Flying Asia on the infobahn

Click on the small picture to see a larger, more detailed version. I toured Northern India (Delhi area) in March 2011. It was a great trip - good company, great birds, wonderful food, and an amazingly different country. Most of the photos were taken with a Canon camera with 100-400mm zoom lens, but I also use a Nikon point-and-shoot for scenery.. The trip was very enjoyable and was led by Jan Hansen (dba Otus Asio Tours otusasiotours@bellsouth.net). He leads a variety of trips, all of which I would recommend.

The people and scenery

Ancient fort, banyan tree, old tree-encrusted gate,
Ranthambhore National Park, March 5 and 6, 2011.

Taj Mahal: entrance building from front and inside,
the Taj Mahal, details of inlay and carving, side building,
Agra, March 8, 2011.

Waiting for train to depart, Delhi, March 4;
camel transport in Ranthambhore March 5 and at Chambal River March 9,
colorful truck at toll booth, March 6,
tame Indian elephant waits for a rider, Tiger Camp, March 14, 2011.

Women were mostly seen working: pictures from Sattal March 10,
around Corbett National Park, March 14, 15, 17, 2011.

Men standing in town, at a shop, March 18;
isolated religious shrine and a well attended one which included shops
selling supplies for pilgrims, outside Corbett National Park, March 14, 2011.

Jan and Lokesh Kumar (our local guide) and the group at Tiger Camp;
drying cow dung on our ride to Delhi, March 18, 2011
Lokesh and family, Bharatpur, March 8, 2011.

Scenes at the River Ganges: shelters on near side, bathers and funeral pyres,
firewood for sale for funerals, a funeral group (body on roof), March 18, 2011.

Birds, mammals, mountains

Black Kite, House Crow, Greater Coucal, Purple Heron, Green Bee-eater,
Indian Spot-billed Duck with Purple Swamphen, Bluethroat,
Ohkla Sanctuary, Delhi, March 3, 2011 (our 1 rainy day).

Yellow-footed Pigeon, Black-rumped Flameback, Brown-headed Barbet,
Eurasian Hoopoe, House Crow, Spotted Owlet,
Buddha Park, Delhi, March 4, 2011.

Chinkara, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Hanuman Langur,
morning in Ranthambhore National Park, March 5, 2011.

Wooly-necked Stork, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Rufous Treepie,
Red-wattled Lapwing, Greater Thick-knee, Ruddy Shelduck,
morning in Ranthambhore National Park, March 5, 2011.

Little Ringed Plover, Gray Francolin, Cotton Pygmy-Goose,
Marsh Mugger, Wild Boar,
morning in Ranthambhore National Park, March 5, 2011.

Black Drongo, Southern Gray Shrike, Long-billed Pipit, Indian Courser,
Long-tailed Shrike, Painted Sandgrouse,
mid-day outside Ranthambhore National Park, March 5, 2011.

Indian Vulture, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Large-billed Crow,
Eurasian Thick-knee, Rufous Treepie, Nilgai, Chinkara,
afternoon in Ranthambhore National Park, March 5, 2011.

Jungle Babbler, Painted Spurfowl, Red-wattled Lapwing, Greater Coucal,
Sambar, morning in Ranthambhore National Park, March 6, 2011.

Jan and friends, Yellow-footed Pigeon, White-throated Kingfisher,
Dusky Eagle-Owl, Spotted Owlet, Indian Gray Hornbill,
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, March 7, 2011.

Black-headed Ibis, White-breasted Waterhen, Intermediate Egret,
Painted Stork, Oriental Darter, Indian Pond Heron,
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, March 7, 2011.

Nilgai, Rock Python, Brahminy Starling, Oriental Magpie-Robin,
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, March 7, 2011.

Indian Flap-shelled Turtle, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Common Hawk-Cuckoo,
Sarus Crane, Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, March 7, 2011.

