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nAture

was covered in dry leaves which crackled backed Shrikes, Bengal Bushlark, Yellow-
underfoot warning any shy ducks of our bellied Prinia, Dark-necked Tailorbird,
presence and giving them plenty of time Black-crested and White-throated Bulbul,
to hide. We consequently abandoned this Striated Grassbird, Tickell’s Leaf Warbler,
approach and continued our circuit of the Rufous-capped, Chestnut-capped
ponds. Late afternoon with a setting sun and Striated Babbler, Chestnut-tailed
we finally reached the last of the ponds Starling, Taiga Flycatcher, Scarlet-backed
(for the third time) and quickly satisfied Flowerpecker, Streaked Weaver.
ourselves that no ducks were present
and were accordingly about to give up and for nameri:
when the Parks guide excitedly indicated Pale-capped Pigeon, Barred Cuckoo-
that a pair of ducks were hidden in the Dove, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Silver-
long grass in the pond foreground. We backed Needletail, Greater Yellownape,
crawled on hands and knees closer and Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Maroon
Above: Greater there, sure enough, was a pair of this very Oriole, Sultan Tit, Puff-throated Babbler,
Adjutants at local large Muscovy-like duck. Hooray!! They Spot-winged Starling, Pale-chinned Blue
rubbish dump immediately flushed and we absorbed Flycatcher, Plain Flowerpecker, Vernal
(MA) every detail of the very conspicuous Hanging Parrot, Black-breasted Thrush.
Below: Ibisbill (DS) white wing-panels as they turned for a
fly-by providing our tour leader with an Our Assam wildlife tour finally ended
opportunity for a photograph. Mission with a 7-hour bus journey from Nameri
accomplished! After dinner our group NP west towards Guwahati and then
leader used playback to entice the Brown north to the Bhutan border. En route we
Hawk Owl into our presence, a fitting finale collected the 8th member of our group,
to a great and successful day. an American doctor, and then travelled
through typical, vibrant Indian countryside
other bird species recorded at and villages brimming with rickshaws,
kaziranga: bicycles, water-buffalo carts, garishly-
Swamp Francolin, Spot-bellied Pelican, coloured and ornately decorated Tata
Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Pied Harrier, trucks - amid the rural odours of spices
Pompadour and Thick-billed Green Pigeon, and farmyard animals, and the continuous
Green Imperial Pigeon, Blossom-headed honking of motor vehicle horns. The poor
individuals) is only found in the Assam Parakeet, Asian Drongo-Cuckoo, Blue- roads, subsistence farms, haystacks, tiny
province of India and certain fragmented bearded and Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, shops with their entrepreneur owners, and
areas of SE Asia. After an early breakfast,
Wreathed Hornbill, Blue-eared Barbet, the skinny men and well-groomed, well-
we drove down to the Jia Bhareli River Ashy Woodswallow, Large Cuckooshrike, dressed womenfolk made the trip all the
for a canoe crossing into the Nameri NP Grey-chinned Minivet, Brown and Grey- more memorable.
and commenced a circuit of the forest
ponds in search of this shy and secretive
duck. Our walk was not without interest in
the other birdlife and so we continuously
interrupted our quest with sightings of
new birds as and when they presented
themselves. After walking perhaps about
8km, the heat became unbearable for
many of our group and we terminated the
morning’s proceedings at about 11.00am
without a sighting of the duck and made
our way back to Camp. After a refreshing
shower and lunch we resumed our quest at
about 2.00pm but without one couple who
decided to raft the river – this is apparently
the best rafting in India - and search for
the highly sought-after Ibisbill, (another
qualifier for the 100 Birds to see Before
you Die) - and a second couple who Left: Eco Camp Nameri (RS)
decided to take the afternoon off, leaving Below left: Bengal Florican (RJ)
Below: Bar-headed Geese (RJ)
our group leader, tour guide Inram, a
Park guide, one other tour participant and
myself (5 of us).

We not only repeated the morning
circuit but enlarged it to include a loop
incorporating a fast-flowing forest stream
(10km). It was on this stream that a pair
of the ducks suddenly flushed and before
you could say “Jack Robinson” had
disappeared upstream into the forest.
I was the only one of our small group
to have been scanning in the opposite
direction and missed the birds completely,
leaving me totally devastated.
Following the ducks upstream through
the forest was hopeless. The forest floor

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DPL