MEMORIES OF BIRD ISLAND (SEYCHELLES)

If you do a google search on the internet, you will hit two 'bird islands'. The first one is actually a misnomer. A place in Minnesota derived its name from an erstwhile  rookery that existed in the marshes nearby. The marshes have since been leveled out and the birds driven away, but the village still carries its old name -- 'Bird Island,' quite like our own 'Dhobi Talao' (washermen's pond) in Mumbai or the 'Santra Gachhi' (orange tree grove) near Kolkata. The other 'Bird Island', (and possibly the only one justifying its name), is a small, privately owned island way out in the far flung Indian Ocean. I was there several years ago with my brother and his wife Anne. It was an unforgettable trip and images of this breathtakingly beautiful island are still fresh in my mind. 

Main Street in Victoria, the Capital of Seychelles

My personal life at that time was passing through a period of turbulence. An invitation from my brother to visit him in Seychelles for a couple of weeks came as a welcome reprieve. The idea of exploring the virgin islands of Seychelles for the first time was exciting enough, but the highlight of the trip was to be a two day trip to the 'Bird Island'. I was then a novice  bird watcher and carried with me a small 4x digital camera and a cheap set of heavy binoculars. On reaching Seychelles, I supplemented these with a useful book 'Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands' picked up from a local book shop in Victoria, the capital city of Seychelles.

SEYCHELLES-- A Land of Islands, Beaches & Sunshine

Seychelles is an archipelago made up of 115 scattered islands in the Indian Ocean north of Madagascar. Till the middle of 17th Century, these islands remained uninhabited, visited occasionally by seafarers and pirates as stop-over resting points. After a short period of control by the French, Seychelles became a British colony in the year 1794 and remained so, till its independence and simultaneous membership of the commonwealth in 1976. Interestingly, presence of these islands was known to ancient sailors and some even link them to the proverbial Garden of Eden mentioned in the Bible. Be as it may, it is indeed true that there are no snakes or carnivorous land animals in Seychelles, nor are there any crows. In absence of these predators, birds in Seychelles are a friendly lot, spending a good part of the time wandering fearlessly or feeding on the ground. 

LOOK WHO'S COME FOR DINNER: A friendly female Madagascar Fody (Foudia madagascariensis); The male is bright red or sometimes flavistic yellow 

With a little bit of coaxing, the doves, the terns and the colourful sparrows will readily pick up crumbs from your hand.

A Male Fody on the Go!

With a population of less than 100,000, Seychelles is a small country with unspoiled beaches and breathtaking natural landscape. Residents are mostly Indian and African settlers who speak a French based Creole and live a relaxed life fishing or farming. Apart from Mahe, Islands like Praslin and La Digue are extremely popular with the tourists. An extensive ferry service, including some luxury high speed boats, connects the islands scattered over a vast sea area. The island of Aldabra is a kind of a mini Galapagos, where entry is restricted.

The Beach at Praslin

Seychelles has rich sea life and is home to a number of endemic birds, many of which are different from the species seen in the neighbouring Madagascar or on the African mainland. 
          

Bird Island is one of the smallest islands located on the northern fringe, some 100 km away from the main island Mahe. We boarded a short commercial flight of Air Seychelles from Victoria in a small 20 seater plane to get there. Just as we were landing, a breathtaking view of the island and its surrounding blue sea opened up before us.

Bird Island as seen from the plane

The Bird Island is much smaller in size than you would expect, with a perimeter of only around 5 miles. Number of species of birds on the island are not too many, but their numbers are simply mind- boggling. Around 700,000 pairs of sooty terns come here every year to breed, not to mention a fair number of other terns, which together make up to one million or even more. Quite naturally, the bird density on this small island is several times higher than that of humans who are limited to around two or three dozen tourists and a team of conservation support staff who are busy all the time looking after the needs of avian as well as human guests. 


On alighting from the plane, we were greeted by the members of the management staff who are responsible for the island's excellent upkeep since 1967. From a modest beginning, the Bird Island has emerged as one of hot spots in the world for eco-tourism. Sir David Attenborough visited the island in 1997 along with the BBC crew to film two episodes of his famous film 'The Life of Birds'. and in 2006, BBC Wildlife Magazine named the Bird Island as one of the seven best destinations to travel to in the world for genuine eco-tourism.

