Hi
During my three days' stay in the Jainti range of Buxa Tiger Reserve, we didnt get many forest birds. The Jainti forests seemed to be almost bereft of birds. So we turned our attention towards the mammalian fauna of the reserve. We had some really good sightings of the Asiatic Elephants. But we were dying to see the Indian Bisons (Gaurs) in their natural habitats, and we were anticipating a lot to watch and photograph these wild bovines, as other tourists got many of them few days back. We planned to enter the forest in the early morning hours. We made sure that our car would be the first to enter the reserve. Our driver Ratan da was very enthusiastic about wildlife, and promised to show us some nice animals.
We drove through the dense forest and finally reached the spot where a group of tourists had seen a small herd of bisons the previous day evening. The air inside the forest was cold and heavy. Crickets were chirping loudly, and the cicadas were driving us crazy with their high-pitched deafening calls. A pair of Asian Fairy bluebirds announced their presence with their fluty whistles.
We were waiting in the car on the forest path. Everyone was silent.....my eyes peered thru the binoculars to register any movement in the dense thickets. The entire forest was covered with a veil of mist. The incessant rain of the night finally gave way to the sun, and gradually the surroundings started changing. The mist vanished within seconds...and everything was clearly visible.
Our guide Bappa suggested us to wait at that spot for a few more minutes, as it is a favourite crossing trail of many herbivores. We could feel some movement in the nearby thickets.
Suddenly there was tension in the air...we were anticipating that some large animal would come out of the forest and wud cross the path.
But to our utter surprise, a dwarf comical bird walked out of the bushes...and did some nice ramp-walk on the forest path. It spread its wings and puffed its throat from time to time...
It resembled a heron to a great extent.....but one which i had never seen. It looked somewhat like a monk in its rufous dress, black hood and stocky appearance...
The bird allowed me to take some really nice snaps from the car. It stood in front of our car and danced for a few more minutes, before it finally flew away into the unknown.
At that moment , I could hardly identify the bird, but I was certain that it was something special.
And unfortunately i had left my birdbook in the resort by mistake....so I could hardly control my excitement..
After the jungle safari, I rushed to our resort, and consulted the birdbook (Grimmet-Inskipp) to get the ID of the bird....and I was literally overwhelmed to discover that I had spotted and photographed the extremely elusive Malayan Night Heron....a bird that was always on my wish-list.
The Malayan Night Heron is a shy forest-dwelling colourful heron...with rufous brown body and a black crest (hood), and a sky blue patch at the base of its bill. It is found in the dense tropical forests of North-east India, Western Ghats and Nicobars,.....and is rarely seen in the Duars region of West Bengal.
As far as I remember, there had been a previous record of a juvenile bird from the Gorumara National park area by well-known Kolkata birder Miss Soma Jha in 2008.
So, I think this is the second photo record of the Malayan Night Heron from the Bengal Duars region......and probably the first photo record of an adult bird from the Buxa Tiger Reserve.
Buxa Tiger Reserve is really a huge treasuretrove of wild flora and fauna...and these fascinating forests can give you the most unexpected thing. Buxa-Jainti forests had never disappointed me…..The Malayan Night Heron is the most wonderful gift from the forests I love so much....and it is definitely the "Star Bird of my trip".
cheers!
Shantanu. : )
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3 comments:
The meek and humble bird boy Shantanu had not only been to the Bauxa forest for birding,but has brought back some wonderful bird photographs as an evidence of his spotting a species.May many more Shantanus be born, who would ensure the survival of India's forest birds.Birds bless Shantanu!
On behalf of my Late Guru Dr.Salim Ali,I would love to give Shantanu a warm hug for his wonderful bird photographs.And on behalf of the Bombay Natural History Society (Eastern Members Club) and The India Trees Foundation,I would encourage him to publish his many more wonderful jungle collections for the others to enjoy and feel the same passion for the subject ,that Shantanu holds so dearer to his heart.
The India Trees Foundation is overwhelmed to see the bird shots by Shantanu.As the Vice President of the Foundation and on behalf of all the members,I would offer Shantanu an honorary membership of the Foundation.
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