The Fauna of Nagpur (2007)- A Field Report

The year 2007 began with the second half of the winter session of birding. The endangered Comb Ducks (Sarkidiornis melanotos) were seen at Telangkhedi Lake. Waders were plentiful at Ambazari Lake. The race- melanogrisea of Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) arrived in this season in good numbers.

In Feb, Rohan Chakravarty photographed a Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis) in flight at Bor Dharan, about 50 kms from Nagpur. This was a significant record, with photographic evidence of a bird rarely seen in Central India. Another sighting of his that needs special mention is of a Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata) at Bor WLS. Unfortunately no photographic evidence is available. Later, on 17th Feb, Rohan Chakravarty, Jay Kulkarni & Azar Ali saw a fight between a Little Pied (Ficedula westermanni) and a Red-throated Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) at Kamptee Cantonment. Again, photograph of the Little Pied Flycatcher, which is another new record for the region is lacking. On 18th Feb, a juvenile Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger) and a Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) were seen at Kamptee, both of which are local rarities. A pair of Eurasian Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) had spent the winter at the lake in Kamptee. It was common to see them attack waterfowl at the lake. A Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) and a Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) were seen at Kamptee Cantt. A pair of Black Ibises (Pseudibis papilossa) was seen at a field in Kamptee.

In early March an immature Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) was photographed at Sonegaon Lake by Anurag Ghatole. At the camp adjoining Jhilpi Lake, many Savanna Nightjars (Caprimulgus affinis) were seen hawking insects with Microchiropterans [Pipistrellus ceylonicus (?) & Pipistrellus coromandra]. The next morning, Grey Junglefowls (Gallus sonneratii) were heard. Jay Kulkarni and Rohit Chakravarty saw a male Crested Bunting (Melophus lathami). A solitary Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis) was photographed at the campsite. This was the first photographic record of the species for Nagpur. In late March, egg-incubation of the Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) was observed at Kamptee by Rohan Chakravarty & Azar Ali.

On 8th April, a Laggar Falcon was seen for the second time at Kamptee. Early in April, Anurag Ghatole reported the hatching of the eggs of the Courser and the emerging of 2 young ones. On 21st April, at around 9.30 pm, Rohan & Rohit Chakravarty saw a dead Common Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) at Seminary Hills. On 22nd April, flocks of Yellow Wagtail races- thunbergi & zaissanensis were seen at Telangkhedi Lake. Kamptee was revisited on 29th April, and this time a Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) was photographed by Rohit Chakravarty at a farmhouse; giving a proper documented record of the species. A pair of Asian Paradise Flycatchers (Terpsiphone paradisi) and an Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) were also seen.

On 20th May, a Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) in breeding plumage, was seen at Ambazari Lake. Chestnut-tailed Starlings (Sturnus malabaricus) were seen in plenty.

On 3rd June, the first Pied Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) of the season was recorded from Telangkhedi Lake. A Common Ratsnake (Ptyas mucosus) was seen near the Citrus sinensis plantations. Flocks of Large Grey Babblers (Turdoides malcolmi) were seen on 3rd & 10th June. A pair of Blue-winged Leafbirds was also seen. On 16th June, the termites flew out for the first time and atleast 2 mating pairs of Common Indian Toads (Bufo melanostictus) were observed. On 17th June, the first breeding male Baya Weavers (Ploceus philippinus) were seen building nests on Phoenix dactylifera. An injured Fulvous Fruit Bat (Rousettus leschnaulti) was rescued at Sitabuldi by Pritish Panke, which was handed over to N-Nats. On 24th June, Nagpur recorded its first Drongo Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) from Botanical Garden. Also a Grey-bellied Cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) was photographed for the first time. Eurasian Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) were seen/heard regularly at Telangkhedi Lake. On 25th June, termites flew out another time and many juvenile and sub-adult Black Kites (Milvus migrans) were observed feeding on them at Seminary Hills. A Black-lored Tit (Parus xanthogenys), another local rarity, was photographed at Seminary Hills. Many mating pairs of Bull Frogs (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) were recorded on the same day. 2 geckos- Hemidactylus brooki & H. leschnaulti (?) were also seen at Botanical Garden. Velvet mites were common in the monsoon.

On 1st July, the Drongo Cuckoo numbers had multiplied at Botanical Garden to about 7, with reports of around 4-5 males and 2-3 females. They were last seen at Botanical Garden on 5th July. Drongo Cuckoos were later heard near Jhilpi Lake on 15th July. At Jhilpi Lake, Grey Junglefowls were heard again and a dung pile left by a Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was found. An Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus) was also seen. Partly-metamorphosised tadpoles of Burrowing Frog (Tomopterna breviceps) were seen at a short stream. Immature White-eyed Buzzards (Butastur teesa) were observed courting.

