Hi Kishen, Sorry, last Sunday I did not take my camera with me and my small point and shoot was not of much use for swifts. Anyways, I have managed to get some shots and will upload them shortly. Also, I will request others who have taken shots to post here.
Thanks, Avisek. --- In [email protected], Kishen Das <malabartreeny...@...> wrote: > > Wonderul !!! > Do you have photos of the Swifts? > Thank you for the report. > > Kishen > > On Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 9:24 AM, Avisek Chatterjee < > exploring.hori...@...> wrote: > > > > > > > Hi All, > > > > SAFAR(FIELD TRIP) ORGANIZED BY PRAKRITI SAMSAD > > > > Date of Trip: 12th September 2010. (Sunday) > > Duration of Trip: 6:10 am to 6:00 pm > > Location: Indian Botanic Garden, Sibpur, Howrah near Kolkata. > > Temperature: (As in Alipur) Max 31.9°C and Min 25.2°C. > > Humidity: (As in Alipur) Max 99% and Min 71%. > > Weather: Cloudy Morning. After 8:15am gradually clear > > sky. Slightly humid and sultry. > > Habitat: Area approximately 800 bighas. As name > > suggests, the garden has many exotic tropical plants apart from many > > indigenous species. It also accommodates 27 large and medium ponds. > > River Ganga flows on one side of the Garden. A few ponds are connected > > with the water of the river Ganga. Ponds contains many kinds of fishes > > such as (only Bengali names given) Rui, Katla, Mrigel, Bata, Kalbose, > > Desi Puti, Tith Puti, Mourola, Dankona, Gol Chanda, Kath Chanda, > > Chela, Nylotica, Telapiya, Shol, Lata, Sal, Buri Kholse, Pata Kholse, > > Bele, Chakali, Techoka, Dhopachi, Koi etc. > > > > BRIEF REPORT:- > > ------------------------- > > This week our SAFAR(Field Trip) was organized by Prakriti Samsad to > > Kolkata's famous Indian Botanic Garden. Every month Prakriti Samsad, a > > well known and well established NGO in Kolkata, arranges for a field > > trip in biodiversity hot spots in and around Kolkata and we, members > > of this NGO participate in this SAFAR. This week the venue was Indian > > Botanic Garden. Botanic Garden covering an area of more than 800 > > bighas (273 acres) is situated in Sibpur, Howrah near Kolkata by the > > side of river Ganga. > > It's Rainy Season now. The garden has become spectacular glossy green > > with touch of life everywhere. We reached there early morning and > > started our trip from the main gate through the middle lane inside the > > garden. It was mostly cloudy from the morning with cloud gradually > > disappearing as the day progressed. Divided in 2 separate groups > > (mainly due to walking speed) we started walking down the lanes when > > suddenly Soumik Chatterjee pointing out a tree flitter butterfly, a > > rare finding in this spot. Also we were able to spot a Great Cormorant > > which is an uncommon find in B Garden. As usual Soumyajit Chowdhury > > was helping us a lot in identifying wild flowers and recognizing > > Hesperiids, which were in real lots, while Rahi Soren took the charge > > of identifying spiders and helping us in getting aware of the species > > type and species name. Sights of Moorhen and Waterhen with its chicks > > here and there were just beautiful. Bronze-winged Jacanas with their > > juvenile ones were almost everywhere and gave some beautiful snaps to > > the photographers. Soumik Chatterjee, Prasenjit Dawn and I was busy > > checking out the odonates and was really surprised to see so many > > Rodothemis Rufa or Rufous Marsh Dart all over a particular pond, > > moving here and