Tiger Direct!
Naturetrek Tour Report
29 March - 5 April 2010
Report compiled by Bharat Mandhyan
Naturetrek Cheriton Mill
Cheriton
Alresford
Hampshire
SO24 0NG
T: +44 (0)1962 733051
F: +44 (0)1962 736426
E: [email protected]
W: www.naturetrek.co.uk
England
Tour Report
Tiger Direct!
Tour Leader:
Bharat Mandhyan (Bunty)
Participants:
Richard Williams
Gillian Cowley
John Forester
Ann Forester
Leo Williams
Summary
What a wonderful tour! Its success was owed to all the people involved in making it so, whether it be the
naturalist at Pench for superb guiding, to the staff of the hotels, to the local guides of each of the parks for their
excellent spotting and knowledge of the forests, and thanks must go to the clients too, the holiday was a delight
to lead and a pleasure for everyone.
Day 1
Monday 29th March
Cloudy day, moderately cool weather
Group arrived by Jet Airways flight from Mumbai that landed on time. Tour leader Bunty met the group at
Nagpur International airport. The first birds to be seen on were a pair of Rock Pigeons (of feral origin) that
found the top of a drive way at the airport to be a suitable place for nesting, and Red Throated Flycatcher and
Brown Rock Chat were also seen outside the airport. It took us two hours to reach at Pench. We went to our
comfortable rooms at the hotel for some rest that was much needed after a long flight. Some of the curious ones
did not take much time to reassemble back in the lawns of the hotel, the garden was full of butterflies and
dragonflies and there were Red-wattled Lapwings, Red-vented Bulbuls and Brown Rock Chats to view around
the hotel. After lunch we did an afternoon game drive in three jeeps, mammals seen with ease were Sambar,
Chital, and Common Langur.
Day 2
Tuesday 30th March
Warm, with traces of clouds
We headed into Pench NP. Once through the gate, we entered a different world, where the sound of the
honking horn became a distant memory. After unsuccessful tiger tracking by jeep in the morning drive we got a
chance to go on the elephant for the tiger show courtesy of the successful tracking by the mahout. The
afternoon game was followed by good birding at the dammed Pench River on the southern boundary of the
reserve.
Day 3
Wednesday 31st March
Bright sunny morning, warm afternoon and cloudy evening
We rose before dawn for tea, coffee and biscuits and after taking our early morning drive, we traversed the
scenic Vindhya Hills as we transferred by road to Kanha.
© Naturetrek
July 10
1
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
We reached Kanha in about five and a half hours, and in between we stopped for a packed lunch and carried on
for the rest of the journey, looking forward to seeing the moist deciduous Sal and Bamboo dominated forest
habitat of Kanha. On arrival we checked in at Kanha Jungle Lodge.
Day 4
Thursday 1st April
Cool morning, windy, warm, bright and sunny later.
Today set the tone for our next three full days at Kanha. We took both the drives into the park, after having our
tea, coffee and biscuits before dawn we started for the early morning drive at 6 am to be the first lot of jeeps
going into the park. We were not successful with Tigers today but other mammals seen were Barasingha, Jackal,
Sambar, Chital and Wild Boar.
Day 5
Friday 2nd April
Dry and bright, cool, cloudy later
After having our tea, coffee and biscuits before dawn we started for the early morning drive at 6 am to be in first
going to the Mukki area. A male Tiger at Kanha meadow was seen in the afternoon game drive. We had planned
to go to the plateau, but did not make it due to the tiger sighting and came out of Kisli Gate then drove back to
Mukki about 50 kms, but our the fuel ran out about 8 kms before the hotel, so we waited about half an hour
before help came, and got back to the hotel at 8.30 pm...
Day 6
Saturday 3rd April
Warm, bright and sunny
The morning game drive experienced a tiger sighting. The afternoon drive was pleasant since we planned to take
the drive to this highest point in the park (Bhamnni Dadar) for the sunset, and the views from the plateau were
stunning. Two Short-eared Owls were seen hunting in the grassland there. After the sun went down we headed
back to the Lodge.
Day 7
Sunday 4th April
Pleasant morning, warm afternoon, cool at night
Our tours last drive into Kanha this morning allowed everyone to say goodbye to the beautiful landscapes of the
park and their delightful inhabitants. The rest of the day was given over to get everybody back to Nagpur. The
drive took about six hours with some stops en route, and some good birds were seen on the way. Overnight was
at Tuli International Hotel.
