Trip Report 2010 - 2011

NORTHERN INDIA & THE HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS
PARTICIPANTS: Eric Greisen, Jim Johnson, Tim Leahy, Cyndie Loeper, Helen Patton, Nolan Pope, Janet Schumacher & Mary Seppanen
LEADERS: Lokesh Kumar & Jan Hansen
MARCH 4-19, 2011
http://www.otusasiotours.com/pasttrips.shtml

March 8 Bharatpur and Drive to Chambal
After leaving the Taj Mahal we drove through the zany streets of Agra and then two hours east to the Chambal Safari Lodge. There we concluded another long day with drinks by a roaring bonfire and two new mammals: Common Palm Civet and Indian Flying Fox.

March 9 On the Chambal River and Drive to Delhi
Leaving the hotel at dawn, we drove 15 km to the banks of the Chambal River. A brief stop along the way produced our only Baya Weaver and Variable Wheatear. At the river, we discovered the levels were quite low and instead of boarding our boats, we had to walk about 2 km through soft sand to a point where the water was deeper. The birding was productive and we added River Lapwing, River Tern, Black-bellied Tern and Sand Lark. Once on the river we were struck by the lack of habitation and people in general along its banks. In fact, there are no large settlements, farms, temples or factories anywhere along the Chambal’s 900 km course. According to an ancient myth, the river is said to have originated from the blood of cows sacrificed by an Aryan king. The king and everything associated with him, including the Chambal River, were cursed and are considered unholy. In a strange twist of fate, the mythical curse on the Chambal has saved it from human degradation and it is one of India’s cleanest rivers. On the other hand, India’s sacred river, the Ganges, attracts hordes of Indian pilgrims to its banks and is terribly polluted as a result. I guess if you’re a river in India, it’s better to be profane than holy. Wildlife abounds along and in the Chambal and during our three-hour trip we saw endangered Indian Skimmers, a very rare Asian Openbill and many Comb and Lesser Whistling-Ducks. Our biggest surprise though were a couple of extremely rare Ganges River Dolphins which, due to the pollution, are no longer seen on the Ganges. Back at the hotel we partook of another curried feast and then spent 8 hours driving back to Delhi, arriving at our hotel around midnight.

NATIONAL CHAMBAL SANCTUARY WITH WILD IMAGES
Mike Watson
18 FEBRUARY 2011
http://mikewatsonsdiary.blogspot.com/2011/02/national-chambal-sanctuary-uttar.html

An early morning roadside stop en route to the Chambal River resulted in a dozen Crested Buntings, winter visitors to the plains, feeding amongst neatly stacked buffalo pats around some small dwellings. At the river itself, a gathering of over 300 ultra-cute Small Pratincoles graced the banks along with several Temminck’s Stints. In our remarkably stable craft (easily steady enough to use a tripod) we cruised slowly upriver, past flotillas of Bar-headed Geese and Ruddy Shelducks. Another Indian Eagle Owl sat in the shade of one of the sandy bluffs but well out of DSLR range this time and a Long-legged Buzzard obliged with a close fly-past. A rich variety of wildlife can still be found on the Chambal, including pretty much all of the characteristic species of the large slow-flowing rivers of the Gangetic drainage system that were once found all over northern India. It is like stepping back in time and other relics included both Black-necked and Woolly-necked Storks, Indian Black Ibis, Comb Duck and Black-bellied Tern. Raptors were represented by a minimum of three pairs of Bonelli’s Eagles and a fishing Osprey. A pair of Jungle Cats bounded away upslope as we passed by and several Golden Jackals were also prowling the riverbank.

Isolated rocky islets in midstream offered sanctuary to slumbering groups of crocodiles, evil-looking Marsh Muggers and the bizarre Gharial. This was one of the creatures that I most wanted to photograph on this trip and we were afforded repeated good opportunities, enough even to be able think about composing our shots. The islets had also attracted some massive river turtles as well as peculiar Great Thick-knees and smart River Terns. Eventually we found the last piece in the jigsaw, Indian Skimmer, far upstream and fortunately it stayed put long enough for us to approach it more closely and appreciate the detail of its strange undershot bill.

