INDIA 2010 : Keoladeo National Park – Part 1

Nov 30 – Dec 5 – We spent the better part of the next 5 days in and around Keoladeo National Park. In the two weeks since I was last here the water levels in the jheels had dropped, not by a great deal but enough to see catfish squirming in the mud which made it easier for the storks, ibis, herons and egrets to get a meal. Noticeable was that the pelicans we saw on the last trip had now gone, in all likelihood due to the lower water levels.

While masses of ducks were still around most remained at a great distance in the Mansarover jheel, and were hard to see. Some of the closer waterfowl included Red-crested Pochard, Bar-headed Geese, Black-tailed Godwit and we got some wonderful views of both jacana’s, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged feeding amongst the shorter aquatic vegetation.


The Painted Stork colony was as noisy as ever and the chicks were growing fast with a number of them now able to stand. While watching them we would also get a steady flight of Eurasian Spoonbills (above), Woolly-necked Storks, Oriental Darters and cormorants going by.

Raptors continued to put on a good show in particular the Greater Spotted Eagles. We watched in amazement as a female Marsh Harrier attacked a Greater Spotted Eagle by attempting to land on its back. We also watched what may have been the same harrier diving at Common Coots, whose defense strategy was to paddling fast and form one large tight-knit group. It worked! As impressive as those moments were there was great excitement when we located a perched adult Imperial Eagle and had a Black-shouldered Kite (above) hover and dive for prey.

We would often have to dismount from the rickshaws as we came across some wonderful sightings amongst the scrub hedgerows along the jheel banks. There were longer vigils waiting for Bluethroats, Booted Warbler and Clamorous Reed Warbler to appear but it was worth the wait, while Common Hawk Cuckoo (above) was far easier to spot.

One of our highlights occurred while trying to get nearer to Sarus Cranes that could be heard bugling. As we cautiously walked down a track, where tiger pugmarks were visible, we caught sight of a Jungle Cat walking towards us. It was checking out both sides of the tracks and eventually slid off into one of the jheels. Being so excited we walked a little further on to see if we could relocate it. We did not get far as a pair of Sarus Cranes (above) walk out from the jheel on the opposite side and walk down the track before venturing into the same area that the cat had vanished into.

As the sun was setting we came across another pair of Sarus Cranes that captivated us as they displayed (above) beside the main track. A great way to end a day!