Bird Island

The history of Bird Island is in itself a story of ups and downs in preservation and conservation. Sighted for the first time by a passing ship in  1771, the island was described as one having "innumerable birds and sea cows (dugongs) on the beach". In 1895, Guano or Phosphate Mining operations were established on the island employing over 100 people. All the 17000 tonnes of phosphate was excavated within 10 years, after which all the staff left for Mahe. In 1931, there were 12 people on the island who started a plantation of coconuts and papayas. Over the years, these human activities took a heavy toll on the breeding population of sooty terns visiting the island and by 1955, barely 18000 birds were left from a million pairs historically. The new management which took over in 1967, first restored the breeding activity, controlled plantation, removed all rodents from the island, introduced turtle conservation under the guidance of an eminent expert and thereafter built up eco-friendly chalets away from the breeding area for terns. Over the last several decades, the island has evolved into a conservationist's dream, winning several international awards and attracting, apart from sooty terns, several other tropical species such as the tropic birds, brown & lesser noddy and  the all white 'fairy tern' which all now breed here. Accommodation at the island consists of functional, but reasonably comfortable cottages surrounded by a colony of assorted birds and turtles. 

Day Gecko (Phelsuma sundbergi)

We were delighted to find on the wall of the cottage, a small day green gecko with red spots! The Giant Day Gecko is endemic to Seychelles, growing upto 20 cm in length. It is a diurnal species, feeding during the day and resting in the night. It is typically found on coconut palm trees and also in residential dwellings. 

After a refreshing cup of tea, it was time to visit the star attraction of the island, the massive breeding ground for sooty terns. You could view the colony from a platform, without the risk of disturbing the nesting on the ground.

The Colony of Sooty Terns at Bird Island

Nearly 700,000 pairs of Sooty Terns(Onychoprion fuscatus) land at Bird Island every year in March, lay their eggs, rear the young and are ready to fly off again by end of October. The nesting activity is carefully monitored by the island authorities and you are not allowed to do anything that could disturb the nesting birds. 

The Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)

Ringing of some birds has revealed that on an average, the same birds visit the islands once in four years. Where exactly they spend the intervening period is not fully understood. Like many other birds of the sea, Sooty Terns sleep on the wink while flying in the night and possibly for this reason, are also known as 'wide awake terns' in some areas.  

The Viewing Platform

Entry to the nesting area is restricted. Managing the vast breeding area is a Herculean task. The island has an efficient service team attending to the birds. 

We were shocked to find the next morning that there was a choice of regular eggs or terns eggs on the breakfast menu! We were explained by the wardens that being a massive colony, there are several abandoned eggs which will not hatch and which must be regularly removed from the breeding area. These are the ones that turn up on the dining table. We politely declined the offer for tern omelettes, even though these are considered a delicacy by some locals.

Sooty Terns flying on the island

Apart from sooty terns, Bird Island is also known for its breeding population of Brown and the Lesser Noddy, though these birds can be found in larger numbers on several other islands of Seychelles. Noddies prefer to breed on islands which are devoid of rats or cats and the Bird Island now meets this criterion. 

Brown Noddy (Anous stodilus)

Lesser Noddy

Noddies are part of the tern family. Out of the three varieties of 'Anous' found in the world, two- the Brown and the Lesser Noddy are abundantly found on the islands of Seychelles. There are subtle differences between the two; Lesser Noddy is smaller in size, has a sharper narrow beak and the pale part of its head is larger in area as compared to the Brown Noddy. These birds are quite indifferent towards humans and are known to be easy targets for shooters.

Lesser Noddy with Chick

Fortunately,Bird Island is a safe breeding ground for these birds. Noddies make their nests on low hanging branches of trees or sometimes also on the ground. Historically, islands of the Indian Ocean islands were also abundant in giant tortoises, but over the last two centuries, indiscriminate killing has virtually brought them to extinction. Bird Island has had the distinction of having 'Esmeralda', the world's heaviest tortoise weighing 298 kilos. In 1995, the island started its turtle conservation project under the guidance of Dr. Jeanne Mortimer, an expert on the subject. Today, the island has its own family of these giants, their backs covered with droppings from noddies on the trees. 

Probably the most graceful bird on the island is the Fairy or the White Tern (Gygis Alba) which is the only all-white tern in the world. It breeds all over Seychelles and there are many pairs on the island. It is a beautiful, friendly tern whose comparison with a white fairy is quite understandable. 

A Fairy Tern in Flight

The Fairy Tern does not build a nest, but instead lays its solitary egg on joints of tree branches or sometimes on whatever convenient location is on hand. We found one tern incubating the egg laid in an empty coconut shell!

A Fairy Tern Hatching its Egg

Juvenile Fairy Tern

Next day in the morning, we were greeted by a juvenile fairy tern sitting on our windowsill. We were amazed by the friendliness of the bird. And soon after, relaxing in the sitting room after breakfast, we found Anne with a group of Fodies and Ground Doves picking up crumbs right out of her hand, while a flavistic yellow fody seemed to be busy picking up tit-bits from the adjoining dining table. Outside the building, a group of Ruddy Turnstones were feeding in the backyard. 