A 960km long tributary of the filthy River Yamuna, the Chambal River has escaped development and its inevitable pollution owing to the river being considered unholy! It is said to have been cursed by a princess as well as carried the blood of thousands of sacrificed cows, ironically saving it from the even worse fate that has befallen the other rivers around it. The National Chambal Sanctuary was declared in 1978 mostly to protect the critically endangered Gharial, the bizarre long-snouted fish-eating crocodile. Named after the Nepalese word ghara meaning earthenware pot, referring to the enlarged growth on the end of the snout of mature males, which can grow to six metres long and one tonne in weight (second only to the monstrous Saltwater Crocodile). We saw one beast with a large pot but unfortunately it evaded the camera. There are less than 400 breeding pairs left in its remaining range, a mere 2% of its former distribution, which used to include Pakistan, Burma and the Brahmaputra. A truly magnificent animal!

TIGERS & BIRDS OF BANDHAVGARH
BIRDQUEST TOUR REPORT
HANNU JÄNNES
17 FEBRUARY 2011
http://www.birdquest-tours.com/pdfs/report/INDIA (TIGERS) REP 11.pdf

After our busy day in the hustle and bustle of Agra, it was time to head back to the dusty, colourful Indian countryside, and the charming Chambal Safari Lodge for a two nights stay. After a sumptuous dinner a Striped Hyena visited the lodge grounds and some of us managed to get decent views of this rarely seen nocturnal creature.

When we headed for the Chambal river early next morning the sky was again covered with dark clouds promising rain, and they were not going to disappoint! Soon after we had left the bus and secured some new dry country birds including Common Babbler, White-eared Bulbul and Rufous- fronted Prinia, the first of the day's many rain showers arrived. Despite the unpromising weather we boarded our two boats and headed out to look for the enigmatic Indian Skimmer, our main target of the day. This year the skimmers favoured an area 16 kilometres downstream, which meant a long two and half hour boat ride, punctuated by heavy rain showers. Luckily the rain stopped for good before we reached the island where the skimmers were, and we had great opportunities to admire the flock, both in flight and on the ground. Other birds enjoyed during our cruise included a nice group of Painted Stork on a sand bar, many Bar-headed Geese and Ruddy Shelducks, the only Comb Ducks of the trip, noisy flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks, a few Common Mergansers, Short-toed Eagle, two Long-legged Buzzards, three Bonelli's Eagles, Ospreys, a Brown Crake trying to hide from us behind

4 Birdquest: Tigers & Birds of Bandhavgarh 2011some large stones, many Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, a few Great Black-headed Gulls, a big flock of beautiful Small Pratincoles, which had recently returned to breed, many prehistoric looking Great Thick-knees, a few Sand Larks on the river bank, a couple of River Terns and a total of 15 of the scarce, and declining Black-bellied Terns, with some excellent views. In addition to these avian delights, we had better than average views of six Ganges River Dolphins, seven or so Gharials (long and narrow snouted fish-eating crocodile), including some cute baby Gharials, several Mugger Crocodiles, with their nasty grins, and Soft-shelled and Indian Tent Turtles. On the way back to our lodge we also stopped for a Brown Rock Chat, a species endemic to India which somehow had managed to escape us until now. In the afternoon, after a very late lunch, we had a walk around the lodge grounds, which produced a cute Northern Boobook and a sleepy Indian Scops Owl, plus the usual selection of the North Indian countryside birds. In the evening we had the opportunity to see three cute Common Palm Civets that were fed behind the kitchen by the lodge staff.

THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS
Les Oiseaux (RSPB Lincoln Local Group)
January 2011
http://lincolnrspb.org.uk/newsletters/2011summer.pdf

An early start proved a vain attempt to beat the traffic jams ahead of a seven hour ride to Chambal Safari Lodge with a brief stop in Agra to view the Taj Mahal across the river. An introductory walk in the grounds yielded three owl species, brown hawk, Indian scops, and spotted owlet, whilst the surrounding fields held good numbers of yellow‐ wattled lapwing, various wagtails, and a jungle cat. That evening we were shown a civet cat on the kitchen roof being tempted by scraps of food. Next day en route for our river safari we stopped at one of the many brick factories to find a variable wheatear whilst across the road, feeding in bushes, was a small flock of crested buntings, including five smart males. The mile or so of moonscape scenery near the Chambal River gave us our third lifer of the morning, jungle prinia. The dry river bed held some smart male desert wheatears. During the boat trip, Dalveer, the resident guide spotted a brown crake on the bank but it dived for cover between two rocks. Some gentle persuasion was used and it then showed quite well. Unfortunately the target birds, Indian skimmers, were absent but we had good views of black ibis, mangrove muggers (crocs) and the endemic (and weird) gharial. The dayʹs total bird list was 110. Dalveer intercepted us on the way to breakfast the next day to say he had a message that an Indian skimmer was 30 minutes away. Breakfast postponed, we set off at a rush, noting the variable wheatear and crested buntings en route again and arrived at the boat boarding point to see a solitary skimmer on an eyot or islet 50 yards from shore.

