Because of the heavy rains this year taal chappar was full of water –till as
late as 9th sept the weekend when we had decided to visit the sanctuary the
grounds were wet . As soon as we got the report that the grounds had dried up,
Sunita, Deepa and I packed our bags. Starting from 15th Sept it was a long
weekend and it suited us fine –on our list was Stolickza's bush chat, merlin,
desert warbler and spotted fly catcher.
We started early(4.30am) to avoid the truck jams but were arrested by
massive truck /trawlers on the way --the traffic movement was ever so slow -
never seen so many of them all along the way right up to jaipur –not to speak
of the road that was bumpity bump with potholes and craters .It being festive
season all the Dhabas on the way were mostly catering to the pilgrims who
were on their way to Salasar. We reached Balaji dharamsala had lunch and
proceeded towards Taal chappar Sanctuary where we met Mr. Chaudhry ACF who was
very kind and hospitable—it was late afternoon.
Next day we started early – the multitude of pilgrims that thronged the area was
not funny—it took us half an hour to reach the main road from the dharamsala
gate—
It is outside the sanctuary that we saw the salaras and the spotted flycatcher
– the flycatcher was a lifer for us—We stayed the whole day inside the
sanctuary—spending the hot afternoon in the cool of the shade of the trees
–around 3pm we started looking for the merlin on the way we saw the steppe
and the booted eagles both perched on two separate trees the steppe swooped
down to catch something immediately the booted came charging towards the
steppe trying to snatch whatever it was through the binocs it seemed to be
the spiny lizard -- the steppe would not let go and flew away with its prey – I
suppose the territory belonged to the booted which is why it attacked the
steppe eagle -- the booted landed on the ground to protect its territory –
We peered at all the poles searched for it all along the wires for the
merlin---then at last we espied it sitting very close to a pole – looking up
we also saw the rednecked falcons flying –it was a blazing afternoon and
the sun was against us and Sunita never likes to id anything in this position
but the Merlin made her do all that she would not have done normally –we made
the driver go backward and forward to be able to have a good look of it --
and a very good sight we had of it – it tried to capture something from the
ground but what ever it was, it was giving the merlin the slip till at last
it got and was having a meal –there were wheatears , larks and pipits and spiny
tailed lizards –one of them was its meal.
On our way back to Delhi we were advised by Mr. Chaudhry to take another
route which was smoother and not so bumpity but all along the route right
up to Hissar the endless train of pilgrims going to salasar was amazing –
young and old , men ,women and children all talking singing dancing,
sleeping and resting on the wayside shelters made for them reminded us of
CHAUCER"S pilgrims….. Seeing them we thought that Kalmandi should have used
them to carry the Baton --
The route back was definitely better –and number of kilometers was the same as
the one we had taken to go to Taal chappar
Unfortunately we could not see the stolickza's and the desert warbler may be
next time somewhere else we shall be lucky….
List of birds –outside and inside the sanctuary
1- salara
2- rufous tailed shrike
3- southern grey shrike
4- shikra
5- kestrel
6- lagar
7- vaiable wheat ear – all the three sub-species
8- isabelline wheat ear
9- hoopoe
10-indian roller
11-demoiselle cranes
12-black ibis
13-teals
14-shovellers
15-little grebe
16-whitebreasted kingfisher
17-asian drongo
18-rosy pastors
19-bonnellis
20-white eyed buzzard
21-Egyptian vulture
22-Yellow footed green pigeon
23-Spotted fly catcher
24-Longtailed shrike
25--coppersmoth barbet
26-pied bushat
27--Grey francolin
28—desert wheat ear
29house swifts
30—red headed vulture
31—black shouldered kite
32 red collared dove
33—white weagtail
34--silver bills
35—booted warbler
36--Blyth's reed warbler
37---petronia --it was sheer delight to see the yellow on the throat
38--olive backed puipit
39-- tawny eagle
40—steppe eagle
41—booted eagle
Cheers -- chandrima
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