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Brazil 2024 Part 3a – REGUA

January 12, 2025 by Shelley Rutkin

Derek and I met at Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport on the afternoon of August 23 and two hours later our driver delivered us to Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu, commonly known as REGUA. After the manager had shown us to our rooms, we were warmly greeted by a woman who didn’t tell us her position. We quickly learned that she was another guest. The lodge looks like it could have been an old house with a lot of bedrooms and a large kitchen, dining room, and family room. The atmosphere at REGUA is more like a gathering of friends and family than a typical tourist lodge. Current guests welcome newcomers into the fold. During our short stay, guests included a couple who were “just” birders, a well-known ecologist and an award-winning science journalist. When away from the lodge, we were frequently asked by locals if we were scientists.

It was dark after we finished dinner, so instead of birding, we spent the evening at the moth wall, simply a 8-foot high and 6-8 foot wide wall in the yard, painted white with lights to attract moths. Even though it was winter, we saw amazing moths. A sample is below; click on any image in the gallery for a larger view.

The next morning, Derek took advantage of birding with the local guide. I was lazy and opted to walk around the wetland with some of the others who were staying at REGUA. Derek saw more birds than I did, but I enjoyed the introduction to the lake and wetland which are the heart of REGUA. This beautiful Rufescent Tiger-Heron was an easy-to-see bird and a highlight of the morning.

I went back to the lodge and spent some time watching the hummingbird feeders where I was rewarded with my first life bird on this part of the trip, a Black Jacobin.

Derek returned in time for a late afternoon walk around the wetland. Many of the birds were familiar to us, but we also saw a Whistling Heron, a life bird for both of us. I also enjoyed this cute little Gray-headed Tody-Flycatcher.

The day went quickly and soon we were back at the moth wall. More fascinating moths included those below.

Our most surprising experience at REGUA occurred that evening. I was alone at the moth wall while Derek was in his room reviewing photos. Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me, turned, and saw a tapir about six feet away! I jumped in surprise and he ambled into the woods. I rushed inside to get Derek, not really expecting a return visit from the tapir, but I had to get Derek out there. We were standing by the wall quietly talking when Derek said, “Shelley, look over your shoulder.” And, there he was!

Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu is a non-profit organization with a mission of conserving and protecting the local Atlantic Forest. REGUA’s species reintroduction project works to rebalance and restore a healthy ecosystem. One of the species in that program is the Brazilian or lowland tapir, Tapirus terrestris, a large mammal that weighs an average of 500 pounds. The following day, we learned that our tapir’s name is Valente and that he was one of the animals reintroduced into the area. Valente has adapted quite well and he has fathered most of the next generation of tapirs in the area. 

On our last full day at REGUA, I thought that we should go to the wetlands as early as possible, but it turned out that wasn’t such a great idea. The local birding guide showed up an hour after we left and went with the other birders to the wetlands. They saw twice as many species as we did even though Derek is a good birder with sharp eyes. Experienced local guides who know bird songs and calls are invaluable in environments with skulky birds in thick vegetation.

Regardless, we enjoyed our walk and the birds that we saw. Two of our favorites were White-headed Marsh Tyrant and Masked Water-Tyrant.

Butterflies were not nearly as common as moths, but we did see a few on our walks around the wetlands. Below, a Pythonides jovianus, sometimes called Variable Blue-Skipper.

Back at the lodge, we continued to appreciate beauties like this Swallow-tailed Hummingbird.

On our third and last night at the moth wall, we continued to see new species. During our nights there we also saw a few other insects. One of the most interesting was this large leaf katydid, Pycnopalpa bicordata.

We had one more morning at REGUA, but it rained so we spent most of our time on the lovely open porch just outside the dining room. The rain didn’t deter the birds and other animals, so we just sat and enjoyed the show.

We appreciated good looks at a Blond-crested Woodpecker, one of my life birds at REGUA.

The banana feeders were popular, even in light rain. The Maroon-bellied Parakeets were always fun to watch.

Common Marmosets enjoyed the bananas as much as the birds.

I’ll end with my favorite bird from REGUA, the elegant little Blue-naped Chlorophonia. I could look at these beautiful birds all day and never tire of them.

Just after lunch, our driver would pick us up and take us to Eco Lodge Itororó. Most birders who stay at Itororó do a day trip to REGUA, but I’m very grateful for our three days there. Without an overnight visit, we would have missed the moths and tapir encounter as well as the camaraderie with other guests, the delicious home-cooked meals, and the wonderful warm atmosphere.

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Brazil 2024 Part 2b – Jaguars!

December 25, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

August 18 would be a big day, so we were up early for one last spin around the wonderful Pousada Piuval property. The sunrise promised a great day ahead.

I had missed Guira Cuckoo when others in our group had seen them on the previous two days, so I was thrilled that we had wonderful looks at these bizarre-looking birds before we left Pousada Piuval. Guira Cuckoos are not only odd-looking birds, their nesting behavior is also unusual with multiple females in a social group all laying eggs in the same nest. They feed mainly on insects including flying termites and perch atop termite mounds to survey their surroundings when hunting.

Termite mounds are a conspicuous feature of the Pantanal savanna. They perform ecologically important functions such as improving soil health and providing food and nesting habitat for wildlife. One study reported that termites are a food source for 179 bird species and the mounds were mentioned as nest sites for 45 species of birds in Brazil. We saw termite mounds in many of the dry open areas like that below.

Savannah Hawks were frequently seen on this trip. It was a much-wanted bird that did not disappoint.

Turquoise-fronted Amazon (photo below) was one of the fourteen species of parrots and parakeets that we saw.

Pink trumpet trees were scattered over the open landscape. My photos are not good enough to identify the trees to species, but I believe that they are either Handroanthus heptaphyllus or Handroanthus impetiginosus. I do know that they were gorgeous! I hated to leave this beautiful place, but we had important things to see in other places.

