Goa 2013

Goa 2013

Jungleland III

29th January  - 15th February  2013

Species Total For Trip 172
Introduction
The pull of Goa once again had us hankering to return. We have had a few bad experiences with illness, cancellation and delays so we are hoping that all that is behind us as we look forward to another trip to this wonderful country. It finally edged it when a friend recently returned and had picked up a few birds I had not seen over there so whilst we would have liked to have gone for 3 weeks work commitments and cost had us settling for 2 weeks instead. We will be once again flying with Thomson which has been in general quite a good flight although the flight times this time are a little bit on the negative side.
Cost Breakdown
Booked with Althams on the 17th March 2012.
Holiday cost inc hotel, flight and transfer to and from the Marinha Dourada hotel £1730 (2 people)
Flight upgrade to premium £530 (2 people)
Transport to and from Manchester airport £50 (2 people)
Insurance cover (annual worldwide exc USA & Caribbean) with 2 pre existing medical condition £73.76 (2 people)
Visa Costs. £103.45 incl the 3 SD envelopes needed. (2 people)
I feel it necesary to make mention of the company that seems to be bending over backwards to help people with health issues when it comes to travel insurance. Travel insurance is one of those things that a lot of coughing and er hummming brings on for the reasons those coughers only know best. I have at least one serious medical condition Lymphoma and another less serious Lichen Planus. I have used this company before and I like their ethos very much....and that is not often I say about companies I deal with. I was amazed to hear that they have new underwritters for insurance and I could not believe it when they were happy to insure me for my conditions that I declared with no addition to the premium. I have been without cancer for 3 years and the Lichen Planus, whilst recent, is not classed as risky so I felt pleased that the fair approach to my health was explored rather than the usual, Cancer......sorry we don't do that.......yes we can cover, have you the deeds to your house handy? that a lot of insurers use. Anyhow the only drawback is that at present the health screen is only via phone and not online but it was a painless excercise and all done and dusted. The company is called World First and the link is>HERE<
VISA: Filled in the visa forms online and although we have done them 3 times before it's always a concern as some of the questions and requests are ambiguous at best. You have to search the net to get the info you need to fill one in properly and I would advise that anybody whom has no experience of the visa saga then I suggest you look at some of the links below. The turnaround this year of the applications was amazing as you can see by the timings below. Taking into account Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
 Sent Visas away on the 22nd December
Returned Visas On Friday 28th December
Visa Costs. £103.45 incl the 3 SD envelopes needed. (2 people)
I always put links to the items I use and find very useful. I have to say that I am looking forward to using the Trailcam at backwoods and also hoping that the mapping I have done will be useful with the Android system on both my phone and tablet, but am sure how well it will work. Google now allow you to download areas of maps to use offline so this is something that may help me navigate.
  
           
      