Brown Shrike, Large Gray Babbler, White-eared Bulbul, Bay-backed Shrike,
Long-billed Pipit, Ruff, Greater Painted Snipe,
farm fields and wetland, Bharatpur, March 8, 2011.

Indian Flying Fox at Chambal Safari Lodge, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark,
Sand Lark, Crested Lark, Asian Pied Starling,
Chambal River, March 9, 2011.

Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Comb Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck,
Chambal River, March 9, 2011.

White-throated Kingfisher, Red-naped (Indian Black) Ibis,
Asian Openbill, Gharial (young), Chambal River, March 9, 2011.

Indian Skimmer, River Lapwing, Greater Thick-knee,
Chambal River, March 9, 2011.

Gray Bushchat (female, male), Streaked Laughingthrush,
White-cheeked (Himalayan) Bulbul, Gray-headed Warbler,
Sattal, March 11, 2011.

Steppe Eagle, (Red-billed) Blue Magpie, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler,
Common Stonechat, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher,
Sattal, March 11, 2011.

Blue-winged Minla, Lesser Yellownape, White-throated Fantail,
Hanuman Langur, Muntjac (Barking Deer), Sattal, March 11, 2011.

Jan, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Scarlet Minivet, Brown Fish-Owl,
Sattal, March 11, 2011.

(Red-billed) Blue Magpie, White-capped Redstart, Small Niltava,
Blue Whistling Thrush, White-tailed (Himalayan) Redthroat, Kalij Pheasant,
afternoon in Sattal, March 11, 2011.

Himalayan Mountains (Nanda Devi, 25600 feet, right of center),
Green-backed Tit, Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Lammergeier, Black Eagle,
Hanuman Langur, between Nainital and Pangot, March 12, 2011.

White-throated Laughingthrush, Black-headed Jay, Eurasian Jay,
Oriental Turtle Dove, Pangot hotel, March 12, 2011.

Gray-winged Blackbird, Russet (Cinnamon) Sparrow, Streaked Laughingthrush,
Chestnut-bellied Rockthrush (female), Rufous-bellied Woodpecker,
Pangot (Woodpecker in woods, rest at hotel), March 12, 2011.

Blue-fronted Redstart (female), Green-backed Tit, Red-headed Tit,
Verditer Flycatcher, Chestnut Thrush, Pangot hotel, March 12, 2011.

Koklass Pheasant, Himalayan Accentor, White-throated Nuthatch,
Upland Pipit, Blue-capped Redstart, Gray-headed Warbler,
well above Pangot, March 13, 2011.

Himalayan Griffon (2, juvenile), Eurasian Griffon, Common Buzzard,
Steppe Eagle, Yellow-throated Martin, well above Pangot, March 13, 2011.

Himalayas, Rock Bunting above Pangot,
White-throated Laughingthrush, Streaked Laughingthrush at Pangot hotel,
Black-throated Sunbird, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater below Pangot, March 13, 2011.

Rufous-breasted Accentor, Lesser Yellownape, Slaty-headed Parakeet,
Plum-headed Parakeet (2), Great Barbet, below Pangot, March 13, 2011.

Streaked Prinia on morning walk, Rufous-bellied Niltava at Tiger Camp (hotel),
White Wagtail, Crested Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Coppersmith Barbet,
Kosi River outside Corbett National Park, March 14, 2011.

Indian Scops Owl, Indian Gray Hornbill, Lineated Barbet,
Greater Flameback, Gray-faced Woodpecker, Muntjac,
outside eastern edge of Corbett National Park, March 15, 2011.

Indian Peafowl, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Long-billed Thrush, Jan,
Blue-throated Barbet, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater,
outside eastern edge of Corbett National Park, March 15, 2011.

Eurasian Griffon (left) and White-rumped Vulture, Asian Roller,
Oriental Pied Hornbill, Common Myna, Chestnut-tailed (Gray-headed) Starling,
outside southern edge of Corbett National Park, March 15, 2011.