We drove the entire Transpantaneira highway south to Porto Jofre with several stops for birding along the way. We arrived mid-afternoon at the houseboat that would be home for the next three nights and headed out right away in a small boat to look for jaguars.

Before long, we found the beautiful Ti, a 9-year-old female, resting on the riverbank. Jaguars in the Porto Jofre area have been studied extensively and Alyson recognized all of them. The Jaguar Field Guide has a profile for each of the individuals observed most often. Jaguar spot patterns are unique like human fingerprints.

We also saw birds on the river. I loved the adorable little Pied Plovers.

Days on the river ended with spectacular sunsets.

The air on the river was a little smoky from the distant fires and the drive down the Transpantaneira had been dusty. As a result, I was coughing and feeling tired, so I decided to take the next day off and stay on the houseboat. I had not been expecting the fires. My vision of the Pantanal had been shaped mostly by John Grisham’s “The Testament” in which there was water everywhere. In hindsight, I suppose that a 25-year-old novel isn’t the best source of information. But, the Pantanal was wetter 25 years ago. Severe droughts in recent years along with deforestation and climate change have had a huge impact on the area. A few days later, The NY Times published a major article about the deadly toll on the wildlife of Brazil’s Pantanal from the fires, the worst on record since 1998. In 2024 alone, over 7,000 square miles of the Pantanal have burned.

I joined the group again on August 20 to cruise the river in our small boat. It was a great way to see birds like this Crane Hawk, a species that had been high on my wish list.

We also saw quite a few Jabirus along the riverbanks. In the photo below, note that the “small” black bird is a Black Vulture. These prehistoric-looking birds are nearly five feet tall and have an eight-foot wingspan.

Another bizarre bird of the Pantanal is the unique Boat-billed Heron.

Giant Otters are an endangered species with a current population of only 1,000 to 5,000 individuals in the wild. I was fascinated when we watched an otter aggressively chase off a caiman who tried to steal the fish that the otters were eating. The Giant Otter Project has interesting info on the otters.

We also saw several jaguars again that day including a very unhappy Patricia. That evening we heard her story. A large male jaguar tried to steal a caiman that Patricia had just caught. She successfully defended her much-needed food, but during the fight, her young cub disappeared. Speculation was that the male had killed the cub. We were all distraught and tears were shed that night for Patricia and her cub. The next day, we heard an update to the story. A tourist had taken a photo of Patricia with her cub that morning! Amazingly, the little cub had swum across the big river by himself to flee from the fight between his mother and the big male jaguar. Somehow Patricia had managed to find her baby. Is there anything more tenacious than a fierce mama jaguar?

Our three days on the river had been all we hoped for. After one last breakfast on the houseboat, we drove back north on the Transpantaneira highway towards South Wild Pantanal Lodge, where we would spend the last two days of our trip.

Many of the birds were the same species that we had seen earlier at Pousada Piuval, but some were new. In addition to the birds, I loved the other wildlife in the Pantanal including some of the smaller creatures. I was especially excited to see a Black Witch moth in the dining room at South Wild.

This little frog was in our bathroom. A sign explained that these are “toilet frogs” and they live there. It suggested calling a staff member to move a frog if you didn’t want to share your bathroom, but please don’t hurt them.

Jabirus were quite common; according to our eBird trip report, we saw 38 different individuals. This family built a nest atop a high tree right by the lodge.

The star of South Wild Pantanal is another big cat, an Ocelot, which is seen so reliably that South Wild “guarantees” a sighting. As you might expect, this is the result of feeding the Ocelot. However, no other lodge has been able to accomplish this feat. It was magical to watch this gorgeous creature leisurely come for food, go to the edge of the woods to patiently wait for more, and then come back to eat again, repeated three times.

Our Lifebird Tours trip ended the following morning. We got up early to drive north on the Transpantaneira and then to Cuiabá where we went in separate directions. Sherry flew to the Amazon for a week there, the others flew back to Sao Paulo for flights home, and I flew to Rio de Janeiro where my friend, Derek, would meet me for another week in the Atlantic Rain Forest. Sherry organized a great trip and Alyson Melo brilliantly guided us on this wonderful adventure.

For a complete list of all bird species observed and photographed, see the eBird trip report. For photos of other wildlife that I photographed on this part of my trip to Brazil, see my iNaturalist observations.

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Brazil 2024 Part 2a – Intro to the Pantanal

December 16, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

I can’t remember when the Pantanal of Brazil first came to my attention, but I’ve wanted to visit since I first heard about it. I think it sounded a bit romantic with jaguars and exotic birds. The reality was that and more with fascinating wildlife in a beautiful remote landscape.

Sherry’s Lifebird Tours group landed in Cuiabá mid-morning on August 16. We drove straight to our first lodge, Pousada Piuval, near the little town of Poconé at the northern end of the Pantanal. We started birding right away and the group saw 34 species of birds before we even ate lunch. A Cattle Tyrant foraged right at our feet as we entered the lodge and Yellow-billed Cardinals were abundant on the lodge grounds.

A little pond attracted capybaras, herons and egrets.

We explored the lodge property on our first outing later that afternoon. I had been looking forward to seeing Greater Rhea, the largest bird in South America (up to 65 pounds and 5 feet tall). These odd flightless birds employ an unusual breeding strategy. The male alone builds a nest and mates with several females who all lay their eggs in his nest. The male does all the incubation and then cares for the chicks for four to six months.

Another of my new favorite birds was Gray Monjita, a large attractive flycatcher.

