Birding Tour

The tour begins with the morning flight to Guwahati from Delhi . Leaving Guwahati airport we will travel by road to Kaziranga. Our journey will take about six hours and follow the course of the Brahmaputra river. We will stop to watch Greater Adjutant and Lesser Adjutant Storks on the way and explore a suitable habitat for White-vented Myna and Eastern burmanicus race of Baya Weaver. If we are lucky, we may spot the elusive Finn’s Weaver in the mixed weaver flocks.
Night stay at a wildlife lodge at Kaziranga.

We will go for open-top jeep drive (walking is restricted) to see the birds and mammals in the park in the morning and evening. One morning we will walk in the Panbari forest and adjacent tea plantation to find woodland birds. To watch the rare Bengal Florican we will use an elephant to find the bustard in the grassland. Indian Rhinoceros, Indian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp and Hog Deer can not be missed in the park. Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langurs and Smooth Indian Otter are the other mammals of the park. There are good numbers of Tigers in the reserve but due to high grasses one generally needs a good amount of luck to come across one. We will look for Grey-headed Lapwing, Kaleej Pheasent, Swamp Francolin, Pied Harrier, Pallas’s Fish-Eagle, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Green-billed Malkoha, Lesser Coucal, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthush, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Pale-chinned Flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Green Magpie and more birds during three full days.
Night stay at a wildlife lodge at Kaziranga.

In the morning we will drive to Nameri National Park via Tezpur on the bank of the Brahmaputra river. There is a good possibility of adding a few more forest birds during our stay in Nameri including the rare White-winged Duck. After lunch we will explore the area around the camp and species we may encounter include Oriental Hobby, Red-breasted Parakeet, Greater Yellownape, Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets and Orange-bellied Leafbird.
Night stayat a wildlife tented camp.

We will cross the Jia Bhareli river in a small boat in the morning and walk in the forest and woodland habitats. Our main target would be White-winged Duck. In the open areas of the park we will look for the threatened Pallas’s Fish-Eagle and widespread species like Oriental Honey-Buzzard, Crested Serpent Eagle, Common Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon. Nameri is a good place to look for raptor specialities like Oriental Hobby and Pied Falconet. Forest species we are likely to encounter include Red-breasted Parakeet, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Greater Yellownape, Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets, Great Pied Hornbill, Lesser Coucal, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Maroon Oriole, Streaked Spiderhunter and Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker. There will also be variety of doves and pigeons – Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Oriental Turtle, Spotted and Emerald Doves, Wedge-tailed, Pin-tailed, Ashy-headed Green (split from Pompadour) and Green Imperial Pigeons. In mixed hunting parties we would see Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Pied Flycatcher-Shrike, Long-tailed and Scarlet Minivets, Large Woodshrike, White-throated Fantail, Common Iora, Sultan Tit, Yellow-browed, Greenish and Grey-hooded Warblers and Chestnut-bellied and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches. Other species that we should find include Himalayan Swiftlet, Asian Palm-Swift, Himalayan Black Bulbuls, Asian Fairy Bluebird and Ashy and Spangled Drongos. We will take a rafting trip on the river Jia Bhareli to look for the elegant Ibisbill and Great Thick-knee.
Night stay at a wildlife tented camp.

After breakfast we will drive to Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh via Bhalukpong check post (restricted area permits of foreigners are checked here). The drive beyond Bhalukpong is relatively unexplored and full of surprises and it is possible to watch birds from the road up to Tenga as this passes through eastern border of the Eaglenest and Sessa sanctuaries. Birds like Rufous-necked Hornbill, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Spotted Wren Babbler, Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill and Fire-tailed Myzornis can turn up on this drive. We should reach in time for lunch at Lama Camp (around this camp there are good possibilities of Bugun Liocichla). Birding around the camp is usually excellent. Other specialties near the camp include Long-tailed Thrush, Bhutan Laughingthrush, Lesser, Oriental and Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Red-headed and Grey-headed Bullfinches.
Night stay at Lama Camp.

