Goa, Day 7, 16 February 2012 - The Hermitage, Karnataka

After one day back on the coast we escape up into the Western Ghats again - yay! This time for a 3 day/2night stay at the Hermitage Guesthouse deep in the woodland and just over the border from Goa in the next state Karnataka. This guesthouse cum ecolodge is run by a husband, wife and daughter team David, Moravid and Katrina. It is small, having only 3 'rooms' sleeping a total of 8 people and is set in a clearing/garden in the woodland. They also run a large farm and employ workers from 2 nearby villages. We would highly recommend a stay here for it's friendly relaxing ambience and the food which is home cooked and absolutely fantastic!
They sent a taxi to pick us up from Baga at 08.30 which is a much cheaper option than trying to arrange a coastal based taxi where the chances are the driver would never be able to find the place anyway, it being so remote.

We spent this first day exploring the immediate vicinity of our accomodation. A fruiting tree right beside our room held a pair of Golden-fronted Leafbirds whilst down the entrance track we had Nilgiri Woodpigeon, Long-tailed Shrike, Red-whiskered and Yellow-browed Bulbuls, Malabar Barbet, Red-rumped Swallows and 3 Pompadour Green Pigeons.

Golden-fronted Leafbird

Golden-fronted Leafbird

Pompadour Green Pigeon

Later that afternoon and into the evening we joined David and another guest, Heidi on a walk through the woods to a village and open area of farmland. First up was a showy Heart-spotted Woodpecker followed by Western Crowned Warbler and Orange-headed Thrush before we emerged at the village. Moving through into the surrounding fields and suddenly birds were everywhere, Black Drongos, Spotted Doves, 4 Pied Stonechats, Long-tailed Shrike, c50 Baya Weavers, , 2 Plum-headed Parakeets, Black-shouldered Kite, numerous Cattle Egrets and a single Yellow Wagtail. Leaving the rest of the little party I wandered a little further to find Green Sandpiper, several Red-wattled Lapwings and then a ploughed field containing 5 Common Rosefinch, Little Green Bee-eaters, 12+ Chestnut-shouldered Petronia and White-breasted Waterhen. On the return walk a fire had been lit and hunting the fleeing insects were a gathering of more Black Drongos and in an adjacent tree sat loads of Jungle Mynas amongst which I picked out c6 Blyth's (white-headed) Starlings. Overhead were both Red-rumped and Streak-throated Swallows. Returning to the main track back to the accomodation we had some good views of a male Indian Peafowl in the open and then a huge White-bellied Woodpecker going to roost in its hole in a palm to round off an excellent day.

Heart-spotted Woodpecker

Heart-spotted Woodpecker

Pied Stonechat

Plum-headed Parakeet

Long-tailed Shrike

Baya Weaver

Red-wattled Lapwing

Black Drongo

Blyth's (white-headed) Starling

Black Drongo

 

Goa, Day 6, 15 February 2012 - Morjim & Charpora

Deciding to quit the busy and noisy Baga for the day we chose to head north in a taxi and explore the much quieter expansive beach at Morjim followed by the elevated Charpora Fort on the other side of the same river mouth.

Upon arrival at Morjim we asked for our driver to wait for a couple of hours while we went on a wander. Despite not being there really early there were a couple of Lesser Sandplovers and a Kentish Plover on the beach and an exposed sandbar clearly held a good number of gulls and terns. Closer inspection revealed c40 Pallas's Gulls, several Heuglin's Gulls and loads of Brown and Black-headed Gulls. Terns were represented by Caspian Terns, c5 Gull-billed Terns and a single Lesser Crested Tern. Rounding the corner we had a nice surprise in the form of c200 Small Pratincoles on the sand and what's more they allowed nice close approach. On the scrub behind the beach were Asian Palm Swift, Pied Stonechat, Long-tailed Shrike and 2 Tawny Pipits.