Piping-Guans were big, odd-looking birds. We saw two species, White-throated Piping-Guan and Red-throated Piping-Guan. These birds confused me a bit. White-throated Piping-Guans can have either white or light blue skin on their necks. According to eBird, some individuals in the Pantanal have both blue and red and are most likely hybrids with Red-throated. However, I can’t find any photos in eBird of individuals identified as hybrids and I can find photos of both species with red and blue on their necks. After spending way too much time puzzling over this, I give up and I’m just going to enjoy the diversity of nature.

Our guide, Alyson Melo, is an expert on the Pantanal and he knows how to find birds and other wildlife. Just before 4:00 PM, he took us to a little pond where we spent about 20 minutes watching as birds came in for a drink. First was a Sunbittern followed by the beautiful Black-collared Hawk in the photo below. Other birds included a few Undulated Tinamous and Choco Chachalacas. An Azara’s Agouti came for a drink.

We drove around and saw a Black-fronted Nunbird and a Spot-backed Puffbird. Around 5:00 PM, we returned to the little pond for about half an hour. Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Bare-faced Curassow, and a Black-tailed Marmoset showed this time.

I thought that the female curassows were prettier than the males. In the photo below, the black male is in front of two females with their barred black-and-white uppersides and buffy bellies.

It was an incredible start to our time in the Pantanal. We had not even been there a full day and we had seen many fascinating birds and other animals.

On Saturday morning, August 17, we headed down the famous Transpantaneira, a 91-mile dirt road, which runs from Poconé to Porto Jofre. The mosaic of dry areas, marshes, and shallow pools alongside the road contribute to unparalleled wildlife viewing. In the hour and 20 minutes before we turned back for breakfast, we saw 48 species of birds.

A group favorite was this lovely Capped Heron.

After breakfast, we spent the rest of the day birding the vast property of Pousada Piuval. Its diverse habitats include patches of forest, open dry areas, and watering holes where over 500 species of birds have been observed.

A delightful surprise was this Red-legged Seriema that hopped right up onto our vehicle. Note the second bird on the ground and listen as they call to each other.

The Pantanal has many interesting creatures in addition to birds. We saw quite a few other animals including several Argentine Black-and-white Tegus. These huge lizards can grow to be over four feet long. They don’t look very friendly to me, so I was surprised to learn they are sometimes kept as pets. According to Wikipedia, “They are notable for their unusually high intelligence and can also be housebroken.” These lizards have escaped or been released into the wild in the Southeast US where they are considered to be an invasive species and threaten native wildlife.

We saw many birds that day and had another magical experience late in the afternoon as we sat watching a little watering hole for an hour. Alyson told us that other birders usually quickly check the pond and leave. He knew it was worth staying for a while and our patience was rewarded.

Who doesn’t love toucans? This big Toco Toucan was not only colorful, it seemed to have personality.

Next was the star of Pousada Piuval, Hyacinth Macaw, the world’s largest flying parrot. Its status was endangered for several years; in 2014 it was downlisted to vulnerable. That is still not a lot of birds; population estimates range from 3,000 to 7,000 individuals. The population decline in recent decades is mainly due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade. The sale of these spectacular parrots is no longer legal but previously fetched $10-15,000 for a single bird in the US.

Yellow-rumped Cacique was another sharp-looking bird at the little pond.

A little before 5:00 PM, we got really excited and quietly held our breath as a tapir came out of the woods. It took him a while to go for his first drink at the watering hole, but he stayed in our view for quite some time. We were thrilled with close views as several times he walked towards the woods and then came back for another drink.

We were still not done with birds at the little pond. An Orange-backed Troupial was another of my favorites. I love the bright orange color.

After leaving the magic pond, we had just enough light to see a few more birds. Another group favorite was these Campo Flickers.

It had been an amazing day! Appropriately, it ended with this beautiful Black-banded Owl.

There is just the beginning. Watch for more Pantanal adventures on this trip.

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Brazil 2024 Part 1 – Atlantic Rain Forest

November 27, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

Our group arrived at Hotel do Ypê on a rainy afternoon, August 10, 2024. We did not leave the hotel area that day, yet most of the birds were new to me and I got 24 “lifers.” I had been to South America before, Colombia and Ecuador, but southeast Brazil is far from where I’d been on those trips and on the opposite coast. Brazil has over 1,800 species of birds including nearly 250 that are endemic to the country. It was a great start to Sherry Lane’s Lifebird Tours trip and one that I had been looking forward to for over a year.

Green-headed Tanagers were small, colorful, and abundant around the hotel. This one was puffed up to stay warm in the cool afternoon.

Below, Mr. and Mrs. Ruby-crowned Tanager, another common species in this area. The male’s ruby crown is not always visible, but this guy shows it nicely.

Our first parrot of the trip was this lovely Blue-winged Macaw right on the hotel grounds.

Hotel do Ypê is snuggled inside Parque Nacional de Itatiaia, Brazil’s oldest national park, which is 3-4 hours northeast of São Paulo. This large park is in the Mantiqueira mountain range where elevations range from under 2,000 feet to nearly 10,000 feet. The lower part of the park, where the hotel is located, protects an important area of Atlantic rainforest. Five hundred years ago, the Atlantic Forest of Brazil comprised an area twice the size of Texas. Today, it is estimated that only 7 to 15 percent of the original forest remains. These remnants of the Atlantic Forest are extremely valuable; they host hundreds of species of plants and animals that occur nowhere else on Earth. Below, a view from Hotel do Ypê.

The next day we explored the lower part of the park where we saw beauties like this Surucua Trogon.

And, this Red-breasted Toucan.

In addition to the spectacular big birds like those above, we also saw many small birds. I even managed a photo of this tiny bird of forest undergrowth, a cute little White-throated Spadebill.