If you are looking for this well out of date publication I have photocopied this and can be found >HERE<
General Observations Of The Trip
FLIGHT: It has not started as you would like having left the booking of our seats to late. We are now having to travel apart for both the outward and inward journeys. We just forgot to choose our seats at the correct times and having checked online there were only seats apart avaiable. Quite annoying but it seems life is like that now and again. We did the usual and ask Thomson about this having booked premium seating costing over £500 over 8 months previous, as a couple and sharing the same name? Why would we want to choose our seats? It seems odd, but there we have it. We have been told the staff onboard will be notified of seat changing if possible but can you see somebody swapping or indeed not turning up? No nor can we. And we are in the aisle seats! Well having returned we can ellaborate on the flight with it all going structurally well as the most important thing of getting their on time or there abouts occured. It was a delight to reach check in and to be told we would be seated together and have a window seat....that was refreshing. The down side was that my TV was broken and I had placed my tablet in the hold. It could have been fixed as it was a mechanical failure but staff on two occasions had no interest in helping. Everthing went superbly including flight times, passing through security (20 mins enter to exit) baggage retrieval and on coach with all of us on board and ready...just the coach was not ready and would not start...1/2 passed but it was in truth a minor irratation unlike the man that came up to us on the coach asked where we were staying and than stated "hah you will be last off and we will be first"...speechless at such an introduction Mandy had to stop me from being as juvenile when getting of the coach at our hotel 1st...blowing a raspberry seemed the only thing to do!
Return trip again went to plan with timings having being told of a delay and then not! We held the room on for free which saved us £30 due to the mix up over the delay. The flight service on way back was terrible from staff to food. We sat apart as expected but it was OK. Just poor and with my seat having a sticky substance all over it along with the floor it was then made worse when the whole plane lost all tv and ability to contact the flight crew as the system failed. The staff must have loved it as they took advantage and really did nothing. We received 1 drink through the whole flight other than the regulation tea coffee. We complained to Thomson and they agreed a £70 voucher. In truth that is an insult as the upgrade cost £500. The planes are now very tired indded and the new dreamiliner is not a luxury but a must.
Outbound Details
Plane Type Boing 737-300 Seating 2-3-2  Flight Number TOM166
Brochure Flight Time Tues 29th Jan  Man-Dabolim 09:30 - 00:45 +1 dayActual Flight Time Tues 29th Jan Man-Dabolim 10:00 - 00:25 +1 day
Inbound Details
Plane Type Boing 767-300 Seating 2-3-2  Flight Number TOM167
Brochure Flight Time Wed 13th Feb Dabolim-Man 02:45 - 08.15
Actual Flight Time Wed 13th Feb Dabolim-Man 03:00 - 07:50
HOTEL EXPERIENCE: Marinha Dourada. The hotel again proved a hit with us. Don't get me wrong they are not perfect in anyway but they tick our boxes of importance whilst failing in the not so important areas. Importance for us is Loacation, outlook, cleanliness, and communiation of requests. These were all catered for and it was just great. We always ask fro a high room down the bottom end and we got it. The only real issue was the rooms view were obscurred by two huge palm trees so little view could be seen as the palm trees were about 15 feet away from the rooms. The not so good is the water stains down walls with cracking plaster and general tiredness to the rooms. The hotel itself is kept very well with the gardens being constantly fettled. The pathways around the hotel, particularly those on the far side, are a real problem as huge cracks have opened up and the paths are left very dangerous due to the change in levels. It is something Thomson need to look at quickly.
We would use this hotel again as it just sits well with us but I would say it is in need of tarting up in the rooms.
CURRENCY: I preordered some Indian Rupee before we left and taking into account the delivery charge we in effect got 79.39 rupee to the £
When changing money with the changer just outside the hotel we got between 83-86rps to the £ so it was a lot more than we had managed in years previous.
CULTURE: We mostly have nothing but good to say about this topic. The coulture is a mixed bag with religion still playing a major role in shaping the people. It does seem like the world over that the old and new generations are seeing a change in this regard but as yet it still has a massive role in most peoples lives. Both Mandy and myself do not feel our feeling od safety is not a false one as we mainly encounter village people rather than beggars whilst out and about. 
BIRD WATCHING: The bird watching is as expected, wonderful. We love the amount and diversity it provides with different species seen in different locations on every trip we have had. We miss some and gain others. We decided not to use a guide as such and did not go out to some of the known birding areas as you will note with our day log of birding below. We still managed 172 species which whilst nowhere near our first visit total is a very good total considering we did not go to hot spots futher afield apart from Backwoods.
We still managed lifers on this trip with my bogey bird the Blue Faced Malkoha being seen!
    LIFERS THIS TRIP
1 Painted Stork Marinha Dourada Hotel, Goa, India IN-GA 11 Feb 2013
2 Richard's Pipit Arpora Prawn/Saltpans, Goa, India IN-GA 08 Feb 2013
3 Blue-faced Malkoha Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 06 Feb 2013
4 Tawny-bellied Babbler Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 06 Feb 2013
5 Crested Goshawk Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 05 Feb 2013
6 Green Warbler Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 05 Feb 2013
7 Jerdon's Leafbird Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 05 Feb 2013
8 Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 04 Feb 2013
9 Large-billed Leaf-Warbler Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 04 Feb 2013
10 White-bellied Blue-Flycatcher Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 04 Feb 2013
11 Rufous-bellied Eagle Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 03 Feb 2013
12 Plain Flowerpecker Backwoods Camp, Goa, India IN-GA 03 Feb 2013
13 House Swift Arpora Wood, Goa, India IN-GA 01 Feb 2013
  14 Black-headed Cuckooshrike Arpora Wood, Goa, India IN-GA 01 Feb 2013
BUGS We always take advice on what precations on medication but this trip having sought a specialist NHS travel clinic for the malaria tablets we were very annoyed to find the doctor gave us the wrong amount of tablets leaving us short by 4 days. When I questioned this on return his reply was "you should be ok" I made and official complaint about this as it could have proved serious. We received a call from the same doctor who was apologetic but the only real eplanation he gave as to why he choose to give the wrong advice even when I asked him to check was "it is a very busy place" that is not on and is symptomatic of the whole ethos encountered on occasion and why we often try to empoer ourselves with information.
At the time it seemed a UK wide lack of Typhiod injections was evident which made us have to look eleswhere outside our usual local surgery which offer such things for free. That is why we ended up at the North Manchester Hospital travel clinic, somewhere I hope not to need again. Can you imagine a Doctor saying "you should be OK even though I have given you the wring prescription?...shudder.
WEATHERDaytime temps were between 31ºC - 28.4ºC
Nightime temps were between 24.6ºC - 21ºC. 






