So a little over a year after our first trip to Goa we were back and the first thing to report is that flying from Gatwick it is now only a nine and a half hour flight due to the use of Airbus A330 planes on that route. We would be staying again at the Ronil Beach Resort Hotel as we had such a good experience there on our first holiday. The food is good, the rooms are cleaned and the linen and towels are changed every day and the staff are very friendly. Plus the breakfast vouchers can be exchanged for a packed lunch, so no need to go hungry if you want an early start. The hotel Beira Mar is only 100 yds. down the road where you can enjoy a sunset drink watching Cinnamon Bittern; Painted Snipe; Black Crowned Night Heron; Black Capped Kingfisher and a bonus this year of Baillons Crake plus a host of supporting birds.
For this holiday we had contacted a local company called Back Woods who organise bird watching trips to their camp near Tambdi Surla. The trips are of two nights duration, they pick you up from your hotel at 05:30 on the first day arriving at the Back Woods camp around 07:30. Back Woods is run by Leio, Pramod and Loven. On our trip Leio looked after the camp and Loven led the bird walks, although I think they take turns at this.
Arriving at the camp and it is out of the coach and off birding with Loven leading the group around this wonderful site. The birds were fantastic we started with Spangled Drongo quickly followed by Vernal Hanging Parrot; Malabar Parakeet; White Bellied Blue Flycatcher; Asian Paradise Flycatcher (the adult male resembling a flying feather); Red Breasted Flycatcher and White Rumped Shama (this bird also turned up in the camp). Overhead flew a White Bellied Woodpecker which landed in a tree giving us fantastic views. As it worked its way up the trunk of the tree we could make out a Jungle Owlet which was perched on the end of one of the branches trying to look inconspicuous. Meanwhile overhead in the top of an adjacent tree we could see Pompadour Pigeon while a familiar sounding call alerted us to Black Hooded Oriole. On the way back we stopped to have another look at the Spangled Drongo that was still in the same tree. Beyond the tree we could see Crested Tree Swifts and Ashy Wood Swallows on the wing.
We returned to camp for breakfast where omelettes and toast were being served. After breakfast we went out for our second walk of the day seeing many more excellent birds - Black Rumped Flameback; Rusty Tailed Flycatcher; Brown Breasted Flycatcher; Orange Headed Ground Thrush (a very tame bird around the camp); Bronze Drongo; Eurasian Oriole and Chestnut Tailed Starling. We returned to camp for lunch at around one o'clock. Lunch consisted of three different and very tasty vegetable curries with rice and a hot pickle if you wished. At the camp they have a supply of cold soft drinks, mineral water and beer to quench your thirst.
After lunch we were assigned our tents of which there are six. Beverley and I were assigned tent number three.
Inside there were two large wicker single beds, an electric fan and a stand to hang your clothes on. The tent has been lined on the inside and at the back of the tent through the flap was the bathroom with flush toilet and shower. In order to avoid the hottest part of the day the next walk is not until around four-thirty after tea and biscuits. You are free to wander around the camp if you wish, I had superb close up views of Malabar Whistling Thrush here, the camp boasts some superb birds just outside the tents including Indian Pitta early in the morning.
After our afternoon tea we were off again for some more birding and what birds! Loven showed his skills off well with Purple Rumped Sunbird; Purple Sunbird; Crimson Backed Sunbird; Blue Capped Rock Thrush; Dark Fronted Babbler; Grey Headed Babbler; Oriental Honey Buzzard; Black Headed Cuckoo Shrike (another bird that turned up in the camp); Small Minivet; Brown Headed Barbet; Heart Spotted Woodpecker and Black Crested Bulbul to mention a few. We returned to camp just in time for a shower before dinner. This proved to be a bit of a shock as it was quite cold but very invigorating and causing some very loud vocal outbursts until you overcome the shock.
After our splendid dinner around a camp fire three very likable lads Martin, Steve and Bernard got out their tape with various bird calls on it. First up was Oriental Scops Owl the first play of the tape produced an immediate response so it was played again. This time the answering calls were very soft but much much closer, in fact it was virtually over our heads. Shinning a powerful light in the tree revealed an Oriental Scops Owl perched only a few feet away from where we were all sitting. They tried other calls some were successful but the answering calls were a long way off so it was decided not to pursue them. Everyone went to bed thrilled at the views of the Oriental Scops Owl though.
After early morning tea and coffee Loven took us on a walk which eventually came to a small clump of bamboo where he pointed out the area of interest. Sat huddled together about two thirds of the way up close to the centre were a pair of Sri-Lanka Frogmouths. Superb! This was their daytime roost site, we all knew that Frogmouth was on the camp list but I do not think anyone realised how close we would get to them! Although the Frogmouths were the stars the supporting cast was pretty good with Western Crowned Warbler; Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (quite a mimic this bird); Little Spider Hunter; Lotens Sunbird (who's song is just a couple of notes short of a Willow Warblers); Puff Throated Babbler; Black Naped Oriole; Rufous Tree Pie; Verditer Flycatcher; Grey Hornbill and Shikra.!