Expedition to India: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh & Assam!
December 18, 2010 through January 9, 2011
http://cokesmithphototravel.com/Expedition_to_India_2011.html

I was in a bit of a hurry however to get to our next destination that afternoon. This part of India this time of year is famous for intense fogs and very poor light. The light at the Taj that morning was flat but not horribly foggy so I was hoping that it would clear for the afternoon when we finally made it to the Chambal River Sanctuary. And it did clear up! Lucky for us that it did as for several days earlier, and for several days after, it did not. We were not scheduled to actually get on the river that afternoon but after the Chambal Safari Lodge manager saw all of our camera gear, and after a little pleading from me, they rearranged our activities and got us a boat to get on the river! Good thing we did as the wildlife and lighting were sublime. My main target species was the Gangetic Dolphin and nailed at least six within the first thirty minutes of the cruise! We also had some great sightings of Gharial and Marsh Crocodiles. There were dozens of bird species added to our lists as well, but none were more impressive than the Indian Skimmers we saw down river. Although we had only one afternoon and one morning at Chambal, we were successful in getting all of our targets and even getting some outstanding desert and river scenery under our belts. This will absolutely be a destination for a future trip and we will plan on spending at least three days there. The Chambal Safari Lodge is outstanding. And they have a resident family of Common Palm Civets who entertain the guests nightly!

BIRDING & MAMMALING NORTH-CENTRAL INDIA
UFFE GJØL SØRENSEN & HANS JØRGEN BRUUN PEDERSEN
December 2010 - January 2011
http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/reports/110601101356_birding_trip_report.pdf

Chambal: The Chambal River is only to be recommended. Access is easy when staying at Chambal Safari Lodge - a nice and relaxed place. The garden and farmland around the lodge is rich in birds and the well organized boat-trips on the undisturbed Chambal River are second to none. Ganges River Dolphin together with Indian Skimmer and Black-bellied Tern are only some of the highlights. In addition to the river-site, we spent one morning with Blackbucks ranging among mustard-fields - an illustration of the future for much of the remaining wildlife in India? There are a number of additional options of places to visit and the lodge has good guides to help find even more.

Delhi day trips and Chambal River extension
Ulrik Andersen
4th - 6th December 2010
http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/reports/110116150220_birding_trip_report.pdf

The Chambal River National Sanctuary is certainly a very important locality, holding three endangered species (Indian Skimmer, Gharial and Ganges River Dolphin) in one of the few remaining unpolluted and clear rivers of Northern India.

Half the group (Erling, Morten, Kate and Ulrik) did a three-day extension trip to the Chambal River area from 4th to 6th December. There is only one decent place to staynearby, the Chambal Safari Lodge, about a five-hour drive from Delhi if you are lucky enough to avoid congestion on the way (our return drive to New Delhi Airport
on the 6th took more like seven hours).

The Chambal Safari Lodge is a nice and friendly hotel just outside the village of Bah. The lodge is situated in a good grove of trees, a true oasis in a heavily cultivated area. Beware that the lodge is NOT situated near the river; it is about a 40-minute drive to get there.

The food is very good, the staff is friendly, and they even have a good bird guide, Dalweer Singh. Try to get him as your guide here - but be warned that he will usually be allocated to visiting groups from the professional birding companies; e.g., at the time of our visit, he was guiding a Birdingbreaks group. The rooms are good, but very cold in winter since there are no heaters or fireplaces available at all.

To birders, this is almost a must-go area due to the presence of Indian Skimmer from late November to June (they leave the area when the monsoons set in in earnest). To mammal enthusiasts, the main attraction is probably the World's only completely blind cetacean, the Ganges River Dolphin, which can be seen here all year round.
 