Day 8
Monday 5th April
Pleasant morning
Breakfast was served at the hotel before checking out to drop everybody at Nagpur Airport to catch the flight to
Mumbai and onwards to the UK...
2
© Naturetrek
July 10
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
Species Lists
Birds
Nomenclature and taxonomy generally follows Grimmett and Inskipp’s The Birds of Northern India (2003)
which follows the treatments in The Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (1999) by the same authors. Figures refer
to the number of days the species was recorded out of the 7 days of the main tour,
English Name
Scientific Name
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Phalacrocorax carbo
Phalacrocorax niger
Anhinga melanogaster
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ardea alba
Egretta intermadia
Egretta garzetta
Ardeola grayii
Bubulcus ibis
Anastomus oscitans
Ciconia nigra
Ciconia episcopus
Leptoptilos javanicus
Threskiornis melanocephalus
Pseudibis papillosa
Dendrocygna javanica
Tadorna ferruginea
Nettapus coromandelianus
Anas Penelope
Anas strepera
Anas crecca
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas poecilorhyncha
Anas acuta
Anas clypeata
Netta fufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya fuligula
Pandion haliaetus
Pernis ptilorhynchus
Elanus caeruleus
Milvus migrans
Indian Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Little Cormorant
Oriental Darter
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Indian Pond Heron
Cattle Egret
Asian Openbill
Black Stork
Woolly-necked Stork
Lesser Adjutant
Black-headed Ibis
Red-naped Ibis
Lesser Whistling Duck
Ruddy Shelduck
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Eurasian Wigeon
Gadwall
Common Teal
Mallard
Spot-billed Duck
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Red-crested Pochard
Common Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Tufted Duck
Osprey
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Black-shouldered Kite
Black Kite
© Naturetrek
July 10
Rec.
4
3
4
6
2
1
1
4
3
4
6
6
3
3
3
3
1
4
3
2
1
2
3
2
1
1
3
3
2
2
1
2
2
5
5
3
Remarks
Often
abundant
in
urban
settings,
3
Tiger Direct!
English Name
Tour Report
Scientific Name
Rec.
Remarks
especially common in
Delhi, but much
scarcer or even absent in more rural
areas
Brahminy Kite
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
Egyptian Vulture
Black-rumped Vulture
Long-billed Vulture
Red-headed Vulture
Short-toed Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Pallid Harrier
Shikra
Eurasian Sparrow Hawk
White-Eyed Buzzard
Bonelli’s Eagle
Tawny Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Common Kestrel
Painted Francolin
Red Spurfowl
Red Junglefowl
Painted Spurfowl
Indian Peafowl
White-Breasted Waterhen
Black-winged Stilt
Stone Curlew
Small Pratincole
Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Red-wattled Lapwing
Little-ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Marsh Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Temminck’s Stint
River Tern
Rock Pigeon
Oriental Turtle Dove
Eurasian Collard Dove
Spotted Dove
4
Haliastur Indus
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
Neophron percnopterus
Gyps bengalensis
Gyps indicus
Sacrogyps calvus
Circaetus gallicus
Spilornis cheela cheela
Circus macrourus
Accipiter badius
Accipiter nisus
Butastur teesa
Aquila fasciatus
Aquila rapax
Spizaetus cirrhatus
Falco tinnunculus
Francolinus pictus
Galloperdix spadicea
Gallus gallus
Galloperdix lunulata
Pavo cristatus
Amaurornis phoenicurus
Himantopus himantopus
Burhinus oedicnemus
Glareola lacteal
Vanelluus malabaricus
Vanellus indicus indicus
Chardrius dubius
Chardrius alexandrinus
Tringa stagnatillus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa ochropus
Actitis hypoleucos
Calidris temminckii
Stema aurantia
Columba livia neglecta
Streptopelia turtur
Streptopelia decaoto
Streptopelia chinensis
1
2
2
2
3
2
2
4
1
4
1
5
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
1
6
1
4
2
1
3
6
1
1
1
3
5
2
1
1
5
4
3
5
Quite common and widespread
Very common, widespread and noisy
Fairly common
© Naturetrek
July 10
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
Scientific Name
English Name
Streptopelia senegalensis
Yellow-footed
Green Treron
phoenicoptera
Pigeon
phoenicoptera
Alexandrine Parakeet
Psittacula eupatria
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
Laughing Dove
Rec.