We returned to camp for breakfast before setting out on our second walk of the day. On the menu this morning was a mildly spiced potato dish with parathas. Again the birding was superb with species such as Malabar Grey Hornbill - excellent laughing call these birds have, Black Eagle; Asian Fairy Bluebird - amazing blue colour, Scarlet Minivet; Crested Serpent Eagle; Brown Shrike; Golden Fronted Leafbird which sounds very like a Cettis Warbler (seen and heard around the camp); Forest Wagtail (often around the camp); Blue Winged Leafbird; Velvet Fronted Nuthatch (another camp bird and stunning colouration); Bar Winged Flycatcher Shrike and so on.
The afternoon at the camp saw us gathering under a tree close to the tents where a Crimson Fronted Barbet was perched in the top calling loudly. Stunning views of this superb bird and what colours!
For the afternoon we went to the 700 year old temple at Tambdi Surla by coach. This was mainly for nightjars plus some general birding. Travelling to the temple we caught sight of some bee-eaters in a tree by the side of the road. These were Chestnut Headed Bee-eaters, stopping the coach and getting out we were treated to a fantastic sight as around 100 Chestnut Headed Bee-Eaters came into roost. We all watched in astonishment as they circled above us before they came in and landed in the tree above our heads, again a superb experience.
At the temple a Mountain Imperial Pigeon flew over and a Woodcock flew past. Loven took us into a field and pointed out a flat rock and then told us the nightjar would come out fly around and perch on this rock. And to every ones amazement that is exactly what it did! Flying over our heads and landing on the rock where Loven put a light on it, a Grey Nightjar. A second nightjar was calling and was located perched in a tree, Loven shone the lamp on it, this one was a Jerdons Nightjar. Some very happy birders returned to camp for dinner that evening.
The last morning of our stay and the early morning walk turned up an Indian Pitta which was rummaging through the leaf litter on the path ahead of us, what a superb bird it is and the colours are quite stunning. After breakfast we went of to the temple at Tambdi Surla again, Loven was after showing us one of the main species that this area is known for. Eventually one started to call and Loven was hot on its trail leading us through the tangle of undergrowth then having to double back and head to the river where we clambered over boulders on the dry river bed before the bird eventually perched in a tree out in the open and remained there - a Malabar Trogon what a stunner! The illustration in the field guide is a very poor representation of this bird, showing it with very washed out and pale colours where in fact they are much stronger and vibrant. A scope was set up and we all enjoyed some superb closeup views, as unusually for this bird it sat still for us.
Sadly Pete and Kathy, two of our group, had decided to stay behind so missed out on this stunner. But they had a personal viewing of Malabar Trogon at Bondla a couple of days later. It perched outside a window while they were having their lunch at the >Den< in Bondla, but hey that's birdwatching. We followed them into the den and although the Trogon failed to show for us, we did get a ring side seat for Greater Flameback as it set about demolishing a tree just in front of us. The wood chips were flying everywhere as that large bill hammered into the tree like some manic carpenter on a mission.
After we saw the Trogon we returned to camp where we had lunch and then boarded our coach to return to our respective hotels at around two thirty. En route we called into the Ciba Geigy site and although there is no access inside now you can see some of the birds through the fence. I was pleased as a very obliging River Tern was perched out in the open and a Woolly Necked Stork circled overhead two birds which had so far eluded us..
Our time at Back Woods will stay in our memories for a long time, the birding was fantastic, the company superb and the food excellent. We are already planning to return there.
The rest of the holiday was spent visiting the usual Goan haunts; Soligao Zor for Brown Wood Owl (male and female); Black Lored Tit. Carambolim Lake for Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose; Bronze Winged & Pheasant Tailed Jacana; Purple Swamphen; Tawny Eagle; Lesser Adjutant; Asian Openbill; Blue Tailed Bee-eater; Egrets; Herons; Glossy Ibis; Ruddy Shelduck; Waders; Coppersmith Barbet and so on. As mentioned the Beira Mar Hotel in the evening for Painted Snipe; Green Bee-eater; Cinnamon Bittern; Black Crowned Night Heron; Pintail Snipe; Kingfishers and Small Pratincole. Morji beach for Lesser Crested Tern; Great Crested Tern; Gull Billed Tern; Sandwich & Common Tern; Brown & Black Headed Gulls; Pallas Gull; Yellow Legged Gulls; White Bellied Fish Eagle; Lesser Sand Plover. Baga Hill for Rusty Tailed Flycatcher; White Bellied Drongo; Ashy Drongo; Black Naped Oriole; Black Naped Monarch; Red Whisked & Red Vented Bulbul; Common Iora. Bondla forest reserve where a pair of Malabar Grey Hornbill seemed to follow us along the approach road laughing most of the way; Heart Spotted Woodpecker; Indian Robin; Bersa; Thick Billed Flowerpecker. The salt pans for waders including Terek Sandpiper. Black Kites are everywhere along with the Long Tailed Shrike and the ubiquitous Indian Pond Heron or Paddy Bird.
There was one strange birding moment when I thought I had suddenly been transported to Norfolk. I was birding the paddies and fields behind the hotels in Baga and had worked my way towards the Baga river when a familiar call alerted me to a flash of yellow - an Eurasian Golden Oriole, moving on a little way I caught sight of a bird hopping on the ground a Bluethroat, then some more movement exposed a Wryneck. The sudden loud calling of the Jungle Mynas brought me back to India.
The end of the holiday came all too quickly, but we had a superb time in Goa and look forward to visiting there again very soon.
Philip & Beverley Tyler