Our itinerary for 4th to 6th December was as follows:
4th: AM drive from Delhi to the lodge; lunch there and afternoon boat trip downstream

5th: Morning boat trip upstream, lunch at the lodge, afternoon birding around the lodge

6th: Morning excursion by car to an agricultural area (called "Chambal fields" in the lists) frequented by Blackbuck, lunch at the lodge, afternoon/evening drive to New Delhi Airport (from where we flew out at 3 AM on the 7th)

The main attraction here is definitely the boat trips. On our afternoon trip downstream, we managed to get excellent views of Ganges River Dolphins, including views of the peculiar long, almost Gharial-like snout. On our morning trip upstream, we saw eleven much desired Indian Skimmers. On both trips, we saw plenty of Gharials and Muggers (Marsh Crocodiles) and many commoner species of birds, e.g. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Tern, Pallas's Gull, Indian Horned Owl and Bonelli's Eagle. Mammals spotted along the shore included Sambar and Nilgai.

Birding around the lodge is quite good and we saw (among others) Brown Hawk-Owl, Indian and Greater Spotted Eagle, Wryneck and Brooks' Leaf-Warbler. Lodge mammals were Nilgai, Common Palm Civet, Golden Jackal, Indian Flying-Fox and Indian Hare.

India ~ Birds, Tigers & the Taj Mahal
Chris Hall
2nd - 12th December 2010
birdtours.co.uk

After lunch, we drive on to the Chambal Safari Lodge, a delightfully tranquil setting after the morning’s frenetic haggling and fending off of the persistent hawkers trying to sell trinkets that no one wanted. A relaxing birding session around the lodge begins with a Brown Hawk Owl roosting in a large tree followed by a similarly somnolent Spotted Owlet in another tree nearby. Further sightings include Brown-headed Barbet, Large Grey Babbler, Indian Grey Hornbill, with genuine false eyelashes, Asian Koel, an all black cuckoo with ruby red eyes, and four Black-shouldered Kites on top of the same small bush. As the sun sets big and red, we have a tremendous view of two large black sunspots erupting from the fiery surface, and as soon as darkness falls around 6pm, three arboreal Palm Civets, appear right on time, with cats’ eyes gleaming in our torch lights.

The Chambal river is hidden by a shroud of mist first thing, but an Osprey sitting on a dead branch close to the shore gradually appears as the mist begins to clear, also revealing Kentish Plover and a very handsome River Lapwing. As the boats glide slowly along the mirror smooth river, Plain Martins pass by low over the water followed by a River Tern, with great views of smart Bar-headed Geese grazing along the river banks. Below higher river cliffs we stop for brilliant views of a Eurasian Eagle Owl, with amber eyes and a fluffy grey chick, and then a pair of nesting Bonelli’s Eagles. Other good sightings include Woolly-necked Stork, Black Ibis, Black-bellied Tern, White-browed Wagtail, Rufous-tailed and Bay-backed Shrikes, a smashing male Desert Wheatear and Great Thick-knee, which looks like a Stone Curlew on steroids! However, this river cruise is not only for the birds, as reptiles basking on the mud banks include a fourteen foot Marsh Crocodile and an enormous sixteen foot Gharial with an exceptionally long thin snout.

NORTHERN INDIA
SIMON HARRAP
BIRDQUEST TOUR REPORT
27 NOVEMBER – 16 DECEMBER 2010
http://www.birdquest.co.uk/pdfs/report/INDIA (NORTHERN) REP 10.pdf

We then drove on to Chambal Safari Lodge and, after lunch, teamed up with Dalveer Singh, the excellent in-house bird-guide, to explore the garden and nearby fields. We had excellent views of roosting Indian Scops-, Spotted Little and Brown Hawk-owls, while the fruiting figs held good numbers of Yellow-footed Green-pigeons and Brown-headed Barbets. In nearby field we found Tawny and Olive-backed Pipits, and the area was not without mammal interest: around 25 noisy