On our last day in the park, the group went to the upper part of the park to seek birds that only occur in the rocky high-altitude grasslands. It would be cold at the higher elevation and I had not brought enough cold weather gear. I was also worried about the cold triggering my asthma, so I stayed around the hotel and enjoyed my time there. Here are some of the birds I enjoyed photographing. Click any photo in the gallery for an enlarged view.

Blue Dacnis
Golden-chevroned Tanager
Chestnut-bellied Euphonia
Saffron Finch

Early on Tuesday morning, August 13, we said goodbye to beautiful Itatiaia National Park and turned south towards Ubatuba on the coast. We arrived at our first stop later than planned and I struggled birding the dark forest along the road, but our next and last stop of the day at Sítio Folha Seca made up for it.

Some of the birds there were common like this Green Honeycreeper, but I don’t think that I’ll ever tire of seeing these gorgeous birds.

The real stars of Sítio Folha Seca are the hummingbirds. It is one of the best places in Ubatuba for these little winged jewels and our group saw ten species; six of those were life birds for me. All of the photos below were taken that afternoon.

Festive Coquette
White-chinned Sapphire
Glittering-throated Emerald
Brazilian Ruby
Violet-capped Woodnymph
Saw-billed Hermit

Sítio Folha Seca has much more than hummingbirds, though. Three of the tanagers that we saw there were also life birds for me. One was this Brazilian Tanager, a group favorite.

I also saw my first Red-necked Tanager, another stunner, at Sítio Folha Seca.

Ubatuba is very popular with birders and nearly all birding tours to southeast Brazil include time in the area.

On the 14th, we continued to bird around Ubatuba and I got 12 more life birds ranging from Swallow-tailed Hummingbird to Green-backed Trogon, Channel-billed Toucan, and Yellow-fronted Woodpecker.

That day I also got my life Blue-naped Chlorophonia, a bird that is a member of one of my favorite genera. I promise to share a photo in a later post about my trip to Brazil.

Left, our group birding in Ubatuba.

As expected in the forest, we also saw small, skulky birds. I was pleased that I actually got photos of a Scaled Antbird.

We spent the afternoon of August 14 at Ninho Da Cambacica, another wonderful little ecolodge with bird feeders and trails on the property. Below, our group with the owners of Ninho Da Cambacica. This was our last birding with Atlantic Forest bird guide, Lucas (kneeling in center below). Lucas had found some great birds for us and it had been fun to spend time with him. We would miss his smile and enthusiasm. Alyson Melo (on the left), our lead guide, would continue on the trip with us.

On August 15, our last day before heading to the Pantanal, we visited Sítio Macuquinho, my favorite place on this part of the trip. The feeders attracted several species of hummingbirds and tanagers, but my favorite birds may have been the Red-and-white Crakes we viewed from one of the trails on the property.

But, that wasn’t all. We had close-up views of a White-breasted Tapaculo eating worms on a log by the side of the road. These normally shy and difficult-to-see birds were found for us by the amazing Elvis Japão, bird guide and owner of Sítio Macuquinho. He also found two Marsh Antwrens for the group, but I just couldn’t find them in the thick marsh vegetation. I didn’t feel quite too bad about missing them after noting “usually very hard to see” in the description in eBird. Another wonderful bird that Elvis found for us was a singing Bare-throated Bellbird, a bird that our entire group was thrilled to see and hear.

All too soon, it was time to head to Sao Paulo for the night and our flight to Cuiabá the next morning. Amazing birds and exciting adventures awaited us in the Pantanal of Brazil.

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India 2023 – Back to Bangalore (Part 4 of 4)

July 1, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

If you follow my blog and read posts as they are published, you may be confused. Didn’t I just get back from Turkey and Mongolia? Yes, I did. However, I want to finish the story of my month-long trip to India last fall to visit my friend Linda before I share my latest adventures.

Linda is an American currently living in India because her husband is working there. During our month together, we made trips to Coorg and the Andaman Islands.

We also spent time at Linda’s home south of Bangalore. In many ways, that was the best part of the trip. It is a priviledge to stay with someone living in another country instead of visiting as a typical tourist. I loved walking in Linda’s neighborhood, meeting her friends (of all nationalities), and eating at her favorite restaurants.

We returned from the Andaman Islands on Wednesday evening, December 20. With only a few days to go, we wanted to visit all of the local lakes one more time. First was Huskur Kere on Thursday afternoon. It was interesting to see the differences in the bird life in the three weeks since my first visit there. Rosy Starling had been a life bird for me on November 27, just a single bird in Linda’s housing community. Now we estimated a hundred of them at Huskur Lake. There were also more Common Mynas than I had ever seen at one time, about fifty individuals.

We didn’t see anything unusual that afternoon, but I enjoyed the common birds. A quick check of eBird indicates that I’ve reported Spotted Dove 54 times, but I’m still not tired of them. I love the sweet face of the dove in the photo below.

Indians are very friendly and everyone wants to talk to Linda. These boys were interested in what we were doing and appeared to be fascinated by the photos of birds that Linda showed them.

I was pleased that I was finally able to get a photo of a Three-striped Palm Squirrel that afternoon. I had seen quite a few since my arrival in India, but they are quick and don’t usually hold still.

The path around Huskur Lake was multi-purpose – birding, running, walking your cows.

Mary, Linda’s maid, made a beaufiful rangoli for Christmas that greeted us outside Linda’s door each time we returned from an outing that week.

Linda and I had found 16 birds during the first week of my trip that were life birds for me, but it was getting difficult to find new species by the last week. I found my last life bird, a Booted Warbler, on Friday morning at Muthanallur Kere.

On Saturday morning we made our last visit to Saul Kere, perhaps the best birding location in the area south of Bangalore. Another previously skulky bird finally coorperated for a photo, an Ashy Prinia.