there, mating and female laying eggs. Copera Ciliata > > or Black-kneed Bush Dart as we call it, are also found in numbers in > > this place in a particular patch. The butterfly Common Grass Dart, > > which was in plenty there, moved us all as it is regionally a rare > > species. Due to festive season, many people gathered all round the > > garden and all were in festive mood. By noon the garden was almost > > filled with crowds. Our day ended with the sight of a Green Sandpiper > > by the side of River Ganga. Although with less number of bird > > sighting, the trip was very successful and all the members of the team > > were happy that they got to learn something new from the trip. > > As locally grown fruit bearing trees, which attracts lots and lots of > > birds, are less here, an obviously decrease in the concentration of > > birds have been noticed. Also less number and variety of fishes in the > > pond can be a reason behind less number of water birds in the garden. > > > > TEAM MEMBERS: > > 1. Subhankar Patra. > > 2. Jayanta Manna. > > 3. Rahi Soren. > > 4. Soumyajit Chowdhury. > > 5. Avisek Chatterjee. > > 6. Prasenjit Dawn. > > 7. Ushnish Das. > > 8. Soumik Chatterjee. > > 9. Animesh Manna. > > 10. Saroj Kumar Tula. > > 11. Ishandeb Tula (11 yr old son of Mr. Tula). > > 12. Srikanta Dhali. > > 13. Susantha Bag. > > 14. Subhendu Das. > > 15. Aritra Mishra. > > 16. Pradipto Bagchi. > > 17. Supratim Chatterjee. > > 18. Abira Pal. > > > > PLEASE NOTE THAT AN APPOXIMATE NUMBER OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES OBSERVED > > IS INDICATED IN BRACKETS () BY THE SIDE OF THE NAME OF THE SPECIES. > > > > BIRDS OBSERVED DURING THE TRIP: > > 1. Lesser-whistling Duck(4). > > 2. Rufous Woodpecker(1). > > 3. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker(3). > > 4. Streak-throated Woodpecker(1). > > 5. Black-rumped Flameback(5). > > 6. Blue-throated Barbet(15). > > 7. Coppersmith Barbet(12). > > 8. Lineated Barbet(10). > > 9. Common Kingfisher(6). > > 10. White-throated Kingfisher(6). > > 11. Stork-billed Kingfisher(10). > > 12. Common-Hawk Cuckoo(5). > > 13. Plaintive Cuckoo(2). > > 14. Asian Koel(12). > > 15. Greater Coucal(9). > > 16. Alexanderine Parakeet(4). > > 17. Red-breasted Parakeet(25). > > 18. Rose-ringed Parakeet(50). > > 19. House Swift(7). > > 20. Asian Palm Swift(35). > > 21. Spotted Owlet(12). > > 22. Rock Pigeon(30). > > 23. Spotted Dove(20). > > 24. Eurasian Collared Dove(7) > > 25. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon(35). > > 26. White-breasted Waterhen(25). > > 27. Common Moorhen(6). > > 28. Green Sandpiper(1). > > 29. Bronze-winged Jacana(30). > > 30. Black Kite(10). > > 31. Shikra(3). > > 32. Little Cormorant(12). > > 33. Great Cormorant(1). > > 34. Cattle Egret(20). > > 35. Intermediate Egret(1). > > 36. Indian Pond Heron(12). > > 37. Black-crowned Night Heron(5). > > 38. Asian Openbill(5). > > 39. Rufous Treepie(15). > > 40. House Crow(30). > > 41. Large-billed Crow(15). > > 42. Black-hooded Oriole(10). > > 43. Eurasian Golden Oriole(2). > > 44. Black Drongo(15). > > 45. Bronzed Drongo(2). > > 46. Common Iora(1). > > 47. Orange-headed Thrush(2). > > 48. Oriental Magpie Robin(5). > > 49. Chestnut-tailed Starling(25). > > 50. Brahminy Starling(2). > > 51. Asian Pied Starling(30). > > 52. Jungle Myna(35). > > 53. Common Myna(30). > > 54. Great Tit(2). > > 55. Barn Swallow(8). > > 56. Red-whiskered Bulbul(5). > > 57. Red-vented Bulbul(20). > > 58. Common Tailorbird(20). > > 59. Jungle