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Waterfall nature

an elephant crossing the Kaziranga Wetland (Rs)

Bengal Florican (RJ) Bar-headed Geese (RJ) ibisbill (Ds)

nAmERi np forest duck (numbering probably less leaving our group leader, tour guide
After lunch we bade farewell to than 500 individuals) is only found in Inram, a Park guide, one other tour
our friendly hosts at the Lodge and the Assam province of India and certain participant and myself (5 of us).
commenced our 3-hour journey to fragmented areas of sE Asia. After an
the Nameri NP for a 2-night stay at early breakfast, we drove down to the We not only repeated the morning
the Eco Camp in the forest. shortly Jia Bhareli River for a canoe crossing circuit but enlarged it to include a loop
after arriving, we were very lucky into the Nameri NP and commenced incorporating a fast-flowing forest
to encounter a small family of 3 a circuit of the forest ponds in search stream (10km). It was on this stream
Hoolock’s Gibbons, an endangered of this shy and secretive duck. Our that a pair of the ducks suddenly
primate species. The adult male and walk was not without interest in the flushed and before you could say
female, along with an immature male, other birdlife and so we continually “Jack Robinson” had disappeared
provided excellent views as they sat interrupted our quest with sightings upstream into the forest. I was the only
motionless in the trees, staring at us as of new birds as and when they one of our small group to have been
intently as we stared back at them. presented themselves. After walking scanning in the opposite direction
perhaps about 8km, the heat became and missed the birds completely,
Our late afternoon arrival at Eco unbearable for many of our group leaving me totally devastated.
Camp (large tents with adjoining and we terminated the morning’s
ablutions) enabled a short walk to proceedings at about 11.00am without Following the ducks upstream through
the river Jia Bhareli for a sighting of a sighting of the duck and made our the forest was hopeless. The forest
a pair of very handsome Hodgson’s way back to Camp. After a refreshing floor was covered in dry leaves which
Redstarts (lifer) followed by a dinner shower and lunch we resumed our crackled underfoot warning any shy
of tasty curried vegetables. We then quest at about 2.00pm but without ducks of our presence and giving
turned in, with the intriguing calls of a one couple who decided to raft the them plenty of time to hide. We
Brown Hawk Owl lulling us to sleep. river – this is apparently the best consequently abandoned this approach
rafting in India – and search for the and continued our circuit of the ponds.
THE QuEsT FOR THE highly sought-after Ibisbill, (another Late afternoon with a setting sun we
WHiTE-WinGEd duCK qualifier for the 100 Birds to see Before finally reached the last of the ponds
One of the 5 rarest duck species in the you Die) – and a second couple who (for the third time) and quickly satisfied
world and critically endangered, this decided to take the afternoon off, ourselves that no ducks were present

30 Waterfall Issue 7 2020