Fodies & Barred Ground Doves  Feeding from Hand

Friendliness of birds in Seychelles and in the Bird Island is disarming and infectious. In absence of any predators and with limited experience of interaction with humans, these birds instinctively see us as allies and friends. It is a wonderful feeling, almost like walking into a Kipling like world where elephants dance and wolves give you a smile as they pass by.  

Flavistic Yellow Madagascar Fody

Not far from the wooded area dominated by the noddies, we discovered the nesting colony of the White Tailed Tropic Birds (Phaethon lepturus). There were half a dozen nests at the base of the trunks of large trees, quite open and without any camouflage. Under normal circumstances, such nests would be quite vulnerable, but not so on Bird Island where every creature roams free!

A Brown Noddy visiting a Tropic Bird's Nest

We found the noddies walking in and out of Tropic Bird's nest and no one seemed to mind! The Tropic Bird is a beautiful bird to watch as it flies with its antenna like tail fluttering in the wind. But seeing this lovely bird at close quarters on the ground with its chicks in tow is equally fascinating. The sight of the unwieldy parents descending from the sky onto the trees with their beaks full of food for the chicks, quickly feeding them and then flying off again into the sea for more food, kept us spellbound. We were told that nesting of white tailed tropic birds was possible only after the island was completely cleared of rabbits, rats and other rodents. 

White Tailed Tropic Bird

Group of Frigate Birds (Fregata minor)

 On a walk in the morning on the all pervading seaside, we met other birds of the island, a solitary crested tern, scampering sanderlings & ruddy turnstones, curlew sandpipers  and a group of whimbrels sauntering on the air-strip. On branches of  a tall tree, we spotted a gang of Great Frigate Birds, the giant pirates of the avian world. It is a huge bird with a wing span of 220 cm. This bird frequently indulges in stealing food picked up by other birds through what is known as 'kleptopasitism'. Typically, it raids birds returning from the sea, carrying fish in their beaks. It gives them a chase till they drop the fish, which it promptly catches in mid-air. The sea around the island is also known for its abundant population of Wedge tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) but you can get close to them only if you venture into the sea in a boat.

Jitendra, Anne & Suren Bhatia

As we packed our bags to wait for the plane that was to take us back to Victoria,  we wished we could thank, in addition to the management of the island, all the unique, wonderfully friendly birds of the island who seemed to love our presence, as much as we enjoyed being with them on this wonderful trip. 

(All pictures in this post were taken on a Nikon 4X digital camera) 

                                                                                  Jitendra Bhatia

all rights reserved

jb.envirotekindia@gmail.com

 

(PART 2) MADAGASCAR-THE LAND OF CHAMELEONS & LEMURS

PART 2
THE LAND OF CHAMELEONS & LEMURS

Isolated from the African Mainland for some 165 million years, Madagascar has evolved its flora and fauna in virtual isolation. 

Spotting some of these endemic species can be as fascinating as finding developed life on a new planet in the galaxy. 

More than half of breeding birds in Madagascar are endemics, though their diversity is not as rich as an island like Borneo. Renowned Madagascar researcher Olivier Langrad says that Madagascar's isolation from the mainland has resulted in high levels of endemism. Moreover, as there are no islands between the African mainland and Madagascar, there have hardly been any stepping stones for colonisation.

Mascarene Martin (Phedina borbonica) Breeding Endemic in Madagascar

Madagascar's most popular birding area Perinet is a three hour drive from Antananarivo. Half way to Perinet, we halt at Marozevo, to visit a unique chameleons farm operated by a private company. Set up by the French naturalist Andre Peyrieras, the farm or reserve, also known as  Reserve Peyrieras, consists of large enclosed greenhouses which the visitors can enter accompanied by a guide. It is a convenient way of spotting and photographing reptiles kept inside the greenhouses under near-natural habitat. The most popular exhibits at the farm are chameleons, many of which are endemic to Madagascar.

Oustalet's Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti)

Chameleons are unique reptiles from the lizard family. Found in a variety of shades and hues, chameleons also have ability to change colour. In proverbial parlance, you often equate crafty and inconsistent behaviour of a person to the changing colour of a chameleon. Nothing, as far as this hapless creature is concerned, could be further from truth. There is popular perception that chameleons change colours according to the hue  of their surrounding environment. However, this is not always true. Changes in colour are often related to a specific emotion and could also be a means of communicating with other mates. As with many birds and animals, changes in appearance could also be for defending one's territory.

Carpet Chameleon (Furcifer lateralis)

Over 200 species of chameleons are known to the world and of these, more than half, mostly endemic, are found in Madagascar. The name 'chameleon', derived from the original Greek 'chamaeleon', roughly translates as 'lion of the ground', though it is difficult to associate any of its attributes with that of a lion. Despite their bulging stereoscopic eyes and demonic appearance, chameleons are harmless creatures which are popular as household pets in many countries. Some people tend to regard chameleons as miniaturized forms of  prehistoric dinosaurs. Chameleons often behave threateningly towards members of their own species by posturing menacingly and changing colours rapidly, but other than this aggressive streak, they are quite docile and passive in nature.  

