Gujarat – Great Indian Birding Trip

Spot-billed Pelican

Spot-billed Pelican, , also known as Grey Pelican is a relatively small pelican that can be seen from Pakistan – India to Indonesia. The identification of this species of pelican is comparetively easy when seen from a close proximity. The upper mandible has lot of spots on it and hence the name Spot-billed Pelican.

The first time I have seen a Spot-billed Pelican is from Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka, India. It was in the month of Dec, 2013. One famous place where the bird can be seen very easily is the Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. I have seen this species from other states of India including Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc.

These birds normally breed in colonies and can be easily seen at Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary where they breed in hundreds along with other waterbirds like egrets, Eurasian Spoonbills and Painted Storks.

Indian Wild Ass

Indian Wild Ass, Equus hemionus khur, is a species of Wild Ass that are only found in the state of Gujarat as of today. It is estimated that there are only less than 5,000 individuals that are in the wild. They are mainly seen in the Wild Ass Wildlife Santuary in LRK, Gujarat.

Lesser Flamingo

Lesser Flaminingo is the smallest species of Flamingos in the world. They are normally found in Sub-sharan Africa and in India. Lesser Flamingos may be the most numerous flamingos in the world. These species sometimes can be see with Greater Flamingos.

Sykes’s Nightjar

Sykes's Nightjar

Sykes’s Nightjar, Caprimulgus mahrattensis, also known as Sindh Nightjar is a species of nightjar that are found in the northwestern South Asia. Sykes’s Nightjar is very similar to Egyptian Nightjars. As every nightjar, they are very well camouflaged and is hard to spot them.

Sykes Nightjars prefer open country with bushes and normally hides on the base of bushes during day time. They prefer to hunt during the dawn and dusk and normally rest during the rest of the night.

Red-headed Vulture

Red-headed Vulture is a critically endangered species of Vulture according to the IUCN Red List which are mainly found in the Indian Subcontinent. Red-headed Vulture is also called Asian King Vulture, Indian Black Vulture or Pondicherry Vulture.

Once abundant, one of the main cause of their decline is the use of Diclofenac in Veterinary medicines in India. These species were found in 1000s in most parts of India a few decades back. The species in now listed as Critically endangered in IUCN Red List and is in the brink of extinction.

Even though I have personally seen Red-headed Vulture a few times before, it was the first time I have seen them in such close proximity. I was able to take some photographs during our GIBT 2017 – NI trip while we were in Desert National Park, Jaisalmar, Rajasthan.

This is one species which we are not really sure to see in a decade or two unless strict measures are taken.

Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat, Felis chaus, also known as Reed Cat or Swamp Cat is a species of cat found through Middle East, Indian Subcontinent Southern China and South East Asia. The species can adapt to different terrains and due to its increased range it is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Jungle Cat is typically diurnal but can be seen hunting through out the day. Their main diet includes small mammals like birds, gerbils, hares and rodents. These solitary cats only interact with others only during mating season. Like other cats, Jungle Cats marks their territories by spraying urine.

I have seen the Jungle Cats quite a few times during my trips to different areas but never managed to get a photo like the above until I visited Velavader in Dec 2017. On 29th of Dec, 2017, during our GIBT 2017 – NI trip, around 5:45 in the evening, while we were birding at Velavador, Gujarat, a Jungle cat appeared in front us. It almost ignored us and walked steadily towards a near by water hole. We approached the cat very cautiously from our vehicle keeping a pretty good distance from it. As it reached the water hole, we were unable to spot it again for almost 10 minutes. Luck was with us. The cat reappeared and started walking though the track ahead of us for another few minutes. We managed to get some decent photographs of it. We do not want to disturb the cat for a long time and we left him to his business after a few minutes of observation.

Just a couple of days back (27th Dec, 2017) at Little Rann of Kutch we were able to see another Jungle Cat around 8:30 in the night. Though I managed a few clicks of it, the above photo is my personal favorite.

It was a species that we never thought to see during our GIBT 2017 – NI trip. For sure it was a sweet surprise.

Bluethroat

Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica, is a species of birds which comes under the Old World Flycatchers. These beautiful birds prefer undergrowth and can be often seen perched on branches. The call of the Bluethroat is very melodious.

The first time I have seen a Bluethroat is in 2008 from United Arab Emirates (UAE). I always admired the beauty of this little bird. During our GIBT 2017 – NI trip, we found them in an island in the Nalsarovar Lake, Gujarat. The bird was very co-operative and allowed us to take good images. I even managed to take some videos of the same.

Bluethroat is also seen during GIBT 2018 – CS from Basai Wetlands, Haryana. We found around 4 of them in just a couple of hours or so.

GIBT 2017 – NI

Bengal Fox, Bimaculated Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Bluethroat, Cream-coloured Courser, Demoiselle Crane, Greater Flamingo, Jungle Cat, Lesser Flamingo, Red-headed Vulture, Sykes's Nightjar

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GIBT 2017 – NI was a much awaited tour to see and photograph more birds from India. The trip started on 20th of Dec and ended on 31st Dec. During the trip two states were covered. Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The trip started from Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 20th morning around 10:30. The following route were taken during the trip.

Day 1 : Ahmedabad to Jaisalmar
Day 2 : Jaisalmar
Day 3 : Jaisalmar
Day 4 : Vijaysagar Lake, Khichan
Day 5 : Rann of Kutch
Day 6 : Rann of Kutch
Day 7 : Nalsarovar
Day 8 : Velavader
Day 9 : Nalsarovar