Kutch March 2007 visit Report

Kutch March 2007 visit Report

Niraj V. Mistry and Maulik Suthar

21st March 2007

In order to reach the Bhuj , the main capital of Kutch district we started our journey at 11.30 PM from the Ahmedbad Junction by Sayajinagri express. We arrived at Bhuj station round about 7:30 next morning. Jugal Tiwari and Mr. Mangalbhai were already there to recive us. Jugal’s property (named as Centre for Desert and Ocean) is situated at village Moti Virani near town of Nakhatrana. It took almost 45 minutes to reach there. After half an hour we started our Bird trip to BANNI area.

The road includes the villages JATAVEER , FULAY , and Banni area which is approximately 3847 sq.km . This area has yielded many fossils and was thought dominated by dinosaurs.

Day 1: 22nd March 25, 2007

We were able to spot following species;
Rufous tailed Lark
Green Bee Eater
Indian Robin
Purple Sunbird
Rock pigeon
Common Myna
Red vented Bulbul
White-eared bulbul
Grey francolin
Red tailed wheatear
Great horn owl/Eurasian eagle owl
Rosy starling
Steppe eagle
Black shouldered kite
Pallid Harrier
Dalmatian pelican
Marsh harrier
Black tailed godwit
Grey heron
Crested lark
Tawny Pipit
Tawny Eagle
Common Kestrel
Plain Prinia
Common Stonechat
Long tailed Shrike
Common Babbler
Indian Roller
Common Crane
Black Drongo
Euarasian collared Dove
Long legged Buzzard
Paddified Pipit
Brown headed Gull
White Stork
Sand plover
Greater spotted Eagle
Ruff
Grey Heron

Day 2: The Longest Day:
12 hours of birding
On 23rd March 25, 2007 we started our birding safari toward the DONNAR grass land and Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary.

We were able spot and shoot following birds;

Small Minivet
Black shouldered Kite
Common Myna
Bank Myna
Rock pigeon
Green Bee eaters
Rosy starlings
Purple Moorhen
Common Sandpiper
White Wagtail
Indian Magpie robin
Purple sunbird
Common babbler
Green sandpiper
Common hoopoe
Red rumped swallow
Little Ring Plover
Yellow Wagtail
Eurasion Spoonbill
Black drongo
Black winged stilt
Red-vented Bulbul
Indian Peafowl
Cattle Egret
Black Francolin
Oriental sky Lark
Bay-backed Shrike
Yellow Painted Woodpecker
Spotted Owl
Black shouldered kite
Marshall’s IORA
Tailor bird
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Yellow-wettled Lapwing
Common Stonechat
Great Egret
Black Redstart
Grey-necked Bunting
Indian Silverbill
Montagu’s Harrier
Painted Stork
Grey Heron
Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse
Long legged Buzzard
Indian bush Lark
White-rumped Vulture
Eurasain Griffon
Long-billed Vulture
Booted Eagle
Short-toed Eagle
Pallid Harrier
Southern Grey Shrike

In the morning session we passed though the villages Banku , KHIRSARA.

Sykes’s crested Lark
Black-necked Stork
Slender-billed Gull
Dalmatian Pecilcan
Common Sandpiper
Grey Heron
Western Reef Egret
River Tern
Curlew sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Little Stint


We also observed Mangoos hunting Spiny tailed Lizzard but were not able to shoot.
We took our lunch at Lodge in village Kothara.

At approximately 3.30 PM we reached to Pingleshwar, where the Shiv Temple is there. The area is harbouring lot many number of Windmills and increasing very rapidly. We walked on the Beach which a long but the water level is deep enough saying no to swim.

Saunders’s Tern
Long tailed shrike
Red-wettled Lapwing
Grey Francolin
Red-rumped swallow
Little Ring Plover
Rufous tailed Lark
Red-vented Bulbul
House Sparrow

We reached to Raidhanjar village.

Grey-necked Bunting
Common Kestrel
Spot-billed Duck


Day 3: 24th March 25, 2007

SALVADOR trees are the major attraction to spot the Grey Hypocolius at village FULAY. We are equally thankful for the efforts of Mohhamedbhai.

On the way to FULAY we spotted following birds
Wire-tailed Swallow
White-eared Bulbul
Common Babbler
House Crow
Eurasion Eagle Owl
Rosy Starling
Pallid Harrier
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Dalmatian Pelican
Common Crane
Steppe Eagle
Rufous tailed Lark
Oriental Crested Lark
Common Kestrel
Grey Francolin
Marsh Harrier
White-throated Kingfisher
Cattle Egret
Indian Roller


On the way to village PIYONI Shiv Temple we were able to spot,

White-napped Tit
Marshall’s IORA
Little Cormorant
Black Ibis
House Swift
Shikra
Brahminy Myna
House Crow
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Black headed Bunting
Common Woodshrike
Grater coucal
Common Minivet
Rose-ringed Parakeet


Summary:

Although the March end comes with lot of heat in Gujarat in both temperature and accounting activity, we found that temperature in Kutch was pleasant, overall. We spotted highest number of the birds , in the trips so far we have carried out. (approx 100+ birds species and 20 + new bird species for us). We are grateful to Jugal Tiwari, Mr. Mangalbhai their supporting staff and Mohammedbhai.

Some important websites:

It was a great fortune to have a discussion with Jugal while all our time over there, we appreciate and acknowledge his knowledge in his research of Grey Hypocolius and paper he has published. We acknowledge some of the information in the form of sites, societies and groups.

www.flammeus.it
www.mammalwatching.com
www.birdlife.org Bird Life international
www.wolrdbirds.org