Locally, Malagasy people tend to treat chameleons with considerable introspect. One proverb says that they have 'one eye on the future and one on the past'.  Some of the local people believe that treading on a chameleon could result in untold misfortunes. 

Parson's Chameleon (Calumma parsonii)

Be as it may, we found our first find, the Parson's Chameleon (Calumma parsonii) a solid jolly good fellow. The island's second largest chameleon (after the Malgasy Giant Chameleon), Parson's chameleon has two sub-species, one of which is characterized by its huge orange eyes. The largest specimens could grow to the size of a normal cat. 

As we came out of the Reserve Peyrieras to move on towards Perinet, we were confronted by a large Madagascar tree boa on a branch in a rare combative mood.

Madagascar Tree Boa (Sanzania madagascariensis)

The tree boa is a non venomous snake endemic to the island and is found in two distinct sub species in the eastern and the western parts of Madagascar.

The winding road to Perinet passes through thick foliage and crosses many small streams. The Eastern part of Madagascar is lush green with typical rain forest vegetation while in stark contrast, some parts in the south can be quite rocky and barren. 

A River near Perinet in Eastern Madagascar

We are headed for the Perinet Andasibe-Mantadia National Park which is home to a large number of birds and several species of lemurs.

Madagascar Bee Eater (Merops superciliosus)

For us visitors, the familiar garden birds in their unique endemic versions were all new. The long list of 'lifers' included the wagtails, the bee eaters, the hoopoe and sunbirds. The Olive bee eater or the Madagascar bee eater, also seen on coasts of East Africa is quite common in the grasslands and mountain forests of Madagascar. The Madagascar Wagtail with its prominent black necklace is endemic to Madagascar and can be seen abundantly near streams and wetlands all over the Perinet forest. Madagascar Buzzard, Yellow Billed Kite and the Madagascar Fish Eagle are found virtually over the entire island.

We stopped for the night at a small cottage resort on the edge of the Perinet National Park and were embarrassed to find that rooms of cottages have built-in toilets without any doors. Sometimes, as in Antana, you have the luxury of toilets with a thin cloth curtain. We learnt that this 'French' arrangement is common in Madagascar, even in some luxury resorts. So if you are sharing your room with someone, be prepared to shed all privacy or else use toilet and the room by turns.

We woke up to an overcast sky and by the time we arrived at the Mantadia National Park, it had started drizzling. Moving around the park in raincoats with all the photographic equipment can be quite a performance. But rain here is a routine occupational hazard. Park has almost 200 or more rainy days in a year and the humid rainforest is dripping most of the time. A World Heritage Site since 2007, the Mantadia National Park is largely made up of virgin primary growth forest. Some of the endangered species of mammals and reptiles have been reintroduced here under close supervision.  

A Pair of Eastern Woolly Lemurs( ) at Mantadia

Considering the dismal weather in the arboreal habitat, we were lucky to spot a pair of Eastern Woolly Lemurs, snugly huddled high up in the branches.

The large liquid eyes of lemurs easily make them the most soulful animals in the world. These are timid, highly social family creatures that stay together through thick and thin. Many species spend entire life with a single mate. We were to find out soon that photographing lemurs is a tricky business as the complete animal rarely comes out in the open and is always partially hidden in the thick foliage. 

Diademed Sifaka- a cross or a predecessor? 

Carrying the most identifiable and representative insignia of the Malagasy land, lemurs are primates that look like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog. Madagascar is world's solitary homeland for some 60 species of these unique primates. Reportedly, 15 or possibly more species of lemurs got wiped out from Madagascar after arrival of the most destructive  mammal on earth -- the civilised man. Given its reckless greed, a few others like the largest sized Indri and the Diademed Sifaka would have met a similar fate, had timely conservation and relocation efforts not been taken on war footing to save them.

The story of evolution and eventual  survival of lemurs as a species is interesting. Based on fossils found in Africa, it is presumed that lemur like creatures evolved some 60 million years ago in Africa and crossed over to Madagascar while the landmass was still shifting from the mainland. By the time monkeys and primates came into existence some 20 million years ago, Madagascar had already drifted apart. As a result, the lemurs on one hand survived here in isolation, and on the other, the drifted island remained untouched from evolution of primates. As a result, there are no monkeys in Madagascar. Assuming that this hypothesis of selective evolution is correct, lemurs could rightly be called predecessors not only of primates but also of the homo sapiens that  arrived in this world many million years later. 

