Goa Bird Festivals

The former Portuguese enclave of Goa, running for some 65 miles alongside the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, has rapidly established itself as one of the premier winter birding destinations for European birders. The reasons are not hard to find. The previous WildWings festivals have yielded a combined list of well over 300 species. In a relatively small area, one can find a remarkable variety of habitats and an extraordinary selection of birds, with the tameness and approachability characteristic of the Indian Subcontinent. A large number of typical Indian species, with several southern Indian endemics, are joined by a whole range of much sought after Palearctic species that winter there.

With estuaries, mudflats, mangroves, and rivers, freshwater lakes and marshes, ricefields, lowland jungle and monsoon forest, there are almost endless habitats for rewarding exploration and birding. Guaranteed sun, a well-developed infrastructure and easy, inexpensive travel around by bus and taxi all contribute to one of the best value-for-money birding holidays currently available. Based at the Beira Mar Hotel in Baga, away from the crowded beach and overlooking fields, ricefields and a small marsh, we enjoy real doorstep birding. Other habitats are within walking distance of the hotel or are easily reached by local taxi, whilst daily optional excursions provided by our local Indian guides enable us to visit some choice locations and more of the huge variety of colourful birds. These will include the opportunity to spend four nights in the tented camp in the forests on the edge of the Western Ghats.

Goa makes a perfect gentle introduction to Indian birding, where you can relax and enjoy a Kingfisher beer whilst watching Greater Painted Snipe in glorious evening sunshine. With parakeets and lorikeets, owlets and swiftlets, bee-eaters and rollers, hornbills and barbets, orioles and drongos, mynahs and cuckoo-shrikes, bluebirds and leafbirds, bulbuls and babblers, whistling thrushes and ground thrushes, flowerpeckers and woodpeckers, weavers and munias, sunbirds and trogons, the list seems to be endless.

Against a background of magnificent cathedrals, whitewashed churches, elegant houses and crumbling forts, all reflecting Goa's colonial past and Portuguese influence, one finds the more typical friendly people, busy roads and noisy villages of India. Close to our hotel is a variety of restaurants where good Indian food is just one of the many national cuisines available. This is a trip which offers something for everyone and represents unbeatable value for money.

Optional birding excursion programme.

Morjim Estuary (half day)

Key species: Great Black-headed, Caspian, Heuglin’s, Brown-headed and Slender-billed Gulls, Lesser Crested Tern, Greater & Lesser Sand Plovers.

Chorao Island and Mayem Lake (all day)

A ferry crossing to a large island in the middle of the Mandovi River, continuing on to the wooded Mayem Lake. Key species: Western Reef Heron, Terek Sandpiper, Crested Serpent Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Orange-breasted Pigeon, Brown Fish Owl and Rufous Woodpecker.

Carambolin Lake and Ciba Geigy (half day)

A beautiful lily-covered lake with grassy margins and adjacent paddyfields and woodland, with more lakes and trees inside the factory grounds. Key species: Indian Cormorant, Lesser Whistling and Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Asian Openbill, Wooly-necked and Lesser Adjutant Storks, Intermediate Egret, Pheasant-tailed & Wattled Jacanas.

Dona Paula & Santa Cruz marshes [half day]

Grassy, stony area just outside Panjim with marshes and reedbeds a short drive away. Key species: Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Oriental Sky Lark, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, Greater Spotted Eagle.

Bondla, Backwoods Camp and Tambdi Surla (5 days and 4 nights)

A unique opportunity - four nights in a luxury tented camp in the forests on the edge of the Western Ghats, the highlight of the trip for most people. Early start to drive to the forest and Backwoods Camp near the temple at Tamdi Surla. Here we spend four nights under canvas, birding mostly inside the forest. Key species: Malabar Trogon, Malabar Grey, Malabar Pied and Great Hornbills, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, White-rumped Shama, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Oriental Scops Owl, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Little Spiderhunter, Chesnut-headed Bee-eater, Spangled Drongo and Grey-headed Bulbul.

Zuari River Trip (half day)

A very relaxing boat trip commencing from the Citade de Goa Hotel, going upriver in search of the local specialities . Key species: Collared, Stork-billed, Black-capped, White-breasted and Pied Kingfishers, Greater and Lesser Crested Terns.

If you take the full programme of excursions, the total cost will be around £200 per person. (Prices increase slightly if group number’s low).

Itinerary

Day 1: Depart London Gatwick for Panjim Airport, Goa

Day 2: Arrive in early morning and transfer to Beira Mar Hotel, Baga - local birding

Days 3-15: Birding locally and on optional excursions

Day 16: Early morning departure from Panjim Airport and arrive London Gatwick in early evening

Holiday Information

Dates: (1) 8th – 23rd November 2008

(2) 10^{th -} 25^th January 2009

Leaders: (1) Dave Fell (2) David Rosair

Cost: The basic cost is £1099 per person, sharing a twin room with en suite facilities, fridge and ceiling fan.

Single Supp: (1) and (2) £169

Deposit: £200 per person

Group size: The maximum number will be 10-12 plus the leader and local guides.

Price includes: economy class air travel on charter flights, all airport and departure taxes, transfers airport/hotel return, hotel accommodation with en suite facilities and breakfast, services on WildWings tour leaders and local guides, WildWings pre-tour information pack and day-to-day bird checklist.

Price excludes: Optional birding excursions, travel insurance (from £36.05 per person), Indian visa fees (approximately £30 per person), lunches, dinners, drinks, laundry, souvenirs and other items of a personal nature.

Bird species:

The number of species expected to be seen is ca. 250+

Previous trip reports available on our website or from us.