Trip Report: Delhi (+ Hardwar/Rishikesh) 23 Dec '00 - 6 Jan '01.

Vivek Tiwari (spiderhunters@worldnet.att.net)
-----------------------------------------

On my last trip to India (23 Dec '00 - 6 Jan '01), most of my birding 
was in Delhi with the exception of a short trip to Hardwar, Rishikesh.

The trip to Hardwar/Rishikesh (Dec 26th to 28th) was with family, but 
I had my binoculars handy most of the time. On the drive to Hardwar, had
about 44 species from the moving vehicle (perhaps the 44 most common 
species in India!). From Roorkee to Hardwar we went by what used to be 
my favourite road in India, the old road along the Upper Ganga Canal. 
The area is more populated now, especially near the shrine of
Pir-e-Kaliyar, but still retains part of its charm. 
Places where the natural streams cross the road and the canal, looked
especially enticing, but we did not stop. 
Is some of the area north of the canal part of Rajaji National Park's 
buffer zone? 

In Hardwar, stayed at a hotel overlooking the  city's river channel
downstream of Har-ki-Pauri. YELLOW-LEGGED GULL, half a dozen PALLAS'S GULL,
STREAK-THROATED SWALLOW from the balcony.
Next morning, before the rest of the family woke up, I walked across
the bridge over the broad natural channel of the Ganges (the Neel Dhara).
The bridge leads to the Chilla road. Cold, but extremely enjoyable.
Have driven over the bridge in the past, but always yearned to bird it
at leisure. The Ganges always does evoke spiritual emotions in me, especially
here, with the proximity to the Himalayas and a feel of wilderness that
still  lingers despite Hardwar's growth. An overhead OSPREY. 
20 COMMON MERGANSERs below the bridge. The highlight was 3 BLACK-BELLIED 
TERNs flying across at eye level. Always wonder what the Ganges is like 
between this point and before it hits its first polluted tributary 
downstream in the plains. Apparently Gharials and Giant River Turtles used 
to be common here. Otters and River Dolphins seem likely. Has anyone done
a systematic wildlife survey here recently?
A WHITE-CAPPED WATER REDSTART was perhaps at the extreme of this species'
range.  

Later in the day we drove to Rishikesh. A EURASIAN GRIFFON and a WHITE-BACKED
VULTURE just outide Hardwar, were the only _Gyps_ vultures for the entire
trip (none in Delhi). At Rishikesh I talked my parents into going further
up as far as Devprayag (60 Km from Rishikesh). Devprayag is where the Bhagirathi 
and the Alaknanda meet to form the Ganges. The spiritual significance is 
obvious, but my ulterior motive was to get further into the hills, the few 
hours here being my only foray into the Himalayan avifauna for the trip. 
The catch was that it was already 2PM and there was limited daylight left. 

The hillside forest past Rishikesh still looked great. (Is this also part
of Rajaji NP?) The big change now was that the road was littered with signs 
for white-water rafting camps, and every white-sand beach in the gorge below 
seemed to have been taken over by "adventure" companies.

Made a stop about 26kms past Rishikesh at the Glass House. We were now clearly
in the realm of the hill-birds. A WALLCREEPER by the river bed. PLUMBEOUS
REDSTART and BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH. The gardens had CRIMSON SUNBIRD,
HIMALAYAN BULBUL. And sure enough, just as we were ready to leave, a mixed-
species flock appeared - YELLOW-BELLIED FANTAIL,  GREY-HOODED WARBLER, 
several RED-BILLED LEIOTHRIXes (!), BLACK-CHINNED BABBLERs, ... but
had to reluctantly move on.

A PALLAS'S FISH EAGLE below Dev Prayag was a nice sight. As we drove back
to Rishikesh in fading light, a WHITE-CRESTED LAUGHINGTHRUSH
flew across the road. Next morning, went back up about 6 km from Rishikesh
for an hour of roadside birding. A flock of RED-BILLED BLUE MAGPIEs drew
rave reviews from our Delhi based taxi driver. More CRIMSON SUNBIRDs,
a PARADISE FLYCATCHER. Highlight was a beautiful 
GOLDEN-SPECTACLED WARBLER at close range. 

After that it was back to the hustle and bustle of the plains.

Summary of Delhi birding
------------------------

Okhla:
------

Dec 24th: Started above the Okhla Barrage (next to Kalindi Kunj) and then
moved to the sandy-banks and fields downriver from the Barrage (Khader area).

Highlights: COMMON RINGED PLOVER & SAND MARTIN. Both seen well.

Also, 100 GREATER FLAMINGOES, RUFOUS-TAILED SHRIKE, 3 COMMON SHELDUCKs,
3 species of larks - ORIENTAL LARK, CRESTED LARK, SAND LARK and
3 species of PIPITS - PADDYFIELD, RICHARD'S and ROSY,
and a STRIATED GRASSBIRD.