We are back at the Mantadia National Park the next morning, to get a sighting of the mythical Indri (Indri indri), one of the largest lemurs of Madagascar. Excitement runs high as we find a large female with a cub high up in the branches of a tall tree.

Indri (Indri indri)  one of the Largest Lemurs of Madagascar

Indri, also known 'babokoto' locally, is suffering serious threat to its natural habitat due to rampant deforestation, logging and conversion of forests into rice fields by the 'slash and burn' cultivation method. The local name 'babocoto' meaning 'father of a small son' originated from several mythical stories associated with this magnificent creature. 

A Baby Indri Riding on its Mother's Back (Mantidia National Park)

According to one of the popular stories, a boy ventured into the forest and when he did not return after a long time, the father decided to look for him, only to find that the boy had transformed into the 'Indri'. The distress call of babokoto is believed to be resembling the wailing of the father looking for his lost son. The scientific name 'Indri indri' also has a funny story. In local Malgasy, the word 'indry' means 'here it is!'. It is said that the French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat first went looking for this lemur accompanied by a local guide who after spotting the animal, shouted in Malgasy  ' Indry indry!', or 'here it is, here it is!' Pierre mistook this to be the name of the lemur, somewhat in the same fashion as naming of the kangaroo in Australia. The first sailors who caught a kangaroo in Australia went back to the native aborigines to ask for its name and were told -- kangaroo. It was learnt many years later that the aborigines were not naming the caught animal but were merely asking -- 'kanga--roo' or 'what did you say?' There are others who disagree with the Indri story and say the word originated from another Malgasy name for the lemur-- endrina.

We were fortunate to hear Indri calling or wailing in its famous three note call. The first is a loud roar, followed by a long middle note and finally a descenting wail. As one Indri calls, many others in the family join in to provide a musical choir which can be heard for miles. 

Critically Endangered Indri Lemur

Indri is today on the list of critically endangered animals, fighting for its existence under close monitoring and supervision. Though regarded as a sacred animal in Madagascar, there are also reports of its killing for meat-- that is regarded as a delicacy in some regions. No Indri has survived in captivity for more than one year and none has bred in captivity. So the chances of seeing a live Indri in the forest, in the coming years, look grim.  

From Indri, we move to a different part of Mantadia to see yet another magnificent resident of the Park-- the Diademed Sifaka. Measured from the top of the head to the tip of the tail, Diademed is one of the largest lemurs. With a luxury soft coat, black face, a 'diadem' or a crown over the forehead and a combination of  several shades of grey and golden markings over the body, Diademed is indeed a beautiful primate that reminds you of the golden langurs of North East India.

The black faced Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)

Diademed Sifaka is also critically endangered, though its numbers are somewhat higher than those of Indri.

We were blessed with a clear sky the next morning and the chirping on the trees around the resort quickly got us back to our birding instincts. Almost instantly, we were able to spot and identify the three commonest members of the Vanga family-- the Blue Vanga, the Chabert's Vanga and the White Headed Vanga. The Vanga, now regarded as a unique bird group, has 22 different species (varying from 13 cm to 30 cm in size), each quite different from the other. Scientists now claim that these birds are more diverse than the Darwin's finches and this diversification happened over a relatively shorter span of time. 
 

Chabert's Vanga (Leptoterus chabert) with its prominent blue circle around the eye

We were not fortunate enough to see the rarer species of vangas such as the sickle billed and the red shouldered but a short walk into the forest led us to a close look of another endemic--the Forest Rock Thrush.

Forest Rock Thrush (Montocila sharpei)

We had begun the day in Mantadia checking out the two largest lemurs of the land--the Indri and the Diademed. The eventful day ended with an exciting night safari before dinner, looking for the smallest lemur of Madagascar--The Pygmy Mouse Lemur. The mouse lemur exists in Madagascar in 22 distinct species, the smallest one of which is the Pygmy. Incidentally, the pygmy mouse lemur is also the smallest primate in the world. It rarely exceeds the size of a large mouse (50 cm). Being a nocturnal animal, nature guides in Madagascar take visitors on a night safari to convenient spots to see this fascinating animal. Food kept on the edge of the forest soon attracts the pygmy, which can then be photographed under artificial light. To say the least, the methodology is questionable and may not be kind to the poor animal which is being forced to lose its natural way of searching for food though its nightly feeding under the floodlight. 
   

The Pygmy Mouse Lemur (Microcebus myoxinus)

As we walked back to the waiting vehicle taking us back from the forest to our resort, we realised that we had completed the first leg of our journey to this fascinating island. Next day, we were to return back to Antananarivo where a short flight would take us to the southern-most tip of the country. But more of this later!