Pallas's Gulls

Small Pratincole

Small Pratincole

Following a stop for a drink at a beachside shack and a laugh at the Bollywood filming antics going on on the beach I opted to check the area of scrub and waste ground behind the shacks while Belinda lingered on the beach with the filmy types! Despite a great deal of checking the c100 Rose-coloured Starlings I was unable to find any Brahminy Starlings, only c5 Jungle Mynas and a few Chestnut-shouldered Petronias. A Paddyfield Pipit showed well on some wires and then by pure luck I flushed a Barred Button Quail. On the return walk I located my other target bird - a really dapper Bay-backed Shrike which posed nicely. After collecting Belinda we made our way back to the taxi via a perched Black-shouldered Kite.

Rose-coloured Starling

Paddyfield Pipit

Bay-backed Shrike

Bay-backed Shrike

Black-shouldered Kite

Moving on to Charpora Fort on the south side of the river mouth we made the steep climb up from the road in blistering temperatures stopping briefly for a Blue-faced Malkoha that typically just flash across and into cover. The fort itself provides an excellent vantage point but the birds here weren't very spectacular with just Tawny Pipit, 3 Purple-rumped Sunbirds, Little Green Bee-eater and 3 passing Pallas's Gulls apart from the ever present Black and Brahminy Kites. 

Black Kite

Brahminy Kite

Other birds noted from the taxi during the day included Striated Heron, 2 Pied Stonechats, Indian Roller and several Red-wattled Lapwings while 2 Wooly-necked Storks sat in a bush close to the back wall of the Biera Mar in the evening.

Goa, Day 5, 14 February 2012 - Backwoods Camp & Barabhumi Village

With only two thirds of a day left at Backwoods we were determined to make the most of our time so it was an early pre-breakfast start again and this time we began with a drive and then walk at the nearby village of Barabhumi. En-route just outside the camp we got onto 2 Malabar Pied Hornbills which landed just long enough to be photographed and then had our first new bird of the day in the form of a Rufous Treepie that perched up in the early morning gloom.

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Rufous Treepie

We reached the village and began birding near the school. 3 Ashy Woodswallows sat up nicely by the school entrance as did a couple of Wire-tailed Swallows. A Mountain Hawk Eagle flew past in the distance as we focussed in on a couple of showy Little Spiderhunters. What wonderfully odd birds these are! Several Chestnut-shouldered Petronias and a calling Malabar Pied Hornbill followed as we then located 2 Vernal Hanging Parrots feeding and showing well close to the road. A flowering bush in a garden opposite the school held both Crimson-backed and Purple-rumped Sunbirds which eventually gave in for some photographs.

Ashy Woodswallow

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Wire-tailed Swallow

Crimson-backed Sunbird

Crimson-backed Sunbird

Purple-rumped Sunbird

Next, we walked across the school playing field where 2 White-browed Wagtails strolled around and an Indian Golden Oriole sat up in a distant tree. Behind the field we then explored an area of dry open woodland and things livened up even more. Red-whiskered Bulbuls where everywhere and joined by the odd Red-vented Bulbul. Ashy Drongos seemed common here too but the star bird by a long way was an incredibly confiding Blue-faced Malkoha. This usually skulking species is hard to catch up with but to have one sitting in the open in the sun was truly exceptional and even had Leio excited! At the same spot a large fruiting tree held Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Indian Golden Oriole, Golden-fronted Leafbird, 2 Common Iora, Common Woodshrike and Bar-headed Cuckoo Shrike! Further on we then had a small group of Dark-fronted Babblers, a pair of Loten's Sunbirds, Purple Sunbirds, Shikra, a single Chestnut-headed Bee-eater and both Thick-billed and Nilgiri Flowerpecker.

White-browed Wagtail

Asian Koel

Greater Coucal

Indian Golden Oriole

Greater Coucal

Red-whiskered Bulbul

Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike

Blue-faced Malkoha

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Driving back to the camp we stumbled upon a male Grey Junglefowl by the road and when that had flown things got even better as it was replaced by a stonking Emerald Dove in the same spot!