Dec 31st: Started above the Okhla Barrage (next to Kalindi Kunj) and
then drove over to the NOIDA side to near the Shiv Temple.
EURASIAN WRYNECK in the bushes on the embankment near the temple.
STRIATED BABBLERs, YELLOW-BELLIED PRINIA, a nice flock of BLACK-BREASTED 
WEAVERS. Sadly missed STREAKED WEAVERS again. A single GREAT-WHITE PELICAN,
GREYLAG GEESE, BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE, PAINTED STORK, CLAMOUROUS REED-WARBLER,
WHITE-THROATED SILVERBILLs, RED AVADAVATs, a flyby YELLOW-LEGGED 
GREEN PIGEON.  

3rd Jan: I birded the road east of the river from
Okhla Barrage to the Shiv Temple. After the rains the
area looked beautiful, like a mini-Bharatpur. Of course the
habitat between the river and the residential area in Noida is now
severely depleted  due to the flyover construction, parks etc.
TUFTED DUCK, ORIENTAL DARTER, PURPLE HERON, BAR-HEADED GEESE,
HUME's WARBLER, RED-WHISKERED BULBUL

This total no. of species seen at Oklha was 111.

Delhi Ridge:
------------

Couple of hours in the evening of 30th Dec at Buddha Jayanti Park. 
The usual suspects.

On 3rd Jan, hour and half at the North Ridge and the Delhi Univ Campus.
Highlights:  4 SPOTTED OWLETS huddled together on a tree, being mobbed 
by a flock of JUNGLE BABBLERs. Several ALEXANDRINE PARAKEETs, a flock 
of OLIVE-BACKED PIPITs.

Jan 5th, spent the morning at the Jawarhal Nehru Univ. campus (in the 
open space south of the main campus). 
Highlights:  A BROOKS'S LEAF WARBLER. The bird was at eye-level
in a bush. A faint but distinct yellowish rump band and a faint but
distinct stripe on the crown. Yellowish wash at the lower belly and
vent area. Pale base on an otherwise dark bill. 
A nice BARN OWL peering at us from low brach in an Acacia.
A huge flock of Bulbuls with all 3 species. Mostly RED-VENTEDs
but also a few RED-WHISKERED and WHITE-EAREDs. For a while there
was a Bulbul on top of every bush around us. Quite a sight.

Later, wandered around in Sanjay Van. Again the usual suspects.

Badkhal Lake:
-------------

A brief afternoon visit on 4th Jan to Badkhal Lake yielded a 
pair of RED-CRESTED POCHARDs. A spectacular species. Other
birds on the lake: TUFTED DUCKs, COMMON POCHARDs, GADWALL, COMMON
TEAL and lots of COOTs. Also a single COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE, 2
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITEs,  PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA, BLOSSOM-HEADED PARAKEETs 
and side-by-side views of a WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL and the _personata_
subspecies of WHITE WAGTAIL.

-----
India Dec00-Jan01 trip:  
  H: 12/23/00, 12/25/00, 12/29/00 : Home (Paschim Vihar, Delhi)
  O: 12/24/00, 12/31/00, 1/3/01 : Okhla
  R: 12/30/00 - B. J. Park, 1/3/01: North Ridge, DU, 1/5/01 - JNU, Sanjay Van
  L: 1/4/01 - Barkhal Lake
  T: 12/26/00 - 12/28/00: Delhi-Roorkee-Hardwar-Dev Prayag-Delhi

