Trip Report: Sunderbans, West Bengal, India, January 4-5, 2000.

Vivek Tiwari (Vivek.Tiwari@intel.com)
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In January of this year, Gargi and I had the good fortune of visiting
the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve. It was a very short trip, left Calcutta
on the morning of the 4th, and back by the evening of the 5th. 2 days
does not do justice to a place as special as the Sunderbans, but one 
has to be content with happiness in small doses. I had a conference 
in Calcutta and only 2 free days, and even a short trip was better 
than none at all. This after all is the "Forest of Fear" - maneater 
country - subject of an oft-rerun BBC film, home of the largest 
population of tigers in the world, the largest inter-tidal delta and
mangrove system in the world. Got a chance to get a first-hand feel 
for the place and see some good birds.

The English names in the report below are a mixture of names popular
in India and those used in Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp's new field 
guide. The final trip list follows this reference for the species 
order and scientific names, but English names from Ali & Ripley are 
also included. Species that are the at the edge
of their range as shown in the range maps in Grimmett et al. are 
marked with (+) - these presumably are of local interest. 
(SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE is the only species that is well out of the
range shown in Grimmett et al.)

We started out from Calcutta at about 7:00AM on the 4th of Jan. With
us was Asit Biswas (tourism@dte.vsnl.net.in - he had organized the 
trip - Mohit Agarwal (wildindiatours@vsnl.com) had put us in touch 
with him). Kalyan Dey, a naturalist from Calcutta (associated with
the local organization - Prakriti Samsud), also travelled with 
us. A pleasant drive as we left Calcutta and travelled on the narrow 
bumpy road towards Sonakhali. A GREAT CORMORANT(+) within city limits.
A marketplace with bicycles laden with fresh cauliflowers was a 
refreshing sight. BAY-BACKED SHRIKE(+) on a wire. ASIAN PALM SWIFTS 
flying along over the canal that parallels the road for well over the
first hour of the journey. Tasty Roshogullas at a roadside shop in the 
town of Ghatakpukur. KOEL and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON over the canal 
behind the shop. After a stretch dominated by brick-kilns, the 
fish-pond country starts. Nothing but ponds stretching out on either
side of the road. BARN SWALLOWs were common and occasional PIED and 
COMMON KINGFISHERs. The small household ponds in the villages along 
the road were also an interesting sight. Some of these ponds had pink 
water lillies. Past the town of Maloncha, a flying flock of over a 
100 BLACK-NECKED STILTs(+) was quite a  sight. Several WHISKERED TERNS
at one point. A GULL-BILLED TERN at another. 

A distant flock of interesting looking shorebirds about midway through 
the trip prompted a stop. This was a fortuitous move, for the flock 
turned out to be composed of over a 100 GREY-HEADED LAPWINGs! This 
globally near-threatened species was new for me and to see such a large
number of them, the very first time, was thrilling. Mixed in were 
several PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERs. GREY HERON, COMMON SANDPIPER, JUNGLE 
BABBLER were some of the other species at the same spot. 
GOLDEN ORIOLE(+) in a neaby palm tree. A LESSER FLAMEBACK seen there 
was the only woodpecker of the trip.

We did not make any other stops and about noon reached the town 
of Sonakhali. The town looked crowded with nothing to indicate that it
was at the edge of one of the largest wilderness areas in India. 
(Actually the entire stretch of road from Calcutta had seemed very 
populated with villages every few miles.) However, driving through 
narrow lanes we finally did reach the boat docks on the Bidyadhari 
river. Here we also met up with Niranjan Raftan - ex-tiger-poacher 
turned tiger-protector, a colorful person with an endearing smile and 
spotter extraordinaire. The wide gentle river, the cool breeze and 
the promise of interesting sights ahead was instantly rejuvenating. 

