INDIA 2011: Jaipur to Sawai Madhophur

Day 2 / Jan 6 – Brrrrrr…..it is cold, barely breaking freezing over night! We returned to the Palace of the Wind, one of Jaipur’s famous landmarks, and were lucky enough to have the sun break through the fog and light up the facade for us to photograph. Driving passed the Water Palace we remarked how lucky we were to see it yesterday afternoon as the fog over the water this morning had it completely covered.

For several hours we visited the marvelous Amber Fort, the former capital of the Kachhawah Rajputs. Dating back six centuries it is surrounded by hills on three sides and we could see the extensive city wall that wound its way around the rugged countryside. Two by two we climbed onto elephants and rode up the steep hill and into the main courtyard (below), slowly swaying back and forth with each step the pachyderm took. Our visit took us through several floors including the king and queens quarters as well as the well manicured gardens.

It took the better part of an hour to get through the endless congestion that is inevitable as one traverses the Pink City – Jaipur. On the outskirts of town a petrol stop produced Green Bee-eater, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker (below) and Marshall’s Iora’s, all on trees that had been hacked for firewood!

The landscape changed once we reached the rural countryside. In areas of well grazed pastures dotted with shrubs and the occasional small fallow plot adjacent to a dwelling, we came across Bay-backed Shrike (below), Red-collared Dove and Yellow-wattled Lapwing.

For several hours we explored the perimeter of two bodies of water, one looking more like a large farm pond and the other Chakso reservoir. All the possible wagtails, White, Yellow, Citrine along with the resident White-browed were parading up and down the shoreline. Several Common Snipe were prodding their bills into the mud as a Little Ringed Plover stood motionless taking a rest.

In the shallow water a large group of shorebirds were busy feeding. These included Pied Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Temminck and Little Stint, while the more patient Grey Herons stood at the lake’s edge. In the adjacent open woods and scrub we came across the ubiquitous Red-breasted Flycatcher, Black Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Long-tailed Shrike and Plain Prinia, all common species that we would encounter on a daily basis.

From the moving vehicle we spotted Indian Coursers (above), which upon further inspection of the area yielded Rufous-tailed Wheatear and Tawny Pipits. We were to add to both those families later in the afternoon when we came across Variable Wheatear and Paddyfield Pipit. Rosy Starlings and Indian Roller.

At dusk we reached Sawai Madhophur, driving through the town dodging pigs that crossed the road, camels and carts, and a horde of Gypsies and Canters that parked randomly wherever it was convenient for the drivers! We were now in the safari capital of India!