Babbler(30). > > 60. Pale-billed Flowerpecker(15). > > 61. Purple Sunbird(50). > > 62. Purple-rumped Sunbird(6). > > 63. House Sparrow(12). > > > > BUTTERFLIES OBSERVED IN THE FIELD TRIP: > > 1. Common Jay(8). > > 2. Tailed Jay(6). > > 3. Common Mime(8). > > 4. Common Mormon(15). > > 5. Lime(15). > > 6. Common Wanderer(2). > > 7. Common Jezebel(4) > > 8. Psyche(3). > > 9. Striped Albatross(6). > > 10. Common Emigrant(15). > > 11. Mottled Emigrant(10). > > 12. Common Grass Yellow(9). > > 13. Three-spot Grass Yellow(3). > > 14. Common Castor(1). > > 15. Great Eggfly(5). > > 16. Danaid Eggfly(3). > > 17. Common Leopard(7). > > 18. Commander(5). > > 19. Grey Pansy(8). > > 20. Peacock Pansy(10). > > 21. Common Baron(1). > > 22. Sailor (Unidentified) (1). > > 23. Common Bushbrown(15). > > 24. Darkbrand Bushbrown(15). > > 25. Common Three Ring(2). > > 26. Common Four Ring(20). > > 27. Common Five Ring(2). > > 28. Common Palmfly(6). > > 29. Blue Tiger(18). > > 30. Plain Tiger(5). > > 31. Striped Tiger(3). > > 32. Common Crow(15). > > 33. Brown King Crow(4). > > 34. Common Pierrot(8). > > 35. Quaker(9). > > 36. Gram Blue(4). > > 37. Lime Blue(8). > > 38. Dark Grass Blue(5). > > 39. Pale Grass Blue(6). > > 40. Tiny Grass Blue(3). > > 41. Common Cerulean(4). > > 42. Ciliate Blue(4). > > 43. Common Silverline(3). > > 44. Yamfly (2). > > 45. Common Branded Awl (1). > > 46. Bush Hopper (7). > > 47. Indian Skipper (5). > > 48. Common Grass Dart(12). > > 49. Chestnut Bob(16). > > 50. Grass Demon(2). > > 51. Common Redeye(1). > > 52. Tree Flitter(1). > > 53. Rice Swift(6). > > 54. Bevan's Swift(1). > > 55. Straight Swift(8). > > 56. Large-branded Swift(1). > > 57. Small-branded Swift(5). > > 58. Indian Palm Bob(1). > > > > DRAGONFLIES OBSERVED DURING THE TRIP: > > 1. Common Clubtail(3). > > 2. Anax Indicus(1) [We locally call it Yellow Blue-tailed Yellow Darner]. > > 3. Trumpet Tail(4). > > 4. Scarlet Marsh Hawk(5). > > 5. Rufous-backed Marsh Hawk(5). > > 6. Little Blue Marsh Hawk(1). > > 7. Ditch Jewel(50). > > 8. Ruddy Marsh Skimmer(50). > > 9. Ground Skimmer(10). > > 10. Pied Paddy Skimmer(3). > > 11. Green Marsh Hawk(25). > > 12. Blue-tailed Forest Hawk(10). > > 13. Wandering Glider(15). > > 14. Rufous Marsh Glider(50). > > 15. Common Picture Wing(15). > > 16. Black Marsh Trotter(4). > > 17. Crimson Marsh Glider(20). > > 18. Greater Crimson Glider(30). > > 19. Long-legged Marsh Glider(3). > > > > DAMSELFLIES OBSERVED DURING THE TRIP: > > 1. Coromandel Marsh Dart(50). > > 2. Orange-tailed Marsh Dart(7). > > 3. Pigmy Dartlet(15). > > 4. Senegal Golden Dartlet(1). > > 5. Black Marsh Dart(3). > > 6. Blue Grass Dartlet(1). > > 7. Copera Ciliata(9) [We locally call it Black-kneed Marsh Dart]. > > > > WILD FLOWERS/PLANTS (HERBS AND SHRUBS) OBSERVED DURING THE TRIP: > > Acanthaceae > > 1. Ruellia tuberosa > > 2. Ruellia prostata > > > > Amaranthaceae > > 3. Amaranthus spinosus > > 4. Amaranthus viridis > > 5. Alternanthera sessilis > > 6. Alternanthera ficoidea > > 7. Gomphrena serrata > > 8. Justicia procumbens > > 9. Achyranthes aspera > > > > Amaryllidaceae > > 10. Zephyranthes citrina > > > > Araceae > > 11. Colocasia esculenta > > 12. Typhonium trilobatum > > > > Caesalpiniaceae > > 13. Cassia allata > > 14. Cassia tora > > 15. Cassia sophera > > > > Cannaceae > > 16. Canna indica > > > > Cleomaceae > > 17. Cleome rutidosperma > > 18. Cleome viscosa > > > > Commelinaceae > > 19. Commelina benghalensis > > 20. Commelina diffusa > > > > Compositae (Asteraceae) > > 