Bharatpur - Jan 2015

Welcomed 2015 with my first winter visit to the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur. The sightings in the park were a little obstructed by a think fog that hung around almost all morning. In fact, I had my best two sightings outside the park.

301. Sarus Crane (Grus antigone)
We had heard the calls of the Sarus crane during our safari in the park but hadn't been able to spot any. On the way back to Delhi we caught sight of a pair foraging in open farmland. Here's one of them

293. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

On the way to the park, we chanced upon a venue (I just learned that that's the name for a vulture collective) of Egyptian Vultures in a dumpyard on the border of UP and Haryana. 

Was happy with this shot of an adult in flight.

I thought I spotted another species of vulture, but my field guide quickly corrected me. This one is a juvenile of the Egyptian Vulture.

Next few are a series of low-quality pictures of water birds (all of them winter visitors)

302. Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) 

303. Eurasian teal or common teal (Anas crecca)

304. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

305. Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
(Original replaced by a picture from Halebid)

Finally the birds from the dry land

305. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera)

I call this the pigeon necklace

306. Large Grey Babbler (Turdoides malcolmi)

Thought hard before putting this one in the blog. Terrible quality pic.

240. White-tailed Lapwing or White-tailed Plover (Vanellus leucurus)

The rest of the pictures from the trip are here.