Passage Migration

Bird migration is one greatest wonders of nature. Journeys they take pole to pole, some east-west and up and down mountains. Flying across oceans, above the mighty Himalayas, some fly non-stop for days and some travel at unbelievable speed.

Passage migration, is a phenomenon where birds stops somewhere for a short time during a seasonal migration, to capitalize on available food before they continue on the journey.

From August to October every year, Kutch district in Gujarat state of India plays hosts to special passage migrants. They stop over while migrating from their breeding grounds in Central and East Asia/Europe to their wintering grounds in Africa. They make a stop over due to availability of food after the rains and importantly close proximity to the African continent. Eight and more species of passage migrants move through Kutch.

Incomparable to the journey these marvels take, I took a tiny one to Kutch to watch these passage migrants. Sharing here my experience with these avian wonders.

European Roller

Our constant companion, seen on tree top, on the bushes, electric wires and poles. They were large in numbers, solitary and most beautiful ones. It was a sight to watch them take flight to show their true shades of blue. They migrate from Europe to spend their winter in Africa.

To know more about the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/eurrol1/cur/introduction and its migration https://birdcount.in/migration-map/eurrol1/.

Greater Whitethroat

Got a glimpse of this one hiding and hoping in the bushes. The prinia and petronia around it were making it tough for me to focus and click when it peeped out in open for it next hop into the bushes. The sheer glimpse of it made me wonder of the journey this 13-15 cm bird weighing just 14–~15-17 gms takes from Europe to Africa to spend its winter, what a brave and adventurous journey it must be. And here it was shy, hiding in the bushes.

About the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/grewhi1/cur/introduction and its migration https://birdcount.in/migration-map/grewhi1/.

Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin

The names says it all for this one, it was literally every time spotted in the thorny scrubs. It was only when it appear on the top of the small scrub, could see its rufous tail. Ebird says the rufous is "foxy-rufous" to perfectly describe it. What I found prominent was its creamy-white supercilium and blackish eye stripe. Would have loved to see it foraging on the ground with its tailed raised, some other day it said.

Most of them migrate to Africa to winter there from southern Europe, North Africa and Central Asia. Interestingly there is a sub-species that is an African resident and do not migrate (Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin (African) Cercotrichas galactotes minor/hamertoni), may be it decided to settle down eventually.

About the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rutscr1/cur/introduction and its migration https://birdcount.in/migration-map/rutscr1/.

Red-backed Shrike

True migrant taking journey from their breeding grounds in Europe to spend winter in Africa. We saw a male individual perched in top of a shrub, in the middle of a marshy land. Since it was a very long shot, we decided to get down the vehicle and approach with utmost care keeping in mind two things, one not to disturb the visitor and other not to get shoes stuck in the muddy, wet and slippery land while walking quietly towards it. Was lucky to not slip, get stuck and manage a decent shot with the sun blessing us hard over heads.

An interesting moment was when I saw the Red-backed shrike looking towards a red truck passing by. Was the shrike here finding similarities in their colour or was it considering hitch hiking to S. Africa no one knows? Not a clear image but an interesting one added here.

About the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rebshr1/cur/introduction.

Red-tailed shrike

This one is special, as it breeds in our neighboring countries Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and China. Passes over Kutch while migrating to its winter ground in Africa. I could only capture the female, that too a very long shot.

I had not done by homework for this one before my visit, so it was touch to spot, identify and the click. This shrike seemed to the smaller than the other we see in and around Maharashtra.

An observation, there were occasions when the locally birds did mob the passage migrants, not with this shrike that was sharing space peacefully with another passage migrant the European roller. Was it coz. they knew this was a short stay and there was not conflict of interest?

About the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rutshr2/cur/introduction

Spotted Flycatcher

At the first glance from far away, it looked so much like the Asian brown flycatcher. On close look could see the streaks on nape and forehead, the beautiful black eye had the curious spark. They too like most of the passage migrants travel from Europe to winter in Africa. This one too like the Greater Whitethroat is small 13-15 cm and weight 11-21 gms, and takes the adventuring journey every year. They are found in abundance, foraging and perching on tree branches, fences and even wires. Most of them were bold and seemed to have settled in well for the short stop over.

About the bird https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/spofly1/cur/introduction and its migration https://birdcount.in/migration-map/spofly1/

Eurasian Scops owl

I got the opportunity to click this one only and only because of our guide Mr. Bharat Kapdi. Maintaining utmost silence, not even the slightest sound to made while we walked bending down into the thorny thicket, then slowing sat on the ground. Spotted this beauty through small opening of tree. The best part was to spot it despite instructions it was touch, then the focus and click. The sheer sight of it was mesmerizing. It was perched on the tree like a monk, I laid down complete on my stomach to adjust the camera to get a good angle and clicked a few, that is when it decided to shower me with his looks ;) that's when the shutter captured the head turn, eyes just to take a glimpse. This is what I must say falls under the category of "creating life time memories" all in a minute.

This one breeds in Europe, Siberia and the western Himalayas and migrates to Africa for winter, stopping over as a passage migrant for few weeks in Kutch.

About this wonderful bird: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/eursco1/cur/introduction

European Nightjar

Most cryptic one, only got a glimpse that too after a long long wait. The credit would be of our guide. Picture says it all. It was again a dead silent walk in the thicket, track this one sitting on a stone deep inside the bushes.

Along with this gem, on this passage migration birding trip we also spotted Indian Nightjar and Savanna nightjar. No match for this one though.

Found an really interesting article, where they have studied European nightjars, lunar cycle and migration. https://insideecology.com/2019/10/17/the-moon-determines-when-migratory-birds-head-south/

To know more about this one : https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/eurnig1/cur/introduction

Other Birds

Few more lifer during the trip.

Crested Lark

Streaked Weaver

Isabelline Wheatear

Variable Wheatear

Marshall's Iora

Sykes's Warbler

Wood Sandpiper

Temminck's Stint

Habitat

I had always visualized Kutch to be barren without trees and just vast lands with scorching sun. Pleasantly surprised to see green landscape just after rains, mostly comprising of grasslands, small hills and thickets of thorn scrubs.