In August, at Botanical Garden, a juvenile Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) was observed for 3 weeks. On 5th Aug, Bronzeback Treesnakes (Dendrelaphis tristis) were seen twice and on 12th Aug, a Trinket Snake (Elaphe helena) was seen near the fountain. Checkered Keelbacks (Xenochrophis piscator) were common in the ‘Kingfisher Pond’. A Burrowing Frog was seen at the fountain. A solitary Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis) would be seen in flight after every 10 minutes, from the viewpoint. Nesting colonies of Baya Weavers were observed on Albizia procera & Roystonea regia and individual nests were seen on Ficus religiosa & Acacia nilotica. Shrikes preferred Bauhinia racemosa for nesting. August ended with a visit to Kamptee, which yielded rare sights of a Rock Eagle-Owl (Bubo bengalensis) & an Indian Fox (Vulpes bengalensis) both of which were photographed for the first time.


September began with the discovery of a nest of Spotted Owlets (Athene brama) at Telangkhedi Road and a sighting of the Rock Eagle-Owl at Botanical Garden. Male Baya Weavers were observed feeding the newly nest-independent juveniles. The Roystonea regia nesting colony had become inactive. The Eagle-Owl was again seen on 2nd Sept. An active nest of a Plain Prinia (Prinia inornata) was observed. In the first week of Sept, Swapnil Kuldiwar photographed a Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) at MIDC, Ambazari. On 9th Sept, 2 Indian Nightjars (Caprimulgus asiaticus) were photographed at MIDC. A moth, Pseudomicronia coelata of the family Uraniidae was photographed at MIDC, which turned out to be a new record for the city. The area had a good population of Syke’s Larks (Galerida deva), Indian Bushlarks (Mirafra erythroptera) & Large Grey Babblers. By mid-Sept, Common Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), Greenish Warblers (Phylloscopus trochiloides), Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and Black-eared Kites (Milvus migrans lineatus) had arrived. On 30th Sept, a Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx) was rescued at Anant Nagar.

On 7th Oct, a roost of a Barn Owl (Tyto alba) was discovered at Botanical Garden and the Rock Eagle-Owl of Telangkhedi was seen by Ambarish & Rohit Chakravarty. Shishir Dongre & Dr. Abheek Ghosh recorded the first Blue-capped Rock Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus) for Nagpur from Japanese Garden. Verditer Flycatchers (Eumyias thalassina) were seen by Neeraj Gade & Swapnil Kuldiwar at Seminary Hills & MIDC, Ambazari. A Whiskered Tern (Childonias hybridus) was seen at Ambazari Lake by Rohan Chakravarty & Pallavi Talware on 7th Oct. Other migrants seen on that day were Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) & Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) at Botanical Garden & Telangkhedi; Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) at Ambazari Lake and Ashy Drongo at Maharaj Bagh. On 21st Oct, many Eurasian Thick-knees (Burhinus oedicnemus) were seen at Telangkhedi. Nest-building of the Black-headed Cuckooshrike on ornamental Bambusa vulgaris was seen. Nests of Paper wasps (Polistes sp.) & Dwarf bees (Apis florea) were observed on B. vulgaris.

Early in Nov, a male Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) and an albino Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striatus) were photographed at Kamptee by Rohan Chakravarty. Meanwhile, Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) & Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) had arrived at Ambazari Lake. A Blyth’s Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum) was also seen and a solitary Brown-headed Gull (Larus brunnicephalus) had straggled to Ambazari; which was the first gull to be seen in the city in 9 years. The next day a Eurasian Wryneck was photographed by Rohan Chakravarty at Ambazari. On 12th Nov, a Leafbird pair was again observed at Telangkhedi and a juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus); a bird rarely seen in the city was also recorded. Early in the month, an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) was seen at Sonegaon Lake and later on 13th Nov, another was seen at Telangkhedi. A juvenile Common Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) was observed for 2 weeks and a Checkered Keelback was found in a well at Botanical Garden.

December was a bonanza month for Ambazari Lake. On 6th Nov, Neeraj Gade & Ruchik Pande recorded the first Pied Harrier (Circus melanoleucos) from Ambazari. The next day, Nagpur saw its first Jerdon’s Bushlark (Mirafra affinis). A sighting of an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) still awaits confirmation. On 8th Nov, 2 more new records were added to the list- a Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) & a Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). An Osprey was regularly observed. Ambazari attracted the largest number of waterfowl including species like Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea), Gadwalls (Anas strepera), Red-crested Pochards (Rhodonessa rufina), Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) & near-threatened birds like Darters (Anhinga melanogaster) & Black-headed Ibises (Threskiornis melanocephalus). Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) were also seen. Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) were common around the lake. The year ended on a happy note with a final visit to Botanical Garden, where a Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja) & a 6ft long Rock Python (Python molurus) were seen.


For additional information about the sightings of the year, following links could be useful-
http://www.dropshots.com/rohitchak_77
http://www.dropshots.com/rohitchak77
http://picasaweb.google.com/rohitchak77