Introduction and accommodation
Ahmedabad -
Thol Area
Nal Sarovar Area
Ahmedabad 2G,2B
Little Rann -
Little Rann of Kutch 1
Little Rann of Kutch 2
Little Rann of Kutch 3
Little Rann of Kutch 4
Little Rann of Kutch 5
Little Rann 2G,2B
Kachchh Area -
Fulay & Charri Dhandd 1
Fulay & Charri Dhandd 2
Kachchh Thorn Forest
Mandvi
Naliya Grasslands
Bhuj 2G,2B
Jamnagar Area -
Valsura
Khijadiya Sanctuary
Jamnagar 2G,2B
Sasan Area -
Sasan Gir 1
Sasan Gir 2
Gir Birding Lodge 1
Gir Birding Lodge 2
Diu Island -
Diu Intro
Diu Forest
Fudam Reserve
Diu Town Area
Diu 2G,2B
Extras -
Full Species List
Misc -
Non-birding Images 1
Non-birding Images 2
Showing posts with label Gujarat Trip Report 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gujarat Trip Report 2010. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Accommodation and Sites Visited in Gujarat and Diu.
From 27/1/10 to 1/3/10 myself and 'er indoors had 5 weeks birding in the Indian State of Gujarat. The following posts are an account of the trip.
Dates and places visited and accommodation -
28/1 - 29/1 Ahmedabad
Stayed at the Hotel Safar Inn in the old city - http://www.safarinnhotel.com/index.html
Visited Thol Sanctuary and Nal Sarovar.
30/1 - 3/2 Dasada
Stayed at Desert Coursers at Zainabad- http://www.desertcoursers.net/
Visited Little Rann of Kutch (several times) and Patdi.
4/2 - 11/2 Bhuj
Stayed at Gangaram Hotel and C.E.D.O. - http://www.cedobirding.com/
Visited Fulay, Chhari Dhand, Sharanath, Banni Grasslands, the Thorn Forest, Mandvi, Dahinsara and Naliya.
12/2 - 15/2 Jamnagar
Stayed at Hotel President - http://www.hotelpresident.in/
Visited Valsura, Lakhota Tank and Khijadiya Sanctuary.
16/2 - 18/2 Sassan Gir
Stayed at Gir Birding Lodge.
Visited Gir National Park several times.
19/2 - 1/3 Diu Island
Stayed at Hotel Samrat - http://www.cidadedediu.com/samrat/abouthotel.php
Visited Diu saltpans and Diu Reserve Forest and, being as the rest of Gujarat is a dry state, drank lots of Kingfisher.
Dates and places visited and accommodation -
28/1 - 29/1 Ahmedabad
Stayed at the Hotel Safar Inn in the old city - http://www.safarinnhotel.com/index.html
Visited Thol Sanctuary and Nal Sarovar.
30/1 - 3/2 Dasada
Stayed at Desert Coursers at Zainabad- http://www.desertcoursers.net/
Visited Little Rann of Kutch (several times) and Patdi.
4/2 - 11/2 Bhuj
Stayed at Gangaram Hotel and C.E.D.O. - http://www.cedobirding.com/
Visited Fulay, Chhari Dhand, Sharanath, Banni Grasslands, the Thorn Forest, Mandvi, Dahinsara and Naliya.
12/2 - 15/2 Jamnagar
Stayed at Hotel President - http://www.hotelpresident.in/
Visited Valsura, Lakhota Tank and Khijadiya Sanctuary.
16/2 - 18/2 Sassan Gir
Stayed at Gir Birding Lodge.
Visited Gir National Park several times.
19/2 - 1/3 Diu Island
Stayed at Hotel Samrat - http://www.cidadedediu.com/samrat/abouthotel.php
Visited Diu saltpans and Diu Reserve Forest and, being as the rest of Gujarat is a dry state, drank lots of Kingfisher.
28th January 2010 Thol Area.
After getting a car and a driver sorted out, eventually headed of towards Thol Sanctuary. On the way stopped at Ognaj village, where the large village tank offers some close views of water birds - 300+ Ruff, 150+ Little Stints, 4 Avocets, 8 Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Greater Flamingo were all within 100 yards of the road.
Got to Thol at about 10:30 and spent most of the rest of the day there - Thol is massive, even with a 'scope, it's massive, so after a while gave up on trying to scan through the huge rafts of Ducks in the distance, and just spent the day birding. 30+ River Terns, 40+ Black Ibis, 20+ Glossy Ibis, 120+ Painted Stork and 10 Whiskered Tern were all seen relatively close to the banks. 100+ Greater Flamingo, 70+ Common Crane and 5 Sarus Crane on distant islands, 2 Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Sykes Warbler in the Acacia Woodland (Thol was the only place we saw Sykes Warbler), and 4 Painted Francolin were seen around the car park. A distant Eastern Imperial Eagle was 'scoped from the car park.