(to be continued)
(Part 3: Re-living the Dead & Other Fantasies)

Jitendra Bhatia

copyright 2015 Jitendra Bhatia

jb.envirotekindia@gmail.com

  

NOTES FROM DUDHWA

A FOGGY BEGINNING

The day started on an ominous note, with mist descending on the streets and the light rapidly deteriorating. Lucknow, with streets dug out for laying drain pipes was bad enough without the mist. Fog made it almost un-motorable.

We had planned a road trip to Dudhwa National Park, a good 240 km away from Lucknow, close to the Nepal border.


By the time we packed luggage and loaded our gadgets into Suresh's brand new Wagon R, visibility had dropped to less than 20 metres. We were accompanied by Suresh's younger son Amitabh, an engineer from MIT, amateur film photographer and above all, an able backseat driver, guiding and warning his dad, as he negotiated the vehicle through misty turns and diversions. We ventured cautiously, almost by intuition, contending bravely with  UP's reckless truck fraternity that operates religiously without tail lights or fog signals. A welcome halt for breakfast after two hours of treacherous driving found us at a wayside Reliance Cafe, barely 50 kilometres away from Lucknow.  It was a bleak morning, frightfully cold, with no sign of any bird activity anywhere. But as Saramago says, you never cease to marvel the turns of life or weather. With a hot breakfast inside us, we were able to consider a more positive view of the weather. Fog on the road seemed thinner and a lot more easier to negotiate. By the time we crossed Sitapur, a run down district town, feeble sunlight had already set in . Our first stroke of luck was with a glorious pair of Sarus cranes in a half cut sugarcane field. Amitabh quickly unstrapped his movie camera for action. 



Oblivious of Our Presence, the Cranes Seemed to be Talking to One Another

Indian farmers love Sarus cranes, as they are considered to be harbingers of a bumper crop. On a rational plane, they rid the field of insects and miscellaneous pests. Meat of Sarus is considered taboo in Hindu scriptures. A story, Kronchwadh, probably from the Mahabharat, narrates the misfortunes of killing a Sarus crane. Sarus cranes are usually seen in pairs, and folklore has it that if one of a pair dies, the other one also dies soon. Amitabh tells me that on his previous trip, he saw more than a dozen birds together in a field. A recent report says that numbers of Sarus, the state bird of Uttar Pradesh, which had dwindled to about 1000 birds some time ago, are now up to a few thousand in the state.

We are passing through lush sugarcane fields, some of them partially cut. Water streams and small ponds run along the road. We are delighted to see a group of pied kingfishers, who for our benefit,  perform  the familiar dance of hovering  still against the wind and then suddenly diving into the pond below to catch a moving fish in a flash.   

Waiting for Action.....



Action !!



Mission Accomplished !!!

ON WAY TO DUDHWA

A little ahead, we pass  bigger, lake-like wetlands on either side of the road. A flock of roosting lesser whistling ducks, a few spot billed ducks and some pheasant tailed jacanas happily swimming in the shallow waters. A solitary muddy grey-white juvenile openbill tries to win over a group of lethargic egrets. A pair of Sarus cranes flies off, before we can  record its action. We are passing through prime sugar cane country. Every now and then, a small sugar factory emerges from behind the hamlets, with the road getting blocked by overloaded bullock carts carrying a bumper crop of canes, ready for crushing.  The Road further down brings us to the dusty town of Lakhimpur-Kheri, where we are intrigued by the number of liquor shops advertising chilled beer with adjectives like Maha Thandi  or Ghanghor Thandi and at one place, even Darun Thandi,  the typically Bengali expression. Obviously, no one here likes to sell beer less colder than the cryogenic temperatures suggested by these adjectives. A bridge across the meter gauge railway track gives a glimpse of the local railway station, with a packed train, bound for Lal Kuan puffing out. Little do we realise that this very train, overtaking us, would  stop our way at several  level crossings later during the same day.  

It was intriguing to see the numerous signs in Punjabi Gurumukhi script on the road. Suresh, who was born in these parts, informs that several Sikhs bought land and settled in the area a couple of generations ago. The fertile land returned rich rewards, and many of the farmers now own palatial farm houses, with their children studying abroad. The land here offers three or even four crops during the year. We step down to inhale the intoxicating smell of blooming mustard flowers in the yellow fields.

Mustard Fields in Bloom

The road from Lakhimpur is virtually a straight line. I have never seen  such a long stretch of straight road. When we eventually turn right, the first sign for Dudhwa National Park shows up. We are at Bhera, and further on at Palia. The metre gauge railway track has been faithfully following us on the left. Ahead of Palia we need to cross the river Sarada, by a solitary narrow bridge that is common for the railway track and the road. We patiently wait for the train to pass, as the queue of trucks and cars builds up. A group of monkeys is stealthily inspecting tops of stalled trucks, probably in search of food. It  zeros in on a truck packed with puffed rice. One monkey manages to tear one of the bags. Before the cleaner of the truck can  drive the thieves away with a long stick, the monkeys, their cheeks filled with puffed rice, have scampered off. 

