birding Delhi & Manali in july (1 Viewer)

[pluvialis34]

Hi all;

I've 2 transit days to spend in Delhi and 1-2 in Manali on my way & back to Leh.

Delhi: how are Sultanpur and Okhla at that time of the year? Other good spots or maybe better plans? Any good idea very welcome especially if accompanied with some details (eg travelling time from the Connaught Pl. area)

Manali: where to go birding in 1 or 2 days in early august? I've heard about the Manali Wildlife Sanctuary but nothing about direction to reach it. Other good places within 30mn / 1h taxi?

Does anyone own / know about decent & up to date checklists for these areas in summer?

Many thanks

 

[zachindia]

I'll let someone else speak about Manali. I've never been there. But I'll let you know about Delhi.

First off, July in Delhi is monsoon season. Although not as much rain as August, the month is very humid, and the later in the month you are the more rain is likely. Usually it will rain for a day or two and then won't for a few. It's kinda hit and miss.

Sultanpur and Okhla are great places to go. Though Sultanpur often closes in the breeding season here. Which is some point in the Monsoon.

As for the birds that are here: You won't get the palearctic migrants, but you will get all the natives. Many will be breeding and some (like bitterns) are easier to spot because they will be calling. I'll upload a pick of the checklist that Okhla provides. It's pretty accurate and it indicates whether they are migrant or not. I'd also check out: http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?lang=EN&p2=1&list=clements&synlang=&region=INnwde&version=text&lifelist=&highlight=0 for a complete list of the birds of Delhi area.

Another few places to consider: Basai is a wetland that is very near sultanpur. I reccomend it for people who plan to go to Sultanpur, but for whatever reasons Sultanpur is closed. Asola Wildlife Sanctuary is supposed to be one of the best for the drier ridge species, though I haven't been there yet. If I make it by there I'll let you know. Bhindawas is a great place, just a little harder to get to. If there are any places you'd like to go that I haven't mentioned, just shoot me a message. I'm always up for checking out a place for someone visiting! (it gives me a great excuse to explore a new location!)


Travel Times (in a taxi from CP, assuming you are leaving early morning around 6 am and return around 6 pm)
-Sultanpur/Basai: 1 hour there, 1.5 hours back (Sultanpur NP opens at 9:00)
-Okhla: about the same, maybe about 45 mins there, 1.5 hr back
-Asola: the same as Okhla, I think the park opens at 7:00
-Bhindawas: 1.5-2hr there, and 2-2.5 back.

If you want more info check out signature. There is more info there.

 

[lewis20126]

A good time of year to go for Bristled Grassbird. I saw in in a wetland SE of Delhi in late July 2014. Go in early morning before it gets too hot!

cheers, alan

 

[pluvialis34]

Hi;

Thank you both for your messages;

Zach: thanks for the detailed advice; do you know about places for reasonable birding within Delhi as well? I'll have 1 full day to visit one of the spots you mention but not sure about how much time I'll have the second, I may or not be able to bird outside Delhi city depending on buses. Any good parks or other places?

Lewis20126: thanks!

Any info from other pals about Manali specifically would be cool

 

[zachindia]

If you're going to be in CP, there are a few areas nearby that might be productive. I'll try and get over to Budha Jayanti Park within the next week or so, and let you know how it is. It would only be good for morning though, because during the day couples crowd out the park.

Often people go to either Lodhi Gardens, or the Delhi Zoo (which has a few large colonies of wild birds) But I don't love the crowds at either of those places, and you mostly get garden birds in them. Lodhi is a beautiful place though and if you combined it with some other place it could be good. It has about 6-8 Taj Mahal era tombs in it, which you can explore. There is a small patch of water in one corner of the park that holds a few birds. The birds you will see are: Indian Grey Hornbill, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Myna, Rose-ringed Parakeet, maybe Alexandrian and Plum-headed Parakeet, Black Drongo, Little Cormorant, Common Kingfisher, Black Kite, Brown-headed and Coppersmith's Barbet. Maybe: Spotted Owlet, Black-rumped Flameback, there are lots of others which theoretically could be there, but I don't get more than 20-35 birds when I bird there.