Sykes's Warbler at Tal Chhapar, Rajasthan

Sharad Sridhar has posted these images of Sykes's Warbler from Tal Chhapar, Rajasthan, Sep 09.

Siberian Lesser Whitethroat from Tal Chhapar, Rajasthan

This photo of a Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia c. blythi) and the photograph is by Sharad Sridhar, taken at Tal Chhapar, September 2009, identification may not be 100% correct, though.

Will write a note as soon as I am able to get some time.

Baya Weavers nesting on Electric Transmission Wires

Photographs by Mr Parbhat Bhatti

Swan Nadi, Ropar, Punjab

Post by Mr Parbhat Bhatti

My trip to Swan Nadi, Ropar, Punjab, from Sep 10-Sep 13

Downpours have filled the river and turned the surrounding farms into water ponds with lush green vegetation all around. The water channel looks like an immense grassland.

Winter migration of the birds has started. While the resident Black-winged Stilts & winter Sandpipers species have also appeared. Then I saw Indian Pond Heron was taking his brea fast of the little fish, Ferruginous Pochard (2) and Common Coot (2) were floating in water with Spot-billed Ducks nearby. Then I saw Black Drongo, Black Francolin, Grey Francolin, Purple Swamhen were also feeding.

When I went to one kilometer ahead from roadside, I saw 5 Painted Storks and one pair of Wool-necked Storks. On the way a House Crow was seen perched on a cycle-career. A pair of Collared Dove was mating. On both days of my 8 hour visit I saw Crested Lark, about one hundred pairs of House Sparrows, White-browed Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Paddyfield Pipit, many flocks of Red Munia, Baya Weavers, Scaly-breasted Munia, Common Rose-finch feeding on ‘Bhang’ plants, Common Tailorbird, Ashy Prinia, Yellow-Bellied Prinia, Plain Prinia, Pied Starling, Common Mynah, Bank Mynah, Pied Bushchat ,Common Stone-chat ,White-tailed Stonechat, about 50 Black Ibises, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bitterns, Little/Intermediate Egrets, pair of Common Hoopoe, Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Pied & Eurasian Cuckoos; Pied Kingfishe, White-throated Kingfisher.

In the end, when I went to the nearby village Bathri, I saw a pair of Sarus Crane with a new-born baby. It is very good news for me and other bird-lovers . (There are only four pairs left in Swan Nadi area)

Regards,

Parbhat Bhatti

Bird photographs from Kangra by Abhinav Chaudhary

Alpine Accentor, Himachal Pradesh

Scaly-breasted Munia, Himachal Pradesh

Kalij Pheasant, Himachal Pradesh

Asian Barred Owlet, Himachal Pradesh

Himalayan Griffons, Himachal Pradesh

Dark-throated Thrush, Himachal Pradesh

Cinereous Vultures in flight, Himachal Pradesh

Photographs by Abhinav Chaudhary, posted at birds-chandigarh googlegroup today.

Chakki Mor towards Nahan (Chandigarh region) - by Narbir Kahlon

(Unidentified butterfly)

Mr.Prabhat Bhatti was here and as I am always looking for an excuse to get into the field made our way towards Parwanoo. We left Chandigarh at about 5am with intention of getting back to office and the mundane routine of work by 10.30 am. In which we were successful much to the surprise of my Family. (I normally leave for birding at the appointed hour but seldom manage to get back in time.)

We gave ourselves two options :-

(1) Parwanoo Kasauli Road (an area, I am well conversant with)
(2) Chakki Mor towards Nahan (an area , well-known to Prabhat ji)

We decided to follow the latter, i.e., Chakki Mor towards Nahan, and were not disappointed.

You turn left from Chakki Mor and go into the Khud (on a motorable road, of course); there at the base of the hill is a stream which seems to be a favourite with week-end revelers, considering the incosndierate manner in which the variety of whisky cartons were strewn along an otherwise picturesque and birdfriendly landscape.

We decided to scan this stream for redstarts instead we came across a few juvenile Red-billed Blue Magpies, followed by a nice long sighting of Kalij Pheasants. Infact there were two pairs.