We consider ourselves lucky for being  able to cross the bridge in less than an hour. Traffic from the other side patiently waits for its turn on the one way bridge. On our right are the unfinished spans of a new bridge that will end this ordeal. But no one knows when the new bridge will be completed. 

Unfinished New Bridge on Sarada

Palia is a relatively larger town with petrol pumps, ATMs and well stacked grocery shops. Activity is spurred by the large sugar factory of Bajaj Hindustan at Palia. Northern boundary of Palia is only 10 km from Dudhwa. On the way, we cross the picturesque streams of Suheli, where the Mahauts of the park are busy scrubbing the tame elephants of the park.

Elephants Getting their Daily Wash at Suheli River

On a treetop overhanging the river, a serpent eagle sits enjoying the afternoon sun, while on the rocks below, terrapins, crocodiles and birds are in blissful co-existence.



A Serpent Eagle over Suheli River



Terrapins, Egrets, Crocodile and Pond Heron on Suheli River

 By the time we reached the forest lodge at Dudhwa, it was almost evening. Tall sal trees overlooked the lodge, while the reception hall had some enlarged pictures of birds and animals. A graceful grey wagtail posed for us on the lawns. We return to the car to find that monkeys have stolen all the food packets through the half open window-pane. 



Grey Wagtail at Dudhwa Forest Lodge

The huts of forest lodge were modestly equipped with all facilities except running hot water. A watch tower on the premises offered a panoramic view of the Suheli river. As darkness fell, it was time to retire after an eventful day.

Suheli River in the Evening

ELEPHANT SAFARI

We got up to a cold morning with a light mist in the air. A racket tail drongo was calling from top of the sal tree in front of the row of huts. One of the big attraction of Dudhwa is its gorgeous sal forests, which are arguably the best in the world. Sal forests are best seen in the first rays of dawn and we dressed up to face the chilly winds of the morning. 

First Rays of the Morning Sun touching Dudhwa

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is the name given to the integrated forest area in Dudhwa spread over an area of 884 square kilometres. It consists of two parts, i.e. Dudhwa National Park (which has a core zone of 490 square km and a buffer zone of 190 km) formed in 1977 and the older, but smaller Kishanpur Wild Life Sanctuary (with an area of 204 square km) formed in 1972. Dudhwa National Park is spread with the Suheli river as its natural boundary in the south and Nepal as its boundary in the north. Kishanpur WLS is south of Dudhwa National Park around the Sharda river which we crossed on our way to Dudhwa.

Splendour of Sal Trees

Dudhwa is 60 percent sal forest, the rest being made up of other varieties of sub-Himalayan trees. We are headed for Salukhapur, the starting point for the famed Elephant safari. The trip on the animal's back is not a staged 'elephant show' like Bandhavgadh, but a real ride into the deep interiors of the forest on the elephant back where you can expect the unexpected to happen. Most of Dudhwa consists of Sal clusters, long stretches of tall 'elephant grass' and flat lands by the side of the rivers. The trained elephants romp  through paths which are uneven and almost inaccessible. On the flip side, from the point of view of bird photography, it is a rough ride, offering little scope for camera adjustment and even less for keeping it still, as Amitabh discovered quickly and wisely decided to leave some of his heavy paraphernalia back in the car, despite there being free space on the howdah , with only the three of us on the elephant back. Our elephant, Chhibli (an unusual  name for a tame elephant) was a cool animal, very obedient to the mahaut.

Elephants Getting Ready for the Safari at Salukhapur

We pass through tall grass, onto a path that leads to the riverside. In addition to a few migrant ducks, cormorants and herons dominate the scene. 

Suheli Riverbank Dudhwa

Every now and then, the elephant stops to gnaw at the tall grass. Amitabh is suddenly animated by a loud  growling sound behind us and gets excited at the prospect of seeing a tiger at close range. But the mahaut sheepishly informs that the terrific rumbling emanates from the elephant breaking wind! 


Encountering a tiger on elephant safari is rare, though not impossible. All mahauts are in the habit of showing fresh pugmarks of the tiger to the vistors. It is always exciting to learn that a tiger has passed the same path a little while ago. Some guides even specialise in showing you the tiger shit as a consolance for not spotting the animal.  


This time around, the mahaut suddenly hushes us up. We are approaching a female Rhino with a cub close behind. Rhinos can sometimes charge at intruders. 

