31 March 14 - Indian Mammals Fest

Having completed all the daily posts on my recent Indian trip, I thought I would put a post together of all the mammals I photographed on the trip to Calcutta, the Andamans, the Western Ghats, Gujarat & Rajasthan. I only spent a couple of half days birding around Calcutta, but I saw a Brown Rat at about 04:00, as I was waiting for the night watchman to open my hotel on my first night. The only other mammal in Calcutta was an Indian Mongoose. On the Andamans, a Five-striped Palm Squirrel & some unidentified Bats were the only mammals seen. However, I saw a good variety of mammals on the rest of the trip. In total, I managed to photograph 27 species (excluding the Water Buffalo) & saw another 6 species. Here are the mammals I did get to photograph. No doubt my mates, Richard Webb & John Wright, will tell me if there are any misidentifications.

Rhesus Macaque: Bharatpur, Rajasthan (27 Jan 14)

Bonnet Macaque: Travelling from Jungle Hut to Ooty, Western Ghats (30 Dec 13)

Southern Plains Grey Langur: Mount Abu, Rajasthan (21 Jan 14)

Tufted Grey Langur: Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (28 Dec 13)

Nilgiri Langur: Parambikulam, Western Ghats (1 Jan 14)

Jackal: CEDO, Gujarat (19 Jan 14)

Jackal: Bharatpur, Rajasthan (28 Jan 14)

Indian Fox: Desert Coursers, Gujarat (17 Jan 14)

Indian Mongoose: CEDO, Gujarat (20 Jan 14)

Asian Elephant: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats (10 Jan 14)

Wild Ass: Desert Coursers (15 Jan 14) 

Wild Boar: Parambikulam, Western Ghats (1 Jan 14)

Chital Deer: Male. Bharatpur, Rajasthan (27 Jan 14)

Chital Deer: Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (28 Dec 13)

Chital Deer: Bharatpur, Rajasthan (27 Jan 14)

Sambar Deer: Male. Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats (10 Jan 14)

Sambar Deer: Female. Parambikulam, Western Ghats (2 Jan 14)

Muntjac: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats (10 Jan 14)

Gaur: Ooty, Western Ghats (30 Dec 13)

Gaur: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats (10 Jan 14)

Nilgai: Male. Sultanpur, Rajasthan (29 Jan 14)

Nilgai: Female. Bharatpur, Rajasthan (27 Jan 14)

Water Buffalo: All the Water Buffalo I saw were probably domesticated. Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (30 Dec 13)

 Chinkara: Family Party. Tal Chappar (24 Jan 14)

Blackbuck: Male. Tal Chappar (24 Jan 14)

Blackbuck: Females & an immature male. Tal Chappar (24 Jan 14)

Nilgiri Tahr: Eravikulam, Western Ghats (4 Jan 14)

Nilgiri Tahr: Eravikulam, Western Ghats (4 Jan 14)

Three-striped Palm Squirrel: Thattekad, Western Ghats (5 Jan 14)

Three-striped Palm Squirrel: Bharatpur, Rajasthan (27 Jan 14)

Western Ghats Palm Squirrel: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats (10 Jan 14) 

Five-striped Palm Squirrel: Mount Abu, Rajasthan (21 Jan 14)

Nilgiri Palm Squirrel: Thattekad, Western Ghats (5 Jan 14) 

Indian Giant Squirrel: Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (28 Dec 13)

Indian Giant Squirrel: Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (29 Dec 13) 

Indian Giant Squirrel: Chinnar, Western Ghats (3 Jan 14)

Indian Giant Squirrel: Thattekad, Western Ghats (5 Jan 14) 

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel: Parambikulam, Western Ghats (1 Jan 14)

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel: Parambikulam, Western Ghats (1 Jan 14)

Black-naped Hare: Jungle Hut, Western Ghats (28 Dec 13) 

Black-naped Hare: CEDO, Gujarat (20 Jan 14)

Frustratingly, I failed to get a photo of two of the best mammals seen (Caracal at CEDO, Gujarat & Jungle Cat at Tal Chappar, Rajasthan). Less exciting & not photographed (although I tried) was a Mouse feeding in the drinks stall at Bharatpur. Additionally, I saw several Foxes & photographed one, but the photos were too poor to keep, (given the species extends as far as the UK). Additionally, I didn't photograph a medium sized Bat at Bharatpur (too tedious) or the many Fruit Bats at Periyar (never saw them when I had the camera).

The Indian trip was focused on birding & all mammals seen were a result of bumping into them whilst birding, rather than a specific attempt to see the mammals. On my 91 trip to India, I was lucky to see a female Tiger with 3 cubs & so no attempt was made to see Tigers again. Likewise, I've seen Lions in Kenya & Wolves in Tibet, so no attempt was made to get to Gir in Gujarat (mainly as it would have meant dropping at least one of the birding sites).

30 Dec 13 - The Highest Peak In Southern India

After lunch in the Highland hotel, near Ooty, we headed off for our first visit to the nearby Doddabetta Peak. This is the highest peak in Southern India & is a popular tourist destination. Unfortunately, that lead to a lot of loud, noisy Indian tourists & made it more difficult to see the local birds.

Doddabetta Peak: It says it's the highest peak, so it must be true

Views from Doddabetta Peak: The views are pretty spectacular

Food sellers: There were a number of food vendors at the entrance track to the peak

Nilgiri Tea shop: Guess the Tea Dust doesn't translate as literally as it doesn't sound very appealing

We walked park of the entrance road & saw a few Nilgiri Laughingthrushes & Greenish Warblers. There is a narrow path from the car park, with some bushes & small trees, which leads to the main tourist viewpoint. There were a few more Nilgiri Laughingthrushes & Indian Blackbirds visible from this path. A few more species were seen from the viewpoint.

Nilgiri Laughingthrush: Good views could be obtained despite this endemic Laughingthrush being fairly skulky

Indian White-eye

Red-whiskered Bulbul

Indian Blackbird: Another recent Subcontinent split from Blackbird

Greenish Warbler: This worn individual didn't have any obvious wingbar

Pied Bushchat: Female

Grey-headed Flycatcher

Cinereous Tit: Another recent Subcontinent split from Great Tit 

As we drove back to the hotel at dusk, we ran into the first Grey Junglefowls & a party of Gaur feeding in a field next to the road.

Grey Junglefowl

Gaur: Also called Indian Bison by the local population