During our full five days in Eaglenest we will be mostly walking/birding on the jeep track passing through temperate cloud forest, patches of broadleaved evergreen forest and dense stands of bamboo in the sanctuary covering large altitudinal range. The road descends from Eaglenest Pass (highest point on the track circa 2900 m) close to the northern border of the sanctuary (Lama Camp) to the Brahmaputra plains (100 m) in the south and Sunderview, Bompu and Sessni are the camps that lie along the track in a descending order of altitude.
The camp sites in Lama Camp (2350 m), Bompu (1940 m) and Sessni (1250) offer basic but comfortable tented accommodation. We will use at least two camp sites during our stay. During our stay we can encounter birds like Rufous-bellied and Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Rufous-throated and Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Blyth’s and Temminck’s Tragopans, Tawny Wood-Owl, Specked and Ashy Wood Pigeons, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ward’s Trogon, Chestnut-winged and Indian Cuckoos, Bay and Pale-headed Woodpeckers, Grey-chinned Minivet, Blue-fronted Robin, Golden Bush-Robin, Spotted, Grey-sided, Scaly and Black-faced Laughingthrushes, Red-faced Liocichla, Coral-billed and Slender-billed Scimitar-Babblers, Wedge-billed, Eye-browed, Bar-winged, Long-billed and Spotted Wren Babblers, Golden Babbler, Black-headed Shrike-Babbler, Cutia, Black-eared and Green Shrike-Babblers, Red-tailed and Blue-winged Minlas, Golden-breasted, Brown-throated, Streak-throated and Yellow-throated Fulvettas, Beautiful and Rufous-backed Sibias, Rufous-vented and White-naped Yuhinas, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Red-billed Leiothrix, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Hoary-throated, Streaked-throated and Rusty fronted Barwings, Chestnut-headed, Slaty-bellied and Yellow-bellied Tesias, Yelow-bellied Bush-Warbler, Broad-billed and Chestnut-crowned Warblers, Vivid and Large Niltavas, Ultramarine, Sapphire, Slaty-blue, Dark-sided and White-gorgeted Flycatchers, Mrs Gould’s and Fire-tailed Sunbirds, Yellow-browed, Rufous-vented , Fire-capped, Rufous-fronted and Sultan Tits, White-tailed and Beautiful Nuthatches, Rusty-flanked and Brown-throated Treecreepers, Yellow-bellied and Fire-breasted Flowerpeckers, Collared and White-winged Grosbeaks, Scarlet and Gold-naped Finches, Grey-headed and Brown Bullfinches and Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie.
Night stay in tented accommodations.

After morning session of birding around our camp site in Eaglenest, we will bird our way down to Manas for the night.
Night stay at a wildlife tented camp.

After morning birding around the camp site at manas, we will drive for 5 hours to catch our flight to Delhi.

ACCOMMODATION
We will use comfortable wildlife lodge at Kaziranga, permanent and comfortable wildlife tented accommodation at Nameri and tented accommodations at two campsites at Eaglenest.
TRANSPORT
Domestic flights from Delhi to Guwahati and back to Delhi. In Assam and Arunachal Pradesh we will use cars or jeeps and on the game-drives in Kaziranga we will be in 4 x 4 jeeps. At Nameri we will use boat to cross the river. At Panbari, Nameri and Eaglenest we will be walking. To avoid any discomfort, at Eaglenest where all our birding is on foot, vehicles will be kept handy.
CLIMATE
Kaziranga and Nameri are expected to be warm and moderately humid in the middle of the day. During jeep rides in morning and evening it is expected to be cool. Eaglenest would be cooler depending on the altitude of the camp. Rain protection is recommended at all locations.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kaziranga offers excellent opportunities of photographing big mammals. Nameri and Eaglenest are great places for bird photography, though the light conditions can vary depending upon weather.

Overnight in delhi

Drive to Corbett National Park (7 hours). Lunch in Corbett. Evening birdging around the river. overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast Birding Out side of the park and than drive to Dhikala Forest Lodge (Corbett National Park) By open Jeep with packed lunch from hotel . Birding on the way looking for ‘ Tawny and Brown fish owl,
and afternoon visit to the grasslands & forested area for birding and for Tiger. Birding in the lower jungle track along the Ramganga river is very rewarding for water birds such as river lapwings, waders, mergansers and other waterfowl. While relaxing at the lodge or visiting the grasslands one can see long-tailed nightjar, jungle owlet, spot-bellied owl, common stonechat, black francolin, purple and crimson sunbird, golden-fronted & orange-bellied leafbird, black-shouldered kite, hen harrier, changeable hawk-eagle, chestnut-tailed starling etc. . Overnight stay at Dhikala Forest Lodge in side the park.