View Birding in Goa in a larger map
The Lists on this trip report are the total number of species seen no matter how many times that sight was visited. I normally do a daily trip report but due to all the details being availalble on my other trip reports I thought a more concise reference based report might be a bit more useful. I will list the sites visted in the report and the total species encountered at that location. I will also place a toatl species list from all the visits over the years to show a running total and what species can be seen at certain sites.
Marinha Dourada Hotel & General Arpora Area (51 Species)
This list is a general list where we encounter birds around the hotel and close area including pools and the river running by the hotel. I decided to walk down the back of the hotel on one occasion as previously I could not see how to get over or around the fence. It was easy in truth as the bridge over the river heading into Baga has a set of steps on the left leading to the concrete walkway right around the hotel and following the river down as far as the woods leading into Arpora itself. A few sightings were great with a few hours in the shade on a lounger had me ticking Black Headed Ibis, Painted Stork and many birds of prey. We even had a small party of the not so common Common Myna and a Black Redstart on the hotel lawns one day. I really should have made more time just to look up as when you do it can be rewarding.
Woolly-necked Stork
Painted Stork
Black-headed Ibis
Booted Eagle
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Little Swift
Asian Palm-Swift
Wire-tailed Swallow
Common Myna
Little Cormorant
Grey Heron
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Jungle Myna
Great Egret
Striated Heron
Common Greenshank
Common Redshank
Red-vented Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Black Redstart
Rosy Starling
Lesser Adjutant
Western Reef-Heron
Little Egret
Common Sandpiper
Red-rumped Swallow
Indian Cormorant
Cattle Egret
Indian Pond-Heron
Besra
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
White-breasted Waterhen
Asian Koel
Greater Coucal
Common Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
Indian Roller
White-cheeked Barbet
Black-rumped Flameback
Ashy Drongo
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
Rufous Treepie
House Crow
Barn Swallow
White-browed Bulbul
Common Tailorbird
Pied Bushchat


31st Jan Thurs 
Baga Hill  (28 Species)
This often mentioned place to us is over rated, that is as we have found. This maybe because of the constant building and encroachment of buildings so we can only talk about what we find here and now.  Lot's of people talk about this but I find it full of promise but maostly disapointing. We only visited once as again despite our early morning visit, it was quiet. I would always visit as species on here are often not seen locally at other sites so I would always say do visit it's just several things go against it. First is the neck crane as you look up at the tall trees slightly eleiviated on your way back down. Then there is the people visiting to do things that are a bit anti social. We have never encountered any problems but condoms, drugs and the human defication is evident aplenty. Once on the ridge the views are lovely but that is it...the birds are few and far between although you can get close to the Indian Robin as this seems a regular catch up spot. It is also a reasobal place to see Peacock.
Indian Peafowl
Cattle Egret
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Asian Koel
Greater Coucal
Green Bee-eater
White-cheeked Barbet
Indian Golden Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole
House Crow
Red-vented Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Blyth's Reed-Warbler
Ashy Prinia
Plain Prinia
Indian Robin
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Orange-headed Thrush
Jungle Myna
Rosy Starling
Golden-fronted Leafbird
Thick-billed Flowerpecker
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
House Sparrow
White-rumped Munia


