INDIA 2010 : Keoladeo National Park – Part 2

Nov 30-Dec 5 (cont.) –  The Rhesus Macaque’s had been wrecking havoc in the nursery area and it was frustrating for everyone that was looking for nightjars and owls. The tiger’s presence meant that areas where we could also look for them were out of bounds.

Jag’s persistence finally paid off when he found a lone well camouflaged Large-tailed Nightjar (above) roosting at the base of a shrub, not in the nursery, but along the main track.

There was also great joy when the Brown Hawk Owl (above) was found near the main gate, but neither bird stayed for more than a day and the long arduous process of relocating them had to begin once again – but at least we got to see them!

In the open scrub habitat we were treated to a wonderful early morning showing of colorful birds on a dead tree, that included Brahminy Starlings, Hoopoe’s (above), Indian Roller, Ashy Drongo and Black-backed Flamebacks.

There was also encounters with other fauna. Golden Jackals (above) showed well between the main gate and the barrier, but we always seemed to arrived at the wrong time for the python! Mary Kay photographed a young Indian Krait, one of the world’s deadliest snakes! A little more docile was a Bengal Monitor that lay motionless as it warmed up in the midday sun.

A plethora of Flap-shell Turtles, some at least ten feet in circumference, could be seen either basking on mounds or moving about shallow pools of water. The smaller Indian Sawback (above) was often seen out of the water basking on a log. One of our more fascinating sightings occurred while photographing a couple of dragonflies about a foot apart. One of them, a Green Skimmer trounced upon a Scarlet Skimmer and proceeded to devour it!

Just outside the park on the eastern side is the Ajun Bund – dam and reservoir. Though it is only a handful of kilometers away, it takes a long time to reach the Ajun Bund. The narrow road it well used and it seems as though we are always the ones that has to give way to bike, motorbikes, donkey carts, and assorted larger transportation. While there was almost no water in the area, it was the Indian Courser that we were after. We walked around and scoured the bare and newly cultivated fields (above) but could only find Crested Larks, Desert Wheatears, Yellow-wattled Lapwings, Pied Bushchats, Stonechats, Long-billed and Tawny Pipits.

At the Bagh, the wonderful place that we stayed at during our visit to the park, we often found a roosting pair of Indian Collared Scops Owls in the lush gardens – always a favourite!