 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Goa, India - November 19th to December 3rd 2007 |
| The small state of Goa, halfway up the Arabian sea coast of India, is a very popular destination for European birders, with cheap package holiday prices, good food and numerous guides and much local knowledge available. I spent two weeks in Goa in the second half of November with top photographer Bill Baston, based at the popular coastal resort of Baga. Getting about in Goa is pretty simple due to the abundance of local taxi drivers, but finding one who knows the birds is less straightforward. We were lucky to get in touch with Mahesh, who can often be found outside the Riverside Regency hotel near the new bridge over the Baga river, or contacted at maheshgoadriver@yahoo.co.in or 9822485581. Mahesh knows all the best sites and is also a rather sharp birder! Roosting Owls and Nightjars are just two of his specialities, and he can tailor your holiday itinerary towards you main targets, whether that be photographs or a long list. We were obviously mainly interested in the former, although we managed to get a list of c.250 species in the mean time, and without any stringing. See Bill's site for more information. Click here for daily highlights and here for the trip list. |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lesser Whistling Duck Many at Carambolin Lake on 21st and 2nd, several at Millin Lake 1st |
| Indian Roller Common |
| Stork-billed Kingfisher Seen most days. 3+ at Siolim at times |
| White-breasted Kingfisher Common |
| Pied Kingfisher 1-3 on several days, e.g on Zuari River, at Siolim, Parsham, Carambolim etc |
| Black-capped Kingfisher 2+ on Zuari River 20th and 28th, 1+ at Siolim 20th and 21st |
| Collared Kingfisher 3-5 Zuari River 20th and 28th |
| Little Green Bee-eater Common |
| Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Groups seen every day |
| Crested Treeswift
4+ Bondla 22nd, several Maem Lake 24th, some at Backwoods on 27th |
| Jungle Owlet
1 near Carambolim on 21st and 1 near Siolim on 21st and 23rd |
| Spotted Owlet
Singles or small groups noted at several sites |
| Grey Nightjar
1, Bondla on 22nd, 2+ at Maem Lake on 24th |
| Purple Swamp-Hen
Common at Carambolin Lake on 21st and 2nd |
| Bronze-winged Jacana
Common at Carambolin Lake on 21st and 2nd |
| Small Pratincole
c.300 near Parsham on 21st, 1 on Morjim Beach 23rd with 4 there on 30th, 200+ at Siolim towards the end of our stay |
| Yellow-wattled Lapwing
c.9 at a site near Siolim on several dates, 2 at a site on route to Maem Lake 24th |
| Red-wattled Lapwing
Seen every day |
| Greater Crested Tern
c20 on posts by bridge over River Zuari on 28th, 2 at Morjim beach on 30th |
| Brahminy Kite Common |
| White-bellied Sea Eagle Singles seen on several dates, e.g. over Arpora Woods on 19th, Maem Lake on 24th, on posts by River Near Parsham on 29th |
| Indian Pond Heron Common |
| Striated Heron Fairly common |
| Lesser Adjutant
1 from Zuari River boat trip on 20th and 28th, 1 at Carambolin Lake on 21st with 2 over nearby fields, 15+ at Chorao Island on 24th |
| Long-tailed Shrike
Common |
| Rufous Treepie
2+ at Carambolin on 21st and 2nd, 6+ Bondla on 22nd, 1 Baga Hill 22nd, 1+ at Backwoods on 25th, |
| House Crow
Very common |
| Black Drongo Common |
| Ashy Drongo Several at Bondla and Backwoods |
| Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Fairly common at Bondla on both visits, several at Backwoods |
| Malabar Whistling Thrush 1-2 showed well at Bondla on 22nd, several at Backwoods 25th-27th including by the camp, heard at Baga Hill on 2nd |
| Orange-headed Thrush 1 at Bondla on 22nd with several there on 29th, several at Backwoods 25th-27th including 1-2 in the camp, 3 near Fort Aguada on 30th (incl 1 in the shitter), 1 Baga Hill on 2nd |
| Jungle Myna Commonest Myna, seemed to become more common towards the end of our stay |
| Wire-tailed Swallow Common |
| Purple-rumped Sunbird Common |
| Loten's Sunbird A pair at Backwoods on 27th |
| More Images: B to E: Jungle and Puff-throated Babblers, Cinnamon Bittern, Indian Blackbird, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Pied Bushchat, Oriental Honey Buzzard, White-eyed Buzzard, Indian and Little Cormorants, Spotted Dove, Bronzed Drongo, Indian Spotted Eagle |
 |
 |
 |
| More Images: F to K: Greater Flameback, Brown-breasted, Tickell's Blue and Verditer Flycatchers, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Brown-headed and Pallas's Gulls, Great Hornbill, Common Iora, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Blue-eared Kingfisher, |
| More Images: L to R: Malabar and Rufous-tailed Larks, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Small Minivet, Indian Nightjar, Black-hooded Oriole, Brown Hawk Owl, Alexandrine Parakeet, Paddyfield Pipit, Greater Sand and Kentish Plovers, Slaty-breasted Rail, Oriental Magpie Robin |
| More Images: S to W: JTerek Sandpiper, Painted Snipe, Brahminy Starling, Siberian Stonechat, Asian Openbill, Streak-throated Swallow, Common Tailorbird, Whiskered Tern, White-breasted Waterhen, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Common Woodshrike |
| Malabar Grey Hornbill
2-3 at Bondla on 22nd and 1+ there on 29th, 1+ at Backwoods on 26th |
| Black Kite Common |
| Black -rumped Flameback 1s and 2s seen at several sites |