Velavadar National Park, August 1999
by Duncan Wilson (dungan@cinergy.co.je)

I spent the first two weeks in August visiting various grassland sites in
Gujurat and Rajasthan participating in a survey of Lesser Florican. I saw a
total of 70 floricans at various sites. By far the best site from a birder's
point of view is Velavadar, where I saw 40. Barring some catastrophe, the
species is impossible to miss here during the breeding season. Nine or ten
males can be seen from the guest house verandah with a bit of scanning, and it
is easy to see 25 to 30 per day without trying - the park staff mark each
territory with a pole, so you can go round ticking off each male as it jumps!
 
In addition to floricans, interesting birds seen at Velavadar included
Red-necked Falcon, Painted Francolin (fairly common), Rain Quail (common), five
species of lark including Sykes's Lark (common), Indian Courser - a flock of
500 was reported shortly before my visit; I only saw a few dozen!, Oriental
Pratincole (fairly common) and Little Bustard Quail (a few flushed). Mammals
seen included 2 Wolves, hundreds of Blackbuck and Nilgai, Jungle Cat, Golden
Jackal and Black-naped Hare.
 
I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Velavadar for any birders resident in
or visiting India. The accommodation and food is first class, the staff very
helpful and knowledgeable, and the park itself really peaceful. At dawn,
sitting on the verandah, the only sound is from the clashing of horns of
sparring Blackbuck: such tranquility is a rare commodity in India! Permission
to visit in the closed season is required, and readily given. This should be
arranged through the Assistant Conservator of Forests in Bhavnagar.
 
The only bad news is the cost - recent massive price hikes for national parks
in Gujurat (and perhaps all India?). Entry for non-Indian nationals is now US$5
per day and accommodation US$30 per day!!
 
The other sites I visited in Gujurat were rather obscure vidis (protected
fodder-producing grasslands) in the Gir / Gondal / Rajkot areas. All are
accessed along a maze of village roads and would require a guide to locate. The
grassland communities were much the same as at Velavadar, although Painted
Partridge, all 3 Bustard Quails, Jungle Bush Quail and Rain Quail were much
more in evidence due to better monsoon rainfall than at Velavadar. Again,
Sykes's Lark was common throughout. Some of these vidis hold Lion (now
well-dispersed around Gir), which adds a certain interest when striding around
in long grass looking for floricans!
 
The only site I visited in Rajasthan was a flying visit to Sonkaliya, which
produced 4 Lesser Floricans and a male Indian Bustard. The latter is difficult
here in the monsoon as the crops are very tall. Apparently, floricans only
visit if the rains are good (which they were in Rajasthan this year) - I had
little trouble locating them. About 9 hours from Delhi by bus (via Ajmer),
Sonkaliya is perhaps the closest site to the capital where these species may be
seen.
 
Any birders wanting further details are welcome to contact me.
  
Duncan Wilson