4 Birdquest: Northern India 2010Indian Flying Foxes were roosting in the trees over our rooms, we saw a magnificent male Bluebull, and, shortly after dark, spotlighted several Asian (or Common) Palm Civets.
The next day we drove down to the River Chambal, stopping en route for a flock of Crested Buntings and our first Brahminy Minor and a surprise Grey-headed Starling. In the heavily eroded 'badlands' near the river we saw a variety of dry country species, notably Rufous-fronted Prinia and Indian Silverbill, as well as Common and yellow-eyed Babblers, an elusive Sulphur-bellied Warbler and our first good looks at Indian Black Robin. Once at the river a Great Black-headed Gull few past and we had time to study Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers and a smart male Desert Wheatear. We then boarded our boat for a really lazy morning's trip along the river. One of the first birds that we saw was a real bonus, an Indian Eagle Owl at its nest together with at least one fluffy chick. Other raptors included Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed and Bonelli's Eagles and a couple of Ospreys, while waterfowl included a pair of smart drake Goosanders and at least 200 Bar-headed Geese. We soon saw our first Indian Black Ibis, and went on to log a total of 13, together with Openbill and Woolly- necked Storks. A variety of waders included half a dozen Great Stone Plovers and several Black- bellied and River Terns patrolled up and down stream. We had to go quite a long way, however, before we found one of our main targets, but when we did it was well worthwhile – a flock of 15 Indian Skimmers loafing, sleeping and periodically taking flight: bizarre and magnificent. There were smaller birds to look at too: Short-toed, Crested, Indian Sand and Oriental Sky Larks and a distant and rather drab female Variable Wheatear. The sanctuary was established to protect crocodiles and we saw good numbers of both Marsh Mugger and the fish-eating Garial, including one large mature male with the large 'clay pot' on the tip of its snout that lends the species its name.

Spanish Nature – India Tour part two
Peter Jones
November 15th to December 4th 2010
http://spanishnature.blogspot.com/2010/12/india-birding-trip-report-part-2.html

Day Seventeen. I have to admit the Chambal, a river playing host to a rich diversity of life, is a favourite place for me in India. The day was in stark contrast to our long travels of yesterday, starting as it did with a leisurely cruise on the calm waters of the long and wide river. Even before we boarded the boat we saw many birds of interest, Temminck’s Stint, Kentish Plover, Sand Lark, Desert and Isabelline Wheatear plus the strange looking Great Stone Curlew. As soon as we set-off on our river journey we spotted both River and Black-bellied Tern with flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse busy coming and going at the water’s edge in order to satiate their thirst. Indian Eagle Owl was seen resting in a shady nook on a riverside cliff, whilst Bonelli’s Eagle attracted the unwanted attention of mobbing Raven. Bar-headed Goose flocked as Osprey circled above with both Jungle Cat and Jackal seen strolling the shoreline. Soon we spotted some resting Indian Skimmer and yours truly got his 2nd lifer of the tour! We saw so many birds during the morning with another, the Variable Wheatear, making my day. A great day’s birding.

Day Eighteen. Today was options day and the group had pre-determined to visit Agra and the Taj Mahal. It is such a wonderful site and to come to India, to be so close, and not visit would be such a pity, so off the group went and returned having enjoyed their excursion. In the absence of the group, I wanted to visit one or two birding sites and do a recce for future tours. Along with a friend I ventured out to visit the Sarus Crane conservation area. We took around an hour to reach this wetland with cultivated areas and were soon seeing very large flocks of Red-headed Bunting (photo right) and Black-breasted Weaver, with Bluethroat also being common. Lots of small passerines were observed and the heron family including Purple Heron were in abundance, as of course were Sarus Crane. Visiting a lagoon we found many wildfowl and these included the ornate Cotton Pygmy Goose as well as many Black-headed Ibis feeding in the surrounding rice paddies. Yellow and Citrine Wagtail, Wood Sandpiper, Common and Jack Snipe plus a host of other species made this an area I will definitely visit again, in fact I took the group there late the same afternoon!
 

The Whiffins do India
http://www.offexploring.com/parrot-fish/blog/india/agra

Monday 15 November 2010

Chambal Safari Lodge turned out to be a pretty swanky place - shame we were only staying for one night really. We had a quick walk round the rather extensive grounds to see what birds were about and this gave me the opportunity to walk into a spider's web - something I haven't done in years. I don't have a fear of spiders but for once, I was happy the owner was out at the time. The web wasn't exactly small and proved pretty resistant to being broken with my face.

The Lodge has it's own wildlife guide so at dusk, he took us out to find the Small Palm Civets that live on site. After a bit of work with a hefty torch, we tracked down two of them in a tree having their dinner. Talking of dinner, ours was due at 7pm so we went for a needed wash & brush up and found we had a couple of squatters in our room - a frog in the shower and a gecko in the air con unit.

After an assortment of mostly unidentifiable yet yummy things for dinner, we adjourned with our cups of tea to sit round the fire pit outside until our heads started nodding.

http://www.offexploring.com/parrot-fish/blog/india/chambal-river

Tuesday 16 November 2010

The day started promisingly clear for our boat trip on the Chambal river. The big species to see was the Ganges River Dolphin, another one which probably won't be around for much longer - the Yangtze River Dolphin is already sadly gone for good. We are however, now being blamed by our guide for bringing the rainy weather with us from England. No sooner had we reached the village, than thunder rolled and a flash flood looked imminent. Well, okay so it wasn't quite that bad but it was enough to stop the cars driving down to the riverbank for fear of getting stuck in the mud. So out we got and walked - no bit of damp's gonna stop us, we're British don't you know!

