Monday, August 12, 2019

Shokaliya - Ajmer - Aug-2019

A short two days , in fact one and half day, tour to Ajmer Rajasthan with Nature India Tours Group yielded very fruitful sightings of grasslands birds, and the endangered "Lesser Florican". The number of birds are dwindling fast...and there are supposed to be only 200-250 birds remaining in the wild. Though they are mainly grasslands species and need the grassland habitat for successful breeding and survival which is depleting very fast....surprisingly the agricultural fields of "Mung" and "Bajra" have provided them much needed shelter for breeding. The mung cultivation needs less attention and the farmers here use no pesticides these two factors played a very important role and these birds are finding a safe refuge. Onus is heavily on us to save our grasslands..also the condition is very tense when it comes to flagship species of grasslands which include Indian Bustard and Floricans. As per reports from experts in this field, major chunk of lesser floricans are surviving in this area...even a slight change in methods and proportions of cultivation patterns in this area will have a great impact on the breeding of lesser floricans and we may be advancing to rapid loss  in numbers....

The lesser florican male jumps with excitement above the grasses, fluttering its wings rapidly making a croaking sound similar to frog and while swaying its crest feathers in air as it descends and lands gracefully on the ground...it ensures that shy female hiding nearby gets attracted and mates and incubates the eggs silently and goes extremely unnoticed...the male keeps doing its jumping display rituals along a designated path around the area in order to mark its territory and also keep other males away..this display lasts couple of weeks...after completion of breeding the birds are notoriously known to vanish and are very very rarely seen during non breeding season anywhere in grasslands of India...Its incredible mystery about their habits and survival tactics....this rare sight we could enjoy due to tireless efforts of locating and safeguarding these birds by the local authorities of forest division and village chiefs..


 Indian Bushlark

 Ashy Prinia

 Long Tailed Shrike -juveniles
 Shepherd of scrublands 

  Shepherd of scrublands 

  Shepherd of scrublands 

  Shepherd of scrublands 

 Crested Lark

 Green Bee Eater - Juvenile with kill of painted lady butterfly
 Green Bee Eater - Adult
 c
Brahminey Myna
 Lesser Florican - male
 Cattle Egret in breeding Plumage
 Indian Thicknee
 Crested lark
 Jumping jack - The lesser florican performing display
 Long tailed shrike
 Pond Heron in breeding plumage
 Yellow Eyed Babbler
Yellow Eyed Babbler 
Chestnut Bellied Sandgrouse -male
 Painted grasshopper

 Baya Weaverbird- male

 Baya Weaverbird- male
 Baya Weaverbird- female inspecting the nest under construction
 Singing Bushlark

 Indian Thicknee

  Indian Thicknee

 Rain Quail - male


 Rain Quail - male


 Rain Quail - male

 Rain Quail - male

 Rain Quail - male

 Rain Quail - male

 Rufous Fronted Prinia

 Rain Quail - male

 Rufous fronted prinia

 Rufous Fronted Prinia

Rock Bush Quail