We decided that we did not need to get to the Sajnekhali tourist/forest
dept complex until dark, so decided to take the long way around. This 
meant going further out on the Bidya river before turning into the 
narrower channels of the Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary. This also meant 
that we spent more time travelling along inhabited areas and along 
mangrove plantations, as opposed to getting to the protected natural 
areas sooner. However, birding was interesting and we saw several 
species that we did not come across in the interior of the WS. First we 
stopped at Gosaba (site of the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve HQ) for the 
launch driver to pick up food supplies. Along exposed mudflats along 
the Bidya river, was the best shorebirding of the trip. GREY-HEADED 
LAPWINGs at a couple of spots. EURASIAN CURLEWS in 1's and 2's. 4 
WHIMBRELS together, and then later in 1's and 2's. (Curlews and 
Whimbrels were common in the park interior too.) COMMON SANDPIPERs 
were ubiquitos (and were seen throughout the trip). A TEREK SANDPIPER
added some variety. COMMON REDSHANKs, a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 
LESSER SAND-PLOVERs feeding on the mud-flats. PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERs 
were common. A larger, plumper, greyish plover took off exposing a white
rump - GREY PLOVER - nice. GREAT EGRET, LITTLE CORMORANTs, POND HERONS 
were common.

At one point, we came across a large raft of ducks. Pretty much the 
only ducks we saw on the trip. They spooked at the sound of the boat, 
and took off in a flurry of wings, in a scene reminiscent of Bharatpur. 
I counted over 400 LESSER WHISTLING TEAL. Conditions were not ideal to 
search for any Ruddy Whistling Teal among them, but there were a few 
GADWALL and TUFTED DUCKs mixed in.

Around 4:00 PM we entered a channel that's within the Sajnekhali WS. 
The onshore vegetation was now true wild mangrove. A BRAHMINY KITE 
soared over the channel and ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS squawked from tree-tops. 
No more signs of human habitation. I lost track of direction since it was 
all a large green maze at this point. A RED-JUNGLEFOWL added a dash of 
color onshore. This was an entirely different world now. An occasional 
BLACK-CAPPED KINGFISHER would fly by - flashing its absolutely striking
purplish-blue wings. COMMON KINGFISHERs occasionally. At one point we
entered a very narrow channel and I feared that we may get grounded in 
the shallow water. It was easy to fantasize a tiger leaping onto the boat
from the Hental clumps on the shore!  (The _Palmacea_ plant Hental is 
considered by the locals to be a favourite resting/ambush site for the
tiger. The drying orangish leaves among the green do seem like ideal 
camouflage.) Birding was now slow, as it was for the most part when we 
were in the interior. Finally, the sight I was waiting for, a LARGE 
orange & brown kingfisher on an overhanging branch - a BROWN-WINGED 
KINGFISHER. What a thrill! Like a Stork-billed Kf, except for the brown
wings. This globally near-threatened bird is perhaps more likely here 
than anywhere else in India (Orissa?). We saw 6 on the trip. Soon after 
that an OSPREY flying with a fish. (This was a nice complement to the 
OSPREY I had seen a few days earlier in Hardwar, at the other end of the
Ganga). Overall it was pretty quite with an occasional bird such as a 
MAGPIE-ROBIN, a SHIKRA, RUFOUS TREEPIE. But this was true wilderness - 
crocodile skid-marks on a mud-bank, tiger pugmarks on another. A 
WILD BOAR down by the water, and a nervous group of SPOTTED DEER.

Finally we reached the Sudhanyakali watch tower. Several 
ASHY SWALLOW-SHRIKEs were flying overhead. I was shocked to see that 
the path to the watch tower was enclosed on all sides, including the 
top, with a wire fence! Within inches of the fence were several tiger
pugmarks. The watchtower provides the only opportunity to get an 
elevated viewpoint, and one can see the mangrove forest stretching 
out in all directions. The sweet-water pond had a WHITE-BREASTED 
WATERHEN, but sadly no Crakes. We were starting to lose light so did 
not linger. However, just as we descended the tower, we heard a loud 
deep "OOMPH". Tiger! We waited in tension and anticipation, but 
nothing showed up. The moment ended when the forest workers in the 
forest dept. boat shouted for us to leave the tower area since it was
past the official closing time. From there it was a short ride to the 
tourist complex.