21. Eclipta prostata > > 22. Synedrella nodiflora > > 23. Wedelia chinensis > > 24. Tridax procumbens > > 25. Vernonia cinerea > > > > Convulvulaceae > > 26. Ipomoea aquatica > > 27. Ipomoea sp. > > 28. Evolvulus nummularius > > > > Cucurbitaceae > > 29. Coccinea grandis > > 30. Cucumis melo > > > > Cyperaceae > > 31. Cyperus kyllinga > > > > Euphorbiaceae > > 32. Euphorbia hirta > > > > Hypoxidaceae > > 33. Curculigo orchoides > > > > Malvaceae > > 34. Sida rhombofolia > > 35. Urena lobata > > > > Nyctaginaceae > > 36. Boerhavia diffusa > > > > Nymphaeaceae > > 37. Nymphaea nouchali > > 38. Nymphaea alba > > > > Passifloraceae > > 39. Passiflora sp. > > > > Rutaceae > > 40. Ravenia spectabilis > > > > Solanaceae > > 41. Solanum torvum > > > > Tiliaceae > > 42. Corchorus tricularis > > > > Verbenaceae > > 43. Lantana camara > > 44. Lipia javanica > > > > Zinziberaceae > > 45. Costus speciosus > > 46. Globba bulbifera > > > > Vitaceae > > 47. Cayratia trifolia > > > > WE ALSO ENCOUNTERED: > > We casually watched a few other species which we encountered in the > > field. Reporting of these species is done to give an idea of the area > > which we surveyed and this is not a comprehensive report of mammals, > > reptiles, amphibians or insects in that area. Any serious watcher in > > these areas must watch much more than what we have encountered. > > > > MAMMALS: - 3 SPECIES > > 1. Five-stripped Palm Squirrel(10). > > 2. Small Mongoose(4). > > 3. Grey Mongoose(2). > > > > AMPHIBIANS: - 3 SPECIES > > 1. Flapshell Turtle(1). > > 2. Indian Bull Frog(2). > > 3. Common Toad(15). > > > > REPTILES: - 2 SPECIES > > 1. Garden Lizard(10). > > 2. Bronze Grass Skink(1). > > > > SPIDERS: - 11 SPECIES > > 1. Phintella vitatta (Banded Phintella) > > 2. Oxyopes birmanicus (Green Lynx Spider) > > 3. Oxyopes javanus (Brown Lynx Spider) > > 4. Argyrodes sp. > > 5. Pardosa sp. (Common Wolf Spider) > > 6. Argiope pulchella (Signature Spider) > > 7. Plexippus sp. > > 8. Telamonia sp. > > 9. Crossopriza lyonii (Daddy Long Leg Spider) > > 10. Thomisus bulani (White Crab Spider) > > 11. Peusetia sp. > > > > ANTS: - 10 SPECIES > > 1. Bengali Name: Kalo Sursuri Pipre. > > 2. Bengali Name: Badami Sursuri Pipre. > > 3. Oecophylla [Bengali Name: Nalsa Pipre ]. > > 4. Crematogaster. > > 5. Small Tetraponera [Bengali Name: Choto Kath Pipre]. > > 6. Large Tetraponera [Bengali Name: Baro Kath Pipre]. > > 7. Large Red Ant [Bengali Name: Baro Lal Pipre]. > > 8. Diacama [Bengali Name: Deo Pipre]. > > 9. Another 2 unidentified species. > > > > OTHER INSECTS: > > 1. At least 12 species of Grasshoppers. > > 2. At least 7 species of Beetles. > > 3. At least 5 species of Bugs. > > 4. Wood Roach (2). > > 5. Many other insects. > > > > OTHER INVERTIBRATES OBSERVED: > > 1. Black Millipede. > > 2. Reddish Brown Centipede [Bengali Name: Tetul Biche] (15). > > 3. Harvestman (2). > > > > Thanks to Subhankar Patra for giving me ideas, helping me and guiding > > me in writing this report. His encouragement is helping us to produce > > this weekly report on our field trips. Also thanks to all team members > > for their contribution in bringing out this report. Thanks to Sujit > > Das for formatting the report in such a good way. Thanks to Soumyajit > > Chowdhury for reviewing the report and contributing the full list of > > wild flowers (herbs and shrubs). Thanks to Rahi Soren for compiling > > the list of spiders observed. > > > > Cheers, > > Avisek Chatterjee on behalf of the team members. > > > > > -- Enjoy
