Gyr Wildlife
GOA,INDIA -NEW YEAR BIRDING 2016
Day 1 - Hot sunny and dry!
We flew from Gatwick direct to Goa, landing at 4am on New Year's Eve. We booked a half board Thompson's holiday package, staying at a very nice hotel in Candolim. After a fairly painless journey through immigration, we collected out bags and met our taxi driver- come birder, Santosh Redkar. We decided to skip the 2 hour coach transfer, and the outrageous £40 per person taxi transfer offered by Thompson's. Instead for fifteen quid Santosh picked us up and took us straight to the hotel. As we couldn't get into our room until midday and it was still only 7.30am, we dumped our bags and headed out for some Indian birding with Santosh.
We visited a local marsh and fields and Saligoa wood and gardens. Here we spent 3 hours exploring and finding 75 species before 11am! The usual marsh birds including Egrets and Pond Herons were present and a Wooly-necked Stork. The wires were crammed with big flocks of Rosy Starlings, Jungle Mynas and exotics like Blue-tailed Bee-Eater, White-breasted Kingfisher and Indian Roller. Overhead the skies were full of Black and Black-eared Kites and Brahminy Kites plus the odd Black-winged Kite. As the morning got hotter, a Greater-Spotted Eagle soared into view as did 2 Crested Serpent Eagles and a White-bellied Sea Eagle.
The bushes along the track to the woods were very rewarding with 4 species of Sunbird including the Endemic Loten's Sunbird and a superb male Vigor’s Sunbird. We found three gorgeous Orange-headed Thrushes, 3 Blue Faced Malkoas and a stunning pair of Small Minivet. A Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike showed well and overhead 100's of Indian Little Swifts were joined by 4 huge Alpine Swifts and flocks of both Barn and Red-rumped Swallows.
Further in the woods we located a noisy group of Jungle Babblers, two Puff-throated Babblers and various groups of Grey-headed, Red-vented, Red-whiskered and White-browed Bulbul and at least two White-browed Fantail. A short tailed Asian Paradise Flycatcher appeared, followed by a single Tickell's Blue Flycatcher.
A pair of Black-headed Orioles were heavily out-numbered by over 18 Indian Golden Orioles which unlike their European cousins, love to sit out in the open in bare branches!
The LBJs were also out in force with the constant ticking of Blyth's Reed Warblers, the loud calls of Greenish Warblers and both Scaly-breasted and White-rumped Munias. Both species of Leafbird gave obliging views and the distinctive calls of Asian Koels, Greater Coucals and White-eared Barbet resonated around us whilst we tracked them down!
We headed back to our hotel at 11.30 am and then had some lunch before catching up on some rest, ahead of the evenings party and celebrations!
Total species 77
Day 2 Friday 1st January - New Year’s Day
We were up early and managed a coffee and some breakfast before meeting Santosh at 6.15am. We set off immediately for Carombolim Lake and Woods. It was cool and as we reached the fields and marshes, a mist slowly cleared as the sun rose in a deep blue sky; today was going to be hot!
As we scanned the fields we identified Long-tailed and Brown Shrike, Siberian Stonechat, Oriental Skylark and Pied Bushchats. Big flocks of Baya Weavers were feeding in the grass and a huge Lesser Adjutant Stork flapped slowly across the horizon. A hole in a tree at the wood entrance was the home to a pair of Spotted Owlets and a short way inside we found 2 roosting Brown Hawk Owl.
The woods were very productive and we were soon watching White-spotted Fantail, Shikra, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Common Tailorbird, Rose-ringed Parakeet and a pair of confiding White-breasted Waterhen. A walk though to open marshland produced close views of Banded Bay Cuckoo, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Plain-billed Flowerpecker and a Common Kestrel. At the waters edge we watched small numbers of European Crag Martin and our first waders, Red-wattled Lapwing, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper.
A single overhead wire was the perfect vantage point for a pair of Pied Kingfishers as well as a superb Stork-billed Kingfisher. Nearby both Common and White-breasted Kingfishers shared the wire with an Indian Roller. Above us a line of 63 Glossy Ibis headed west and a few Black-headed Ibis followed.
The lake edge was teeming with hundreds of Lesser whistling Duck and both Pheasant-tailed and Bronze Winged Jacana. The first of 6 Purple Herons appeared as did a female Western Marsh Harrier. A large tree was a roost site for both Indian and Little Cormorant. Small numbers of Green Bee-eaters added colour to the view.