The most common wagtail in Linda’s area is White-browed Wagtail; we had close views of them at Saul Kere. I think they are sharp-looking birds even if they do hang out with trash (making me closely crop the photo below).

A highight that morning was watching kites, two Brahminy Kites, several Black Kites, and this gorgeous Black-winged Kite. It looks very similar to the White-tailed Kite of the Americas and for a few years they were considered to be one species.

Linda and I both enjoy all living creatures and we had fun photographing butterflies. After living in India for two years, they were all familiar to Linda, but most were new to me. One of my new favorites was the colorful black, white, orange, and yellow Common Jezebel. I also thought the Pea Blue and Dingy Bushbrown were beautiful in a more subtle way. Click on any of the photos in the gallery below for a larger view.

We enjoyed the lakes, but Linda had great birds right in her housing community, Nambiar Bellezea, where I took this portrait of a lovely female Pied Bushchat.

Below, a Large-billed Crow showing off in the neighborhood.

December 24 was my last day with Linda and we enjoyed one last visit to the lake behind her housing community. The Indian Spot-billed Ducks swam close to us that afternoon as if allowing me to say goodbye.

My trip was book-ended by Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had much to be grateful for as Christmas approached just as I had at Thanksgiving. It’s can’t be easy having a house guest for over a month, yet Linda had been a gracious and generous host. I am also grateful to Linda for going on her first real birding trips to Coorg and the Andaman Islands with me. I can’t imagine better gifts than those I had just received – friendship, travel, adventure, beautiful birds and wildlife.

Merry Christmas from the Benguluru airport Starbucks.

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India 2023 – Andaman Endemics (Part 3b of 4)

May 5, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

eBird lists 288 species of birds for South Andaman, the island that Linda and I birded with Shakti Vel, one of the top birding guides on the islands. That includes resident birds, migrants, and rare vagrants. Twenty species are endemic to Andaman Island (fifteen only on Andaman and another five on both Andaman and Nicobar). Some of the same geographic factors that contribute to this high level of endemism also make many of these birds vulnerable to extinction. Four Andaman endemic birds are globally vulnerable and another three species are near-threatened. This page on Threatened Endemic Birds of Andaman & Nicobar provides a short and interesting discussion of island biodiversity.

Below, the Andaman Scops-Owl that we would see later in the week.

On our first birding adventure with Shakti, we visited Chidyatapu Biological Park, a beautiful park that quickly became my favorite spot on the island. I got five life birds that afternoon including the showy Andaman Shama below.

We went owling that evening and I got three more life birds. Six of my eight life birds the first day were Andaman endemic species.

The next morning, we went to a spot near the little village of Chidiya Tapu, which appropriately means “bird island” in Hindi. More life birds were quickly added to our lists. One of my favorites was not an endemic, but this beautiful female Violet Cuckoo.

The Andaman Treepie, however, was another endemic species.

This cute little Andaman Flowerpecker was also an endemic.

Next it was off to Ograbraj Wetland to look for Andaman Teal. I was sorely disappointed when we arrived as I had expected (OK, wanted) to be closer. But we carefully made our way along the edge of the water and ended up getting fairly good looks at the teal.

We ended our second day with night birding again and a lifer Andaman Nightjar.

On day three, December 17, we started birding at Kalatang. We spent a long time quietly sitting in the car (using it as a blind) waiting for Andaman Crake, a shy, skulky bird that I very much wanted to see.

It was quite a long wait and although I tried to stay focused, this White-throated Kingfisher that frequently perched close by distracted me just a bit.

Our patience was finally rewarded when this gorgeous Andaman Crake walked just a few feet from the car!

We spent the afternoon at Chidyatapu Biological Park where we had good looks at an Andaman Serpent-Eagle.

The park is near Chidiya Tapu Beach, a lovely spot that we stopped at several times during the week to watch the sunset in between afternoon and night birding. Linda took the beautiful photos below.

On Monday morning, we went back to Kalatang where the Andaman Cuckooshrike continued to evade us. However, we saw many other nice birds including a Ruddy Kingfisher. Later, at Garacharma Wetlands, we saw a distant Blue-eared Kingfisher as well as lots of shorebirds, a Japanese Sparrowhawk, and a Yellow Bittern. The day ended with a great view of an Andaman Masked-Owl.

Each day, we drove along the coast to and from the Rainforest Resort where we stayed. These cows were on the beach several times. We had fun trying to guess what they were thinking. “Oh, it’s just nice to have an afternoon stroll on the beach”?

Soon it was our last day with Shakti. It was not a big day for life birds as we already had most of what was possible. Regardless, it was a very interesting and fun day. We went to a different area in the morning, Bichdera, where we saw quite a few birds including about a dozen Red-breasted Parakeets. These are very common birds in the Andamans and we saw them almost every day, but here we saw a pair mating! Linda’s photo below.

In the afternoon, we birded near Chidiya Tapu again. Freckle-breasted Woodpecker had been a life bird on 16th and we saw one again the next day. Finally, with the third sighting, I got photos.

We said goodbye to Shakti and Pradeep, our wonderful driver. Shakti found 18 of the 20 endemics for us, missing only Andaman Wood-Pigeon and Andaman Cuckooshrike. We definitely recommend Shakti Vel for guiding on the Andaman Islands. For more information and to contact Shakti, see his website, Tribesmen.

I can’t sum up the last few days better than Linda did in her Facebook post quoted below.

“Time to be MOOOving on…Our birding trip here in the Andaman Islands finished today. Tomorrow we return to Bangalore. I have no idea exactly how many birds I saw, but it was a LOT! For now, here’s a friendly cow to whom I gave some stale gluten-free bread today, she was quite happy with it! Shelley gave some of her leftovers to some hungry pups.”