Rhino at Dudhwa

It is a majestic animal, with the cub hidden in the bushes. Rhinos were natural habitants of Dudhwa, but lost the last of their tribe due to indiscriminate poaching. Re-introduction of the Indian Rhino to Dudhwa (from Kaziranga in Assam) a couple of decades ago has been an eminently successful operation, with the park now boasting of nearly thirty rhinos. The female eyed us very cautiously for a few minutes, and after ascertaining our peaceful intent, quickly lost all interest.

Spotted Deer

Further up, another rhino and an an inquisitive spotted deer male with tantlers crossed our path. Dudhwa is also known for its swamp deer and the rare hispid hare, but we were not fortunate enough to get a glimpse. A lesser adjutant in the thick foliage surprised us. We were told that there are quite a few around.

Lesser Adjutant Stork

SURPRISES IN THE SAL FOREST

A hearty breakfast and  vegetarian fare for lunch saw us waiting impatiently for another ride into the forest. We were immediately rewarded with a jackal out on an afternoon stroll. When we stopped our vehicle, the Jackal also paused and sat back on his haunches, like a true guardian of the pristine forest.

A Jackal Watchfully Guarding the Forest 

Jackals are usually very shy and run away instantly on seeing people. This jackal stood his ground for a long time, before deciding to run.

The Jackal that stood his Ground

We were headed for a watch tower by the side of a small stream beyond Sonaripur. Beyond it lies the buffer zone of the forest which has its Northern boundary touching Nepal. The last stop on the Indian side is Chandanchowki, a small village, where the road ends.

Hog Deer or 'Pada' in the Local Language

A pair of hog deer were cautiously grazing by the side of the watchpost, which offered a good view of the river and the land beyond. A variety of ducks, cormorants and herons were busy in and around the waterfront. A group of lesser whistling ducks flew away at the slightest sound in the breeze.

Ever Vigilant Lesser Whistling Ducks

On the way back, paths of the forest were once again lit by the evening sun. As the darkness descended,  the cold, crisp air of the forest filled our lungs.

Dusk at Dudhwa

 At the Forest Guest House, they tell stories of the legendry Billy Arjun Singh who had tamed a tiger that had to be eventually let off in the forest, where it turned a killer because it did not know how to hunt.  Dudhwa, despite its open spaces, is being encroached from all sides by prime agricultural land that will surely surround and dissolve it one day like a huge amoeba. Nobody has the will to stop the metre gauge train that cuts along Dudhwa forest, carrying hundreds of people, several times a day. People, with their lethal waste of plastic bags, pan masala foils and other unfriendly stuff. It is a miracle that Dudhwa has survived so far.

ADIEU TO DUDHWA

The last day at the Forest Rest House begins with the customary packing of bags. We have been advised to leave well before lunch. We are impatient to get back to the forest. We have decided to go to the river and the small pond. There is no dearth of water in Dudhwa and that means there is no congregation of animals and birds at the water holes or rivers.

Road to Eternity through the Sal Forest

By the side of the pond, we were lucky to see a pair of Great Hornbills. Our guide tells us that it is a favourite spot for these fabulous birds.

Great Hornbill at Dudhwa

Nobody is quite sure about the tiger population at Dudhwa, but logistics of organised poaching cannot be ruled out here. Besides different types of deer, there are assorted animals like porcupines in the forest and at Salukhapur, the Forest Lodge inside the park, you can see them looking for food at the garbage dump in the dark.. On our night drive to Chandan Chowki, we see one on the road and it quickly disappeared into the foliage.

Innocent Eyes

Our enthusiastic street-smart guide Sonu (alias an impressive 'L.D. Singh Naturalist & Member of the BCN' on his visiting card) tells us  that at this time of the year, the best location for birding is the Kishanpur Wild Life Sanctuary some 50 km from Dudhwa. We decide to look it up on our way back, but are in for disappointment. The Chief Justice of India is visiting these parts and the Kishanpur WLS has been closed to  outside visitors for two days in honour of his visit. We have also been advised to vacate our rooms at Dudhwa asap. A massive painting drive is on at Dudhwa for the VVIP visit, after which, we are sure, everything will fall back to its normal lethargic pace.

A Painter Giving Finishing Touches to a Board for VVIP Visit

On the way back on  the Suheli river, we found a stork billed kingfisher looking for a catch and a lesser adjutant flying off.

Stork Billed Kingfisher at Suheli, Dudhwa

As before, crocodiles were basking in the sun in the company of terrapins and an assorted birds. And an elephant was off to work.

Elephant off to Work

              Dudhwa in Early Morning

Suresh & the Author                      

As we returned, each one of us was recapitulating in his mind, the most enduring image of our visit. For me, it was definitely the morning sun touching sal trees of the mesmerising jungle that is Dudhwa.

--Jitendra Bhatia from Dudhwa

December 2010

copyright

Jitendra Bhatia

jb.envirotekindia@gmail.com