Before we set off for the Hotel, we scanned some flooded fields and muddy pools. Good numbers of waders produced Black-winged Stilt, Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, a single Black-tailed Godwit and Common Snipe. A flock of 30 plus Eastern Spot-billed Duck were joined by twenty or so Ruddy Shelduck.
We headed back for a well earned rest as the heat of the day was taking its toll. As we crossed a river 6 Brown-headed Gulls and 12 Gull-billed Tern gave obliging views as did three Western Reef Heron.
Late afternoon we took a walk around the fields and Marshes behind our hotel. This was very productive as we had great views of Greater Coucal, Green Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Black-crowned Night Heron and Rosy Starlings. As darkness descended we watched the silhouettes of huge Flying Foxes fill the sky above us.
Total Species 129
Day 3 Saturday 2nd January 2016
This morning we decided to walk to the beach and explore the local area as we weren't seeing Santosh until later in the afternoon. The sea was calm and we saw a number of gull flocks sitting a long way out and too far to identify. However a Greater Crested Tern flew past and hundreds of Barn Swallows were feeding over the beach.
Behind the beach bars there was a small wood and field and a large water tank. A fruiting tree had attracted large numbers of birds and we found three Alexandrine Parakeets, Plum-headed Parakeet, Asian Koel, Brown Shrike, Green and Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and a large mixed feeding flock of Rosy and Chestnut-tailed Starlings. The water tank hosted a Green Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail and two White-browed Wagtails.
As we reached our hotel a Red-breasted Flycatcher gave brief but good views in the garden. During the morning our balcony which overlooked the canopy of the adjacent wood, turned up a few good birds including two Indian Black-lored Tit, Greenish Warbler, Purple-rumped Sunbird and a warbler which looked very good for Tytler's Leaf Warbler. Overhead two Greater Spotted Eagle showed well as did a single Wooly-necked Stork.
In the afternoon, Santosh picked us up at 3.30pm and we drove to Saligoa Forest. We spent a very productive 3 hours searching the woods and watching a drinking pool as dusk approached. The highlight was a roosting Brown Fish Owl, which watched us with one eye open! Other excellent birds at the pool were Malabar Whistling-thrush, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Bronzed Drongo, Emerald Dove, up to seven Orange-headed Thrushes, Black-naped Monarch, Grey-headed Bulbul, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, two stunning Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, several Puff-throated Babblers and Jerdon's Leafbird. A Water Snake stayed motionless at the edge of the pool.
The skies above the forest were full of Black-eared Kites, Brahminy Kites and 2 Booted Eagles.
Total Species 144
Day 4 Sunday 3rd January 2016 - Backwoods Camp
At 5.30am we were picked up by our Backwood's Camp driver Yogish, and set off for the camp. At 6.45am we stopped and met Leio and then spent just under 2 hours birding a forest. It was cool and the birds were very active. In a short space of time, we had found two Oriental Honey Buzzard, Crested Tree Swifts, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Malabar white-headed Starling, Vernal Hanging-Parrot, Black-rumped Flameback, Crimson-backed (Little) Sunbird, Green Warbler, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Common Woodshrike and Chestnut-shouldered Petronia.
A short drive to the camp, allowed us to find our rooms, have breakfast and then set off for a morning forest walk. There was a lot of activity still and as we started our walk, we added my first lifer of the trip, a RED SPURFOWL. We also found Asian Fairy Bluebird, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Dark-fronted Babbler, Flame-throated, Yellow-browed and Black Bulbul, Malabar Barbet, Malabar Parakeet and Black-Naped Oriole.
The temperature rose quickly and in a clearing we scoped Mountain Hawk Eagle, Indian Swiftlet and Brown Barbet. Nearby we found Greater racket-tailed Drongo and Spangled Drongo, as well as Western Crowned Warbler, White-rumped Sharma, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher and Oriental Turtle Dove.
After lunch, a decent nap and afternoon tea, we headed out to a river in the forest for some more birding. White-faced Langurs were in the trees as were two Malabar Giant Squirrel. During our walk we saw a Grey Junglefowl, a Yellow-browed Warbler, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Orange Minivets, Grey-fronted Green Pigeon, Brown-breasted Flycatcher and a very smart Heart-spotted Woodpecker. We walked along the road for an hour or so, and found a nice pair of Forest Wagtails. Then we lucked out with a superb India Pitta which showed well just off the track.