Went on to an area of dried up fields just to the east of Thol village, this area had plenty of Desert Wheatears, Short-toed Larks and about 150 Blackbucks.
Between Thol and Ahmedabad picked up a soaring group of raptors, these turned out to be mainly Black Kites with 3 Steppe Eagles, 1 Griffon Vulture, 1 White-rumped Vulture and a Common Buzzard.
Avocet.
Black-tailed Godwit.
Greater Flamingo.
Ashy Prinia.
Common Langur.
Indian Darter.
Glossy Ibis.
Hoopoe.
Painted Stork.
Pied Kingfisher.
River Terns.
Indian Silverbills.
Blackbucks.
Got to Thol at about 10:30 and spent most of the rest of the day there - Thol is massive, even with a 'scope, it's massive, so after a while gave up on trying to scan through the huge rafts of Ducks in the distance, and just spent the day birding. 30+ River Terns, 40+ Black Ibis, 20+ Glossy Ibis, 120+ Painted Stork and 10 Whiskered Tern were all seen relatively close to the banks. 100+ Greater Flamingo, 70+ Common Crane and 5 Sarus Crane on distant islands, 2 Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Sykes Warbler in the Acacia Woodland (Thol was the only place we saw Sykes Warbler), and 4 Painted Francolin were seen around the car park. A distant Eastern Imperial Eagle was 'scoped from the car park.
Went on to an area of dried up fields just to the east of Thol village, this area had plenty of Desert Wheatears, Short-toed Larks and about 150 Blackbucks.
Between Thol and Ahmedabad picked up a soaring group of raptors, these turned out to be mainly Black Kites with 3 Steppe Eagles, 1 Griffon Vulture, 1 White-rumped Vulture and a Common Buzzard.
Avocet.
Black-tailed Godwit.
Greater Flamingo.
Ashy Prinia.
Common Langur.
Common Cranes.
Indian Darter.
Glossy Ibis.
Hoopoe.
Painted Stork.
Pied Kingfisher.
River Terns.
Indian Silverbills.
Blackbucks.
Mongoose.
Comb Duck.
Comb Duck.
Steppe Eagles.
29th January 2010 Nal Sarovar.
All set for a full day at Nal Sarovar until we got a puncture about 4 miles south of Sanand, the driver then discovered that the spare was also flat and had to walk to Sanand to get it fixed ! This left us to bird at the side of the road for nearly 2 hours, which wasn't so bad with 20+ Red Collared Doves on the overhead wires, a fly-over Egytpian Vulture and 20+ Painted Francolin.
Hired a small boat at Nal Sarovar and was rowed over to one of the small islands, Where we spent about an hour birding - 20+ Citrine Wagtails, 200+ Yellow Wagtails, 20 Temminck's Stint,2 Moustached Warbler (the only sighting for the whole trip), 90+ Clamorous Reed Warbler, 5 Black-breasted Weavers, 50+ Rose-coloured Starlings and 4 Common Starlings.
Back on the lake there were 100+ Dalmatian Pelicans, 1 Asian Openbill, 600+ Greater Flamingo, 3000+ Coot, 100+ Pheasant-tailed Jacana and 5 Pallas's Gulls.
Scanning the distant marsh from the road between the lake and the entrance gate, there were around 800+ Common Cranes, 100+ Demoiselle Cranes and 9 Sarus. About 100+ Ashy-crowned Sparrow Larks were around the waste ground near the shanty town at the lake.
After leaving Nal Sarovar, we managed to get another puncture in virtually the same place as the earlier one ! This worked out really well, as there were 2 Sarus in the field right next to the road.
Black-winged Stilts (loads at Nal Sarovar).
Black-breasted Weaver.
Dalmatian Pelican.
Pheasant-tailed Jacanas.
Rose-coloured Starling.
Red Collared Dove.
Hired a small boat at Nal Sarovar and was rowed over to one of the small islands, Where we spent about an hour birding - 20+ Citrine Wagtails, 200+ Yellow Wagtails, 20 Temminck's Stint,2 Moustached Warbler (the only sighting for the whole trip), 90+ Clamorous Reed Warbler, 5 Black-breasted Weavers, 50+ Rose-coloured Starlings and 4 Common Starlings.
Back on the lake there were 100+ Dalmatian Pelicans, 1 Asian Openbill, 600+ Greater Flamingo, 3000+ Coot, 100+ Pheasant-tailed Jacana and 5 Pallas's Gulls.
Scanning the distant marsh from the road between the lake and the entrance gate, there were around 800+ Common Cranes, 100+ Demoiselle Cranes and 9 Sarus. About 100+ Ashy-crowned Sparrow Larks were around the waste ground near the shanty town at the lake.
After leaving Nal Sarovar, we managed to get another puncture in virtually the same place as the earlier one ! This worked out really well, as there were 2 Sarus in the field right next to the road.
Black-winged Stilts (loads at Nal Sarovar).
Black-breasted Weaver.
Dalmatian Pelican.