We were not quite done with the Andaman Islands yet, though, as we had a few hours the following morning before our flight. The Rainforest Resort was close to the sea, so we leisurely walked down to see what we could find. Fiddler crabs! Linda had especially wanted to find them, so we were pleased. Friendly goats and butterflies also contributed to the fun morning.

On the way back to the lodge, we passed a little area with water and mangroves. I looked carefully and saw a Striated Heron. It quickly disappeared and as I was trying to find it again, I spied this bird, a Slaty-breasted Rail. I was thrilled as nothing is more satisfying for me than finding my own life bird. Even though it’s not an Andaman endemic, it was the perfect end to our time in the Andaman Islands.

I had a few more days with Linda in Bangalore before my trip was over and I want to write about that, but I’m out of time for now. I’m heading off to Turkey and Mongolia later this week. Watch for a wrap-up of my month in India in a few weeks.

For a list of all the avian species that we saw in the Andaman Islands, see our eBird trip report. For our iNaturalist observations, see Shelley’s here and Linda’s observations here.

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India 2023 – Andaman Islands (Part 3a of 4)

April 30, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

The Andaman Islands first came to my attention when playing Fantasy Birding. If you want to get a large vitual life list in the game, spending time in the Andamans is a must. Due to their geographic isolation over millions of years, numerous endemic species of flora and fauna have evolved on the islands, including some wonderful birds. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are part of an archipelago consisting of somewhere between 200 and 572 islands (sources vary) located between the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Andaman Sea to the east. Most of the Andaman Islands are a territory of India, but they are geographically much closer to Myanmar. A few of the islands are home to indigenous tribes that live as they have for thousands of years and those particular islands are off-limits to visitors. Birders most often stay in Port Blair on South Andaman, the largest island in the group. Below, Linda’s photo of our arrival in the Andamans.

Linda and I had decided to spend a few days on Havelock Island before meeting our birding guide on South Andaman. Due to flight and ferry schedules, we spent our first night, December 11, in Port Blair. After getting settled in at our hotel, we headed out to a nearby beach, Corbyn’s Cove. We were disappointed to see a lot of trash on the beach, but it also had shells, many occupied by hermit crabs, and we watched the sunset. We also got our first life bird of the trip, Pacific Reef-Heron.

The next morning, we took the ferry to Havelock Island, our home for the next three nights. Almost immediately, we had two more life birds, Ornate Sunbird (male in photo below) and Red-breasted Parakeet.

We spent our first afternoon on Havelock at Radhanagar Beach and we enjoyed the wildlife there – more hermit crabs! One of our favorites below, a Tawny Hermit Crab.

We were fascinated by large areas of the beach covered with intricate designs. Here’s a close up of one small part. After doing a little research, we learned that this beautiful sand art is made by Sand Bubbler Crabs, a family consisting of 29 species of crabs. They range from the coast of Eastern Africa across nearly all of Asia’s coasts to Australia.

If you want to learn more about these fascinating little crabs, watch the informative and cute video below.

Our first full day in the Andaman Islands ended with a beautiful sunset at Radhanagar Beach.

On the 13th, we went to Kalapather Beach in both the morning and evening. We liked it so much that we went back one more time on December 14.

We enjoyed the wildlife on the beach and the trails. A sampling is below, Andaman Viscount and Indian Wanderer butterflies, a bee fly, and a Brown Land Crab. The bee fly is in the genus Ligyra, but we will probably never know the species. If you are a nature nerd, there are some interesting comments from experts on my iNaturalist observation of this little insect.

Andaman Viscount
Indian Wanderer
Ligyra
Brown Land Crab

Our walks on the beach were usually accompanied by dogs. They don’t seem to belong to anyone, but most are sweet and very friendly. They especially loved Linda; the photo of her with the pup in her lap was typical. Linda shared the photo on the right on Facebook with the comment, “I think the one in the tide pool has the right idea! It’s really HOT here!” Oh, I didn’t complain about the heat yet? Well, it was sweltering most of the time, really the only thing that kept this part of our trip from being perfect.

We continued to find our own life birds, adding to our lists with a White-bellied Sea-Eagle and a Collared Kingfisher on Kalapather Beach.

Back at the Park Resort where we stayed, we enjoyed sitting by the little pond. In the photo below, I was trying (unsuccessfully) to photograph the Plume-toed Swiftlets flying over the water. Our three days on Havelock Island had been a great introduction to the Andaman Islands. It was now time to get ready for some serious birding.

On Friday morning, December 15, we took the ferry back to Port Blair. We were met by our driver for the next few days and whisked off to the lovely Rainforest Resort. I had to cool off with a cold coffee with ice cream before meeting our guide, Shakti Vel, and starting the second phase of our Andaman Islands adventure.

Shakti is one of the best guides in Andaman. Watch for my next post to see the fascinating birds that he will find for us.

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India 2023 – Coorg (Part 2b of 4)

April 21, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

December 3 was a long and wonderful day that included a safari and some of my favorite birds of the trip. We spent the morning birding near Nagarahole National Park and I got my life Flame-throated Bulbul, a beautiful bird that Bopanna had promised me when we were planning the trip.

I also got my life White-bellied Treepie that morning. I have loved treepies ever since a Rufous Treepie ate from my hand. For that story, see Northern India 2014 (Part 1 of 2). The photo is near the end of the post. White-bellied Treepies are much more shy than Rufous Treepies and I was was not able to get a photo of my lifer. I took the photo below two days later when we were lucky to see this captivating species again.

Crimson-backed Sunbirds were the most cooperative species of the day and I was very happy to watch about half a dozen of these colorful birds as they fed in the vegetation near me. Their irridescence reminds me of our hummingbirds of the Western Hemisphere as they appear to change color in response to the light.