1st Feb Friday 
Arpora Wood (43 species)
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Greater Coucal
Green Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Brown-headed Barbet
Black-rumped Flameback
Indian Golden Oriole
Rufous Treepie
Barn Swallow
Grey-headed Bulbul
Jungle Babbler
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Long-billed Sunbird
Indian Peafowl
Shikra
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Spotted Dove
House Swift
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Plum-headed Parakeet
Tickell's Blue-FlycatcherCommon WoodshrikeAshy Woodswallow
Common Iora
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Ashy Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
White-browed Fantail
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Red-vented BulbulRed-whiskered Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Common Tailorbird
Puff-throated Babbler
Orange-headed Thrush
Common Myna
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
White-rumped Munia



2nd Feb Sat
Arpora Pools & Prawn Beds  (44 species)
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Purple Heron
Great Egret
Glossy Ibis
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
Kentish Plover
Ashy Woodswallow
Striated Heron
Greater Sand-Plover
Little Stint
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Richard's Pipit
Grey Heron
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Indian Pond-Heron
Osprey
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Red-wattled Lapwing
Pacific Golden-Plover
Lesser Sand-Plover
Common Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Common Redshank
House Swift
Asian Palm-Swift
Common Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Brown Shrike
House Crow
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Fan-tailed Warbler
Pied Bushchat
Jungle Myna
Rosy Starling
Purple-rumped Sunbird
White-rumped Munia


3rd,4th,5th & 6th Feb Sun-Wed
(cost 5500 Rps per person for 3 nights)
New Species Seen On This Trip 21
 Blue-faced Malkoha
Tawny-bellied Babbler
Indian Cormorant
Little Cormorant
Indian Pond-Heron
Crested Goshawk
Brahminy Kite
House Swift
Green Warbler
Jerdon's Leafbird
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
 
 Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
Large-billed Leaf-Warbler
White-bellied Blue-Flycatcher
Little Egret
Rufous-bellied Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Plain Prinia
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Plain Flowerpecker
 


Backwoods Camp 
Total Species Seen At Backwoods
Blue-faced Malkoha
Tawny-bellied Babbler
Indian Cormorant
Little Cormorant
Indian Pond-Heron
Crested Goshawk
Brahminy Kite
House Swift
Green Warbler
Jerdon's Leafbird
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
Large-billed Leaf-Warbler
White-bellied Blue-Flycatcher
Little Egret
Rufous-bellied Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Plain Prinia
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Plain Flowerpecker
Grey Junglefowl
Woolly-necked Stork
Cattle Egret
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Black Eagle
Booted Eagle
Shikra
Black Kite
Red-wattled Lapwing
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Banded Bay Cuckoo
Greater Coucal
Little Swift
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Great Hornbill
Coppersmith Barbet
Heart-spotted Woodpecker
Ashy Woodswallow
Long-tailed Shrike
White-throated Fantail
Malabar Lark
Eurasian Crag-Martin
Brown-breasted Flycatcher
Indian Blue Robin
Jungle Myna
Chestnut-tailed Starling
White-headed Starling
Blue-winged Leafbird
Golden-fronted Leafbird
White-browed Wagtail
Black-headed Bunting
Baya Weaver
Spotted Dove
Emerald Dove
Pompadour Green-Pigeon (Grey-fronted)
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon

