Bihar Nature camp report

Dear Friends,

OikoEssence members are back from Bihar camp with lots of memories. We visited Wildlife sanctuaries - Nakti and Nagi bird sanctuary and Vikramshila gangetic dolphin sanctuary along with some historical and archaeologically important places such as Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali. Bihar is blessed with spectacular natural beauty and healthy, rich agricultural land of Ganga basin that is playing and important role in providing food to our country.  

We did see good number of birds and were lucky to witness gangetic river dolphins swimming in the Holy Ganges.

A glimpse of the river dolphin captured during or ride in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary can be checked on following link (From 10-12 seconds in the right side)

https://youtu.be/T_1qnmrdKCo

Nalanda Clicked by Rupali G.

Lomas rishi cave clicked by Gauri G.

Nalanda Ruins Clicked by Rupali G.

Nakti dam with Forest Dept & campers Clicked by Rupali G.

Vikramshila ruins Clicked by Rupali G.

Semultala clicked by Gauri G.

RFO sir, nakti dam bird sanctuary sharing info clicked by Gauri G.

Getting more about dolphins clicked by Gauri G.

Our special thanks to - The Nakti & Nagi Wildlife Sanctuary, Forest Department of Bihar for allowing us to explore the beautiful area of the sanctuary and sharing a valuable information related to its biodiversity; Prabhat Khabar & Hindustan times (for capturing our visit) and Mr. Subhasis Dey, Vikramshila Biodiversity Research & Education centre, Tilka Manjhi University for giving us valuable information on current status & scenario of the Gangetic river dolphins in Bihar.  

Bihar is rich in biodiversity and absolute beautiful landscape. Since the state is planning to change and step into a development mode, the extreme care should be taken while going ahead. So that the authentic natural richness and culture of the state is not harmed.

Hollarhena spp Clicked by Rupali G.

Tadgola Clicked by Rupali G.

clicked by Thiruvngadam E.

Tamaryx spp Clicked by Rupali G.

Grasses Clicked by Rupali G.

There is still lot to explore in Bihar in terms of biodiversity rich places which we will be surely covering during our camps in future. However we could see good amount of biodiversity.

Some of the plants that we saw during our camp are – Ficus religiosa (Pipal), Ficus benghalensis, Ficus tsiela, Ficus racemosa (umber, guler), Termilalia arjuna (Arjun), Bridelia retusa (Asan), Diptera spp, Phoeni sylvestris (Indian date palm), Borrasuss flabelifer (Tadgola), Tamarix spp, Acaia spp (Durangi babul), Cassia fistula (Indian laburnum), bauhinia spp, Hollarhena antidysentrica, jasminum spp (wild jasmin), Mangifera indica (Mango)  etc.

The list of faunal sightings is given below.

(Participants are requested to add to list if we are missing any organism. Everyone, please feel free to add your reviews on our posts)

Stripped tiger clicked by Thiruvngadam E.

Fauna

Insects

Butterflies:

Striped tiger

Common Emigrant

Tailed Jay

Common pierrot

Peacock pansy

Common gull

Blue bottle

Other insects

Dragonflies

Pierrot clicked by Dr. Shreya B.

Golden backed ant

Water beetle

Arachnids

Signature spider

Social spider

Dragonfly clicked by Dr. Shreya B.

Dragonfly clicked by Dr. Shreya B.

Trail of ants Clicked by Rupali G.

Amphibians

Indian toad

Reptiles

Forest calotes

Garden lizard

Monitor lizard (Nalanda only)

Skinks

Birds

(Everywhere – Nakti  Nagi bird sanctuary, Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary, Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Barabar caves, On the way to all the places we visited etc.; N&N – Nakti & Nagi bird sanctuary; VDS – Vikramshila dolphin sanctuary; VR – Vikramshila ruins)

Dove clicked by Thiruvngadam E.

Eurasian Openbill (everywhere)

Red wattled lapwing (everywhere)

River lapwing (VDS)

Painted stork (N&N; VDS)

Cotton pygmy goose (N&N; VDS)

Little tern (VDS)

Eurasian collard Dove (Gaya)

Black drongo (VR)

Tufted Duck (N&N)

Indian Cormorant (N&N)

Common Pochard (N&N)

clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Little grebe (N&N)

Fulvus whisling duck (N&N)

Panted stark (N&N; VDS)

Intermediate egret (N&N)

Purple sunbird (Semultala)

River lapwing (VDS)

Ruddy shelduck (VDS)

Mallard (Ghoda katora lake)

Black winged stilt (Everywhere)

Northern shoveller (N&N)

clicked by Dr. Shreya B.

Asian pied myna (Everywhere)

Common myna (Everywhere)

Bank myna (Everywhere)

Scaly breasted munia (Semultala)

Blue tailed bee-eater (VDS)

Common moorhen (VDS)

Sand lark (VDS)

Little brown dove (Everywhere)

Coppersmith barbet (Everywhere)

Flameback woodpecker (VR)

Common hoopoe (Nalanda, VR)

Openbill & Shoveller clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Rufous woodpecker (Nalanda)

Brahminy Kite (Everywhere)

Black kite (Everywhere)

Blackwinged kite (Everywhere)

House crow (VDR)

Jungle crow (VDR)

black winged stilt clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Myna in action clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

River lapwing clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Juvenile painted stork clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Mammals

Neelgai clicked by Dr. Shreya B.

Neelgai (Ghoda katora)

Sambar deer (Ghoda katora)

Hanuman langur (Ghoda katora)
Gangetic river Dolphins (VDS)

For 2017 entire year's schedule click
http://oikoessence.blogspot.in/2016/11/programme-schedule-2017-for-nature.html

More Photographs

geese clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Lark clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Blue tailed bee eater clicked by Mr. Bhaskar P..

Exploring Ganga clicked by Gauri G.

Tadgola time clicked by Gauri G.

Hardworking cute lady at semultala clicked by Gauri G.

Diverse group clicked by Gauri G.

clicked by Gauri G.

Nagi dam clicked by Gauri G.

Vaishali clicked by Gauri G.

Sewage entering directly in Ganges clicked by Gauri G.

clicked by Gauri G.

BodhGaya Clicked by Rupali G.

Lomas Rish cave Clicked by Rupali G.

Clicked by Rupali G.

Mud house Clicked by Rupali G.

Ghoda katora walk Clicked by Rupali G.

Bank mynas at ganga Clicked by Rupali G.

Hoppooe Clicked by Rupali G.