Linking up with David Bishop we enjoyed an outstanding week
of birding in Assam. Early
monsoon rains made it a bit touch and go accessing key sites like Debwesari but we made it through to all sites. The numbers
of both species of Adjutant storks were impressive with a high count of (18)
Greater in view at once in flight on the outskirts of Gauhati
on morning of 13 Apr and (22) Lesser in Kaziranga
central on 7 April. Less common ducks included (10) Bar-headed Geese with (6)
Cotton Pygmy-Geese at Sohola Bheel
on 9 April, (1) Common Shelduck at Baghuri Bheel on 7 April with the elusive White-winged Wood Duck
heard calling in the predawn darkness on two mornings out of three at Nameri.
We enjoyed several species of rarer raptores
with a great view of a pair of Jerdon’s Baza flying past the watchtower at Nameri
on 11 April; a high count of 8 Long-billed Vultures (tenuirostris) at Sohola Bheel on 9 April with frequent sightings of Pallas’s and
Grey-headed Fish-Eagles and stunning Pied Harriers on most days in Kaziranga. A pair of Oriental Hobbies was seen at Nameri on 12 April, one flying up river and predating an
unidentified swallow. An elephant ride at Kaziranga
central flushed (2) large Coturnix quail considered
most likely to be Common giving surprisingly good views and an excellent view
of a Yellow-legged Button-quail with healthy numbers of at least (30)
Pin-tailed Snipe rising in front of the elephants. Display leaping male Bengal Florican (1) Central and (3) Debwesari
gave mega scope views- a huge highlight for all.
There was a Great Thick-knee at Nameri
on 11 April and healthy numbers of Small Pratincoles on several days. Rarer
shorebirds included (2) Grey-headed Lapwings at Baguri
Bheel on 7 April and (2) Northern Lapwings at Sohola Bheel on 9 April. A Great
Black-headed Gull was at Nameri on 12 April. Brown
Hawk Owl was seen in the camp at Nameri and found in
the day at Kaziranga Central with a pair of Brown
Fish-Owls at Sohola Bheel
on 9 Apr. Green Pigeons were diverse at Nameri with
Thick-billed, Pin-tailed and Wedge-tailed present in reasonable numbers. A
Ruddy Kingfisher was tracked down by call and scoped beautifully in the
rainforest canopy at Nameri on 12 Apr. Great Hornbill
(5-10) and a few Wreathed Hornbill were present at Nameri
daily.
Single Wryneck were found in Kaziranga
on 7 and 9 Apr and low altitude Great and Golden-throated Barbets were present
at Nameri on 11 Apr. A Bengal Bushlark did a classic
nest distraction display at Nameri on the 12 Apr
leading us away with a broken wing before enjoying a miraculous recovery.
Pale-chinned Flycatcher was found to be moderately common in quality forest at Nameri. Rare grassland babblers performed well with
Slender-billed and Jerdon’s both showing well,
more common species included Abbott’s, Puff-throated, Rufous-fronted,
Striped Tit, Chestnut-capped and Striated.
Black-breasted Parrotbill was
arguably bird of the trip for many-what a mega with a pair at Debwesari on 9 Apr. Sultan Tit was also very popular with
several folks at Nameri where it was moderately
common. Yellow-vented and Plain Flowerpeckers were
sharing mistletoe clumps in Albizzia shade trees in
tea plantations in Kaziranga foothills on 8 Apr.
Other good sightings in the same location included Lesser Necklaced
Laughingthrush, Kalij
Pheasant and Blossom-headed Parakeet. Our last great birding highlight went to
a pair of Finn’s Weavers with the male in breeding plumage photographed
in Kaziranga central on 10 April.
Good mammal sightings included Hoolock
Gibbon, Capped Langur, Smooth Otter, Barasingha,
several Asian Elephant, spectacular Swamp Buffalo and over 80 Indian Rhinos.
The park authorities are to be commended on doing such an excellent job
protecting the rare ungulates and helping to conserve so many globally
threatened birds in the process. Please feel free to quote any of these records
for regional reports and don’t forget to credit David Bishop for these as
well.
All the best
Dion
