5th April - Chitwan NP based at Tigerland Safari Resort
Tigerland Safari Resort is located 22km S.W. of Bharatpur in an area known as Jagatpur, near the East Rapti River, just on the northern side of Chitwan NP proper. The map below gives a rough idea of the general location, W. of Kathmandu, the red marker indicating the Jagatpur area.
An early start as usual, up at 05:20 for breakfast at 06:00 and setting off at 06:45 in a bus to the reserve entrance. Once in the reserve we disembarked and then walked along a raised dyke overlooking extensive grassy & marshy areas and the river. We walked for most of the morning seeing mostly birds, but also Spotted and Hog Deer, and a couple of domesticated Elephants collecting reeds. It was an out-and-back walk but was VERY productive. Black Francolins showed again, plus Indian Peafowl, and new on the 'stork' front was 1 Wooly-necked Stork and Lesser Adjutant was seen, although we had seen these on 1st and 4th also. Our raptor list increased yet further with nice views of 2 Grey-headed Fish Eagles and a soaring {Greater} Spotted Eagle. This latter is often now just called Spotted Eagle - it was originally classified in the Aquila group as Aquila clanga alongside Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, but is now in a separate group, Clanga, as the nominate species Clanga clanga. Lesser Spotted Eagle is also now in this group as Clanga pomarina. As with Koshi Tappu, the shallow wet areas produced waders and we soon 'scoped up Temminck's Stint and Little Ringed Plover, and I had a very brief flight view of a Green Sandpiper that flushed out of a narrow ditch, only to disappear into another, and Small Pratincoles were present too. A Red Collared Dove was only the second seen on the trip, and then we had a good few new trip birds with Lesser Coucal, Common Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, a couple of prehistoric looking Oriental Pied Hornbills, a diminutive Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker and yet another woodpecker in the form of a Lesser Yellownape. There was great excitement when an unexpected Savannah Nightjar gave flight views. The grassy and scrubby areas were also good for small passerines and we had yet more new birds, most too distant and indeed too small to take decent photos, although I did manage to get a half decent shot of the scarcest one - Yellow-bellied Prinia, which Suchit was very pleased to find. The others were Zitting Cisticola, Golden-headed Cisticola [listed in our checklists as Bright-capped Cisticola but still the same species C. exilis - IOC have changed the common name], Grey-breasted Prinia, and Ashy Prinia. Interestingly for some reason, IOC still use the name Fan-tailed Warbler for Zitting Cisticola, which according to some authorities, was dropped to avoid confusion with an American species, although strictly speaking the name should have been Streaked Fan-tailed Warbler. Oh the joys of taxonomy!
Ploughing on through my list [I'm writing this summary 'live' as it were] even more new birds are popping up, and sparking off memories of where they were. We found Tickell's and Hume's Warblers, and Striated and Rufous-rumped Grassbirds, and Chestnut-capped and Yellow-eyed Babblers and our second Striated Babbler. The grassy areas also produced a couple of Blyth's Pipits and on isolated bushes, 3 Pied Bushchat, White-tailed Stonechat and Siberian Stonechat, and a Bluethroat. Somewhere out there we had 2 Hill Mynahs.
So, that was a pretty full-on morning and we were back at the lodge by 11:00 and had lunch at 12:00. After the efforts of the morning, we were awarded with a siesta until 3 p.m. although it was tempting to carry on birding in the grounds of the lodge.
Ploughing on through my list [I'm writing this summary 'live' as it were] even more new birds are popping up, and sparking off memories of where they were. We found Tickell's and Hume's Warblers, and Striated and Rufous-rumped Grassbirds, and Chestnut-capped and Yellow-eyed Babblers and our second Striated Babbler. The grassy areas also produced a couple of Blyth's Pipits and on isolated bushes, 3 Pied Bushchat, White-tailed Stonechat and Siberian Stonechat, and a Bluethroat. Somewhere out there we had 2 Hill Mynahs.
So, that was a pretty full-on morning and we were back at the lodge by 11:00 and had lunch at 12:00. After the efforts of the morning, we were awarded with a siesta until 3 p.m. although it was tempting to carry on birding in the grounds of the lodge.
So to the afternoon. We were booked to take elephant rides into the more densely vegetated parts of the reserve in order to maximise our chances of seeing firstly Greater One-horned Rhino and secondly Tiger although the chances of that were much slimmer than seeing Rhino. There were just two Elephants available so we had two 'shifts'. The first comprised myself, Anne, Rachel and Jill on one animal and Alan, Mike and Jim on the second. Embarkation was via an elevated platform accessed via steps. Then it was a case of easing oneself carefully onto the wooden platform mounted on the elephant's back with your legs dangling over the side below a wooden railing. It was all very cushioned and looked OK until the elephant started to walk. It was an exaggerated rocking gait and it has to be said, was one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever done! Nevertheless it was interesting to be out in the wilder parts of the reserve, walking through tall elephant grass which was at times so thick that our elephant cleared the way using its trunk. Unless we actually stopped, taking photos was out of the question. Sadly for our 'shift' neither ours or Alan & co's animals managed to find even a single Rhino. We did see plenty of Spotted Deer and Hog Deer and Marsh Mugger Crocodiles during our hour and a half excursion. I must admit I did pity the poor elephant because at times we did negotiate some quite steep slopes, both up and down, that would have been difficult to negotiate even on foot, and it seemed quite an effort for them to make it up & down.
The second 'shift' was Dave, Paul, Ken & Zoe on one and Sue, Peter & June on the other. They were lucky and saw and adult and baby Rhino 5 minutes after setting off! I am now struggling to recall what we did whilst the second 'shift' were out, but after they had returned we all walked back to the camp, seeing White-throated Kingfisher, Ashy Woodswallows perched on overhead wires, Indian and Black-hooded Orioles, and Purple Sunbird en route. There was also an impromptu football kick about with local kids, during which it was later discovered, Suchit had inadvertently jettisoned his laser pointer. Back at the lodge we had a well-earned coffee or beer and watched as seating was being arranged in the lawn area in front of the reception area, and then arrival of a VIP and his entourage, in preparation for some entertainment. The latter started at 7 p.m. and was an exhibition of traditional dancing by a troupe of local girls and women, accompanied by 3 male musicians playing tom-tom type drums and various percussion instruments. It was a very colourful affair and enjoyable to watch. At 7:30 we went inside for our meal, then ran through the bird list.
The second 'shift' was Dave, Paul, Ken & Zoe on one and Sue, Peter & June on the other. They were lucky and saw and adult and baby Rhino 5 minutes after setting off! I am now struggling to recall what we did whilst the second 'shift' were out, but after they had returned we all walked back to the camp, seeing White-throated Kingfisher, Ashy Woodswallows perched on overhead wires, Indian and Black-hooded Orioles, and Purple Sunbird en route. There was also an impromptu football kick about with local kids, during which it was later discovered, Suchit had inadvertently jettisoned his laser pointer. Back at the lodge we had a well-earned coffee or beer and watched as seating was being arranged in the lawn area in front of the reception area, and then arrival of a VIP and his entourage, in preparation for some entertainment. The latter started at 7 p.m. and was an exhibition of traditional dancing by a troupe of local girls and women, accompanied by 3 male musicians playing tom-tom type drums and various percussion instruments. It was a very colourful affair and enjoyable to watch. At 7:30 we went inside for our meal, then ran through the bird list.
Not many birds were photographed so below is a gallery of images of the elephant experience - these are all by Paul, for which thanks. The two deer and the Kingfisher are my pix.