Encouraged we continued to scan this interesting stream from the road which runs alongside but the Plumbeous and the White-capped Water Redstarts eluded us.

At the next bridge we came across a confluence of two streams and there was a Mandir just above the bridge.

At this place we saw a heron take to the air and take refuge in the thick undergrowth on the steep banks. In flight there was no white coloration and it was a Yellow bittern sized bird which leads me to believe it may have been the Little Heron but I cannot be sure.

The area around the temple was teeming with birds apart from the Himalayan and Red-vented Bulbuls we saw the Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, the Black-chinned Babbler, the Speckled Piculet, the Common Chiffchaff and a number of Gre- breasted Prinia.

The road leading further is a narrow single road with very little traffic; all the same the driver needs to keep alert because jeep trundles down at break-neck speed without any warning.

My knowledge of trees is limited but there is a healthy population of Cymbal, Figs a few Pipul and some fruit bearing trees like, the Khurmani and Plum growing wild in these parts. Lantana bushes, stepped fields of Corn touching the road and the rivulet bellow make for a very interesting Habitat.

While driving down this stretch we came across the Streaked Laughing thrush and the Verditer Flycatchers (3). Amongst the other fly catchers seen that day were the Whit- throated Fantail Flycatcher as well as the Dark-sided Flycatcher, in the area we also the White-crested laughing thrush. The thrushes were quite obliging and gave us plenty of photo opportunities we on the other hand were both stuck on the 'Lucknowi style of politeness' and in the 'pahle aap' - we lost a great opportunity.

The melodious call of the cuckoo shrike made us stop in our tracks it turned out to be alone male Black-headed Cuckoo Shrike. On the same tree were a long tailed Shrike and its juvenile who also posed for their portraits .There was a tree stump in the center of the lush green corn field where we had parked and on top of it was a Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Mr. Bhatti was able to get some nice pictures of the woodpecker

Driving along the road you leave behind the deciduous forest and enter the world of the evergreen pines the forest is a little more open and the slopes are covered in thick grass.
We came across The Red Jungle Fowl the Black Francolin as well as a number of Grey Treepie in the area amongst the other residents were the great Himalayan Barbet and the great tit.

We decided to call it a day exactly 50 Km from Chandigarh at which point we spotted the Jungle Owlet, on the way back the forest kept us on our toes with a brief encounter with a Flameback I got a brief glimpse of the bird in flight and am not sure whether it was the Greater Flameback or the Himalayan Flameback. Mr. Bhati got to see plenty of Black Bulbuls a rarity in the area around Nangal as per him, The crimson sunbird male gave us a good display and we enjoyed the lovely views of the Red billed Leiothrix calling from a bush not more than 15 ft away.

By the end of the day we were able to see 38 species, a short but interesting trip. For me it was a totally new area and what was exiting was the number of perennial streams and the untouched beauty of the place. I intend keeping a watch on this area I expect it to be very interesting from the birding point of view.

Narbir Kahlon

Common Cranes from Punjab (by Parbhat Bhatti)

I visited the Shalla Pattan area of Gurdaspur on 25^th January 2007, after the meeting with Mr SS Bajwa who had told me that he had seen numerous Cranes in that area. When both of us visited the area, we counted more than 1000 Common Cranes winter in about 40 in sub-groups.

We intimated S. Gurmeet singh as he was the Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden of Punjab at that time. On being enquired, local people told us that the cranes were wintering there on a regularly basis. Wetland was very good. Land was used by farmers for paddy only. The situation is same even now. After paddy harvesting is over, the farms are left uncultivated, till the next paddy season begins.

There were hundreds of juvenile/sub adult cranes with the adult.

Other birds seen were Ruddy Shellducks, Bar- headed Geese, one pair of Sarus Crane, Common Teals, ,White-tailed Lapwings, Steppe Eagles, Purple Swamphens, flocks of Red Munias etc.

Comman Cranes arrive in these parts of the state during November and winter there till March. Later on, I had re-visited the site on 25 Nov 2007, Feb 2008, Jan 2009. Cranes were still to my much delight.

Hope to see them again this November.

Regards,
Parbhat Bhatti