Birding in East India, asking advice. (1 Viewer)

Hi everybody,
Next week I'm going to start a five weeks trip stating in Sri Lanka, crossing to Tamil Nadu and Northwards until Darjeeling. In advance, my biggest expectations are in Chilika Lake and Sunderbans. Every sugestion will be welcome, specially those wich were related with excellent birdwatching guides.Unluckily, my experience has been disapointed in this point. Although in Keoladeo it was even possible to hire a B&Lomb spotting scope there must be the exception.
Thanks in advance.

Hi Fernanado

I visited both the Darjeeling area and Sri Lanka this year.... send me a PM if you have any questions

I have placed a report on the Darjeeling/Lava trip on this site somewhere!

I went to Chilka lake a few years ago. I organised a 1 day boat trip (with driver) on the lake and pretty much had the lake to myself. I was able to do this in the nearest town ,Puri, very cheaply via my hotel. You don't need an actual birding "guide" but you could ask around-one of the more upmarket travel agencies in Puri had some pretty good tours with an emphasis on wildlife in the region. Any lonely-planet type guidebook will have details of where to book this kind of stuff. I was an impoverished backpacker so I just did the lake. Puri is a bit of a dump (the beach is used as a public toilet)-you could probably stay at the lake itself. Puri seemed to be full of crusty German wannabe hare-krishna types smoking the local weed (legal because it's a holy hindu city). A weird place.

The boat trip was fantastic. Huge rafts of Ducks including thousands of Ruddy Shelduck.Lots of Waders, Herons and Raptors and a few Flamingoes. Bee-eater (various species) some kind of snake-eating Eagle......loads of good birds. Everywhere. Even a few dolphins around the boat too. And a mongoose ran in front of the car on the way I remember.

I went to Darjeeling too but can't remember much..........it was nice enough but not so many birds. Or maybe I didn't look hard enough. It has a pretty odd Zoo with Snow Leopards in it. And a nice cup of tea.

Hope this helps..........have a great time.

Hi Fernando,

Here's Tims report -

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=17530&highlight=lava

this thread also has some useful contacts and other webistes that may help. I'm envious, very envious, still haven't covered eastern India. Some brilliant birds in prospect. You'll have to let us all know how you do,

All the best