Morning open jeep safari through the grasslands and dens forests looking for Tiger. This is the best mode of transport for wildlife viewing. Return for breakfast and then spend time till lunch on a watchtower overlooking a water hole. Drive to hotel out side of the park . Some of the best birding areas of Dhikala are Sambhar Road and Khinanauli. One can expect to see great slaty woodpecker, great hornbill, puff-throated babbler, white-rumped shama, Pallas’s fish eagle etc.  Hotel for dinner & overnight stay Ramnagar.

OKHLA BIRD SANCTUARY

We spend our first morning birding at Okhla Bird Sanctuary situated on the river Yamuna. Specialities of the place are two endemic species, Striated Babbler and White-tailed Stonechat and are rather easy to find here. Other species of interest are Striated Grassbird, Moustached Warbler, four species of prinias including, Yellow-bellied, Graceful, Plain and Ashy Prinias, Oriental Skylark, Small Minivet and Red Avadavat. A rarity for the Indian subcontinent, White-crowned Penduline Tit has been recorded from this site.The visit to Okhla is an opportunity to quickly observe species which are going to form core of your birding experience at Bharatpur and Bund Baratha for the next four days. These include various waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, terns and raptors.

Keoladeo National Park is better known to the world as Bharatpur, named after the next-door town. Once the shooting reserve of the Maharaja, the area is fed by water from the nearby river and the artificially created wetland is arguably the best birding site in Asia. It has an area of approximately 28 square km. and apart from the wetlands there are patches of grassland, woodland and acacia scrub. Mode of transport inside the park is cycle rickshaw but frequently one has to walk on to the trails where the rickshaws can not go.

We will make trips to different parts of the park on each successive day and our four-night stay is likely to produce a bird tally of 150-200 bird species.

Bharatpur is a major nesting area for thousands of Egrets, Painted Storks, Open-billed Storks, Cormorants, Darters, Ibises and Spoonbills in the rainy season. By the time it is winter it is possible to see immature of all these species. Many species of Ducks and Geese can be seen at Bharatpur including Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Spot-billed Duck, Red crested and Ferruginous Pochards. Bharatpur attracts lots of raptors in winters including Egyptian, White-rumped, Indian and Red-headed Vultures. Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Shikra, Indian Spotted, Geater Spotted, Tawny, Steppe, Imperial, Bonelli’s and Booted Eagles, Common Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon.

The waders we can come across include Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Little and Temminck’s Stints, Ruff, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, White-tailed Lapwing and if we are lucky the elusive Sociable Lapwing. The world’s tallest flying bird Sarus Crane can be seen in the reserve. Indian Coursers have been recorded from the reserve regularly during last few years.

A day visit to Bund Baratha, a man made lake can be very productive and one can expect River Terns, Indian Skimmers, Great Thick-knee, Brown Crake and Sulphur-bellied Warbler.

Some of the other birds to be seen at Bharatpur are Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Pied Kingfisher, Little Swift, Indian Scops and Dusky Eagle Owls, Grey and Indian Nightjars, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Purple Swamphen, Common Coot, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Whiskered Tern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Bittern, Great White Pelican, Bay-backed Shrike, White-bellied Drongo, Orange-headed and Tickell’s Thrushes, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Siberian Rubythroat, Desert Wheatear, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Streak-throated Swallow, Blyth’s and Clamorous Reed Warblers, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Rufous-tailed and Crested Larks, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Citrine Wagtail, Paddyfield and Tawny Pipits, Red Avadavat, Black-headed and Red-headed Buntings.

Apart from the birds one can see at Bharatpur other forms of life in the park as well. Northern Palm Squirrels convey their presence by making bird-like calls, as they run around from one branch of the tree to another. Blue Bull, locally known as Neel Gai, is the largest Indian antelope. It prefers the small islands with Acacia trees in the wetland. Sambar, the largest Indian deer shares the same habitat with the Blue Bull. Herds of Spotted Deer prefer the dry woodland areas. Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Grey and Small Indian Mongoose are the other mammals. Bharatpur is one of the easiest places to see the Indian Rock Python. There are areas where these 4-5 meter long reptiles can bee seen basking in the sun.

Night stay at a comfortable lodge at Bharatpur.