The walk was through hilly scrubland - where Bollywood movie 'Bandit Q' was film apparently - and made for a pleasant stroll. I'm glad I wasn't the one lugging the boat fuel down though. The hills afforded us a view of the wide flood plain on either side of the river, which was dotted with boats being mended and a group of ladies taking a bath - at least I think that was what they were doing. Their sweet singing drifted across to us as we walked and added to the morning's quiet tranquility.

I managed to complete the boat boarding manoeuvre without falling in or indeed, getting wet at all. If you know me well, you'll understand what an impressive feat this was as I seem to have an extremely hydrophilic nature. Apart from one other safari boat, the river was empty but we sincerely hoped it wasn't empty of river dolphins. Happily, there was an abundance of birdlife (including Thick-knees, Black-bellied Terns, Black Ibis and an Eurasian Eagle-owl snoozing in a tree) which the guide was adept at spotting. But the main event was harder to find.

Everyone told us it was pure luck whether we would see it or not and it depended on your eyes simply being on the right patch of water at the right moment. Unlike their marine cousins, River dolphins are blind and spend very little time on the surface so sighting opportunities are brief at the best of times. We slowly cruised up the river, scanning the water like feverished bargain hunters looking for a half price sale. The jumping fish and sinking crocodiles really didn't help matters but eventually, a glistening grey back crested the surface. With an loud and undignified whoop of joy (I was quite keen), I turned to Mark with a grin spread across my face. Argh, he hadn't seen it so we continued our search with increased vigour as we now knew they were out there. For the next half hour, we played a game of cat and mouse with both the guide and myself getting good views of the dolphins breaching but poor Mark kept, uncharacteristically, missing it. Finally he picked the right patch of water and got a decent view so with smiles all round we moved on to our next target species - the Garial crocodile.

Before we spotted this however, our guide called out and there on the bank, slinking through the bushes, was a Jungle Cat. Sightings of this nocturnal mammal are notoriously hard to get so we were very pleased with this bonus catch!

The Garial crocodile has a long thin beak instead of the usual flat snout. It does still have all the sharp, pointy teethies however, and they look particularly sharp and pointy as they poke up at all angles from the tip of it's beak. For the most part, all we saw were beady eyes and nostrils before they sank, ever so slowly, under the surface. When we did spot one basking on a sand bar with jaws agape in typical scary monster pose, it gave me the willies to think there might be one currently under our flimsy craft. Happily I can report, we made it back to land with all limbs accounted for.

Back at the lodge, we grabbed a quick lunch before setting out on the next long drive. This time to Kuchesar, a one night stop-over on the way to Corbett National Park.

Birding abroad Passage to Northern India
Derek Moore
November 2010
http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2433

The next part of our adventure was a boat trip on the Chambal River. We were to have an overnight stop at the Chambal Safari Lodge. Before darkness fell we found a Brown Hawk Owl roosting, and were pleased to find a number of Indian Fruit Bats in trees above our cabins. We were up early and down to the river to board our boat. En route, a couple of Oriental Honey Buzzards flew across the road. There was eager anticipation as we cast off and almost immediately we had stunning views of Black-bellied Tern, three Small Pratincoles, two Indian Skimmers, Greater Thick-knee and more River Lapwings. Moving further along the river banks we soon had our first views of the wonderful prehistoric Gharials. These amazing thin-snouted crocodiles stunned us by their large size. Marsh Muggers were also present, seemingly ignoring the flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks. We saw more wildfowl, including Spot-billed Ducks, Comb Ducks as well as the usual Ruddy Shelducks and Bar-headed Geese. Further on an Osprey landed on the beach and a Bonelli's Eagle and a Long-legged Buzzard cruised overhead. Coming to some small islands, we enjoyed great views of River Terns before finding a White-capped Bunting by the shore. We waited a while to see River Dolphins but only achieved frustratingly brief views. Turning back along the other shore, where Little Cormorants were drying their wings, we found a splendid Indian Black Ibis, and had glimpses of a Brown Crake as it played hide-and-seek behind a wrecked boat. On landing we just had time to spot a Sand Lark on the opposite bank.

