INDIA 2010: End of a Delightful Journey

Dec 13 – A morning mist blanketed Corbett Park, as we watched elephants leave the compound at dawn, guiding their patrons in search of tigers. Soon we departed ourselves, to begin the long drive back to Delhi. We birded along the way, seeing plenty of Himalayan Flamebacks and Lesser Yellownape woodpeckers, along with a group of 8 huge Great Slaty Woodpeckers on a foraging excursion at the top of the forest canopy.

On the road leading into Ramnagar, our guide, Karan, spotted a Green Magpie working its way through the midlevel of the moist deciduous forest. We bid farewell to Karan at the Corbett Motel, exchanged the park gypsies for our van, and continued on the 250 kms road journey to Delhi.

Our trip was punctuated with a stop at the Ganges River (above) to watch some of the never-ending cremation rituals whereby families ignite funeral pyres, and scatter ashes from rented boats in honor of their loved ones. Men bathed in the murky-colored holy water, while Brown-headed and Black-headed Gulls scoured the river for any bits of food.

The long drive revealed some interesting insights about Indian culture. There was an expensive-looking vehicle chauffering a huge-sized sleeping magistrate, whose armed bodyguards decided to walk rather than ride along in the bumper to bumper traffic. There was a tractor (above) whose cartload of bricks was so heavy that the small front wheels were lifted uselessly into the air when the driver shifted into first gear. And there were the endless crowds of motorbikes, lorries, buffalos, holy cows and people all jostling in the streets with seeming little regard for personal safety.  At the Delhi city limits the immense  landfill attracts over 120,000 Black Kites all competing with locals to scavenge tidbits!

We enjoyed recounting the many highlights of our trip over a final kingfisher beer and curry. Our trip ended with 320 bird species, 27 mammals, over 50 butterfly species, 8 reptiles and 2 amphibians. Thanks to Joe, Mary Kay, Pam, John, Bob and Kay (above) for another wonderful experience in India.