CENTRAL INDIA WILDLIFE & BIRDING TOUR REPORT February 27th – March 10th 2020

By Chris Mills | March 11, 2020

A very successful tour for these beautiful animals with at least a dozen good sightings

Participants:- Tamzin Balmer, Sean Browne, Paul Ganney, Tony Parnell, Nigel Slater, Francois Trudel & Kellie Trudel.

Tour Guides for Norfolk Birding – Ryan Irvine & Sumantha Ghosh

OVERVIEW OF THE TOUR

This tour took in three Central Indian National Parks. It was the second time we had run this tour and it was primarily based on seeing the apex mammals, but we did also manage a good diversity of birds. The trip was a resounding success, with fantastic views of 11 different Tigers, four Leopards, two Jungle Cats, Indian Guar, Mugger Crocodile and a family of Asiatic Wild Dogs plus many others and a good list of birds.

Apart from several stops on travel days and a boat trip on the Irai reservoir near Tadoba, most of the wildlife and birds were seen via jeep rides in the three parks.

The jeep rides typically were from 6:00am-10:30am and 3:00pm to 6:30pm, with a break in the middle of the day when it tended to be quiet with temperatures reaching the mid 30’s.

TOUR ITINERARY

27^th Februay 2020 – we departed London at 08:00 and arrived in Nagpur, via Doha at 02:10 local time. A quick transfer to the Tuli Imperial Hotel in Nagpur for a few hours sleep.

Tadoba National Park for 4 nights and 3 days.

Pench National Park – 3 nights and 2 days

Kanha – 3 nights and 2 days

Each park consisted of early morning jeep rides, then break in the heat of the day, followed by afternoon, early evening jeep rides. We departed Kanha on 9^th March, evening meal at Tuli Imperial, Nagpur and then transferred to Nagpur airport around midnight for flights back to UK.

Francois and Kellie departed early hours as their flight was a little later.

Day 1: 28^th February 2020

From Nagpur we transferred via minibus to Tadoba. We stayed near the park at the Serai Tiger Resort, in air-conditioned permanent tented camps. It was comfortable with a good number of birds close by. We managed to do some birding on the way to the camp and a couple hours at the camp and nearby Irai reservoir. Overnight in Tadoba, Serai Tiger Resort

Day 2: 29^th February 2020
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Tadoba National park. What a start to the trip, five Tigers in the afternoon including a territorial fight between two adult females! Overnight in Serai Tiger Resort

Day 3: 1^st March 2020
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Tadoba National park. Another excellent day with an enjoyable half an hour watching Dhole family and two Leopard sightings the highlights. Overnight in Serai Tiger Resort

Day 4: 2^nd March 2018
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Tadoba National park. Overnight in Serai Tiger Resort

Day 5: 3^rd March 2020
We hired two local sightseeing boats and spent the early morning birding the lake edge and then an hour on the boat exploring the Irai reservoir which was spectacularly attractive for migrant wildfowl. We left for the Pench Jungle Camp about midday, arriving in time for an hours birding at the camp. Overnight in Pench Jungle Camp

Day 6: 4^th March 2020
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Pench National park. Our first day at Pench and it didn’t disappoint, Tiger, Leopard and two Jungle Cats! Overnight in Pench Jungle Camp

Day 7: 5^th March 2020
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Pench National park. Two more Tigers!! Overnight in Pench Jungle Camp

Day 8: 6^th March 2020

Birding at the camp in the morning, left for Tuli Tiger Resort, Kanha around midday. Birding at the resort in the evening. Overnight in Tuli Tiger Resort

Day 9: 7^th March 2020
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Kanha National park. Another Tiger on our first day at Kanha plus a male roaring first thing marking his territory. Overnight in Tuli Tiger Resort

Day 10: 8^th March 2020

Morning and evening jeep safaris in Kanha National park. Our final day of jeep safaris and another Tiger and Leopard. A family of Black Buck a cracking end to our safaris. Overnight in Tuli Tiger Resort

Day 11: 9^th March 2020
Departed from Kanha after breakfast and travelled back to Nagpur. We arrived in the evening, stayed in a Nagpur Hotel until our pick up at midnight, complete with an evening meal. Francois and Kellie stayed on overnight to catch a flight to Delhi.

Day 12: 10^th March 2020 – Transferred to the airport at 12am, took the flights from Nagpur to Doha and then onward to London Heathrow arriving at 11:30am.

ACCOMMODATION

Tadoba, Serai Tiger Resort – simple and small permanent air-conditioned tented camp, comfortable without frills. Food was excellent, limited wifi.

Pench Jungle Camp – a luxurious series of large permanent tents, very well appointed with air conditioning and all mod-cons. Wifi in restaurant and reception. Food was excellent.