This river trip was one of the best I have ever experienced, but alas it was time to head back to Delhi before the second part of our adventure.

CHAMBAL. The very name invokes visions of an untamed land
Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu
http://www.cuttingloose.in/chambal-safari

CHAMBAL. The very name invokes visions of an untamed land — raw and powerful. A land that has harboured, over the years, innumerable mavericks — from blue-blooded kings to dreaded dacoits. A land that never in our wildest dreams could have been envisaged as a recreation destination.

A visit to the region about a decade ago brought about a quick volte face as I embarked upon a truly unique adventure, one that gave me the opportunity to explore the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the Chambal valley. And get me addicted enough to make it an annual pilgrimage. The Chambal Safari, a wildlife safari that acquaints you with freshwater dolphins and crocodiles and a favourite with the birding circuit, was a bold initiative to popularise the hitherto neglected Chambal river and its surrounding ravines and terrain.

It is promoted by the Chambal Conservation Foundation through its chief patron Kanwar Ram Pratap Singh, who moved back to his ancestral farm at Jarar, a short distance from Agra, after opting out of a career in engineering. Soon after, he started developing an eco-tourism infrastructure in the National Chambal Sanctuary in the form of the Chambal Safari. He is joined in this venture by his environmental scientist wife, Anu Dhillon.

The one-day safari began at the Mela Kothi, with a hearty breakfast to sustain us for the four-hour-long boat cruise on the perennial Chambal river, that meanders through the sanctuary — a veritable haven for ghariyals, crocodiles, turtles and gangetic dolphins. As we leisurely chugged along, I was more than pleasantly surprised to turn a bend in the river and come upon a little island infested entirely by sun-basking, motionless ghariyals.

A lone crocodile lazily eyed our boat (mercifully, it was way past his breakfast hour!) before turning its attention to a couple of adventurous turtles. The shutterbugs amongst us got down to business while the remaining few tried to mirror the stillness around us, for fear of being noticed by the toothy predators.

A bird watchers’ paradise, the banks of the Chambal are an ideal habitat for numerous migratory and resident birds. The most easily sighted (pointed out for my benefit) were the Indian Skimmer, Brahmani Duck, Spoonbill, Flamingo, Pelican and many others. We were also informed by the trained naturalist accompanying us that Sambhar, Nilgai, Black Buck, Chinkara and Hyena are found here.

On our return to terra firma, we were greeted by the sight of a parachute tent, under which had been laid out a buffet lunch of the local cuisine — daal bhaati churma and haath ki roti. After a leisurely meal, we began the historical leg of the safari — a one hour guided tour atop an excruciatingly slow camel (well I chose it over the jeep-ride, for fear of being labelled faint-hearted) to the imposing Ater Fort, located a kilometre away in MP.

The Ater Fort is situated on the periphery of the National Chambal Sanctuary and is accessed by traversing a pontoon bridge. As we passed through the small villages on our way to the fort, we caught an interesting glimpse into an ancient world. It also offered us another opportunity to discover the cultural diversity of the region. This fort was once a strategic stronghold that lay at the forefront of numerous battles between the Rajputs, Mughals and Marathas. The crumbling edifice now stands a lonely sentinel over the Chambal Valley and brings alive the romantic glory of a bygone era. The bone-creaking ride back to the lodge — this time by 4W drive — was a rather tame one. I continued to mull over the events of the day as I relaxed in a cottage named Thick Knee – one of the oft-spotted birds in the region – reliving my experience in this ancient land full of ravines, wildlife, legends and folklore.

Another quick excursion from the Lodge is Bateshwar — the crescent-shaped temple town on the banks of the Yamuna. Home to over a hundred temples dedicated to Shiva, the pristine white structures make a dazzling contrast against the blue sky and the muddy hills. An annual fair is staged in this sleepy town each November and I was fortunate to catch it on one of my visits there, one winter. Unimaginable sights, sounds, smells and colours galore comprise this ill-advertised event. Sadhus gather in tented accommodation, as well as return to labyrinthine caves set deep in the soft acacia-rich hills.
 

Charms of Chambal
Lalit Mohan
Sunday, April 18, 2010
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100418/spectrum/main3.htm

Once known for its ravines and dacoits, Chambal also has a river that is one of the most serene and clean in the country having a wide variety of avian and marine life, writes Lalit Mohan
THE Chambal is a lucky river. No one worships it. No temples or large towns dot its banks. Perhaps that is why it is one of the cleanest perennial waterways in India.

