I have a long trip coming up. First stop, Klein’s Deli in San Francisco (believe it or not, this little deli in the American Airlines gate area at SFO serves some of the best sandwiches I’ve ever tasted: a yummy chicken curry with raisins, and a delicious turkey roast beef combo). From Klein’s Deli it’s on to New Delhi, several time zones away:
And reading this article has inspired me to buy as many sandwiches from Klein’s as I can for the flight; airline food is never something to count on.
But hey, at least last night American Airlines emailed me to apologize for last week’s delay. They even gave me a whopping 4000 bonus miles, redeemable for no upgrades on any flight I ever book through them. The only thing I can ever use miles for is new flights; why can’t I ever upgrade? I’d love to be able to upgrade on this next trip, though. The leg from MIA to SFO isn’t so bad, but Chicago to Delhi is a 14-hour affair.
No matter how long it takes to get there, though, and how short a time I’m in the country, I always bring my binoculars to Delhi. There’s a little bird sanctuary… on the banks of the Yamuna River, not far from the office. And it’s nice to get out with members of Delhibird and see what we can see. So far I’ve had over 140 species in my travels through India. Many of those were from my trip to Bangalore (the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary was amazing!), but a fair number (91 at last count) have come from the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, home grounds to the members of Delhibird.net.
I don’t have any good pictures from there for some reason, but this trip I hope to remedy that; as a placeholder, I paste in below a list of species seen in the sanctuary on past trips (courtesy of AviSys 6 record-keeping software):
All Dates ~ in Okhla Bird Park ~ 91 seen
GREBES (Podicipediformes Podicipedidae)
Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
ANHINGAS (Pelecaniformes Anhingidae)
Darter, Anhinga melanogaster
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS (Ciconiiformes Ardeidae)
Gray Heron, Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
Indian Pond-Heron, Ardeola grayii
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Yellow Bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
STORKS (Ciconiiformes Ciconiidae)
Painted Stork, Mycteria leucocephala
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS (Ciconiiformes Threskiornithidae)
Black-headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus
Red-naped Ibis, Pseudibis papillosa
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
FLAMINGOS (Phoenicopteriformes Phoenicopteridae)
Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
Spot-billed Duck, Anas poecilorhyncha
Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
Ferruginous Pochard, Aythya nyroca
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES (Falconiformes Accipitridae)
Black Kite, Milvus migrans
Western Marsh-Harrier, Circus aeruginosus
Shikra, Accipiter badius
PHEASANTS AND PARTRIDGES (Galliformes Phasianidae)
Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus
Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus
RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS (Gruiformes Rallidae)
White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus
Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio
Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra
JACANAS (Charadriiformes Jacanidae)
Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Bronze-winged Jacana, Metopidius indicus
AVOCETS AND STILTS (Charadriiformes Recurvirostridae)
Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
THICK-KNEES (Charadriiformes Burhinidae)
Eurasian Thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus
SANDPIPERS (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
Common Redshank, Tringa totanus
Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola
PIGEONS AND DOVES (Columbiformes Columbidae)
Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Orange-breasted Pigeon, Treron bicincta
Yellow-footed Pigeon, Treron phoenicoptera
PARROTS (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)
Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri
Plum-headed Parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala
CUCKOOS (Cuculiformes Cuculidae)
Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Cuculus varius
Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea
Greater Coucal, Centropus sinensis
OWLS (Strigiformes Strigidae)
Spotted Owlet. Athene brama
KINGFISHERS (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)
White-throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis
BEE-EATERS (Coraciiformes Meropidae)
Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis
HOOPOES (Curaciiformes Upupidae)
Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops
BARBETS (Piciformes Capitonidae)
Coppersmith Barbet, Megalaima haemacephala
SWALLOWS (Passeriformes Hirundinidae)
Plain Martin, Riparia paludicola
WAGTAILS AND PIPITS (Passeriformes Motacillidae)
Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola
Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla flava
Oriental Pipit, Anthus rufulus
BULBULS (Passeriformes Pycnonotidae)
Red-whiskered Bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus
Red-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer
CISTICOLAS AND ALLIES (Passeriformes Cisticolidae)
Graceful Prinia, Prinia gracilis
Yellow-bellied Prinia, Prinia flaviventris
Ashy Prinia, Prinia socialis
Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata
OLD WORLD WARBLERS (Passeriformes Sylviidae)
Blyth’s Reed-Warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum
Sykes’s Warbler, Hippolais rama
Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
Striated Grassbird, Megalurus palustris
OLD WORLD FLYCATCHERS (Passeriformes Muscicapidae)
Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
Indian Robin, Saxicoloides fulicata
African Stonechat, Saxicola torquata
White-tailed Stonechat, Saxicola leucura
Pied Bushchat, Saxicola caprata
MONARCH FLYCATCHERS (Passeriformes Monarchidae)
Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Terpsiphone rufiventer
BABBLERS (Passeriformes Timaliidae)
Yellow-eyed Babbler, Chrysomma sinense
Common Babbler, Turdoides caudatus
Large Gray Babbler, Turdoides malcolmi
Jungle Babbler, Turdoides striatus
SUNBIRDS AND SPIDERHUNTERS (Passeriformes Nectariniidae)
Purple Sunbird, Cinnyris asiaticus
ORIOLES (Passeriformes Oriolidae)
Eurasian Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
SHRIKES (Passeriformes Laniidae)
Long-tailed Shrike, Lanius schach
DRONGOS (Passeriformes Dicruridae)
Black Drongo, Dicrurus macrocercus
CROWS AND JAYS (Passeriformes Corvidae)
Rufous Treepie, Dendrocitta vagabunda
House Crow, Corvus splendens
STARLINGS (Passeriformes Sturnidae)
Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis
Asian Pied Starling, Gracupica contra
Rosy Starling, Pastor roseus
OLD WORLD SPARROWS (Passeriformes Passeridae)
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
WEAVERS AND ALLIES (Passeriformes Ploceidae)
Streaked Weaver, Ploceus manyar
Baya Weaver, Ploceus philippinus
Bengal Weaver, Ploceus benghalensis
WAXBILLS AND ALLIES (Passeriformes Estrildidae)
Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava
White-throated Munia, Lonchura malabarica
Nutmeg Mannikin, Lonchura punctulata
FINCHES, SISKINS, CROSSBILLS (Passeriformes Fringillidae)
Common Rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus
BUNTINGS, SEEDEATERS, ALLIES (Passeriformes Emberizidae)
Crested Bunting, Melophus lathami
Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala
——— STATISTICS ———
Species seen – 91