Next morning, I woke up to find that the complex looked pretty 
interesting and provided perhaps the only opportunity to bird on foot.
Even this complex was fenced on all sides. GREENISH WARBLERs, JUNGLE 
CROW, PURPLE and PURPLE-RUMPED SUNBIRDs, a HUME's WARBLER in the garden.
In the adjoining forest dept. complex, BLACK-HEADED ORIOLEs. Great looks 
at a BROWN-WINGED KINGFISHER perced on the fence. The best bird for me 
was a DUSKY WARBLER in a bush outside the fence. I was stumpling around 
a wood pile while looking at the warbler and came across a freshly shed 
Cobra skin - it was still wet! Bought some Sunderbans honey, paid 
homage at the Banbibi temple in the complex and finally headed out on 
the boat. It was 8:45AM but it was still cool and a bit hazy.

We started out going east and south of the Gumdi river. The other shore
of this wide channel was inhabited. But after a while, we turned west 
into the Sajnekhali WS area. From here on we saw no other humans for a 
while.  Had good overhead looks at a dark-phase SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE 
as it glided overhead. It even hovered a bit, right above our boat. The
bird was outside the range shown in Grimmett et al. (I can provide a 
brief description of the sigthing if anybody is interested). Along the 
first narrow channel we turned into, there was a small flock of SMALL 
MINIVETs. Among those, I was thrilled to see a beautiful VERDITER 
FLYCATCHER. Right after that, a bird I really, really wanted to see - 
a COLLARED KINGFISHER! I had anticipated this trip to offer one of the
better chances for this species on the Indian mainland, and it would 
have been a pity to miss it. 

Birding was slow after that, but as our boat puttered around the maze of 
waterways, the setting was one of splendid isolation. An occasional bird 
such as a GREATER COUCAL, COMMON IORA, LITTLE GREEN HERON. At one point, 
Niranjan spotted an Estuarine Crocodile, which slid into the water before
I could turn my head. It was about a ten-footer but still quite a sight 
as it gently swam behind the boat. That was the only croc we saw. 
Overhead, a solitary OPEN-BILLED STORK flew by. The narrow channels would
merge into larger channels - Gazikhali, Pirkhali etc. Its hard to say how
much distance we covered, but while we were in there for over 5 hours, we 
were still only at the tip of the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve. A couple of 
LESSER SPOTTED EAGLES flying together overhead were a welcome sight. 

Finally we ended up back at the Sudhanyakhali watchtower.
Across the shore from the watchtower it was unusually active. A 
LARGE CUCKOOSHRIKE calling from the top of a tree, a BRONZED DRONGO 
sallying about, several JUNGLE CROWS calling and flying in and out, a 
RUFOUS TREEPIE flying about. I failed to see any significance in this 
but Niranjan suddenly become very alert, peering intently into the 
vegetation. I suspected then that a tiger may have been the source of
commotion, since a little ways up the shore, we found large pugmarks on 
a mudbank, still fresh with water in them. The tiger must have swum 
onshore, walked across the wide mudbank in broad daylight, in view of 
some boats and huts on the far bank of the Gumdi river. 

On the way back we took the short-cut - the Durgadwani River channel 
back to Gosaba. Came across 3 more COLLARED KINGFISHERs and several 
PIED KINGFISHERs. The channel was heavily inhabited on both sides and 
commoner village birds were now in evidence. Reached Sonakhali at 4:00PM
and after an uneventful road journey, we were in Calcutta by nightfall.

