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).

17 Jan 14 - Wild Asses In The Salt

The plan for the day was a trip well out into the dried up lake & to be out for most of the day. It was to be a long day & sun glasses were going to be essential to reduce eye strain from the harsh light & dust. It was also a day for harsh lighting & the photos have suffered in some cases.

Life for some of the local kids is pretty basic: But they are all very friendly. Perhaps because Desert Coursers puts money into the local schools

A local villager demonstrating how easy it is to balance things on her head

We stopped by a small well pumping water for the cattle & where there was a small pool by its side. This produced a Grey-necked Bunting & a small party of Bimacs.

This was the only fresh water we saw all day after leaving the village areas

As we carried out into the lake, it got more & more arid until there was nothing, save a few white painted stones to act as track markers.

Mirage: It certainly was arid out in the dried up lake bed

Eventually, we reached a small area of vegetation on a small hill a few metres above the rest of the land. This was like a small island & had a selection of typical bush species & several unphotogenic Sykes's Nightjars.

View from the small hill over a 1/4 mile wide area of dried salt

I generally like to think that my birdwatching hobby has little adverse impact on the wildlife, so was upset when we saw 4 Wild Asses that had walked across this bare lake bed for a mile or two & then across the final 1/4 mile of dried salt. They were almost at our hill, when they stopped as they detected us parked up. After a few minutes of looking & waiting, they turned around & walked back from where they had come. I'm sure they would have coped with the walk much better than I would have done, but I still felt sorry for them.

Wild Asses: Crossing the salt pan

Wild Asses: They stopped about 100 metres out when the sensed our presence

Wild Asses: Unfortunately, they then turned & walked back from where they had come

This is the pick of the birds & other mammals for the day.

Peregrine: This looks like the winter visiting calidus subspecies. Amazing to see this is a totally dried up lake bed with no vegetation for about a mile in any direction. But if a bird came by, it wouldn't be getting away

Hoopoe

Bimaculated Lark: The bulky shape, stout bill, dark streaks on the crown & mantle, pale scapulars, dark eyeline behind the eye, brown cheeks & dark chest patch all help to confirm the identification

Asian Desert Warbler

Eastern Pied Wheatear: Female

Desert Wheatear: Male

Daurian Shrike

Baya Weaver 

Grey-necked Bunting: Male

Nilgai: Distant views of this large, ungainly mammal in the heat haze

Indian Fox: Quite a striking mammal & a Subcontinent endemic (thanks to Richard Webb for the identification)

Life on the lake bed is pretty basic

Even more basic for this family