We headed back to the Camp for dinner and a hot shower!
Total Species 182 including one lifer for me!
Day 5 Monday 4th January 2016 - Backwoods Camp
After a well earned sleep we were up at 6 and after coffee and biscuits, we headed out to the river. Here we managed to locate the Blue-eared Kingfisher and a Stork-billed Kingfisher. After this quick stop, we headed to a stretch of forest to do a walk along the roadside and another stream. It was a beautiful morning and lots of birds were moving through the foliage. We found two Syke's Warbler, Little Spider-hunter, a single (and uncommon) Fork-tailed Swift, lots of Crimson-backed Sunbirds, Loten's Sunbird, Grey-headed, Flame-throated and Black Bulbul, a group of Tawny-bellied Babblers, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Forest Wagtail, Asian Paradise Flycatcher and several Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrikes.
Overhead we glimpsed a possible Red-necked Falcon, 6 Grey-fronted Green Pigeons, two Wooly-necked Storks and lots of Little Swifts.
We returned for breakfast and then spent a couple of hours exploring the forest around the camp. We located a Greater Flameback, Indian Blue Robin, Orange Minivets, Orange-headed Thrush, Black-headed Oriole, Bronzed Drongo and several Yellow-browed Bulbuls.
We ate lunch then rested again until 3.30pm, when we headed out to the river and temple. The Blue-eared Kingfisher was showing well as was a Malabar Whistling Thrush. We found a Grey-necked Bunting, 2 Black Eagles and a Rufous-bellied Eagle. There was a single Brown-backed Needletail at the temple. On the way back we got a brief view of White- bellied Woodpecker. In the evening we heard Sri Lanka Frogmouth but sadly they could not be located after a wild boar had knocked over their roost!.
Total Species: 194
Day 6 Tuesday 5th January 2016
Another early start and after a quick check of the kitchen where we found Indian Blackbird, Orange-headed Thrush and Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, we drove to the forest for a 2 hour walk. Here we got good views of Malabar Trogon, Crested Serpent Eagle, Greater Flameback, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Malabar Starling, Green Warbler and many common species.
As we drove long the road an Indian Jackal walked towards us and then headed off into the forest.
After breakfast, we found a lovely Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker outside our cabin and two Bar-winger Flycatcher-shrikes. We drove out to some farmland and saw Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-shouldered Kite, Greater Spotted Eagle and a Paddyfield Pipit.
Our afternoon session today centred on cultivated farmland and a small forest. We heard a Jungle Owlet but it failed to reveal itself! However we did find Common Rosefinch amongst a large flock of Chestnut-shouldered Petronias and a nice flock of c20 Yellow Wagtails that included at least two Grey-headed Wagtails (thunbergi). Overhead we also located several Stripe-throated Swallows.
Before dinner we tried for owls again but to no avail. However instead we saw a Palm Civet and most exciting a Indian Giant Flying Squirrel which flew almost over our heads and landed on a tree in front of us. The size of a giant squirrel, it looked like a huge square mat gliding from tree to tree.
Total Species: 201
Day 7 Wednesday 6th January 2016
Today we were sorry to leave the Backwoods Camp. We left at 6am and drove to Bondla National Park where we spent most of the morning birding in different habitats. We saw a lot of species and managed a day total of 98 which was our second best day to date.
We got good views of Ashy Wood Swallow, Dusky Crag Martin, Crested Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk (a rarity here found by Leio), Verditer Flycatcher and two Rufous Woodpeckers.
After some searching, we eventually located a handsome Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher and had brief views of Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.
After a failed attempt to find an Indian Scops Owl, we returned to our hotel for a rest! A quick scan from the balcony revealed an adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle and a Booted Eagle soaring amongst 250 Black and Black-eared Kites. The day drew to a close as we listened to the call of a Brown Hawk Owl just outside our room.
Total Species: 209
Day 8 Thursday 7th January 2016
After a bit of a lie and a leisurely breakfast we set out on a decent walk to explore Fort Aguarda. We found one new trip bird; a White-bellied Drongo, and many common species including Rosy Starling, Brown-headed Barbet, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Green Warbler, Small Minivet, Ashy and Black Drongo, Alexandrine Parakeet, Asian Koel, White-rumped Munia and Purple Sunbird.