Grey Junglefowl

Emerald Dove

Back at camp for late morning birding and lunch the birds just kept coming. Along the entrance track we had our first Indian Peafowl plus Brown Shrike, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Flame-throated Bulbul, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, 2 Black-naped Monarchs, c6 Jungle Babblers, Common Tailorbird, 2 Streak-throated Swallows, 4 Brahminy Kite (scarce here), several Large-billed Crows and Malabar Parakeet. Around the dining area at camp I busied myself photographing Indian Blackbird and Oriental Magpie Robin while a Heart-spotted Woodpecker managed to elude my lens!

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Indian Blackbird

Oriental Magpie Robin

It was with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to the staff at Backwoods and the members of our little group before heading back to the coast. I have a feeling we'll be back...!

Goa, Day 4, 13 February 2012 - Backwoods Camp & Tambdi Surla

Our 2nd full day at Backwoods and a slight change of routine. Due to a longish walk today it was an early full breakfast and straight out into the field. The plan was to drive as far as the Tambdi Surla temple and then walk upstream from there exploring the woodland, rocky river and side streams.
After a Shikra by the camps gate our walk took us through some dry open woodland initially and it was here we got some lovely fly-by views of a pair of stunning White-bellied Woodpeckers that responded to tape well. 2 Square-tailed Black Bulbuls were rather less obliging, only showing briefly. Along the trail we picked up several Dark-fronted Babblers, Brown-cheeked Fulvettas, Western Crowned Warblers and a Nilgiri Flowerpecker before some more diligent use of the tape by our Leio tempted Indian Blue Robin into view. We eventually had 3 of these skulkers including a splendid male that we coaxed out along a side tributory. Close by we then enjoyed the antics of a white male Asian Paradise Flycatcher. These birds just don't look real! Our main target bird was proving elusive however, that was until an eagle-eyed Leio picked one out and with hushed tones we all gathered to watch a sitting Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher. The light wasn't great and the distance a little too far so my shots are definitely in the 'record shot' category! Shortly after this we stopped for a break in a clearing and while sat on the flat rocks I got on to 2 huge Great Hornbills flying above the treetops in the valley.
Continuing our walk back along the course of the river we had several Grey Wagtails, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Common Kingfisher, Malabar Parakeet, Flame-throated Bulbul and a circling Crested Serpent Eagle before we emerged by the temple again.

Shikra

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

Crested Serpent Eagle

Brown-cheeked Fulvetta

During our early afternoon siesta we had Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Indian Blackbird, Oriental Magpie Robin and Malabar Grey Hornbill from our balcony!

Spending some time at the temple in the late morning and again in the afternoon proved a very good call. We had some amazing close views of Blue-capped Rock Thrush, 2 Mountain Imperial Pigeons, Pompadour Green Pigeon, 5+ Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, Indian Swiftlets, Little Swifts, Malabar Barbet, 2 Malabar Pied Hornbills and 5+ Small Minivets. As we tracked a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo into a large copse we stumbled upon one of the birds I'd really wanted to connect with -   a marvellous pair of Velvet -fronted Nuthatches. At the bridge we finally scored with the hitherto elusive Blue-eared Kingfisher plus Stork-billed Kingfisher and Malabar Whistling Thrush.

Blue-capped Rock Thrush

Blue-capped Rock Thrush

Indian Pond Heron

Indian Blackbird

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Little Cormorant

Malabar Giant Squirrel

Malabar Barbet

The day wasn't even over as the light began to fade. A stop along the road at a favoured spot gave us our 2nd Indian Pitta before we joined the other group at a roadside football pitch where yet another Indian Pitta was running about with an Orange-headed Thrush and then a Jerdon's Nightjar gave in to the tape and flew over our heads to settle on a low branch and give great views by torchlight. On the drive back to the camp Leio happened to stop and scan some telegraph wires with his torch to reveal a superb Brown Hawk Owl staring at us. This man really does know where the birds are!