dying days and it was time to upgrade. So i invested in the brand new Nikon D7100 and the Sigma 50-500 OS HSM telephoto lens. Now that I have read the books, shot some birds in my garden and in and around Delhi, it was time to take a trip to that Mecca birders call Bharatpur.
Last time I went to Bharatpur was over two and a half years back. Back then I could not tell the Sarus crane from the Painted Stork. But now i can do just that. Not much else. Bharatpur was in a bad shape in the February of 2011 when i was last there. The water levels were almost at an all-time low. Feral cattle had taken over most of the pastures. Politicians were , well politicing on the much needed water and the whole thing was a big, big mess. Fortunately, the water issues have been resolved. Now water will come in from Chambal as well as from a dam nearby in Rajasthan. The canals were full and so were the marshes. When I went in the beginning of November, the numbers of migratory birds were not large but i think if they can maintain the water levels for a few more years, the numbers will steadily increase.
THE HABITAT
[Click on images for bigger view]
It was the first day of the boat rides. The water was quiet and quite spectacularThe channel opens up on the main swamp, which is guarded by a flock of fierce and fearless cattle egretsOther peopleStill watersThis algae turns red around February. Even more spectacularView of the heronry from the watchtowerPerfect habitat for muniasOne of Bharatpur’s many tree tunnelsAnother swamp from another watch-tower. Hendrix was playing on my headphones. Guess the track 😛I check out some nilgais. They reciprocateStranded treeMirror-like waterQuiet little cornerMarooned Nilgai
THE GUIDE
[Click on images for bigger view]
In the numerous recent Delhibird walks, I met Mr Ajay Maira who was kind enough to point me in the direction of one Bachchoo Singh (+919351341917). I was with him from sunrise to sunset for three days and not for a moment did the smile fade from his face. He knew his birds, drove the rickshaw at a languid pace and was quick with a joke. I cannot recommend him enough.
Bachchoo SinghFinds me Sarus cranes to shoot then goes to fetch his rickshaw
THE BIRDS (and some amphibians, reptiles and mammals)
[Click on images for bigger view]
I think it is safe to say that I am more of a photographer than a birder. Apart from a handful of birds that I could identify (sarus cranes, painted storks and a few others :P), i was dependent on my field guide and of course, on Bachchoo Singh. I could have really used a tripod though. The camera and the lens together weigh close to 3kgs and getting the frame right was a challenge, especially at 500 mm. Anyway, here’s what came out of the trip:
Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant (Centropus sinensis)Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) – not the best of shots, but i love this one‘What have you got there? Is it for me?’Portrait of a bee-eaterA slightly cock-eyed White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted KingfisherWoolly-necked Stork, Bishop Stork or White-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)Painted stork with chicks. The mothers open their wings thus to protect the chicks from direct sunlight. In this case the mother clearly does not know where the sun is. Or maybe she is just sunning herself.Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata)
I love munias especially so because due to their small size and the constant state of motion they are in, they are extremely difficult to photograph. On this trip, i also saw a few Red Avadavats or the Red Munias but could not photograph them. A couple of silverbills did pose for me.
The Indian Silverbill or White-throated Munia (Lonchura malabarica)Cosying upOne comes closerI wish this was a better shot.Collared Scops Owl (Otus lettia)The resident Comb Ducks (Sarkidiornis melanotos), malesThe Himalayan, or the White-cheeked Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), maleShikra (Accipiter badius). About the size of a small crow, it is one of my favourite birds of prey. Packs way too much punch for its size. I have seen it chase off Oriental Honey Buzzards with are about four times the Shikra’s size.Shikra, this time viewed from the backBronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus), also called the jal-mor (water peacock) in Hindi on account of its stunning colourA male Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) was kind enough to pose for me
House sparrows which we have seen all around us are undergoing an alarming decline in numbers, especially in human-inhabited ares due to human activities. Read this to know more about the decline and how you can help.