Late in the afternoon we walked down to the water meadows near the hotel. No sign of any snipe but we did see 7 Wood, 1 Green and 1 Common Sandpipers, plus a Night Heron and a Siberian Stonechat.
Total Species: 210
Day 9 Friday 8th January 2016
After a decent night's kip, we were out at 6.30 am and heading to Morjim Beach. We stopped on the way at some large arable fields and managed to find 2 Malabar Larks. Reaching the beach, we headed across the sand where we located a huge group of waders. As we scanned we identified c200 Lesser Sand Plover, c100 Kentish Plover, c100 Greater Sand Plover, a Dunlin and 2 very confiding Small Pratincole. Also on the beach we saw Black-headed Gull, Brown-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern and Slender-billed Gull.
We drove to the main car park and explored the bushes and scrub beside the beach. We quickly located a Goan rarity; a Bay-backed Shrike and also several Brahimny Starlings in amongst the Rosy and Chestnut-tailed Starlings. As we walked back, we flushed 2 Barred Button-Quail.
We got a fisherman to take us out to a sand bar island as the tide was high and we could see hundreds of gulls, terns and waders roosting on it. We got very close and got some great views of Pallas's Gull, Heuglin's Gull, Caspian Gull, Steppe Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Greater- Crested Tern, Lesser-crested Tern, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel and Curlew, plus loads of Slender-billed Gulls.
As we headed back, we made a stop at the Siolim Rice Paddies. We spent an hour walking along the narrow busy road which dissects the marshes. There we many birds here and we added Temminck's Stint, Little Ringed Plover and 3 River Tern. It had been a great morning and so we headed back to our hotel for a rest and some lunch at a local fish restaurant.
At 3pm Santosh collected us and we drove to meet the ferry to Divar Island. This was a place recommended by Dave Gosney and it didn't disappoint! We drove to the central plain of the island and parked in the shade of a single large tree that was surrounded by grassland, scrub and a waterhole. As we walked through the grass we came across at least 6 Pin-tailed Snipe, 4 Bluethroats, 6 plus Oriental Skylark, 2 Hoopoe, 2-3 Blyth's Pipit, 150 plus Greater Short-toed Lark, 2 Yellow-wattled Lapwing, 2 Rain Quail and 4 plus Zitting Cisticola. Over head we saw an Osprey, a White-bellied Sea-Eagle and one Lesser Adjutant. The water hole attracted many species but the best was a huge Clamorous Reed Warbler. As dusk approached we saw 3 Pallid Harrier, 1 Montagu's Harrier and c15 Marsh Harrier. It had been an excellent afternoon and as the sun set as a giant ball of orange, silhouetting palm trees and a church, we caught the ferry and headed home.
Total Species: 245
Day 10 Saturday 9th January 2016
After a hot shower at 6am we met Santosh and left at 6.30 and drove to Mayem Lake. We stopped on the way to search a large area of flooded rice paddies, where there were huge numbers of waders, yellow wags, glossy ibis, egrets and a single Asian Open-billed Stork. Shortly after this stop, we arrived at the lake and began birding in the cool morning air. We quickly started seeing new birds, with a Besra sitting atop a dead tree , an Indian Grey Nightjar roosting on a branch giving excellent views, and both Blue-capped Rockthrush and Grey-bellied Cuckoo appearing in the woods beside the trail. We continue to walk and then overhead saw a Crested Changeable Hawk-Eagle, White Stork and several Wire-tailed Swallows.
The lake was excellent and we saw Rufous Woodpeckers and Lesser Flameback very well, as well as Crested Tree-Swift and Greater Spotted Eagle.
On the drive back we saw another Asian Openbill and Santosh also found us a White-eyed Buzzard. We returned for lunch and watched as an Oriental Honey Buzzard soared outside our balcony, adding to the growing list of raptors!
After watching two Indian Treepies outside the room, we left at 4pm and got a taxi to the Beira Mar hotel where we met some friends to watch the Baga Fields and small pond behind the hotel. It was a great spot and it wasn't long before we had located a smart Cinnamon Bittern as well as a Tree Pipit, Osprey, 2 Pin-tailed Snipe, flocks of Scaly-breasted and White-rumpled Munias and lots of Kites, Rollers and Bee-eaters. As dusk arrived we saw 3 Spotted Owlets.