Pheasant-tailed Jacanas.
Rose-coloured Starling.
Red Collared Dove.
Sarus Cranes.
30th January - 3rd February 2010.
Moved on to Desert Coursers at Camp Zainabad, glad to be away from Ahmedabad - lots of air pollution.
Ahmedabad - Too Good, Too Bad.
Too Good - The 'tuk-tuk' driver, who picked us up at the airport (Mr Kiritbh), who spent 90 minutes going from hotel to hotel, bartering to get the best possible deal for us (we ended up paying 700 rupees per night for a suite - should have been 1350 a night).
Too Bad - The air pollution in Ahmedabad - at night you can just see the headlights on cars that are only 30 feet away ! And the taxi driver we booked to take us to Dasada, who said - "it is not possible to go here, it doesn't exist", fortunately we had a map, and soon put him straight.
Ahmedabad - Too Good, Too Bad.
Too Good - The 'tuk-tuk' driver, who picked us up at the airport (Mr Kiritbh), who spent 90 minutes going from hotel to hotel, bartering to get the best possible deal for us (we ended up paying 700 rupees per night for a suite - should have been 1350 a night).
Too Bad - The air pollution in Ahmedabad - at night you can just see the headlights on cars that are only 30 feet away ! And the taxi driver we booked to take us to Dasada, who said - "it is not possible to go here, it doesn't exist", fortunately we had a map, and soon put him straight.
30th January 2010 Little Rann of Kutch.
Arrived at the camp just in time for lunch, after which we just spent a few hours birding around the camp - Pallid Scops Owl roosting by the gate, 4 White-cheeked Bulbuls, 1 Greenish Warbler, 2 Black Redstarts and a Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher all in the camp grounds, and a Spotted Owlet roosting in the eaves of the porch in front of the hut we were staying in.
On the jeep safari into the Little Rann in the afternoon - 900+ Short-toed Larks, 60 Rufous-tailed Larks, 20 Crested Larks, 10+ Isabelline Shrikes, 2 Variable Wheatear, 2 Desert Wheatear, 20+ Isabelline Wheatear, 2 Bay-backed Shrike, 40 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, 2 Grey Francolin and a male Pallid Harrier. After dark we were on the hunt for Nightjars - 3 Sykes seen out on the Little Rann and an Indian on the road near to the camp.
Several Nilgai and Wild Ass out on the Rann.
Black-rumped Flameback.
Black Redstart.
Variable Wheatear.
Sykes Nightjar.
Nilgai (Bluebull).
On the jeep safari into the Little Rann in the afternoon - 900+ Short-toed Larks, 60 Rufous-tailed Larks, 20 Crested Larks, 10+ Isabelline Shrikes, 2 Variable Wheatear, 2 Desert Wheatear, 20+ Isabelline Wheatear, 2 Bay-backed Shrike, 40 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, 2 Grey Francolin and a male Pallid Harrier. After dark we were on the hunt for Nightjars - 3 Sykes seen out on the Little Rann and an Indian on the road near to the camp.
Several Nilgai and Wild Ass out on the Rann.
Black-rumped Flameback.
Black Redstart.
Variable Wheatear.
Sykes Nightjar.
Nilgai (Bluebull).
Asiatic Wild Ass.
31st January 2010 Little Rann of Kutch.
2 safari's today, including visiting the lake in the Little Rann. 6 Dalmatian Pelican, 200+ White Pelican, 250+ Lesser Flamingo, 150+ Greater Flamingo, 200+ Greylag Geese, 10 Shelduck, 40 Tufted Ducks, 150+ Demoiselle Cranes, 600+ Common Cranes, 1 Greater Sand Plover and 10 Marsh Sandpipers around the lake. 2 male Montagu's Harriers, 1 male Pallid Harrier, 1 Booted Eagle, 4 Indian Coursers and 2 Desert Warblers around the Rann. Desert Wheatear and Crested Lark a lot commoner in this area. Also seen - more Rufous-tailed Larks, Southern Grey Shrikes and Variable & Isabelline Wheatears.
The Pallid Scops Owl was showing much better than yesterday at the camp, plus a Short-toed Eagle over in the afternoon.
Crested Larks.
Demoiselle Cranes.
Desert Warblers.
Desert Wheatears.
Indian Courser.
Isabelline Wheatear.
Greater and Lesser Flamingo.
Pallid Scops Owl.
Rufous-tailed Lark.
Southern Grey Shrike.
Short-toed Eagle.
The Pallid Scops Owl was showing much better than yesterday at the camp, plus a Short-toed Eagle over in the afternoon.
Crested Larks.
Demoiselle Cranes.
Desert Warblers.
Desert Wheatears.
Indian Courser.
Isabelline Wheatear.
Greater and Lesser Flamingo.
Pallid Scops Owl.
Rufous-tailed Lark.
Southern Grey Shrike.
Short-toed Eagle.
Variable Wheatear.
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