Day 16, March 8th. Mandawa to Jaipur
Some of the group embarked on a morning walk around the resort grounds, which delivered Lesser Whitethroat, a stunning Citrine Wagtail, and a Green Sandpiper. All were close up and allowed for excellent photographic opportunities. After breakfast we headed for the city of Jaipur, founded in 1727 by the Kachwaha. Jaipur is the cleanest and neatest of the larger Indian cities on our itinerary. After checking into our austere guest house, we visited the imposing Amber Fort just to the north of the city – originally built just over 1000 years ago. The fort is on a mountaintop and offers spectacular vistas of the surrounding area. After a few hours we exited the fort past a bare patch of land, which functioned as a makeshift cricket pitch – a common phenomenon in India. We were pleased to find a single Variable Wheatear near one of the long boundaries. On our way back to Jaipur city we stopped at the Jal Mahal water palace, which stands empty most of the time and is only used by the Maharaja for a few weeks in summer. The lake held a plethora of migrating waterfowl and waders, including Little Ringed Plover in full breeding plumage. We returned to our accommodations at the Shahpura House to a scrumptious dinner.
Day 17, March 9th. Jaipur
After seeing how good the Jal Mahal lake was for waterbirds, we returned to the lake fringe for a stint of early morning wetland and thornveld birding. Mostly, we enjoyed further, and in some cases better, views of species seen earlier on the tour, with a White-browed Fantail in some thickets being a notable exception. A nearby Rufous Treepie allowed for stunning photographic opportunities, as did nesting Black-winged Stilts and Little Grebes. After birding we made our way to the City Palace, which lies at the heart of Jaipur’s historic Pink City. Our group was intrigued by the Jantar Mantar Astronomical Observatory, built in the 1700s, which was one of the world’s leading astronomic observatories at the time. It was time for some shopping, and a few large factory outlets provided for fabrics and clothes not easy to find back home. After a delicious lunch and a few beers we visited the Jaigarh Fort, which housed the world’s largest cannon for a period of time. This was followed by the Nawalgarh Fort, which has changed purpose from a fort to a palace a couple of times. The eight secret passageways, which enabled the Maharajah to visit one wife without the others knowing, amused all. The Nawalgarh Fort provided excellent views over the city of Jaipur in the late afternoon. We returned to our hotel for an early dinner, due to the early start required for the extension to the Kathmandu Valley on the following day.
View over Jaipur from Nawalgarh Fort
Day 18, March 10th. Jaipur to Delhi
We started early on our last day for our drive to Delhi to catch our flight to Kathmandu for our extension tour in the Kathmandu valley. We allowed plenty of buffer time for any ‘uncommon’ traffic jams we may encounter en route. An “uncommon traffic jam” in India is defined by the locals as one in which people turn off their cars and get out to see what is going on. We only encountered one “uncommon traffic jam” and got to the airport in good time for our Kathmandu Valley Extension tour.
Total species count: 367 on the main tour and cultural extension, and 402 including the Kathmandu extension, with an additional six species heard only.
INDIA SYSTEMATIC LIST, FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009
INCLUDING KATHMANDU VALLEY EXTENSION
Species marked with H were heard only
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
|
PODICIPEDIFORMES
|
|
|
Podicipedidae
|
|
|
Great Crested Grebe
|
Podiceps cristatus
|
1
|
Little Grebe
|
Tachybaptus ruficollis
|
1
|
PELECANIFORMES
|
|
|
Pelecanidae
|
|
|
Great White Pelican
|
Pelecanus onocrotalus
|
1
|
Ardeidae
|
|
|
Grey Heron
|
Ardea cinerea
|
1
|
Purple Heron
|
Ardea purpurea
|
1
|
Indian Pond-Heron
|
Ardeola grayii
|
1
|
Eastern Cattle Egret
|
Bubulcus coromandus
|
1
|
Striated Heron
|
Butorides striata
|
1
|
Great Egret
|
Ardea alba
|
1
|
Little Egret
|
Egretta garzetta
|
1
|
Black Bittern
|
Dupetor flavicollis
|
1
|
Intermediate Egret
|
Egretta intermedia
|
1
|
Black-crowned Night-Heron
|
Nycticorax nycticorax
|
1
|
Threskiornithidae
|
|
|
Eurasian Spoonbill
|
Platalea leucorodia
|
1
|
Glossy Ibis
|
Plegadis falcinellus
|
1
|
Red-naped Ibis
|
Pseudibis papillosa
|
1
|
Black-headed Ibis
|
Threskiornis melanocephalus
|
1
|
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES
|
|
|
Phoenicopteridae
|
|
|
Greater Flamingo
|
Phoenicopterus ruber
|
1
|
SULIFORMES
|
|
|
Phalacrocoracidae
|
|
|
Great Cormorant
|
Phalacrocorax carbo
|
1
|
Indian Cormorant
|
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
|
1
|
Little Cormorant
|
Microcarbo niger
|
1
|
Anhingidae
|
|
|
Oriental Darter
|
Anhinga melanogaster
|
1
|
CICONIIFORMES
|
|
|
Ciconiidae
|
|
|
Asian Openbill
|
Anastomus oscitans
|
1
|
Woolly-necked Stork
|
Ciconia episcopus
|
1
|
Black Stork
|
Ciconia nigra
|
1
|
Black-necked Stork
|
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
|
1
|
Painted Stork
|
Mycteria leucocephala
|
1
|
ANSERIFORMES
|
|
|
Anatidae
|
|
|
Lesser Whistling-Duck
|
Dendrocygna javanica
|
1
|
Northern Pintail
|
Anas acuta
|
1
|
Northern Shoveler
|
Anas clypeata
|
1
|
Eurasian Teal
|
Anas crecca
|
1
|
Eurasian Wigeon
|
Anas penelope
|
1
|
Indian Spot-billed Duck
|
Anas poecilorhyncha
|
1
|
Garganey
|
Anas querquedula
|
1
|
Gadwall
|
Anas strepera
|
1
|
Greylag Goose
|
Anser anser
|
1
|
Bar-headed Goose
|
Anser indicus
|
1
|
Common Pochard
|
Aythya ferina
|
1
|
Tufted Duck
|
Aythya fuligula
|
1
|
Ferruginous Duck
|
Aythya nyroca
|
1
|
Red-crested Pochard
|
Netta rufina
|
1
|
Cotton Pygmy Goose
|
Nettapus coromandelianus
|
1
|
Knob-billed Duck
|
Sarkidiornis melanotos
|
1
|
Ruddy Shelduck
|
Tadorna ferruginea
|
1
|
ACCIPITRIFORMES
|
|
|
Pandionidae
|
|
|
Western Osprey
|
Pandion haliaetus
|
1
|
Accipitridae
|
|
|
Shikra
|
Accipiter badius
|
1
|
Northern Goshawk
|
Accipiter gentilis
|
1
|
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
|
Accipiter nisus
|
1
|
Besra
|
Accipiter virgatus
|
1
|
Cinereous Vulture
|
Aegypius monachus
|
1
|
Greater Spotted Eagle
|
Aquila clanga
|
1
|
Bonelli's Eagle
|
Aquila fasciata
|
1
|
Eastern Imperial Eagle
|
Aquila heliaca
|
1
|
Steppe Eagle
|
Aquila nipalensis
|
1
|
Indian Spotted Eagle
|
Aquila hastata
|
1
|
Common Buzzard
|
Buteo buteo
|
1
|
Upland Buzzard
|
Buteo hemilasius
|
1
|
Long-legged Buzzard
|
Buteo rufinus
|
1
|
Short-toed Snake Eagle
|
Circaetus gallicus
|
1
|
Western Marsh Harrier
|
Circus aeruginosus
|
1
|
Black-winged Kite
|
Elanus caeruleus
|
1
|
Bearded Vulture
|
Gypaetus barbatus
|
1
|
White-rumped Vulture
|
Gyps bengalensis
|
1
|
Griffon Vulture
|
Gyps fulvus
|
1
|
Himalayan Vulture
|
Gyps himalayensis
|
1
|
Indian Vulture
|
Gyps indicus
|
1
|
Pallas's Sea-Eagle
|
Haliaeetus leucoryphus
|
1
|
Booted Eagle
|
Hieraaetus pennatus
|
1
|
Lesser Fish-Eagle
|
Ichthyophaga humilis
|
1
|
Grey-headed Fish-Eagle
|
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
|
1
|
Black Eagle
|
Ictinaetus malauensis
|
1
|
Black Kite
|
Milvus migrans
|
1
|
Egyptian Vulture
|
Neophron percnopterus
|
1
|
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
|
Nisaetus cirrhatus
|
1
|
Mountain Hawk-Eagle
|
Nisaetus nipalensis
|
1
|
Crested (Oriental) Honey Buzzard
|
Pernis ptilorhynchus
|
1
|
Red-headed Vulture
|
Sarcogyps calvus
|
1
|
Crested Serpent Eagle
|
Spilornis cheela
|
1
|
FALCONIFORMES
|
|
|
Falconidae
|
|
|
Peregrine Falcon
|
Falco peregrinus
|
1
|
Common Kestrel
|
Falco tinnunculus
|
1
|
Collared Falconet
|
Microhierax caerulescens
|
1
|
GALLIFORMES
|
|
|
Phasianidae
|
|
|
Black Francolin
|
Francolinus francolinus
|
1
|
Grey Francolin
|
Francolinus pondicerianus
|
1
|
Red Junglefowl
|
Gallus gallus
|
1
|
Kalij Pheasant
|
Lophura leucomelanos
|
1
|
Indian Peafowl
|
Pavo cristatus
|
1
|
Jungle Bush Quail
|
Perdicula asiatica
|
1
|
Koklass Pheasant
|
Pucrasia macrolopha
|
1
|
GRUIFORMES
|
|
|
Gruidae
|
|
|
Sarus Crane
|
Grus antigone
|
1
|
Common Crane
|
Grus grus
|
1
|
Rallidae
|
|
|
Brown Crake
|
Amaurornis akool
|
1
|
White-breasted Waterhen
|
Amaurornis phoenicurus
|
1
|
Eurasian Coot
|
Fulica atra
|
1
|
Common Moorhen
|
Gallinula chloropus
|
1
|
Purple Swamphen
|
Porphyrio porphyrio
|
1
|
CHARADRIIFORMES
|
|
|
Jacanidae
|
|
|
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
|
Hydrophasianus chirurgus
|
1
|
Bronze-winged Jacana
|
Metopidius indicus
|
1
|
Burhinidae
|
|
|
Great Stone-curlew
|
Esacus recurvirostris
|
1
|
Glareolidae
|
|
|
Small Pratincole
|
Glareola lactea
|
1
|
Recurvirostridae
|
|
|
Black-winged Stilt
|
Himantopus himantopus
|
1
|
Pied Avocet
|
Recurvirostra avosetta
|
1
|
Charadriidae
|
|
|
Kentish Plover
|
Charadrius alexandrinus
|
1
|
Little Ringed Plover
|
Charadrius dubius
|
1
|
River Lapwing
|
Vanellus duvaucelii
|
1
|
Red-wattled Lapwing
|
Vanellus indicus
|
1
|
White-tailed Lapwing
|
Vanellus leucurus
|
1
| |
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