Kanha, Tuli Tiger Resort – nice place with traditional colonial style feel. Food was good. The rooms were permanent and well appointed. Wifi was available, but was very limited most of the time!

This is a brief and simple report, but the pictures paint a thousand words!

Systematic List of birds recorded

1	Little Grebe	*Tachybaptus ruficollis*
2	Indian Cormorant	*Phalacrocorax fuscicollis*
3	Great Cormorant	*Phalacrocorax carbo*
4	Little Cormorant	*Phalacrocorax niger*
5	Oriental Darter	*Anhinga melanogaster*
6	Grey Heron	*Ardea cinerea*
7	Purple Heron	*Ardea purpurea*
8	Great Egret	*Ardea alba*
9	Intermediate Egret	*Egretta intermedia*
10	Little Egret	*Egretta garzetta*
11	Indian Pond Heron	*Ardeola grayii*
12	Cattle Egret	*Bubulcus ibis*
13	Black Stork	*Ciconia nigra*
14	Asian Openbill	*Anastomus oscitans*
15	Woolly-necked Stork	*Ciconia episcopus*
16	Lesser Adjutant	*Leptoptilos javanicus*
17	Black-headed Ibis	*Threskiornis melanocephalus*
18	Red-naped Ibis	*Pseudibis papillosa*
19	Glossy Ibis	*Plegadis falcinellus*
20	Lesser Whistling Duck	*Dendrocygna javanica*
21	Bar-headed Goose	*Anser indicus*
22	Ruddy Shelduck	*Tadorna ferruginea*
23	Cotton Pygmy Goose	*Nettapus coromandelianus*
24	Spot-billed Duck	*Anas poecilorhyncha*
25	Wigeon	*Anas penelope*
26	Northern Shoveler	*Anas clypeata*
27	Northern Pintail	*Anas acuta*
28	Gadwall	*Mareca strepera*
29	Common Teal	*Anas crecca*
30	Garganey	*Spatula querquedula*
31	Tufted Duck	*Aythya fuligula*
32	Ferruginous Duck	*Aythya nyroca)*
33	Red-crested Pochard	*Netta rufina*
34	Oriental Honey Buzzard	*Pernis ptilorhynchus*
35	Black-winged Kite	*Elanus caeruleus*
36	Black Kite	*Milvus migrans*
37	Grey-headed Fish Eagle	*Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus*
38	White-rumped Vulture	*Gyps bengalensis*
39	Long-billed Vulture	*Gyps indicus*
40	Red-headed Vulture	*Sarcogyps calvus*
41	Booted Eagle	*Hieraaetus pennatus*
42	Rufous-bellied Eagle	*Lophotriorchis kienerii*
43	Crested Serpent Eagle	*Spilornis cheela*
44	Marsh Harrier	*Circus aeruginosus*
45	Hen Harrier	*Circus cyaneus*
46	Shikra	*Accipiter badius*
47	White-eyed Buzzard	*Butastur teesa*
48	Changeable Hawk-Eagle	*Nisaetus cirrhatus*
49	Common Kestrel	*Falco tinnunculus*
50	Peregrine Falcon	*Falco peregrinus*
51	Grey Francolin	*Francolinus pondicerianus*
52	Jungle Bush Quail	*Perdicula asiatica*
53	Red Spurfowl	*Galloperdix spadicea*
54	Red Junglefowl	*Gallus gallus*
55	Grey Junglefowl	*Gallus sonneratii*
56	Indian Peafowl	*Pavo cristatus*
57	White-breasted Waterhen	*Amaurornis phoenicurus*
58	Grey-headed Swamphen	*Porphyrio poliocephalus*
59	Bronze-winged Jacana	*Metopidius indicus*
60	Black-winged Stilt	*Himantopus himantopus*
61	Eurasian Stone-curlew	*Burhinus oedicnemus*
62	Yellow-wattled Lapwing	*Vanellus malabaricus*
63	Red-wattled Lapwing	*Vanellus indicus*
64	Ringed Plover	*Charadrius hiaticula*
65	Little Ringed Plover	*Charadrius dubius*
66	Spotted Redshank	*Tringa erythropus*
67	Common Greenshank	*Tringa nebularia*
68	Wood Sandpiper	*Tringa glareola*
69	Green Sandpiper	*Tringa ochropus*
70	Common Sandpiper	*Actitis hypoleucos*
71	Greater Painted-snipe	*Rostratula benghalensis*
72	Common Snipe	*Gallinago gallinago*
73	River Tern	*Sterna aurantia*
74	Rock Dove	*Columba livia*
75	Oriental Turtle Dove	*Streptopelia orientalis*
76	Eurasian Collared Dove	*Streptopelia decaocto*
77	Spotted Dove	*Spiloopelia chinensis*
78	Laughing Dove	*Spilopelia senegalensis*
79	Yellow-footed Green Pigeon	*Treron phoenicopterus*
80	Alexandrine Parakeet	*Psittacula eupatria*
81	Rose-ringed Parakeet	*Psittacula krameri*
82	Plum-headed Parakeet	*Psittacula cyanocephala*
83	Asian Koel	*Eudynamys scolopaceus*
84	Common Hawk-Cuckoo	*Hierococcyx varius*
85	Indian Cuckoo	*Cuculus micropterus*
86	Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike	*Coracina melanoptera*
87	Sirkeer Malkoha	*Taccocua eschenaultia*
88	Greater Coucal	*Centropus sinensis*
89	Indian Scops Owl	*Otus bakkamoena*
90	Brown Fish Owl	*Ketupa zeylonensis*
91	Jungle Owlet	*Glaucidium radiatum*
92	Spotted Owlet	*Athene brama*
93	Mottled Wood Owl	*Strix ocellata*
94	Brown Hawk Owl	*Ninox scutulata*
95	Jungle Nightjar	*Caprimulgus indicus*
96	Indian Nightjar	*Caprimulgus asiaticus*
97	Little Swift	*Apus affinus*
98	Asian Palm Swift	*Cypsiurus balasiensis*
99	Stork-billed Kingfisher	*Pelargopsis capensis*
100	Common Kingfisher	*Alcedo atthis*
101	White-throated Kingfisher	*Halcyon smyrnensis*