2
4
4
6
Remarks
Common and very widespread
Common and widespread, one of very
few species seen every day
Plum-headed Parakeet
Grey-bellied Cuckoo
Asian Koel
Sirkeer Malkoha
Greater Coucal
Psittaculla cyanocephala
Cacomantis
merulinus
passerinus
Eudynamys scolopacea
Phaenicophaeus leschenaultia
Centropus sinensis
3
2
2
3
4
Regularly encountered in a range of
scrubby and grassland settings
Indian Scops Owl
Brown Fish-owl
Jungle Owlet
Spotted Owlet
Short-eared Owl
Little Swift
Crested Treeswift
Common Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Otus bakkamoena
Ketupa zeylonensis
Glaucidium
Athene brama indica
Asio flammeus
Apus affinis
Hemiprocne corona
Alcedo atthis
Pelargopsis capensis
Halcyon smyrnensis
5
2
5
3
1
3
3
3
3
5
Common
and
very
widespread,
a
frequent sight on roadside wires
Blue-bearded Bee-Eater
Green Bee-Eater
Indian Roller
Hoopoe
Indian Grey Hornbill
Nyctyomis athertoni
Merops orientalis
Coracias
benghalensis
benghalensis
Upupa epops
Ocyceros birostris
2
5
5
Frequently seen, often along roadsides
4
5
Small numbers were seen at most
wooded or parkland sites
Malabar Pied Hornbill
Brown-Headed Barbet
Coppersmith Barbet
Anthracoceros coronatus
Megalaima zeylanica
Megalaima haemacephala
1
4
4
Quite common, though much more often
heard than seen.
Brown-capped
Pygmy
Dendrocopos canicapillus
2
Dendrocopos
mahrattensis
pallescens
Celeus brachyurus
Picus xanthopygaeus
2
Picus squamatus
1
Woodpecker
Yellow-crowned
Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
Streak-throated
2
1
Woodpecker
Scaly-breasted
© Naturetrek
July 10
5
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
Scientific Name
English Name
Rec.
Remarks
Woodpecker
Black-rumped Flameback
Dinopium benghalense
4
The commonest and most widespread
woodpecker with records coming from all
wooded locations
Chrysocolaptes festivus
Sparrow Eremopterix grisea
White-Naped Woodpecker
Ashy-crowned
2
3
Lark
Oriental Skylark
Plain Martin
Dusky Crag Martin
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
White Wagtail
White-browed Wagtail
Cetrine Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Oriental Pipit
Tawny Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Tree Pipit
Large Cuckooshrike
Rosy Minivet
Small Minivet
Long-tailed Minivet
Scarlet Minivet
White-bellied Minivet
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
Golden-Fronted Leafbird
Common Iora
Orange-headd Thrush
Tickell’s Thrush
Zitting Cisticola
Rufous-fronted Prinia
Grey-breasted Prinia
Jungle Prinia
Plain Prinia
Booted Warbler
Common Tailorbird
Alauda gulgula
Riparia paludicola
Ptyonoprogne concolor
Hirundu rustica
Hirundu smithii
Cecropis daurica
Motallica alba
Motallica madaraspatensis
Motallica citreola
Motallica flava
Motallica cinerea
Anthus ruulus
Anthus campestris
Anthus similes
Anthus trivialis
Coracina macei macei
Pericrocotus roseus
Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
Pericrocotus ethologus
Pericrocotus flammeus
Pericrocotus erythropygius
Pycnonotus jocosus
Pycnonotus cafer
Chloropsis aurifrons
Aegithina tiphia
Zoothera citrina
Turdus unicolor
Cisticola juncidis
Prinia buchanani
Prinia hodgsonii
Prinia sylvatica
Prinia inomata
Hippolais caligata
Orthotomus sutorius
1
4
1
2
1
3
3
2
1
2
4
3
1
1
2
4
1
2
3
2
1
1
6
4
2
2
1
3
1
2
3
1
1
2
Very common and widespread
Widespread in small numbers with birds
recorded at all sites
Dusky warbler
6
Phylloscopus fuscatus
2
© Naturetrek
July 10
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
English Name
Scientific Name
Tickell’s Leaf warbler
Jungle Babbler
Phylloscopus affinis
Phylloscopus griseolus
Phylloscopu humei
Phylloscopus trochiloides
Sylvia curruca
Ficedula parva
Ficedula superciliaris
Eumyias thalassina
Cyornis tickelliae
Copsychus saularis
Copsychus malabaricus
Saxicoloides fulica
Phoeicurus ochruros
Saxicola caprata
Cercomela fusca
Saxicola torquata
Rhipidura aureola
Hypothymis azurea
Terpsiphone paradise
Pomatorhinus horsfieldii
Chrysomma sinense
Turdoides striatus
Brown-cheeked Fulvetta
Alcippe poioicephala
3
Great Tit
Parus major(cinereus group)
4
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Sitta frontalis
Nectarinia asiatica
Dicaeum agile
Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
Zosterops palpebrosus
Oriolus oriolus
Oriolus xanthornus
Lanius cristatus
Lanius vittatus
Lanius schach
Lanius meridionalis
Tephrodornis pondicerianus
Dicrurus macrocercus
2
5
3
1
4
4
4
1
1
4
1
3
5
Sulphur-bellied Warbler
Hume’s Leaf Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Ultramarine flycatcher
Verditer flycatcher
Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie Robin
White-rumped Shama
Indian Robin
Black Redstart
Pied Bushchat
Indian Chat
Common Stone Chat
White-browed Fantail
White-naped Monarch
Asian Paradise-flycatcher
Indian Scimitar Babbler
Yellow-eyed Babbler
Purple Sunbird
Thick-Billed Flowerpecker
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Oriental White-eye
Golden Oriole
Black-Hooded Oriole
Brown Shrike
Bay-backed Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Southern Grey Shrike
Common Woodshrike
Black Drongo
Rec.