Asian Koel
Oriental Scops-Owl
Brown Fish-Owl
Jungle Owlet
Brown Hawk-Owl
Ceylon Frogmouth
Jerdon's Nightjar
Savanna Nightjar
White-rumped Needletail
Brown-backed Needletail
Indian Swiftlet
Crested Treeswift
Malabar Trogon
Common Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Malabar Grey Hornbill
Malabar Pied-Hornbill
Brown-headed Barbet
White-cheeked Barbet
Crimson-fronted Barbet
Speckled Piculet
Brown-capped Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
White-bellied Woodpecker
Black-rumped Flameback
Greater Flameback
Plum-headed Parakeet
Malabar Parakeet
Vernal Hanging-Parrot
Indian Pitta
Malabar Woodshrike
Common Woodshrike
Common Iora
Small Minivet
Scarlet Minivet
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Brown Shrike
Indian Golden Oriole
Black-naped Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole
Black Drongo
Ashy Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Black-naped Monarch
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
Rufous Treepie
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Streak-throated Swallow
Indian Tit
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Grey-headed Bulbul
Flame-throated Bulbul

Red-vented Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Yellow-browed Bulbul
Greenish Warbler
Western Crowned Leaf-Warbler
Blyth's Reed-Warbler
Common Tailorbird
Grey-breasted Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Brown-cheeked Fulvetta
Puff-throated Babbler
Jungle Babbler
Dark-fronted Babbler
Indian Scimitar-Babbler
Asian Fairy-bluebird
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie-Robin
White-rumped Shama
Tickell's Blue-Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher
Malabar Whistling-Thrush
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush
Orange-headed Thrush
Indian Blackbird
Malabar Starling
Thick-billed Flowerpecker
Nilgiri Flowerpecker
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Crimson-backed Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
Long-billed Sunbird
Little Spiderhunter
Grey Wagtail
Forest Wagtail
Common Rosefinch
Chestnut-shouldered Petronia
White-rumped Munia
Black-throated Munia
Nutmeg Mannikin



 
                                               Kim & Dash                                                                                Loven

Class Of 2013


Pete & Nick
Journey Back Along Coast Road To Arpora (2) species)
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Lesser Adjutant 1Western Reef-Heron 1




8 & 9th Feb Sat & Sun
Rice Boat Trip Overnight (23 species)
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 Lesser Adjutant 1
Great Egret 1
Intermediate Egret 1
Little Egret 1
Cattle Egret (Asian) 1
Striated Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Black Kite (Black-eared) 1
Brahminy Kite 1
White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1
Common Kingfisher 1 
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Pied Kingfisher 1
Green Bee-eater 1
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 1
Indian Roller 1
Ring-necked Parakeet 1 
Plum-headed Parakeet 1
House Crow 1
Barn Swallow 1
Wire-tailed Swallow 1
Red-rumped Swallow 1
White-browed Wagtail 2 


Arpora-Anjuna Road (14 species)

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Little Egret
Striated Heron
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Booted Eagle
Besra
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Red-wattled Lapwing
Common Greenshank
Asian Koel
Common Kingfisher
Plum-headed Parakeet
Rosy Starling
House Sparrow

Beira Mar Hotel  (35 species)
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Cinnamon Bittern
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Indian Pond-Heron
Black-winged Kite
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
White-breasted Waterhen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Common Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Spotted Owlet
Little Swift
White-throated Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Indian Roller
Brown Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Black Drongo
House Crow
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Blyth's Reed-Warbler
Ashy Prinia
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Siberian Stonechat
Jungle Myna
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Rosy Starling
White-rumped Munia



Sites Visited on all trips to Goa with year and Total lists included.
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Site VisitedTotal20092010-112013
Arpora Wood 75   
Baga Hill 47   
 Backwoods (inc Bondla)160   
Zuari River Trip 34   
Marinha Hotel, Pools and General Area 64   
 Beira Mar Hotel44   
 Carambolim Lake107   
 Mayem Lake54   
Saligao Zor 35   
 Parshem35   
Arpora Prawn Beds 46   
 Morjim Beach34   
Siolim Rice Fields 21   
Batim Lake 15   
 Charoa41   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
  

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