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Goa Winter 2017 - 2018 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mark Newsome
- Start date
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
We weren't staying there Jeanie, so I'm not familiar with the various uses. The breakfast area might well have been it. We got there by coming into the hotel grounds from the main access, walking along to turn left at the swimming pool, then alongside the swimming pool to turn left again into a corner at the end of the pool. There was a group of bamboos in a confined area next to a door and the guard there seemed to know what we were looking for and was used to visitors, because he showed us where they (2 of them) normally sat after saying 'they aren't there today'. It was a regular perch, but not always occupied (Jan/Feb 2016)
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
A full review of the birds of Goa has been undertaken by Pronoy Baidya & Mandar Bhagat, and the paper/checklist has just been published in Indian Birds. A great read and fantastic background work by the authors.
Available here: http://www.indianbirds.in/
This issue also has a feature on the first fully documented Baltic Gull for Goa.
Mark
Available here: http://www.indianbirds.in/
This issue also has a feature on the first fully documented Baltic Gull for Goa.
Mark
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Thanks Jeanie. I'll be looking out for them
we had the scops owl several weeks ago,viewed from the left hand side of the bamboo,i was expecting them to be in the thick stuff in the middle of the bamboo,but instead it was out in the open,look up:eek!:
Jeanie
Jeanie with one n.
Just returned from a trip to Solapur. Last sighting of the Indian Bustard was in November. Nevertheless did some good birding on the way. River Terns and Grey-necked buntings were amongst the highlights.
Back in Goa had some good birds on lower Baga Hill. Blue faced Malkoha and Treepie amongst a load of good stuff. Did the walk to Nilaya hotel which is the road just before St Francis school. This is a favourite place of ours to bird.Highlights were leaf birds, Iora and shikra. Got back to the hotel about 10.45 and finally saw the scops owls. Still lots to see in Arpora.
Back in Goa had some good birds on lower Baga Hill. Blue faced Malkoha and Treepie amongst a load of good stuff. Did the walk to Nilaya hotel which is the road just before St Francis school. This is a favourite place of ours to bird.Highlights were leaf birds, Iora and shikra. Got back to the hotel about 10.45 and finally saw the scops owls. Still lots to see in Arpora.
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
An adult Black-legged Kittiwake has been seen and photographed at Morjim a few days ago (not sure whether still there). 13 years (almost to do the day) since the first in Goa, also at Morjim. At least a couple of other records in Goa in the last few years, quite remarkable for such a rare bird in the subcontinent.
Mark
Mark
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
I finally caught up with the Oriental Scops Owls at Marinha Dourada today after dipping them in 2016. Thanks to John and Sandra who told me they were still there and to Lloyd for allowing me the time for a quick pop-in to look for them on the way back from Morjim/Siolim.
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
Oriental Scops? You mean Indian Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena)?
An adult type Eastern Imperial Eagle was photo'd at Socorro Plateau yesterday; very few sightings in Goa. Also recently, Avocet and Streaked Weavers at Carambolim.
Mark
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Oops.
Edit. We’re off to Socorro tomorrow. I’ll keep my eyes to the sky. No eagles at all today at Carambolim, just kites, marsh harriers, an osprey and a shikra chasing a golden oriole.
And a whacking great mugger crocodile that swam past us on the surface about 40 yards out not long after we got there.
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Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Yellow bittern and painted snipe from the tower at Carambolim this morning. Well done Lloyd Fernandes who spotted them both.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
The photo of the reported imperial eagle consists only of the profile of the head of the bird as it sat on the ground with its body obscured from the neck down by vegetation. Doubt has been cast as to the identity.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
I visited Baga Fields this morning, being dropped off at Baga bridge to access the area from the track south of the bridge..
When I first went there three years ago the path was being upgraded into a full width dirt road to access the new water treatment plant that had just started construction. The plant at that time was a big hole in the ground with some peripheral construction. There were bushes intact all along the approach path and the track running north between the fields to Baga River.
A year later, in 2016 it was pretty much the same, but the building work was progressing and the dirt road was completed. The bushes at the intersection of the road and the northward track were still there, hosting pied bushchat et al. I found a wryneck and three bluethroats in the bushes alongside both tracks.
Today it was all change. The waterworks is still under construction, but the access road appears to have encouraged access for other developments. Some of the bushes alongside it have been destroyed, but the major damage is from the crossing of the old paths just in front of the works. The old path northwards towards the fields and the river has been ‘improved’ and some of the bushes have been grubbed out. About 6 or 7 agricultural dwellings, residential developments and other buildings have been built and more are under construction. The track has a regular stream of scooters where before there was only foot traffic. The future doesn’t look good for Baga Fields.
When I first went there three years ago the path was being upgraded into a full width dirt road to access the new water treatment plant that had just started construction. The plant at that time was a big hole in the ground with some peripheral construction. There were bushes intact all along the approach path and the track running north between the fields to Baga River.
A year later, in 2016 it was pretty much the same, but the building work was progressing and the dirt road was completed. The bushes at the intersection of the road and the northward track were still there, hosting pied bushchat et al. I found a wryneck and three bluethroats in the bushes alongside both tracks.
Today it was all change. The waterworks is still under construction, but the access road appears to have encouraged access for other developments. Some of the bushes alongside it have been destroyed, but the major damage is from the crossing of the old paths just in front of the works. The old path northwards towards the fields and the river has been ‘improved’ and some of the bushes have been grubbed out. About 6 or 7 agricultural dwellings, residential developments and other buildings have been built and more are under construction. The track has a regular stream of scooters where before there was only foot traffic. The future doesn’t look good for Baga Fields.
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Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
We spent the morning at Fort Aguada. It was excellent after the crowds and mayhem of last Friday’s public holiday.
Juvenile grey-bellied cuckoo, three brown capped pygmy woodpeckers, a female black-winged cuckooshrike were amongst the stars, plus puff-throated babbler, brown-cheeked fulveta, orange-headed thrush, paradise flycatcher and Tickell’s blue flycatcher all in a tiny glade in the wood just next to the Marbella guest house where the track from the headland comes down to meet the road to Candolim. If i’m not back there tomorrow, I’ll be back on Friday. It’s a top spot.
Jeanie
Jeanie with one n.
Went to Arpora forest this morning. Rumours of its demise are exaggerated. The walk to the quarry is clearly marked. The walk further on is a bit more overgrown but easily accessible.
We retraced our steps and took the path further into the forest till it brings you to the fields which have been burnt. We crossed the fields and got on to the road which if you turn right gets you the Anjuna road. Plenty of birds about.
We retraced our steps and took the path further into the forest till it brings you to the fields which have been burnt. We crossed the fields and got on to the road which if you turn right gets you the Anjuna road. Plenty of birds about.
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
That is real shame. It used to be such a hugely productive unpopulated area where you could just wander around for hours undisturbed. Full of birds. I remember on my first one or two trips, I saw Jungle Cat, Golden Jackal and Indian Grey Mongoose as well as the birds. Leopards were reported on nearby Baga Hill too. So much has changed in that area now.
Mark