Later that morning, we spent a little time at a shallow river with large rocks that allowed us to walk out into the river. We decided that it was the perfect place for our trip group photo. I will always remember that serene and beautiful spot.

We had lunch at Devi villa, a lovely homestay near Nagarahole National Park. We enjoyed watching birds in the yard from the dining area. An adorable Vernal Hanging Parrot conveniently perched atop a closeby tree. Why is it called a hanging parrot? Because it has the unique ability to sleep upside down. There are 13 species of these tiny 5-1/2 inch green birds, all found in southeast Asia.

We were also treated to good views of a pretty Golden-fronted Leafbird in the lush yard.

A young English woman traveling alone was another guest at the homestay, so we invited her to sit with us for lunch. We enjoyed interesting conversation about everything from her desire to see wild tigers to Mongolia (she has been, I have a trip scheduled). After lunch, Bopanna picked some lychee fruits for our new friend that she wanted very much.

Our afternoon safari at Nagarahole National Park was a lot of fun. The mad dashes in an open jeep on dirt roads did not result in the tiger sighting that everyone wanted, but a safari wouldn’t be the same if the drivers didn’t try. We saw other animals including one of my favorites, Indian Spotted Deer (Chital), and Sri Lankan Sambar Deer.

Indian Spotted Deer
Sambar Deer

We saw many elephants of all sizes and ages on the safari. Here’s a big guy with some nice tusks.

We saw birds, too. The Crested subspecies of Changeable Hawk-Eagle was especially nice to see. I had seen the “Changeable” subspecies in 2014, so this was not a life bird, but a new subspecies.

The sunset was beautiful as we left the park, a fitting end to a wonderful day.

I got six more life birds on December 4 and we continued to enjoy birding from our little balcony. The Malabar Gray Hornbill below was just across the street.

The Jungle Palm Squirrel in the yard below our balcony had entertained us all week and it finally held still long enough for me to get a photo.

Our last day of birding with Bopanna on December 5 arrived much too quickly. In addition to four more life birds, a highlight that day was another Indian Giant Squirrel. We had seen one on the safari at Nagarahole NP a few days earlier, but this one was slightly more cooperative. I became fascinated with giant squirrels when I first saw a Black Giant Squirrel in China a few years ago, but it was so shy and quick that I didn’t get any photo at all. With this Indian Giant Squirrel, you can actually get an idea of what it looks like if you put my two photos together.

My last life bird in Coorg was Dark-fronted Babbler, a very skulky bird that took significant time and effort for me to see. This brought my total number of life birds for the week to 52, an impressive number I thought because this was not my first trip to India. Also, Linda and I had found 16 life birds for me on our own the week before near her home south of Bangalore. Bopanna was able to help me see so many birds because of his intimate knowledge of the area and its birdlife. Every day, he had me generate a new eBird target list which he used to decide which birds to look for and where to search for them.

On our last afternoon, there were no more reasonable target birds, so Bopanna gave us some time to enjoy and photograph butterflies. Millions of butterflies of several species migrate to the Western Ghats every winter. It was spell-binding to see plants covered in these beautiful winged creatures.

The most numerous species was also my favorite – Dark Blue Tiger Butterfly. Below is a close-up view.

The Coorg district of the Western Ghats is a wonderful location for birding and nature watching amidst coffee plantations and sacred forests with wonderful landscape every direction you look. I highly recommend a trip to the area with guiding by Bopanna Pattada. See his website, Bangalore Birding, for more information.

Our eBird Trip Report provides a listing of all species seen and all photographs by Linda and me.

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India 2023 – Coorg (Part 2a of 4)

April 15, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

The Western Ghats is a vast mountain range that stretches nearly 1,000 miles along the western coast of the Indian peninsula, spanning six states. These ancient mountains, older than the Himalayas, are a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. They are home to over 9,000 species of plants, more than 500 species of birds, and numerous mammals and other animals. Sixteen bird species are endemic to the Western Ghats, and an equal number of species are most easily found there.

When Linda and I were planning my visit, we knew that we wanted to spend time in the Western Ghats. After exploring several options, we decided to hire Bopanna Pattada, one of the area’s top guides, for a week of birding in Coorg, where all of the endemic birds of the Western Ghats occur. Coorg, also known as Kodagu which means “dense hilly country,” is located on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. It is one of the nicest and coolest places that is easily accessible from Bangalore.

On November 29, we traveled to Mysore, where we enjoyed a pleasant and quiet afternoon at a nice little resort on the Kaveri River. It was the first day since my arrival in India that I did not get a life bird, but we enjoyed watching crows, cormorants, egrets, and a proud male peacock atop a big rock by the river.

Bopanna picked us up early the next morning and we started birding right away as we slowly made our way west. Linda photographed the Asian Openbill below at our first birding stop.

At our next stop, we were happy to see the beautiful Blue-tailed Bee-eater below. Linda and I both love the colorful and fascinating bee-eaters. They really do eat bees and other flying insects, catching them mid-flight and then smacking them on a branch to stun the insect and remove the stinger and toxins. Bee-eaters breed in large colonies and most species have nest “helpers” (offspring or other close relatives) who assist the parents with feeding and other duties. The San Diego Zoo provides fascinating facts about their life histories here.

I had seen a Blue-tailed Bee-eater in 2014, but I got ten other “lifers” that day including the Orange Minivet below.

We also saw several wild elephants as we drove the main road through Nagarhole National Park.

The latest elephant census in Coorg estimated 1,103 wild individuals. I was excited to see the elephants, but I quickly learned that Kodagu’s people live in constant fear of elephant encounters, and several people are killed in these encounters each year. Efforts to improve the dangerous situation for both the local people and the elephants are on-going. Bopanna was constantly alert, listening for the presence of elephants nearby, and several times told us to get to the car as quickly as possible.

