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

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

 

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