From suresh_haryana@vsnl.net Tue Jun 26 16:33:33 2001
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 21:46:30 +0530
From: Suresh C Sharma 
To: Natural History of South Asia - General discussion and research
    
Subject: Birding with Ameen Ahmed - Tilyar Lake (Rohtat-Haryana) - 12 June
    2001

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Date: Birding with Ameen Ahmed in Tilyar Lake (Rohtak-Haryana) on 12th June
2001
Birders : Ameen Ahmed from Karnataka, Anil Bhola and Tarun Kumar
Place : Tilyar Lake (Rohtak district - Haryana)
Location : On the outskirts of Rohtak city on Delhi-Rohtak Road along JLN
Feeder canal.
Distance from Delhi : nearly 70 kms from Delhi ISBT, via Bahadurgarh, Sampla
& Rohtak.
Area: Tilyar Lake may not be more than 20 acres, but total complex including
the mini zoo and marshy reeds, woodlands covers 138 acres
Habitats: lush green lawns, trees and shrubs of various species, lake with 4
good size mounds with groves of trees surrounded by water.
Birding category : excellent with diverse habitats including woodlands,
lake, mounds, marshes, reed-patches, lawns, thickets and JNL Feeder canal.

Highlights :

Heronries. Rohat village heronry was safe on four trees, mostly Cattle
Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) and a few Intermediate Egrets (Mesophoyx intermedia)
nesting.

Tilyar Lake Heronry was flourishing successfully with a few nestlings of
Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) visible, Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta)
wetting their breast
and belly in lake water and rushing back to the nests. Breeding birds :
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), Intermediate
Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Darter
(Anhinga melanogaster), Black-Crowned  Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax),
6 pairs of Black-headed Ibises (Threskiornis melanocephalus) have started
nesting.

1+1 Cinnamon Bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamoneus ). 2+2+2 (probably pairs) of
Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone) again at different locations on way along the
canal. 1+1 Oriental Honey-Buzzards (Pernis ptilorynchus) in flight. In
total10+ Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) with one juvenile in a
nest. Plenty of Black Francolins (Francolinus francolinus) calling in the
fields along the road with one
Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus). Several Alexandrine Parakeets
 Psittacula eupatria).

Nesting : Black Drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus). Asian Pied Starlings
(Sturnus contra). Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) - feeding material was
snatched by a House Crow; in a mango tree raucous noise made by a few Common
Mynas attracted our attention and we saw a Shikra (Accipiter badius)
carrying a chick in its talons to another tree possibly to feed his/her
chicks. One Shikra was chased and attacked by 4 Black Drongos. White-browed
Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) was feeding its nestlings. Common
Moorhen (Gallinula cloropus) was scratching damp vegetation near the water
edge as her  chick was swimming closeby.

Birds recorded :

1. Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus
2. Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)
3. Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
4. Lesser Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna javanica)
5. Comb Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos).
6. Cotton Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)
7. Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
8. Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense)
9. Brown-headed Barbet (Megalaima zeylanica)
10. Coppersmith Barbet(Megalaima haemacephala)
11. Common Hoopoe (Upopa epops)
12. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)
13. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
14. Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
15. Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)
16. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
17. Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)
18. Pied Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus)
19. Common Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius)
20. Grey-bellied Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus)
21. Asian Koel  (Eudynamys scolopacea).
22. Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis)
23. Alexandrine Parakeet ( Psittacula eupatria)
24. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
25. Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala)
26. House Swift (Apus affinis)
27. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)
28. Rock Pigeon (Columbia livia)
29. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
30. Spotted Dove (Streptopelia cheninsis)
31. Red Collared Dove (Streptopelia tanquebarica)
32. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto
33. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera)
34. Sarus Crane (Grus antigone)
35. White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
36. Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
37. Common Moorhen (Gallinula cloropus)
38. Eurasian Thick-knee (Burhinus oedicnemus) heard
39. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
40. Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)
41. Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
42. River Tern (Sterna aurantia)
43. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
44. Shikra (Accipiter badius) .
45. Oriental Honey-Buzzard (Pernis ptilorynchus)
46. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
47. Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
48. Little Cormorant (Phalacrocorax niger),
49. Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)
50. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
51. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
52. Great Egret (Casmerodius albus)
53. Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)
54. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
55. Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)
56. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
57. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
58. Black-Crowned  Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
59. Cinnamon Bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamoneus)
60. Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)
61. Black Ibis (Pseudibis papillosa)
62. Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala
63. Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans)
64. Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)
65. Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus)
66. Rufous Treepie(Dendrocitta vagabunda)
67. House Crow (Corvus splendens)
68. Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)
69. Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
70. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)
71. Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis)
72. Indian Robin (Saxicoloides fulicata)
73. Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)
74. Brown Rock-chat (Cercomela fusca)
75. Brahminy Starling (Sturnus sturninus)
76. Asian Pied Starling (Sturnus contra)
77. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
78. Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)
79. Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
80. Streak-throated Swallow (Hirundo fluvicola)
81. Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jacosus)
82. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
83. Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris)
84. Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis)
85. Ashy Prinia (Prinia socialis)
86. Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis
87. Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa)
88. Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)
89. Common Babbler (Turdoides caudatus)
90. Large Grey Babbler (Turdoides malcolmi)
91. Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striatus)
92. Indian Bushlark (Mirafra erythroptera)
93. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
94. Purple Sunbird (Nectarinia asiatica)
95. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
96. Chestnut-Shouldered Petronia (Petronia xanthcollis)
97. White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis)
98. Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus)
99. Black-breasted Weaver (Ploceus benghalensis) nesting in reeds
100. Streaked Weaver (Ploceus manyar)
101. Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus)

Best,
Ameen Ahmed
Anil Bhola
Tarun Kumar
Suresh C. Sharma
Sonipat-Haryana