WOW What A Day

14th January I spent part of the morning at Apora Paddies most of the time was spent videoing Small Pratincole and I did manage to get some footage I also took some photos through my scope Then in the afternoon I paid a visit to Apora woods where I met some birders who had only just arrived in Goa they said that they had spoken to some other birders and had been told that there was Blue Bearded Bee Eater about we stayed till dark but no sign of it will return first thing in the morning

15th January
Well a early start up and out by 6-40 at Apora woods by 7-00 took a slow walk into the woods reached the qaury area before I could put my scope up I disturbed a bird on the dead tree (this tree is good for getting some good sightings of some of the birds) as it flew across in front of me I knew it was what I had come for the Blue Bearded Bee Eater well chuffed I know some people have been trying for over eight years to get this bird so a twitch in Goa what a result did not see any one until I was leaving a birder with a guide who turned out to be one of the Indian birders who leads trips I said I would like to visit he western ghats and the birder said we are going there next week spoke to the guide and he asked the birder if he minded if I joined them no problem he said will keep the cost down so that was set then I then asked if they had any more trips planned (found out that his wife had not come out this morning) he said we have a afternoon trip to Diva Island this afternoon and you are welcome to come if you want well has I have not been there and it is not on most of the trip reports that I have read I said what are you looking for Raptors was the reply well if you know me RAPTORS are what I like so I said yes that sounds good what time are you leaving so we arranged a time and pick up point (which was 2-30 at the Calungate roundabout) I was there in plenty of time once on route we stopped at the shore at old Goa where we had Lesser Sandplover, Little Stint, Dunlin, the guide Raymond thensaid we stop here this a good spot for Terek Sandpiper and there it was on the edge of a pool have been told this guy is good he knows what you want and he trys to make sure you see it we then moved on a little further along the coast and found Whimbrel then it was on to the ferry on to Diva Island as we where wating we found a Osprey sitting on a post (now I was not aware of what would happen over the next couple of hours all I can say is I will be coming back to Diva Island again) let me continuer we drove to a area Raymond new and spent the rest of the afternoon there I suppose I have to let you know what birds were seen as we approached the are where we stopped the first raptor we had was a Black Shoulder Kite sitting on the wires by the road as not to disturbed we drove on then stop in the shade of a nice big tree we we parked there was a football pitch on this we had Richard’s Pipit, Rosy Starling, Oriental Skylark, Great Short Toed Lark then we started scanning the area I then released this was going to be a raptor afternoon we then all got on a harrier as it was quite a way off no one would call it then it dropped down out of sight so Harrier sp but then things just got better the next harrier that came into sight was a Female Pallid after which
We had a imm Montague’s Harrier then we turned around and found a second Black Shouldered Kite on the wires the other way also on the wires we had Black Drongo, Green Bee Eater, Malabar Lark, Thick Billed Crow , House crow, Stonechat, and Rosy Starlings, of course we had the two Kites now I must say that some of the black kites are a bit different so we had a discussion on this matter and come to the conclusion that some are the Black Eared Kite when you get the two together there is a difference so back to the harriers we had 5 Palled, 2 Monty’s, & 2 Marsh Harriers we were just about to pack up when some said what is that just landed in the tree we all got on it but where it came from no could say we thought it had been sitting in the field all the time we where there after a short debate we had it as a Lesser Spotted Eagle then as I was trying to get some video of the Black Shouldered Kite the call went up a harrier coming along the road nd yes there just 6 feet in front of me was a male Palled Harrier what a sight so intent on watching it totally forgot about the video still the sight will always remain with me we then had a Spotted Owlet in the tree we were standing next to now it was time to leave as Raymond said we will make the 6-15 ferry so we drove back to the ferry and on route we had a Shrika so ending a very enjoyable after noon’s birding in Goa

The trip on Tuesday has been changed to Monday so looking forward to another good days birding with Raymond