The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)Portrait of a Great Egret (Ardea alba)Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus), back viewBay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus), front viewWas stalking this Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) for over 45 minutes in very bad light conditions hoping for a record shot. Just when i had my lens trained on it, it decided to fly. This is what came of itFinally the Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) decides to sit so i could get off some shotsWhy did the chicken cross the road? Ask the White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)Common Babbler (Turdoides caudata)Oh the colours – Back view of White-breasted KingfisherRose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as Chandana. Popularly also referred to as MithooAsian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) maleYellow-crowned Woodpecker (Dendrocopos mahrattensis) or Mahratta woodpecker, femalePurple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) female. It is known in Bengali as ‘Moutushi’A male Pied Bush Chat (Saxicola caprataLittle Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)Oriental Darter or Indian Darter (Anhinga melanogaster ). Also known as the snakebird on account of its serpentine neckA snakebird, or the Indian Darter pokes its head out of the water while huntingA group of great cormorants strike a posePurple Heron (Ardea purpurea) keeps an eye on the surroundingsJust before some poor fish gave its lifePurple Heron (Ardea purpurea), flying awayGrey Heron (Ardea cinerea) shares its hunting spot with an Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)Grey heron with neck retractedOriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) or ‘Doel’ as it is known in Bangla. Also, the national bird of BangladeshOriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) or ‘Doel’ femaleAnother one. I love these birdsPurple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)A bunch of pretty ladies. A brood of Purple SwamphensHoopoe, pronounced huːpu (Upupa epops). Looks like a woodpecker, but isn’t onePortrait of a HoopoeA baby python sunning itselfCould have lost it in all the vegetationA water snake, at a water holeA monitor lizardClose-up of the monitor lizard’s headIn Bengali, we call these fish ‘Shole’. Tastes great in a coriander based jhol (gravy)Chance encounter with a pair of male nilgaisAnother male Nilgai.Nilgai female with calf. So beautiful!Close encounters of the blue kindIndian black turtle (Melanochelys trijuga) or Indian pond terrapinA beautiful little butterflyAnd a beautiful little lizard
In the three days that i spent inside Keoladeo National Park, two sightings stand out. The first was a creature I had seen a lot as a child growing up in north Bengal (for images of north Bengal, or Dooars as it is better known see this, this, this and this). The sun had just come out and i was walking beside Bachchoo Singh, trying to shoot a pair of grey headed canary flycatchers. Suddenly this black shape slithers out of the grass on the left side of the road. It was a common cobra. The same creature that almost left me fatherless, but that is a story for another day. As i drew closer, it showed absolutely no sign of fear and started to cross the road.
I could tell that it had just molted and the scales were shining in the morning sun like thousands of little amethysts. I probably got a little too close when without warning, it spread its hood. I was fortunate to get the perfect light and just had time to get off a few shots. here are the results:
Eyes glinting in the sunClose look at the skinWhen you see this, back offlast shot before it slithers back into the thicket
Now the second encounter: Sarus cranes. I have been an admirer of these beautiful birds for years now. Even before i got into birding. So far, I have always viewed them from a considerable distance, at Sultanpur and Basai. This time,however, i was determined to observe them from up close.
On the first and second days at Bharatpur I heard their calls numerous times, saw them fly past and watched them for hours again from a distance. So I decided to devote my third and last day entirely to these most elegant of birds. As we entered the park at 6:30 am on a chilly November morning, we headed straight to the grasslands by the painted stork colony where they usually spend the mornings. Sure enough, there was a couple there, but again, at a considerable distance.
There were three other pairs in the general area and they were taking turns answering each others calls. On Bachchoo Singh’s advice, i started following one of the distant calls along one of the trails branching off from the main road into the sanctuary. I walked for some 3 kms and with every step the call kept getting closer and closer. Then i turned left and BAM! there was a crane barely 30 feet from the trail. It took me the better part of five minutes to actually register what I was seeing. It was a female and she was so close that i did not have to employ the 500 mm end of my lens. The light was perfect too! The first shot below is from the original couple i viewed from a distance. The rest are from the close encounter.
Responding to a callLadies and gentlemen, presenting the Grus AntigoneThe ballerinaSpreading her wings. I was late with the shot hereIn her habitat
Thus ended a most satisfying trip to the paradise for birders. Here’s hoping that the water levels remain true and the bird numbers remain large. Also it wouldn’t hurt if a couple of Siberian cranes re-visited their old haunt.
Here’s to high hopes.
SPECIES SEEN
1. Black francolin (Francolinus francolinus) Resident, Breeds
2. Grey francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) Resident, Breeds, very common
3. Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) Resident Common
4. Lesser Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna javanica) Resident Common
5. Greylag Goose (Anser anser) Migratory, very common
6. Comb Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) Resident, common
7. Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) Resident, common
8. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Migratory, very common
9. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Migratory, very common
10. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) Migrant, common