This distinction has come at a price. Ram Pratap Singh or RP for short, the young owner of the Chambal Safari Lodge says: "Its original name was Charmanyavati. In Mahabharata days this area was a part of Shakuni’s kingdom. The infamous dice game was played hereabouts. After her attempted disrobing, Draupdi cursed any one who would drink its water. And if this wasn’t bad enough, a king, Rantideva, sacrificed several cows on its banks bringing eternal infamy to it."

But the Chambal still beckons. Ten of us left from Gurgaon on a Friday morning for Jarar, 70 km southeast of Agra, where the lodge is located. The lodge, situated close to the river, is part of a large farm owned by RP’s family. His great grandfather built it 100 years ago. The stables have been converted into dining areas. There are eight single-room huts and a few rooms in the main lodge. Quiet rural and idyllic, it is a good place to unwind even if one has nothing else on the agenda.

After lunch we headed for the Chambal in Sumos. After a short stretch on a pucca road, the track turns into the ravines. And then, suddenly, the river looms into view. We piled into two motorboats and set off on our ‘safari’.
The Chambal must have worked off the ill effects of Draupdi’s curse because it is one of the most serene and clean rivers in the country.

This was the dry season, so it had shrunk in width. The water was gentle and blue. In 1979, a 400 km stretch, 1 to 6 km wide, including the river, was included in the National Chambal Sanctuary. And a wide variety of avian and marine life found shelter here.

A local lad Dalveer was our guide. Throughout the two-hour trip he pointed out a spot-billed duck, some barbets, pelicans, a pair of spotted owls and many more birds.
There are over 300 species of birds in this area. Birds of prey — eagles, kites, buzzards, vultures, hawks and their kin — alone number 50 in variety. This was a particularly good time to see ducks, cranes, storks and the other winter visitors. Most humans who visit Jarar are, in fact, bird-watchers and they come mostly from abroad.
But marine life is no less exciting. No fishing is permitted here. "Look 7 o’clock," Dalveer yelled suddenly and we saw a large river dolphin – in fact three of them, jumping briefly, one by one, out of the water. Dalveer said that there are at least 100 of them in the Chambal.

A little further, basking on the rocks were a large number of gharials. These alligator-like creatures have long snouts. Their colour merges with that of the rocks on which they rest, so it takes a while to spot them from a distance, or to count them.

Getting closer, the outboard motor was switched off. In total silence, except for the sound of waves gently lapping the sides of the boat, we watched them. Apart for the occasional yawn, they remained very still. A few young ones frolicked a little. Then the sun started to go down and we turned back.
This stretch of the Chambal marks the boundary between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. As we meandered over the river, we must have crossed the dividing line somewhere, because I received an SMS from my mobile company: "Welcome to Madhya Pradesh."

The next day our destination was Bhareh, 100 km away. This is where the Chambal joins the Yamuna. Two things stood out during the ride. One, the excellent state of the road, to have such a surface in the heart of UP means that the PM’s Gram Sadak Yojna is working. Two, in many schools in the dusty villages we crossed, the children had a clip-on necktie as a part of their uniform. In sartorial matters no one wants to be left behind!
Halfway down the distance, an observation platform has been erected on a promontory located high on a bend in the Chambal. This is a good spot to get a panoramic view of the river and the ravines, which sheltered dreaded dacoits of yore.

At Bhareh the ‘unholy’, clean Chambal joins the holy, dirty Yamuna. Actually, the former is much wider, but the latter starts about 18,000 feet closer to God, and collects better references on its way. So, the river carries the name Yamuna hereafter until it merges with the Ganga at Prayag.
A path through mustard fields takes us much closer to the birds. Pelicans, spoonbills, cormorants, storks, geese, sandgrouse, flamingos — the list is endless — bask in large numbers in the vast expanse of the confluence.
Bhareh’s other claim to fame it the Bhareshwar Mahadev temple. Accessed over 70 odd steep steps, this was the favourite deity of dacoits like Man Singh and Madho Singh, whose blessings they sought before they set out to rob and kill.

Almost at the same height one can see the ramparts of the Bhareh fort. The ruler was on the side of the rebels in 1857 and after they won the war, the English blasted all but one of its sides.
The lodge at Jarar itself sees aver 200 species of birds in the year. We could also spot nilgai, peacocks and deer. But, it provides no TV or newspapers. I had wondered how a news addict like me would survive for two days. But I did and feel all the better for it.