Total Species: 255
Day 11 Sunday 10th January 2016
We had an early morning walk before breakfast. The sky was blue and it was lovely and cool and relatively few people were about. We found a track across farmland and a trail along the beach. Beautiful Green Bee-eaters and White-throated Kingfishers shone like jewels in the early morning sunshine. We found two Tawny Pipits amongst a good number of Paddyfield Pipits. A Western Reef Heron was also a nice find.
Later in the afternoon, we watched 2 Booted Eagles soaring over our pool and a Rufous Treepie in the trees beside it. We walked for an hour and met a “local” who guided us up a ladder onto the water tower which over-looked the town rubbish tip! Here we watched huge numbers of Black and Black-eared Kites, as well as dogs, cows, rats and egrets!
Total Species: 256
Day 12 Monday 11th January 2016
A short but very fruitful morning! We met Santosh at 6am and drove to Arpora Ridge and Woods. It was still dark as we followed a track into the forest behind the Club Cabana complex. We stood patiently and waited 20 minutes and the got cracking views of an Indian Pitta and 2-3 Orange-Headed Thrushes. We moved further up the ridge, hearing Jerdon's Nightjar and then saw a Red Spurfowl ahead of us on the track.
In a clearing we watched many common species, and then fortunately located one then two Nilgiri Wood Pigeon.
Leaving the woods, we headed back towards our hotel and stopped at the small marsh near the church. Here we saw a Stork-billed Kingfisher, a Western Reef Heron, a Striated Heron and best of all 4 Painted Snipe.
In the afternoon we drove out to Batim Lake stopping just before it, at some flooded rice fields and salt pans. We found 5 Spotted Redshank, over 200 Temminck's Stint and at least 10 Little Stint. At the lake we were pleased to see good numbers of duck with over 500 Lesser Whistling Duck, 150 Shoveler, 40 plus Garganey and 60 plus Teal. Our first Eurasian Coot appeared and then we found two wary Pygmy Cotton-Teal.
We scanned for storks and found 2 Asian Openbill and 10 Wooly-necked Storks. On the wires we there were big numbers of Swallows including 4 Wire-tailed Swallow plus 2 Sand Martin.
A surprise find was a Forest Wagtail in a garden adjacent to the rice fields.
Total Species: 266
Day 13 Tuesday 12th January 2016
This was our last day of birding with Santosh and so we went out at 6.30 am to another part of Saligoa Forest. It was a quieter morning and we found some good numbers of commoner birds including a Hoopoe, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher and Malabar Whistling Thrush. We also had good views of Rufous Woodpecker.
We returned for breakfast and spent time by the pool relaxing in the sun. Despite this we watched lots of good birds from the poolside, including White-bellied Fish Eagle, 200 plus Black and Black-eared Kites, Booted Eagle, Wooly-necked Stork and had good views of Indian Spotted Eagle which eventually sat in the woods.
At 4pm we set off on a long walk. At the ponds we found 7 Painted Snipe and amazingly we came across 3 Indian Stone Curlew in a field. This was a great find. We got a taxi to Arpora Woods and spent an hour at dusk trying to find nightjars. We heard Jerdon's Nightjar but it wasn't going to fly so we were out of luck. So we settled for good views of Orange-headed Thrush, Indian Blackbird and Indian Peafowl!
Total Species: 268
Day 14 Wednesday 13th January 2016
Our last day of birding was a river cruise along the Zuari River, organised by Leio from Backwoods and with our friends Martin and James. We also had a nice surprise as our new friend Christine was also booked on the trip. It was a lovely morning and it wasn't long before we were watching Kingfishers galore with Common, White-breasted, Stork-billed and best of all great views of both Black-capped Kingfisher and Collared Kingfisher.
A Peregrine watched us from a perch high on the bridge and we got some good views of waders including a slightly distant Terek Sandpiper. Two Ospreys were sitting on posts as we headed up river and a Lesser Adjutant Stork also showed well.
On the way back we stopped briefly at Batim Lakes and saw an obliging Spotted Owlet peaking out of a palm tree hole. Finally we saw 8 Painted Snipe at the marsh near our hotel. The afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool, but livened up by a Booted Eagle and White-bellied Fish Eagle circling above the pool! Our last bird of the trip was a Barn Owl seen on the drive to the airport in the early hours.
Total Species: 271
Lifers 1!