Species List
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OBC English Name	OBC Scientific Name	Ali/Ripley English Name
---------------------	----------------------	-----------------------
Red Junglefowl		Gallus gallus		Red Junglefowl
Lesser Whistling-duck	Dendrocygna javanica	Lesser Whistling Teal
Gadwall			Anas strepera		Gadwall
Tufted Duck		Aythya fuligula		Tufted Duck
Black-rumped Flameback	Dinopium benghalense	Lesser Goldenbacked Woodp.
Common Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis		Common Kingfisher
Brown-winged Kingfisher	Halcyon amauroptera	Brownwinged Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher	Halcyon pileata		Blackcapped Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher	Todiramphus chloris	Whitecollared Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher		Ceryle rudis		Lesser Pied Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater		Merops orientalis	Green Bee-eater
Asian Koel		Eudynamys scolopacea	Koel
Greater Coucal		Centropus sinensis	Crow-Pheasant, Coucal
Rose-ringed Parakeet	Psittacula krameri	Roseringed Parakeet
Asian Palm Swift	Cypsiurus balasiensis	Palm Swift
House Swift		Apus affinis		House Swift
Rock Pigeon		Columba livia		Blue Rock Pigeon	
Spotted Dove		Streptopelia chinensis	Spotted Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Indian Ring Dove
White-breasted Waterhen	Amaurornis phoenicurus	Whitebreasted Waterhen
Whimbrel		Numenius phaeopus	Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew		Numenius arquata	Curlew
Common Redshank		Tringa totanus		Redshank
Terek Sandpiper		Xenus cinereus		Terek Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Common Sandpiper
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	Blackwinged Stilt
Pacific Golden Plover	Pluvialis fulva	Eastern Golden Plover
Grey Plover		Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	Little Ringed Plover
Lesser Sand Plover	Charadrius mongolus	Lesser Sand Plover
Grey-headed Lapwing	Vanellus cinereus	Greyheaded Lapwing
Red-wattled Lapwing	Vanellus indicus	Redwattled Lapwing
Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica	Gullbilled Tern
Whiskered Tern		Chlidonias hybridus	Whiskered Tern
Osprey			Pandion haliaetus	Osprey
Black Kite		Milvus migrans		Pariah Kite
Brahminy Kite		Haliastur indus		Brahminy Kite
Short-toed Snake Eagle	Circaetus gallicus	Short-toed Eagle
Shikra			Accipiter badius	Shikra
Lesser Spotted Eagle	Aquila pomarina		Lesser Spotted Eagle
Little Cormorant	Phalacrocorax niger	Little Cormorant
Great Cormorant		Phalacrocorax carbo	Cormorant
Little Egret		Egretta garzetta	Little Egret
Grey Heron		Ardea cinerea		Grey Heron
Great Egret		Casmerodius albus	Large Egret
Intermediate Egret	Mesophoyx intermedia	Smaller Egret
Cattle Egret		Bubulcus ibis		Cattle Egret
Indian Pond Heron	Ardeola grayii		Pond Heron
Little Heron		Butorides striatus	Little Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	Night Heron
Asian Openbill		Anastomus oscitans	Openbill Stork
Bay-backed Shrike	Lanius vittatus		Baybacked Shrike
Rufous Treepie		Dendrocitta vagabunda	Indian Tree Pie
House Crow		Corvus splendens	House Crow
Large-billed Crow	Corvus macrorhynchos	Jungle Crow
Ashy Woodswallow	Artamus fuscus		Ashy Swallow-Shrike
Eurasian Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus		Golden Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole	Oriolus xanthornus	Blackheaded Oriole
Large Cuckooshrike	Coracina macei		Large Cuckoo-Shrike
Small Minivet		Pericrocotus cinnamomeus Small Minivet
Black Drongo		Dicrurus macrocercus	Black Drongo, King-Crow
Ashy Drongo		Dicrurus leucophaeus	Grey Drongo, Ashy Drongo
Bronzed Drongo		Dicrurus aeneus		Bronzed Drongo
Common Iora		Aegithina tiphia	Common Iora
Red-throated Flycatcher	Ficedula parva		Redbreasted Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher	Eumyias thalassina	Verditer Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie Robin	Copsychus saularis	Magpie-Robin
Indian Robin		Saxicoloides fulicata	Indian Robin
Asian Pied Starling	Sturnus contra		Pied Myna
Common Myna		Acridotheres tristis	Common Myna
Bank Myna		Acridotheres ginginianus Bank Myna
Barn Swallow		Hirundo rustica	Swallow
Red-vented Bulbul	Pycnonotus cafer	Redvented Bulbul
Oriental White-Eye	Zosterops palpebrosus	White-Eye
Common Tailorbird	Orthotomus sutorius	Tailor Bird
Dusky Warbler		Phylloscopus fuscatus	Dusky Leaf Warbler
Hume's Warbler		Phylloscopus humei	(Hume's) Yellow-browed W.
Greenish Warbler	Phylloscopus trochiloides Dull Green Leaf Warbler
Jungle Babbler		Turdoides striatus	Jungle Babbler
Purple-rumped Sunbird	Nectarinia zeylonica	Purplerumped Sunbird
Purple Sunbird		Nectarinia asiatica	Purple Sunbird
House Sparrow		Passer domesticus	House Sparrow

Copyright: Vivek Tiwari, 2000 
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