#birding #birdphotography #kutch #bhuj #bannibaffalo #banni #cedo #variablewheatear #paintedsandgrouse #europeanroller #gracefulprinia #whitenapedtit #spottedflycatcher #passagemigrant #whitebelliedminivet #marshallsiora #greyneckedbunting #nikond810 #nikonz6ii
The part of the state on the western boundary of india which forms a peninsula with Arabian sea on the west, Gulf of Kutch on the south and Rann of kutch on the north is poised with huge chunks of salt marshes, Nothern tropical thorn forests and coastal line. This is non other than Kutch district in Gujarat. This is my birding destination in the month of September this year.
Kuchh district is the largest district of India. Some areas of the district become intermittently wet and dry and has large and extensive salt marshes. Banni grasslands form the southern edge of salt desert constitute arid grass land ecosystem and are regarded as the most eligible habitat for reintroduction of Cheetah. The grasslands, scrub forests, salt marshes and coastal areas contribute to a good plant and animal diversity to Kuchh region. The months of September and October attract various avian species of passage migrants to this area. I am travelling to kuchh in September with a special interest of seeing these passage migrants, which are seen only during this period and fly to Africa for wintering. Along with these I am also interested in seeing coastal, resident and early winter migrants and other endemic birds of this area. Please watch the complete video to have a glimpse of all these species which I tried to cover moving in a large geographical area of kuchh.
In the evening session Variable wheatear, Common moorhen, Ashy crowned sparrow lark, Painted Sandgrouse pair, Europen roller a passage migrant, Graceful prinia I could photograph. This session was satisfying as I got few lifers.
In Today’s trip visited Northern thorn forests on Piyoni - fot Mahadev road. The white naped tit, whose songs are mesmerizing was the first to appear followed by a spotted flycatcher which is a passage migrant, Baya weaver, white bellied minivet pair, Marshall’s iora could be seen.
Post breakfast came across Grey necked bunting an early winter migrant, Common Cuckoo a passage migrant and other resident birds like laughing dove, Indian bush lark, Scaly breasted munia, which is very rare in Kutch area and grey breasted prinia.
Yellow crowned woodpecker and long tailed shrike were on the roadside bushes. It is sunset time we stopped on the edge of banni grasslands for a cup of tea and while returning an Indian nightjar stopped us for a photograph.
Today passed through tropic of cancer near Rudramata In forenoon session red rumped swallow, Isabelline wheatear, Ruff, Green sandpiper, Isabelline shrike, woodshrike were seen. Post lunch we got tawny pipit, rufous tailed lark, spotted redshank, yellow wattled lapwing, greater coucal, grey francolin, red collared dove. We were returning and saw a wheat coloured bird running across the desert. My guide said sir it greater hoopoe lark. From one side of the road it crossed to the otherside still running. After going far it stopped near some scrub. I could get few shots from quite distance. This is a lifer for me.
Moved toward beach, on the approach road saw glossy ibis, little grebe feeding its chick. On the beach, we had our morning breakfast. Many birds were feeding on the mudflats. When the tide recedes all the birds move on to the slope for exposed insects. Grey heron and western reef egret were fishing in shallow water. Other birds we saw were dunlin, lesser sandplover, sanderling, Eurasian curlew, Gull billed tern, bar tailed godwit, Ruddy turnstone, Lesser black backed gull, curlew sandpiper. So many lifers for me on this beach.
Thanks to www.commons.wikimedia.org for the Gujarat picture.
The background audio is from audio library and the artist is Aakash Gandhi. Thanks to the artist and KZread audio library.
Gear -
1 - Nikon Z 6 ii full frame camera
2 - Nikon D 810 Full frame Camera
3 - Nikon 500 F4 PF ED VR lens
4 - Nikon 1.4 TC III gen
5 - Audio - Rode Video mic pro shotgun
6 - Rode wireless Go
7 - Gitzo tripod
8- Manfrotto Fluid video head
9- Sony RX 10 Mark IV camera
10- DJI Mavic mini drone
Time stamp
0:00 - 0:22 Title
0:23 - 0:48. Introduction to Kutch
0:49 - 1:01 My earlier visit
1:02 - 3:03 Purpose of visit
3:04 - 4:01 Travel detail to term - 3
4:02 - 5:32 Checkin problems
5:33 - 6:36 Bhuj to Nakhatrana
6:37 - 7:22 CEDO Homestay
7:23 - 8:29 Birding
8:30 - 9:14 Story of Fotmahadev
9:15 - 11:11 Birding
11:12 - 12:34 Story of Banni
12:35 - 14:03 Birding
14:04 - 14:55 The cattle of Kutch
14:56 - 15:23 Evening tea in Banni
15:24 - 17:34 Birding
17:35 - 18:48 Lunch and post lunch birding
18:49 - 19:39 Greater Hoopoe Lark
19:40 - 22:44 Modhva beach Birding
22:45 - Acknowledgements