Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Visit to Tilari Forest Reserve Nature Tour Report

Tilari Forest Reserve is an important wildlife corridor used by a variety of wild animals including Tigers and Elephants. The flora and fauna of this ecosystem is truly mesmerizing. There are very few fresh water wetland ecosystem known as Myristica Swamps that are thriving in the nature. ne can observe a small section of that in Tilari.


Group in-front of Dattarai - Private Grove , maintained by Vanoshi Homestay and NGO

Efforts of NGO and locals to preserve original wild species of trees from Western Ghats of Maharashtra is really commendable.

The bird diversity observed during nature outing is listed below

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica

Asian Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica

Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus

Blue-throated/Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides/tickelliae

Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus nanus

Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia

Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela

Crimson-backed Sunbird Leptocoma minima

Eastern Cattle-Egret Ardea coromanda

Flame-throated Bulbul Rubigula gularis

Gray-fronted Green-Pigeon Treron affinis

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus

House Crow Corvus splendens

Indian Blackbird Turdus simillimus

Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo

Indian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi

Jerdon's Nightjar (call) Caprimulgus atripennis

Malabar Gray Hornbill Ocyceros griseus

Malabar Whistling-Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii

Orange-headed Thrush Geokichla citrina

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus

Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica

Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer

Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda

swift sp. Apodidae sp.

Thick-billed Flowerpecker Pachyglossa agilis

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae

White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis


Photos Clicked by Mr. Roy












Sunday, 2 February 2025

Sundrarbans Nature Outing Report



The Sundarbans National Park is a situated in West Bengal, India. It is a core part of Sundarban tiger reserve and biosphere reserve as well. It is located on the Ganges Delta. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile.

OikoEssence conducted a nature outing to Sundrbans in December, 2024. Three day’s intense boat safari opens up a very unique mangrove ecosystem for every participant. A trained Guide Mr. Ayan Mondal who has deep knowledge about the flora and fauna explained it very well. He was in shock but at the same time felt happy when we asked him not to play any calls to attract birds. The list of sightings mentioned bellow is done with ethics and not just to increase the number. 


Sundarbans Sightings

Birds

1.       Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis

2.       Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans

3.       Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

4.       Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus

5.       Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata

6.       Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

7.       Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

8.       Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus

9.       Brown-winged Kingfisher Pelargopsis amauroptera

10.   Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris

11.   Collared Scops-Owl Otus lettia

12.   Common Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius

13.   Common Iora Aegithina tiphia

14.   Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

15.   Common Redshank Tringa totanus

16.   Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

17.   Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata

18.   House Crow Corvus splendens

19.   Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii

20.   Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

21.   Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger

22.   Little Egret Egretta garzetta

23.   Medium Egret Ardea intermedia

24.   Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis

25.   Osprey Pandion haliaetus

26.   Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

27.   Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

28.   Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus

29.   Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri

30.   Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda

31.   Shikra Tachyspiza badia

32.   Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

33.   Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis

34.   Striated Heron Butorides striata

35.   Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

36.   White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus

37.   White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

 

Mammals

1.       Spotted deer

2.       Red faced macaque 

3.       Wild boar

4.       Three-striped squirrel 

 

Reptiles

1.       Salt water croc

2.       Ornate flying snake

3.       Water monitor lizard

 

Other sightings

1.       Horseshoe crab 

2.       Fiddler crab

3.       Mud skipper

  

Sharing some pics that were taken by participants during this outing


Photographs clicked by Nirmala D







Photograph clicked by Rasika G


Photograph clicked by Pradnya D


Photos clicked by Charuhas K






Photographs clicked by Rucha B




 









Friday, 17 January 2025

Nature Outing to Velavdar National Park - List of Sightings

Greetings from OikoEssence Sharing list of Sightings of Velavdar Camp conducted in the month of October, 2024

 
Birds:
Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha 
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus 
Gray Francolin Ortygornis pondicerianus 
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto 
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 
Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus 
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 
Common Crane Grus grus 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 
Little Ringed Plover Thinornis dubius 
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus 
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 
Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis 
Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii 
Eastern Cattle-Egret Ardea coromanda 
Medium Egret Ardea intermedia 
Gray Heron Ardea cinerea 
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus 
Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus 
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops 
Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 
European Roller Coracias garrulus 
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis 
Rufous-tailed Lark Ammomanes phoenicura 
Crested Lark Galerida cristata 
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 
Rosy Starling Pastor roseus 
Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus 
Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata 
Red Avadavat Amandava amandava 
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 
White Wagtail Motacilla alba 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus 
Greater Painted-Snipe Rostratula benghalensis 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 
Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta 
Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii 
Gray Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 
Little Ringed Plover Thinornis dubius 
Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 
White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis 
Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum  
 
Reptiles: 
Rat snake 
Red sand boa 
Soft shelled turtle 
Moniter lizard 
Chameleon  
 
Mammals: 
Blue Bull 
Blackbuck 
Three striped squirrel 
Jungle cat 
Wild boar 
Golden jackle 
Mungoose 
Wolf  

Sharing some photographs clicked by Mr. Charuhas K and Mr. Shripad B