102	Pied Kingfisher	*Ceryle rudis*
103	Green Bee-eater	*Merops orientalis*
104	Indian Roller	*Coracias benghalensis*
105	Eurasian Hoopoe	*Upupa epops*
106	Indian Grey Hornbill	*Ocyceros birostris*
107	Malabar Pied Hornbill	*Anthracoceros coronatus*
108	Coppersmith Barbet	*Megalaima haemacephala*
109	Brown-headed Barbet	*Psilopogon zeylanicus*
110	Yellow-crowned Woodpecker	*Leiopicus mahrattensis*
111	Brown-capped Pygmy W’pecker	*Yungipicus nanus*
112	Lesser Yellownape	*Picus chlorolophus*
113	Black-rumped Flameback	*Dinopium benghalense*
114	White-naped Woodpecker	*Chrysocolaptes festivus*
115	Barn Swallow	*Hirundo rustica*
116	Wire-tailed Swallow	*Hirundo smithii*
117	Red-rumped Swallow	*Cecropis daurica*
118	Plain Martin	*Riparia chinensis*
119	Common House Martin	*Delichon urbicum*
120	Yellow Wagtail	*Motacilla flava*
121	Citrine Wagtail	*Motacilla cinerea*
122	White Wagtail	*Motacilla alba*
123	White-browed Wagtail	*Motacilla madaraspatensis*
124	Grey Wagtail	*Motacilla cinerea*
125	Rufous-tailed Lark	*Ammomanes phoenicura*
126	Paddyfield Pipit	*Anthus rufulus*
127	Olive-backed Pipit	*Anthus hodgsoni*
128	Tree Pipit	*Anthus trivialis*
129	Large Cuckooshrike	*Coracina macei*
130	Small Minivet	*Pericrocotus cinnamomeus*
131	Scarlet Minivet	*Pericrocotus flammeus*
132	Red-vented Bulbul	*Pycnonotus cafer*
133	White-browed Bulbul	*Pycnonotus luteolus*
134	Golden-fronted Leafbird	*Chloropsis aurifrons*
135	Common Iora	*Aegithina tiphia*
136	Orange-headed Thrush	*Geokichla citrina*
137	Tickells Thrush	*Turdus unicolor*
138	Zitting Cisticola	*Cisticola juncidis*
139	Jungle Prinia	*Prinia sylvatica*
140	Ashy Prinia	*Prinia socialis*
141	Plain Prinia	*Prinia inornata*
142	Common Tailorbird	*Orthotomus sutorius*
143	Clamorous Reed Warbler	*Acrocephalus stentoreus*
144	Blyths Reed Warbler	*Acrocephalus dumetorum*
145	Greenish Warbler	*Phylloscopus trochiloides*
146	Humes Warbler	*Phylloscopus humei*
147	Siberian Chiff-chaff	*Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis*
148	Sulphur-bellied Warbler	*Phylloscopus griseolus*
149	Asian Brown Flycatcher	*Muscicapa dauurica*
150	Red-breasted Flycatcher	*Ficedula parva*
151	Verditer Flycatcher	*Eumyias thalassinus*
152	Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher	*Cyornis tickelliae*
153	Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher	*Culicicapa ceylonensis*
154	Oriental Magpie-Robin	*Copsychus saularis*
155	Indian Robin	*Copsychus fulicatus*
156	Black Redstart	*Phoenicurus ochruros*
157	Siberian Stonechat	*Saxicola maurus*
158	Pied Bush Chat	*Saxicola caprata*
159	Brown Rock Chat	*Cercomela fusca*
160	White-rumped Shama	*Copsychus malabaricus*
161	White-browed Fantail	*Rhipidura aureola*
162	Black-naped Monarch	*Hypothymis azurea*
163	Indian Paradise Flycatcher	*Terpsiphone paradisi*
164	Tawny-bellied Babbler	*Dumetia hyperythra*
165	Common Babbler	*Turdoides caudata*
166	Large Grey Babbler	*Turdoides malcolmi*
167	Jungle Babbler	*Turdoides striata*
168	Indian Scimitar babbler	*Pomatorhinus horsfieldii*
169	Brown-cheeked Fulvetta	*Alcippe poioicephala*
170	Yellow-eyed Babbler	*Chrysomma sinense*
171	Great Tit	*Parus major*
172	Indian Nuthatch	*Sitta castanea*
173	Purple Sunbird	*Cinnyris asiaticus*
174	Purple -rumped Sunbird	*Leptocoma zeylonica*
175	Pale-billed Flowerpecker	*Dicaeum erythrorhynchos*
176	Thick-billed Flowerpecker	*Dicaeum agile*
177	Oriental White-eye	*Zosterops palpebrosus*
178	Eurasian Golden Oriole	*Oriolus oriolus*
179	Black-hooded Oriole	*Oriolus xanthornus*
180	Brown Shrike	*Lanius cristatus*
181	Bay-backed Shrike	*Lanius vittatus*
182	Long-tailed Shrike	*Lanius schach*
183	Common Woodhsrike	*Tephrodornis pondicerianus*
184	Black Drongo	*Dicrurus macrocercus*
185	White-bellied Drongo	*Dicrurus caerulescens*
186	Greater Racket-tailed Drongo	*Dicrurus paradiseus*
187	Spangled Drongo	*Dicrurus hottentottus*
188	Rufous Treepie	*Dendrocitta vagabunda*
189	House Crow	*Corvus splendens*
190	Large-billed Crow	*Corvus macrorhynchos*
191	Common Myna	*Acridotheres tristis*
192	Asian Pied Starling	*Gracupica contra*
193	Brahminy Starling	*Sturnia pagodarum*
194	Chestnut-tailed Starling	*Sturnia malabarica*
195	Rosy Starling	*Pastor roseus*
196	House Sparrow	*Passer domesticus*
197	Chestnut-shouldred Petronia	*Gymnoris xanthocollis*
198	Common Rosefinch	*Carpodacus erythrinus*
199	White-rumped Munia	*Lonchura striata*
200	Indian Silverbill	*Euodice malabarica*

