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THE ASIATIC LIONS OF GIR FOREST

Asiatic Lion cubs, Gir Forest NP, January 2015.

A SHORT FLIGHT ACROSS THE GULF OF CAMBAY took us from smoggy Mumbai to Rajkot on Gujarat’s Kathiawar Peninsular where we began our latest Indian adventure, as usual, with the first of many spicy masala omelettes and masala chai (India’s popular ginger and cinnamon-spiced milky tea), in a rather grand local hotel. Soon we were on our way south to Sasan Gir, our base for the next two nights. The forests of Gir hold the last remaining population of Asiatic Lions, a subspecies of lion whose range once extended from Central India as far west as Macedonia. Whilst very similar to its African relatives Asiatic Lions have a distinctive longitudinal fold of skin along their belly, generally thinner faces and the males have a shorter and more blackish mane. The lions of Gir are also renowned for their approachability, which usually makes them good photographic subjects.

Fortunately Gujarat is now back to a more normal water supply situation following the failure of the 2012 monsoon taking pressure off the dry deciduous teak forest. However, the lions were not as co-operative as usual but thanks to our very helpful local contacts, we still managed a very good encounter with a pride of nine of these impressive cats. Terrific stuff! Birds are always a feature of our jeep safaris at Gir and we had a few good photo subjects, including Crested Serpent and Hawk Eagles, Indian Thick-knee, Yellow-wattled Lapwing and a fantastic battle to the death between a Common Woodshrike and a mantis. The latter put up a good fight but eventually succumbed. Other mammals at Gir included many Spotted Deer (or ‘Chital’) as well as a few Nilgai (or ‘Blue Bull’ – the massive Indian antelope) and Sambar deer.

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HIGHLAND IVORY GULL

Ivory Gull, Ardmair, 20 January 2015

I CAN'T RESIST IVORY GULLS! On my way to talk to the Skye Scottish Wildlife Trust group about Svalbard (of all places!) a detour took me to Ullapool, where at  nearby Ardmair Salmon Farm a first winter Ivory Gull had been hanging around. It was originally found by one of the workers on the farm, who sent a photo taken on his Iphone to the local 'wildlife man' and the guys have been feeding it since then. As usual for Ivory Gulls, it was ridiculously confiding but it spent all the time I was there around the farm, which is in the lee of Isle Martin in Loch Kanaird and about 1km offshore. Also around here today were: Great Northern Loon (2); White-tailed Eagle; Glaucous Gull (3cy); Black Guillemot; Snow Bunting (2) of note as well as plenty of European Shags, Common Eiders; Goosanders and Rock Pipits. Driving through the Highlands for a couple of days was magic, the landscape turned into a white snowy winter wonderland and the roads only just cleared of ice and snow. On Skye itself an Iceland Gull (2cy) near Portree harbour was the only bird of note before the rain came down.

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SNOWCAPPED PENDLE

Snowy Pendle sunset

SOME BIRDS ARE TOUGHER THAN OTHERS and Snow Bunting is one of the toughest of the lot. With a foot of snow in places on the summit of Pendle Hill today I wondered if they would still be in their usual places and they were! I had two birds in more or less the same place as last weekend, scuttling around on the deep snow, eating grass seeds protruding above it. They were very difficult to keep up with as they moved around quickly, never in the same place for long even though I kept my distance and eventually I lost them, disappearing into the whiteness of their winter home. I was stunned to see a tight flock of at least 55 Red Grouse as well, maybe the whole population of Pendle in one place? Two ravens were the only other birds up there today.

A Snow Bunting picking seeds from grass heads on Pendle Summit, they are amazingly hardy little birds.

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POMARINE SKUA ON THE FYLDE

Pomarine Skua, Cocker's Dyke, Lancashire

BETWEEN SLEET AND HAIL SHOWERS, A POMARINE SKUA on the Fylde at Pilling was the main focus of a day out with the Morrises. Unfortunately it was in a very sorry state, dropping its left wing and appearing quite sluggish and reluctant to fly. However, it has a store of food, which it returns to every few hours, a macabre pile of dead birds, presumably put out for it, although we heard from someone that it had moved these birds itself? It was nice to get a good look at its plumage anyway, a very typical first winter bird.

My first Pom was on a seawatch from Seaton Sluice in Northumberland more than 30 years ago but I haven't seen that many anywhere since with a scatter of sightings. I could do with seeing some more of them but one look at this bird on the ground and there was never a question of it being anything else with its heavy Glaucous Gull-like bill. A Little Egret and an adult Mediterranean Gull at Cocker's Dyke, few Twite from Knott End Esplanade and a Firecrest with Long-tailed Tits at Marton Mere also brightened up an enjoyable day out. Thanks Pete.

Pete Morris at Cocker's Dyke - there was a cold wind today, I don't think the guy next to us was worried about us nicking his scope and tripod.

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