2
3
2
3
2
4
1
1
3
5
3
3
2
3
1
3
1
4
1
1
1
6
Remarks
Generally common and widespread
Present throughout at low densities
Very
common,
a
frequent
site
on
roadside wires
Ashy Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
© Naturetrek
July 10
Dicrurus leucophaeus
Dicrurus caerulescens
Dicrurus hottentottus
3
5
2
7
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
English Name
Scientific Name
Greater
Dicrurus paradiseus
Racket-Tailed
Rec.
2
Remarks
Drongo
Rufous Treepie
House Crow
Dendrocitta agabunda
Corvus splendens splendens
5
3
Widespread at fairly low densities
common around settlements, but less
frequently seen in wooded areas
Large-billed Crow
Corvus
culminatus
macrorhynchos
6
Generally found in more wooded settings
than the last species, though with some
habitat overlap, and never in such large
concentrations
Bank Myna
Acridotheres ginginianus
2
Rather
localised,
sometimes
the
dominant myna but generally scarce and
heavily outnumbered by Common Mynas
Common Myna
Asian Pied Starling
Brahminy Starling
House Sparrow
Chestnut-shouldered
Acridotheres tristis tristis
Sturnus contra
Temenuchus pagodarum
Passer domesticus (indica
group)
Petronia xanthocollis
6
2
3
3
Amandava amandava
Lonchura striata
Carpodacus erythrinus
1
1
2
Ubiquitous
Common in the vicinity of water
Fairly common in most urban settings
and in some more rural areas
5
Petronia
Red Avadavat
White-rumped Munia
Common Rosefinch
Mammals
English Name
Scientific name
Royal Bengal Tiger
Rhesus Macaque
Panthera tigris
Felis chaus
Macca mulatta
Rec.
5
1
4
Common Langur
Presbytis entellus
6
Jungle Cat
Remarks
Fairly common and widespread
Fairly common and widespread,
commoner in heavy woodland than
the previous species
Common Mongoose
Ruddy Mongoose
Jackal
Dhole (Asiatic Wild Dog)
Indian Flying Fox
Three-striped Palm Squirrel
Five-Striped Palm Squirrel
Gaur( Indian Bison)
Sambar
8
Herpestes edwardsi
Herpestes smithii
Canis aureus
Cuon alpinus dukhunensis
Pteropus giganteus
Funambulus pennarum
Funambulus pennantii
Bos guarus
Cervus unicolor
2
4
5
2
2
6
2
4
6
© Naturetrek
July 10
Tiger Direct!
Tour Report
Scientific name
English Name
Cervus duvauceli branderi
(Barking Muntiacus muntjak
Barasingha (Swamp deer)
Indian
Muntjac
Rec.
3
3
Remarks
Deer)
Chital (Spotted Deer)
Nilgai
Indian Wild Boar
Cervus axis
Boselaphus tragocamelus
Sus scrofa
6
3
5
Reptiles
Reptile Species
Scientific name
Flap-shelled Turtle
Lissemys punctata
Rec.
3
Receive our e-newsletter
Join the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates,
tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up.
Naturetrek Facebook
We are delighted to launch the Naturetrek Facebook page so that participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in
touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans.
© Naturetrek
July 10
9