Pondicherry, Vedanthangal and Pichavaram Camp

Vendantangal Bird Sanctuary

Vedanthangal is the oldest sanctuary in India. OikoEssence conducted a nature camp to Vedanthangal along with Pondicherry and Pichavaram - the second best Mangrove forest we have in India. Pondicherry has colonies that shows lovely french architechture. We also visited Archeological site of Mahabalipuram. Here is the list of birds that we sighted during our visit.

Vedanthangal

26 Dec 16

1. Little Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)

2. White-browed Fantail (Rhipidura aureola)

3. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)

4. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

5. Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

Spot billed Pelican

6. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

7. Gadwall (Anas strepera)

8. Shikra (Accipiter badius)

9. Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)

10. Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica)

11. Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

12. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

13. Lesser Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna javanica)

14. Slender-billed Oriole (Oriolus tenuirostris)

15. Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

16. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)

17. Indian Pond-heron (Ardeola grayii)

18. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Black headed Ibis

19. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

20. Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)

21. Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

22. Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)

23. Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

24. Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)

25. Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans)

26. Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)

27. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

28. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis coromandus)

29. Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)

Jungle Babbler

30. Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)

31. Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)

32. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

33. Grey-headed Starling (Sturnia malabarica)

34. Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)

35. Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis)

36. European Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

37. Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata)

38. Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)

39. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

40. Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)

41. Asian Palm-swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Pichavarm

27 Dec 16

Pichavaram Mangrove Forest - Boat ride

1. Eastern Jungle Crow (Corvus (macrorynchos) levaillantii)

2. House Crow (Corvus splendens)

Black crowned Night Heron

3. Asian Palm-swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

4. Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica)

5. Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)

6. Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea)

7. Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)

8. Eurasian Collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

9. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

10. Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

11. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

12. Indian Pond-heron (Ardeola grayii)

13. Great Egret (Egretta alba)

14. Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)

15. Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)

16. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Potter Wasp Nest

Pondicherry Church

Auroville