      Trip List        
OBC English Name  Ali/Ripley English Name

Grey Francolin  Grey Partridge  -  O      
Indian Peafowl  Common Peafowl  -  R  T
Greylag Goose  Greylag Goose  -  O    
Bar-headed Goose  Barheaded Goose  -  H  O  T
Ruddy Shelduck  Brahminy Duck  -  O  T
Common Shelduck  Common Shelduck  -  O    
Cotton Pygmy-goose  Cotton Teal  -  L      
Gadwall  Gadwall  -  L  O  T
Eurasian Wigeon  Wigeon  -  O    
Mallard  Mallard  -  O    
Spot-billed Duck  Spotbilled Duck  -  O    
Northern Shoveler  Shoveller  -  O    
Northern Pintail  Pintail  -  O    
Common Teal  Common Teal  -  L  O    
Red-crested Pochard  Redcrested Pochard  -  L      
Common Pochard  Common Pochard  -  L  O    
Tufted Duck  Tufted Duck  -  L  O    
Common Merganser  Common Merganser  -  T
Eurasian Wryneck  Wryneck  -  O    
Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker  Browncapped Woodpecker  -  T
Yellow-crowned Woodpecker  Yellowfronted Pied Woodpecker  -  R  
Black-rumped Flameback  -  Lesser Goldenbacked Woodpecker  -  R  
Brown-headed Barbet  -  Large Green Barbet  -  R  
Common Hoopoe  -  Hoopoe  -  O  T
Indian Roller  Indian Roller  -  T
White-throated Kingfisher  Whitebreasted Kingfisher  -  H  O  T
Pied Kingfisher  -  Lesser Pied Kingfisher  -  L  T
Green Bee-eater  Green Bee-eater  -  T
Asian Koel  Koel  -  R  
Greater Coucal  Crow-Pheasant  -  O  T
Alexandrine Parakeet  Alexandrine Parakeet  -  R  
Rose-ringed Parakeet  Roseringed Parakeet  -  H  O  R  T
Plum-headed Parakeet  Blossomheaded Parakeet  -  L      
House Swift  House Swift  -  T
Barn Owl  Barn Owl  -  R  
Spotted Owlet  Spotted Owlet  -  R  
Rock Pigeon  Blue Rock Pigeon  -  H  O  T
Laughing Dove  -  Little Brown Dove  -  H  O  T
Spotted Dove  Spotted Dove  -  T
Eurasian Collared Dove  Indian Ring Dove  -  H  O  T
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon  Yellowlegged Green Pigeon  -  O    
White-breasted Waterhen  Whitebreasted Waterhen  -  O  T
Purple Swamphen  Purple Moorhen  -  O    
Common Moorhen  Moorhen  -  O  T
Common Coot  Coot  -  L  O    
Black-tailed Godwit  Blacktailed Godwit  -  O    
Common Redshank  Redshank  -  O    
Marsh Sandpiper  Marsh Sandpiper  -  O    
Common Greenshank  Greenshank  -  T
Green Sandpiper  Green Sandpiper  -  O    
Wood Sandpiper  Wood Sandpiper  -  O    
Common Sandpiper  Common Sandpiper  -  O  T
Little Stint  -  Little Stint  -  O    
Temminck's Stint  Temminck's Stint  -  O    
Curlew Sandpiper  Curlew-Sandpiper  -  O    
Ruff  Ruff and Reeve  -  O    
Pheasant-tailed Jacana  Pheasant-tailed Jacana  -  L  O    
Bronze-winged Jacana  Bronzewinged Jacana  -  T
Black-winged Stilt  Blackwinged Stilt  -  O  T
Pied Avocet  Avocet  -  O    
Common Ringed Plover  Ringed Plover  -  O    
Little Ringed Plover  -  Little Ringed Plover  -  O    
Kentish Plover  Kentish Plover  -  O    
River Lapwing  Spurwinged Lapwing  -  O  T
Red-wattled Lapwing  Redwattled Lapwing  -  H  O  T
White-tailed Lapwing  Whitetailed Lapwing  -  O    
Yellow-legged Gull  -  Herring Gull  -  O  T
Pallas's Gull  Great Blackheaded Gull  -  T
Brown-headed Gull  Brownheaded Gull  -  O    
Black-headed Gull  Blackheaded Gull  -  H  O    
River Tern  Indian River Tern  -  O    
Black-bellied Tern  Blackbellied Tern  -  T
Osprey  Osprey  -  T
Black-shouldered Kite  Blackwinged Kite  -  L  O  T
Black Kite  Pariah Kite  -  H  O  T
Pallas's Fish Eagle  Pallas's Fishing Eagle  -  T
Egyptian Vulture  Scavenger Vulture  -  H  T
White-rumped Vulture  Indian Whitebacked Vulture  -  T
Eurasian Griffon  Griffon Vulture  -  T        
Eurasian Marsh Harrier  Marsh Harrier  -  O    
Shikra  Shikra  -  H  T
Little Grebe  -  Little Grebe  -  O  T
Darter  Darter  -  O    
Little Cormorant  -  Little Cormorant  -  O  T
Indian Cormorant  Indian Shag  -  O  T
Great Cormorant  Cormorant  -  O  T
Little Egret  -  Little Egret  -  O  T
Grey Heron  Grey Heron  -  O    
Purple Heron  Purple Heron  -  O    