Systematic list of Mammals and others

1	Mugger Crocodile
2	Royal Bengal Tiger
3	Leopard
4	Jungle Cat
5	Rhesus Macaque
6	Common Langur
7	Ruddy Mongoose
8	Golden Jackal
9	Dhole (Asiatic Wild Dog)
10	Indian Flying Fox
11	Indian or Black-naped Hare
12	Three-striped Palm Squirrel
13	Gaur (Indian Bison)
14	Sambar
15	Barasingha (Swamp Deer)
16	Chital (Spotted Deer)
17	Indian Muntjac (Barking Deer)
18	Black Buck
19	Nilgai (Blue Bull)
20	Indian Wild Boar
21	Common Palm Civet
22	Grey Mongoose
23	Banded Kukri Snake
24	Soft-shelled Turtle

Systematic list of butterflies recorded

1	Common Tiger
2	Plain Tiger
3	Common Crow
4	Common Evening Brown
5	Darkbrand Bush Brown
6	Common Leopard
7	Common Sailor
8	Baronet
9	Chocolate Pansy
10	Grey Pansy
11	Lemon Pansy
12	Great Eggfly
13	Peacock Pansy
14	Small Branded Swift
15	Common Mormon
16	Common Rose
17	Common Grass Yellow
18	Common Emigrant
19	Mottled Emigrant
20	Common Wanderer
21	Common Jezebel
22	Common Lineblue

Future Tours

If you are interested in joining us in India then we have a tour in December 2020 please contact us for details. This specific tour is next scheduled for March 2021.

Norfolk Birding

www.norfolkbirding.com

chrismills@norfolkbirding.com

07876 357677