Few of us decided to re-do Basai, SNP Flats & Sultanpur National Park today as the weather was very pleasant and windy. We reached Basai at 6 a.m. & were greeted by the chorus of streaked weavers duet of black francolins, trumpets of a Sarus pair & grey & purple herons exhibited their flying skills. We presumed this to be a good omen. We met 3 birders Pankaj, Bebban Reki & unfortunately I forgot the name of the 3rd birder. After exchanging pleasantries, we started birding. Wire tailed swallows, dozens of paddyfield pipits, so many crested larks, black winged stilts, red wattled lapwings, red nape and black headed ibises were taking their breakfast in the wetland. We explored the area up to the railway station through wetland. Solitary black necked stork was staring at us through the cover of tall sacrum & typha grasses & yellow bitten was probably defending its feeding territory from cinnamon bitten. Few spotbilled ducks were also busy in feeding with a lot of purple swamp hen. White breasted water hen were intermittently showing up through water hyacinth. Couple of blue cheeked & blue tailed bee eaters were also flying and catching dragonflies for juicy breakfast.
Important:- Basai is dominated by furious stray dogs which have become hunters and are hunting nesting stilts & lapwings ,their chicks and eggs. They even chase you and try to attack. Be careful next time you visit basai.
After spending an hour and a half, we decided to go to SNP flats where we headed last week end too for sandgrouse, coursers and pratincoles. While we were on our way to the flats, thunder storms and showers tried to stop us. We wanted to face the wrath of nature but better sense prevailed & we took the wise decision to return with nesting yellow wattled lapwings robins and larks. We reached to Sultanpur & by that time the rain had stopped. Indian Golden Orioles, Common Hawk Cuckoo, little & intermediate egrets, herons, painted storks(FEW) and over dozen hoppoe, pied bushchats, Indian roller, shikra pair, drongos, spotbilled ducks, lesser whistling ducks, little grebes were, as usual, present. Sarus pair with their only baby, were busy in feeding. Lot of comb ducks, openbills and approx 25 Eurasian spoonbills were feeding in the newly created wetland. I have never seen such a big flock of spoonbills in NCR. Red collared doves (3) were also seen preening.
The most important highlight of the day was Pair of 'Jungle Cats' we all sighted from a range of 10 feet. We, all, were so mesmerized and spellbound that we forgot to take a single photo of this beautiful sight. I know very well that they are there in SNP but seeing them from such close proximity is once in life time experience especially in NCR.
IMPORTANT:- Why have SNP authorities once again closed, fenced and locked footpath ? No one can enter the huge, 12 feet, gate that has been erected on either sides of the pathway so no one can take a full round of park by any means. Though we crossed the 'Laxman Rekha' but what about other birders?
Water in the central pond has dried up 200-300 cattle are grazing inside the park due to which Neelgai have been cornered. Should we again write to CCF Dr. A.Kaur? Issue needs urgent attention.
Happy Birding
SP
Tinchuley, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
May 25, 2015
Thank you for viewing.
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