Great Egret  -  Large Egret  -  H  O  T
Intermediate Egret  Smaller Egret  -  T
Cattle Egret  Cattle Egret  -  H  O  T
Indian Pond Heron  Pond Heron  -  T
Black-crowned Night Heron  Night Heron  -  T
Greater Flamingo  Flamingo  -  O    
Great White Pelican  Rosy Pelican  -  O    
Painted Stork  Painted Stork  -  O  R  
Rufous-tailed Shrike  (Redbacked Shrike)  -  O    
Bay-backed Shrike  Baybacked Shrike  -  R  
Long-tailed Shrike  Rufousbacked Shrike  -  O  T
Red-billed Blue Magpie  Redbilled Blue Magpie  -  T
Rufous Treepie  Indian Tree Pie  -  H  T
House Crow  -  House Crow  -  H  O  T
Large-billed Crow  Jungle Crow  -  R  T
Yellow-bellied Fantail  Yellowbellied Fantail Flycatcher  -  T
Black Drongo  Black Drongo  -  O  T
Asian Paradise-flycatcher  Paradise Flycatcher  -  T
Blue Whistling Thrush  Blue Whistling Thrush  -  T
Red-throated Flycatcher  Redbreasted Flycatcher  -  R  
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher  Greyheaded Flycatcher  -  R  
Oriental Magpie Robin  Magpie-Robin  -  O  R  T
Indian Robin  Indian Robin  -  O  T
Black Redstart  Black Redstart  -  R  T
White-capped Water Redstart  Whitecapped Redstart  -  T
Plumbeous Water Redstart  Plumbeous Redstart  -  T
Pied Bushchat  Pied Bush Chat  -  O  T
Brown Rock-chat  Brown Rock Chat  -  H  T
Brahminy Starling  Brahminy Myna  -  H      
Common Starling  Starling  -  O  T
Asian Pied Starling  Pied Myna  -  H  O  T
Common Myna  Common Myna  -  H  O  T
Bank Myna  Bank Myna  -  H  O  T
Wallcreeper  Wall Creeper  -  T
Great Tit  Grey Tit  -  T
Sand Martin  Collared Sand Martin  -  O    
Plain Martin  Plain Sand Martin  -  O  T
Dusky Crag Martin  Dusky Crag Martin  -  T
Barn Swallow  Swallow  -  O  T
Wire-tailed Swallow  Wiretailed Swallow  -  O    
Streak-throated Swallow  Indian Cliff Swallow  -  T
Red-whiskered Bulbul  Redwhiskered Bulbul  -  O  R  
White-eared Bulbul  Whitecheeked Bulbul  -  R  
Himalayan Bulbul  Whitecheeked Bulbul  -  T
Red-vented Bulbul  Redvented Bulbul  -  H  O  T
Grey-breasted Prinia  Franklin's Wren-Warbler  -  R  
ellow-bellied Prinia  Yellowbellied Wren-Warbler  -  O    
Ashy Prinia  Ashy Wren-Warbler  -  O    
Plain Prinia  Plain Wren-Warbler  -  O    
Oriental White-Eye  White-Eye  -  T
Clamorous Reed Warbler  Indian Great Reed Warbler  -  O    
Common Tailorbird  Tailor Bird  -  T
Common Chiffchaff  Chiffchaff  -  O    
Brooks's Leaf Warbler  Brooks's Leaf Warbler  -  R  
Hume's Warbler  (Hume's) Yellow-browed  -  O  R  
Greenish Warbler  Dull Green Leaf Warbler  -  O    
Golden-spectacled Warbler  Yelloweyed Flycatcher-Warbler  -  T
Grey-hooded Warbler  Greyheaded Flycatcher-Warbler  -  T
Striated Grassbird  Striated Marsh Warbler  -  O    
White-crested Laughingthrush  Whitecrested Laughing Thrush  -  T
Black-chinned Babbler  Red-billed Babbler  -  T
Yellow-eyed Babbler  Yelloweyed Babbler  -  R  
Common Babbler  Common Babbler  -  O    
Striated Babbler  Striated Babbler  -  O    
Large Grey Babbler  -  Large Grey Babbler  -  R  
Jungle Babbler  Jungle Babbler  -  O  T
Red-billed Leiothrix  Redbilled Leiothrix  -  T
Lesser Whitethroat  -  Lesser Whitethroat  -  O  T
Sand Lark  Sand Lark  -  O    
Oriental Skylark  Eastern Skylark  -  O    
Purple Sunbird  Purple Sunbird  -  R  
Crimson Sunbird  Yellowbacked Sunbird  -  T
House Sparrow  House Sparrow  -  H  O  T
White Wagtail  White Wagtail  -  L  O  T
White-browed Wagtail  -  Large Pied Wagtail  -  L  T
Citrine Wagtail  Yellowheaded Wagtail  -  O    
Yellow Wagtail   Yellow Wagtail   -  O    
Grey Wagtail  Grey Wagtail  -  T
Richard's Pipit  Paddyfield Pipit  -  O    
Paddyfield Pipit  Paddyfield Pipit  -  O    
Olive-backed Pipit  Indian Tree Pipit  -  R  
Rosy Pipit  Vinaceousbreasted Pipit  -  O    
Black-breasted Weaver  Blackthroated Weaver Bird  -  O    
Baya Weaver  Baya  -  O    
Red Avadavat  Red Munia  -  O    
Indian Silverbill  Whitethroated Munia  -  O    

Vivek Tiwari