Saturday, February 21, 2009

Birding Tour

It was one of my finest birding tour at Bharatpur in Rajasthan and Kumaon Hills in Uttranchal state. A visit to new places always delivers sightings of new bird species which one is not familiar with.

My recent tour as tour leader and birding guide for India Footprints a leading tour operator that specializes in bird watching tours to India was a journey of discovery. We were able to checklist more than 200 species in Bharatpur in Rajasthan state. We check listed around hundred species in Sattal in Nainital district and similar number in Corbett National Park in Uttranchal state.

Though Corbett and Bharatpur birding sanctuary are well known destinations Sat tal is less known. It is few kilometers from Nainital at height of approximately 4000 plus feet. It has an interesting avi fauna as Kalij Pheasant, Golden Robin, Streaked Laughing Thrush, white throat ed and striated laughing thrush, rusty cheeked scimitar babbler and black chinned babbler. There are interesting species of wood peckers, flycatchers, robins, and owls.

It will require a stay of at least seven days to checklist a large number of species a visit to Pangot few kilometers away will yield more unique species since it is at greater height.

I have lead many birding tour in India but this was the best in terms of bird sightings and wildlife watching a Corbett.

Most interesting part of bird watching is the company of bird lovers that form a part of your group and of course the tour operator that provides the service.