We also saw Bonnet Macaques while driving through the park. The one below was part of a group enjoying the offerings left at a small Hindu Temple.

That evening we settled in at our home for the week, the entire upstairs floor of a nice little house. We each had our own bedroom as well as two full baths, a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The best part was a lovely balcony where we spent several happy hours during the week watching birds in the trees right in the yard and across the street.

The next morning, December 1, we visited a coffee plantation. Coorg produces 40% of the country’s coffee crop, which is mostly grown under a native canopy. The coffee plantations were beautiful and full of birds. I really enjoyed the delicious coffee during our trip and I bought a pound of it to bring home.

Many of the endemics of the Western Ghats have Malabar in their names. Below, my life Malabar Flameback, distinguished from the similar Black-rumped Flameback mostly by a slightly different pattern on the face.

The day ended with one of the most amazing experiences of trip, the three of us sitting hidden in the woods by a little pond at dusk. Bopanna spotted an Indian Pitta in the trees, and then other birds slowly appeared at the water’s edge. Orange-headed Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Puff-throated Babbler, Blue-throated Flycatcher, and a few others came for a bedtime drink and bath. It was a “magic moment,” one of those almost spiritual experiences when it feels like the birds allow you to be a part of their world for a short time.

Indian Pitta
Orange-headed Thrush
Indian Blue Robin
Malabar Whistling Thrush

Saturday, December 2, started at Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary with a Crested Serpent-Eagle.

Next at the sanctuary, Linda and I both saw our lifer Chestnut-headed Bee-eater. We did some birding at another location and then went back to our home for the week for a mid-day break where Linda made the gorgeous entry below in her nature journal.

We still have three more days of birding with Bopanna in Coorg. Part 2b coming soon.

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India 2023 – Best Welcome Ever (Part 1 of 4)

April 5, 2024 by Shelley Rutkin

The smiling faces of my friend, Linda, and her maid, Mary, greeted me at Linda’s door on Wednesday, November 22. The design on the doorstep is the beautiful rangoli that Mary made to welcome me to India.

My first two flights had been rescheduled, but, miraculously, I made my originally scheduled flight from Doha to Bangalore and arrived at 2:30 AM after leaving home almost two days earlier. My bags did not fare so well. However, my binoculars and camera were in my carry-on bag, so we went birding in Linda’s neighborhood. I got a life bird on that first day, a Brahminy Kite. I was so excited and I would soon learn that these gorgeous birds are everywhere in this part of India.

In the area south of Bangalore where Linda lives, birding is mostly on trails around lakes. The day after my arrival, we went to Saul Kere (kere means lake), perhaps the most popular nearby birding hotspot. It was Thanksgiving and I had much to be grateful for – being in India with Linda, getting my luggage back, and my lifer Spot-billed Pelican and White-cheeked Barbet.

I had seen Asian Green Bee-eater twice on my trip to India in 2014, but I didn’t really remember. On this trip, we saw them a dozen times and they were some of the most cooperative birds for photos. I don’t think that I will forget these charming little birds now!

On Friday, we went to another close by lake, Muthanallur Kere. One of my life birds here was the secretive Blue-faced Malkoha pictured below. Many of the birds in India were challenging (or impossible) to see well. One reason is that there are no bird feeders or blinds where skulky birds are fed as in South America or other parts of Asia. We were told that bird feeding is illegal in India, but I could not verify that information.

Below, the temple at Muthanallur Kere. Temples are everywhere in India, many similar to this one and many much smaller. This temple is on the edge of the lake near agricultural fields, a quiet and meditative location.

On Saturday morning, I walked to Linda’s lake by myself early in the morning. I was happy with my life bird of the day, a Small Minivet (photo below). Linda was happy for me and also happy to have a new bird for her Nature in Bellezea iNaturalist project.

We spent most of the day enjoying the celebration of Karnataka Rajyotsava (also known as Karnataka State Day). So much fun!

The next day was our eagerly anticipated trip to the Valley School, perhaps the most popular birding hotspot in Bangalore. The only way to get in is with the local birding group and Linda had signed us up far in advance. I really enjoyed meeting Linda’s Indian birding friends, but the actual birding was slightly disappointing to me. Someone said that it didn’t seem as birdy as usual, but it could also have been that I just missed too many birds. I got great looks at the Yellow-billed Babblers, though, life birds for me along with a Spot-breasted Fantail.

Bats and beer ended our day on Sunday at Forty Six Ounces, a micro-brewery in Electronic City, Bangalore. It was amazing to watch 25-30 Black Kites swirling overhead as Indian Flying Foxes slowly replaced them in the night sky. I enjoyed one of the few beers that I drank during my trip, the lovely outdoor dinner, the perfect weather, and Linda’s and Jim’s company.

On Monday, we went to another close by lake, Huskur Kere, where I got another life bird, Jerdon’s Bushlark. Linda spotted the bird that she had learned on an earlier trip here with the nature/birding group. I would have either missed it entirely or not recognized it.

There were always goats at Huskur Kere!

Linda did a great job planning our time during my trip. The first week was perfect to give me an introduction to the area where she lives and get over jet lag. The next day we would leave for Mysore and part two of our adventure – a week in Coorg with the amazing guide, Bopanna Pattada. So, on Tuesday, November 28, we just birded around Linda’s housing community, Nambiar Bellezea, and the adjacent lake. Yet I still got life birds that day as I had every day so far. Below, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, one of my 16 life birds that week.

Linda and I both love all living things and we had fun seeing and photographing lizards, butterflies, and all the other creatures that we could find. Below, two common species in Linda’s community, an Oriental Garden Lizard and an Angled Castor butterfly.

Watch for part 2 when we will have a wonderful adventure and see many endemic birds of the western ghats.

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