This was probably the most awaited bird-watching trip of 2015 with Wild India Eco Tours; a full 3 day bird-watching in the Goa. With me being a Goan, we have done birding in Goa every time we went home, but doing a full fledged birding trip was high on our wish list; and we were not wrong to be so much excited about it – 15 lifers & over 150+ species in 3 days with some very special sightings like the Great Hornbill, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Blue-bearded Bee-eater and more..!!!
We arrived the Nature’s Nest resort a little before noon. After a delicious lunch and a quick nap we were ready to kick-off birding in Goa. We did squeeze in sometime though to do some bird-watching in the resort itself which was buzzing as always with Vernal Hanging Parrots, Sunbirds & Flycatchers.
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We stepped out of the resort by 4 PM, and soon were greeted by none other than the state bird of Goa – The Flame-throated Bulbul along with a pair of Crested Serpent Eagles. We walked along small trails through the jungles which were continuously buzzing with various bird calls. Omkar was leading us and soon he was in action, adjusting the scope and we only wondering what it would be. Srilankan Frogmouth it was..!!! Such a fantastic bird perfectly camouflaged as dry leaves.
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We couldn’t believe our luck, getting to see this lovely species in day light. We also got some lovely views of the Crested Treeswifts, along with Grey-fronted Green Pigeons, a Chestnut-headed Bee-eater and White-bellied Woodpecker at its drumming best!
The following day started early by 6 AM, as we visited a bridge & and a fruiting tree. Light was pretty low as we saw a lovely Malabar Giant Squirrel pretty far off from the bridge. A majestic White-bellied Sea Eagle also flew across amongst numerous Indian swiftlets & little swifts busy in their quick random flights.
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Next was the fruiting tree, which was buzzing with a good number of Chestnut-tailed Starlings, Grey-fronted Green Pigeons, Asian Koels, Malabar Grey Hornbills & a lone Asian Fairy Bluebird. As we were busy deciding what to click and what not, it was Omkar in action again; spotted the lone Mountain Imperial Pigeon that flew by and perched on top of a dry tree. Perched against light, we could only manage record shots but this was surely one of the unexpected sighting of the trip.
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The journey continued as we entered the vicinity of Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary. After enjoying the packed breakfast, we came across another rarity – the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, only to be followed by one of the most anticipated species in Goa; the Malabar Trogon. It was fantastic to watch 2 pairs of this beautiful species.
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The afternoon session was planned at Tambdi Surla. We came across a pair of Malabar Pied Hornbills along the road to the famous Mahadev temple, however they were very much inside the thickets. We soon reached the Mahadev temple where in we got two kingfisher species, the Blue-eared Kingfisher and the Stork-billed Kingfisher. We also came across the Brown-breasted Flycatcher but the light was very low already and it was time to return back to the resort.
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Post a quick break, we were out on our 1st night trail. Sighting were pretty low but it was at its thrilling best. Few of us also saw an Oriental Scops Owl (Rufous Morph) but could capture it. There was a pair calling out loudly and seemed pretty active. With the season being the breeding time for owls, it was decided to leave them in peace and we returned back to resort for dinner.
Next day’s morning session was the famous Zuari river boat ride where in we had fantastic sightings of the Greater Crested Tern, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, Common Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Striated Heron and a lot of Crocodiles.
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Next was a visit to the Maina lake wetlands which was loaded with ducks, along with Bronze winged Jacanas, Spotted & Common Redshanks, Pacific Golden Plovers, Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, Indian Spotted Eagle & a single Pied Kingfisher at its hovering best.
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Our afternoon session started a bit late as we had a late lunch but this was probably one of the best sessions of the trip. Thanks to Omkar again, we saw the Malabar Barbet & the Great Hornbill along with a surprise visitor – a Scorpion! We visited the temple area again this time where we got closer views of the Brown-breasted Flycatcher. We were back to resort and what followed next was yet another night trail, this time getting good views of a Jungle Nightjar along with continuous alarm calls of a Sambar deer..! Thrilling indeed!
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It was the final day and we just had one session left which we decided to spend at Bondla. We got to see the Malabar Trogon again, along with a very bold Blue-faced Malkoha, 4 bulbul species (flame-throated, Yellow-browed, White-browed, Grey-headed), Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Spangled Drongo and two Asian Fairy Bluebirds feasting on berries. This seemed as the perfect end to the trip as we had already seen over 150 species of birds and just as we reached back to resort, a Crested Serpent Eagle soared pretty low giving a screeching call… probably saying “See you soon” 😉
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Had a fantastic time with everyone as always – Gesu, Saumitra, Dhaval, Rahul & Subhash Sir, Suma, Deepa & Bhavesh. One of the best things that happen during the Wild India Eco Tours trips is the like-minded folks you meet, interact, share & learn. Everyone shares their experiences, tips on photography, various wildlife destination & so on; hence in every trip, there is a lot of sharing & learning involved.
Coming to Nature’s Nest, we haven’t come across many places nestled perfectly into the forests. Have to mention Omkar here as his spotting skills, approach, identifying based on calls – everything was spot on. It was also good to connect with Pankaj as well & the time spent with Ramesh are nothing but super fun!! Best quality about all of them was the willingness to share, learnt a lot from all of them 🙂 .
If anyone is planning a bird-watching trip to Goa, Nature’s Nest is surely one of your best bet in any season. However with migratory birds around, anytime till mid March should be the best time to visit the place for bird-watching.
Tips:
1. Zuari river boat ride is always fantastic, however if possible see if you can schedule it in way that you do the session during low tide in morning – chances of photographing the kingfishers is higher. Also, you may come across other species like the ruddy-breasted rail.
2. Photography is challenge here due to the dense forests. One moment the bird is in good light & the very next moment its in dark shadows.So do keep an eye on your camera settings.
3. A good pair of Binoculars is a must to observe & identify the beautiful two winged aves. You will get photographic opportunities but there would also be a lot to times where in the birds would be pretty far for a photograph, but with binoculars you would get clear views as well as observe their behaviour.
4. Please do not litter and keep the place clean.
Thanks for viewing. Let us know in-case of any queries, suggestions, critics and we will be happy to respond.
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– Rudraksha & Shraddha
Total species sighted: 155
Key highlights:
Great Hornbill, Malabar Barbet, Malabar Trogon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Blue-faced Malkoha, Spangled & Bronzed Drongo, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, White-bellied Woodpecker, Blue-eared & Collared Kingfishers, Osprey, Oriental Scops Owl, Jungle Nightjar, Srilankan Frogmouth, Indian Pitta, Forest Wagtail
In-case someone needs the complete checklist of birds we saw, do drop us a note and we will be happy to respond.