tal chapar jan 2013

1. our experience-

Tal Chhapar is located in churu district of Rajasthan. Nearest airport is at Jaipur which is 215 km away from here and you can reach by road either by hiring private taxi or through RSRTC buses. 

One day before we inquired about the bus timings and we came to know that we have to first reach sikar and then change a bus from there for Chhapar village. I along with my two brothers Govind and Prathmesh caught a bus for sikar at 5 am from sindhi camp
                     
We then reached sikar around 7.30 am and had our breakfast as the bus for chhapar was scheduled at 9am from there.

  Finally we reached Tal chhapar around 11.30.Then we decided to have our lunch before entering the sanctuary. There is a small shop nearby where one can have its meal.

Before entering the park we met Poonia sir(Range Officer) because of whose effort tal chhapar has became home of so many bird species

But we were disappointed when he told us that there is no bicycle available for the tourist and one can either go by four wheeler or on foot. We have visited other bird sanctuaries like soor sarovar and keoladeo and there bicycles are available for the tourists. 
So we were left with only option to take a walk inside the park.

Egyptian vultures having their meal

The moment we entered the park we saw a flock of Egyptian Vultures scavenging on a dead dog (shot by park officials as they may harm the black bucks inside the park)

Egyptian vulture

Tal Chahpar hosts birds like Tawny Eagle, Harriers , Vultures(king, Egyptian) , Buzzards,Indian roller , Shrikes(bay backed and grey), Black Ibis, Demoiselle Cranes, Bush larks , Drongo,Peacock, Bee Eater,Bush Quaill,Francolin,Kestrel. Some of the water birds that are found here are River Tern, Gulls, Sandpiper, Gadwall(duck), Black winged stilt,Kingfisher(white throated),Painted Snipe,Spot bill.

bay becked shrike

As we move along the forest trail we spotted Black Bucks in the grassland. Young fawns were with there mothers while males were alone.

Tal Chhapar is also home to other animals like Desert Fox and Desert Lizard.

 One should carry eatables and drinking water with him while entering in the Sanctuary as there is no canteen inside like Keoladeo. when you feel it

moving ahead siddharth and prathmesh 

with bottles in hand 

view from inside

blackbuck

 

 There were some male black bucks locking horns with each other. we then decide to go there where we have spotted demoiselle cranes from bus but unfortunately there is no single crane around there as all of them fly away to pond there or somewhere else one guide tells us that all will came in morning and then in evening .we then take rest for half hour as walking barefoot seems very difficult to us .
after rest we then start moving backwards from other end as the clock is showing 3:30 and we have to go back home at the same day.

grey shrike

black red start

indian roller

great jungle babbler

sandpiper and white throated kingfisher upwards

bush lark

huts for bird watching

raptor hovering for prey

demoiselle cranes in flight

In the end when we are returning from park we have finally spotted demoiselle cranes in flight in flocks

Indian peafowl(peacock)

we then departed for Jaipur at 6 am and after a long journey of 6 hours we reached our home.

some of our clicks 

prathmesh and siddharth

govind and siddharth

(R)siddharth and prathmesh(L)

prathmesh and govind




camera used nikon d3200 and d60 lens tamron 180 -300 mm

Birds Of Galta Temple

                      Plum-Headed Parakeet 

1.specie description: The Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a parakeet endemic to the Indian sub-continent. Along with Psittacula roseata of the Himalayas it was sometimes known by the name of Blossom Headed Parakeet which is now used to refer only to Psittacula roseata. Plum-headed Parakeets are found in flocks, the males having a pinkish purple head and the females, a grey head.They fly swiftly with twists and turns accompanied by their distinctive calls.  

2. our experience: we identify this beautiful birds by their distinctive calls "toii toii". they assemble all around group never likes single status ,this gregarious bird was sighted in a group cheerfully playing with each other . we spotted the bird near vipasayana kendra.

                            Black-rumped Flameback

1.specie description: The Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpeckeror Lesser Goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas.It is a large species at 26–29 cm in length. It has a typical woodpecker shape, and the golden yellow wing coverts are distinctive. 

2. our experience:  we spotted flame-back woodpecker in between our way to galta as we are on jeep so we maintain a silence to photograph the beautiful creature " iski jagah liko this bird was sighted on dead trees and snags. One should remain careful and maintain silence so that "thak thak" noise that it makes while striking the wood can be heard.

                          Crested Bunting 

1.specie description:  The Crested Bunting (Melophus lathami) is a species of bird in the emberizidae family, from south  and southeast Asia.

2 . our experience: Natural habitat of this bird is tropical or subtropical lowland. It was sighted trees near the "Parindas" (small drinking water pots for birds) which are installed by the forest department. One can sit near the vicinity of these parindas to see bunting and other birds which come to quench their thirst. 

                       Black-Shoulder Kite

1.specie description: The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) or Australian Black-shouldered Kite is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout India. these are 35–38 cm (13.8–15 in) in length with a wingspan of 80–95 cm (31.5–37.4 in), the adult Black-shouldered Kite is a small and graceful, predominantly pale grey and white, raptor with black shoulders and red eyes. Their primary call is a clear whistle, uttered in flight and while hovering.

2 . our experience: Black-shouldered Kites become a specialist predator of house mice, often following outbreaks of mouse plagues in rural areas. This bird is one of the apex predators in the galta area.Although its sighting is rare but this bird can be seen in ruins of the old buildings near to the galta temple or perching on the trees near old park in this area.

                        Baya Weaver

1.specie description: The Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a weaver bird  found across south and southeast asia. Flocks of these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growth and they are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily

2 . our experience: The bird is quite common in this forest area but more numbers were sighted in sham dungri (it is on the way to galta temple) as pilgrims here put the grains and water to feed them. One should look for the hanging nests of these birds which they built with perfection.