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Rick Goater
Rick Goater

Rick Goater

Keen on the natural world and its wildlife. Read more🇬🇧Doune
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  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Oriental Hobby by the Brahmaputra.
    Himalayan Monel. Wow!Snow Partridge.Blood Pheasant - there were quite a few game birds on the trip.The Bengal FloricanChinese Pond Heron.Black breasted Parrotbill. Wow again!

    Overview

    May 2, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Find Penguins not a great success this time owing the the remoteness of our destinations (Northern Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur) and lack of signal. Given that each day began well before dawn and ended in the dark there was little time or inclination to write daily reports in my fairly exhausted state.
    This was a hard core birding trip with the main goals usually very hard to see and range-restricted species such as Gould’s Shortwing and the recently discovered Bugun Liocichla. Suffice to say that we seem to have had much greater success than the one or two other bird groups in the area because of the phenomenal bird finding skills of our guide, Shashank. Our trip list was around 470 species of which maybe 400 were new to me.
    A few good mammals too including a couple of rare mountain goat species, one Tiger relaxing on a sandbar and a few Hoolock experiences in tall forest areas. These are noisy gibbons. Rather few photos taken by me but I hope for some shares from other members of the group.
    Apart from wildlife, the almost vertical hillside forests of the Mishmi Hills, the rocky Himalayan terrain near the Chinese border, and the vast Brahmaputra River (9km wide where we crossed it) were landscape highlights.
    Wonderful self sufficient and self contained mountain tribal people were most impressive and with beautiful features. Bamboo a fantastic versatile building material used throughout - together with much corrugated iron.
    What a tame and safe place the UK is! I’m not expecting cattle, dogs, goats, piles of building materials, landslides, rockfalls or wandering people and bicycles to block our passage on the motorway between Edinburgh and home, or cars and cyclists coming at us on the wrong carriageway! We have rules here but they seem to be totally absent in India - yet there was never and accident of any sort, though hundreds of what we would consider to be near misses!
    Many thanks to Andy Clements for his digiscoped images.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler

    Expedition nearly over!

    April 25, 2024 in India ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    At last enough of a signal to send a post written near the start of the trip! Now too tired to send detail of days missed but suffice to say that I’ve about 300 new species on my bird list and have been amazed and intrigued by the chaos that is India. Up at 3 or 4 every day and out until dark. Then meal and bed around 8pm. A selection of photos attached.Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Women's rights very important in this village.
    A tough trek into the hills especially for Naga Wren-babblerOur homestay community.Live on the left, dead and dealt with on the right.Its Sunday and many girls dressed like this.The entrance to Kaziranga.Temporary accommodation for labourers working on a bridge.Due to see many more of these tomorrow.Hitching a ride

    Manipur to Nagaland to Assam

    April 14, 2024 in India ⋅ 🌙 29 °C

    An update after a few days without internet. Two incredibly exciting long road journeys, first to the village of Khonoma in Nagaland where we stayed in a home stay run by incredibly friendly people. Hardly a man visible in this narrow village perched on high ground with vertical drops on both sides. Firewood stacks everywhere and the forested hills largely managed for this commodity, ancient planted alders coppiced for this purpose. Women working in the terraced fields, clearing ditches with machetes and carrying heavy loads of wood and foraged green stuffs for human consumption.
    The second drive, having spent two days there, was to the Kasiranga national park where we are a guest house for the night, with wonderful food and a warm water shower - something not present at the home stay. There it was buckets and cold water. And hard beds - but lovely food.
    Much of both journeys was spent on the wrong side of the road, passing slower vehicles (often military) and weaving amongst goats and cows. Seems incredibly risky but no mishaps experienced or observed.
    Much produce for sale at the roadside, including pigs and chickens being butchered for buyers on site. Most of the Assam roads were tarmaced but long stretches of the Nagaland highways were incredibly rough. Rockfalls closed the opposite carriageway for quite a stretch today but no problem; everything on that side just swapped to our side and drove against the flow. No signs or warnings and no head on collisions.
    As for birds, we have seen almost everything hoped for but with very hard work and very early mornings. Highlights for me have included Assam Laughingthrush, a real beauty and very local but to be honest, I’ve seen so many new species compared to the rest of the group that I don’t mind missing out on specialities that they “need” or getting poor views of some birds.
    This morning, still in Khonoma area, while failing in our last attempt to see Spot-breasted Laughingthrush, we found a legless lizard like our Slow-worm which was the high point of of our guide’s day.
    An afternoon drive in the national park produced the ultra-rare Finn’s Weaver but I enjoyed the many Indian Rhinoceroses and wild elephants just as much.
    So much more to say, but this is enough!    Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Not much activity early on
    More cattleIn the bamboo/reed marshesEven way out in the wetlands there are dwellers with things to sell.We saw stacks of good birds from here. Bery pleased i brought my scope.

    A second stab at Indian Grass-bird

    April 11, 2024 in India ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Birdwise, enough to say for most followers that I added another 30 or so to my list and had fabulous views of the very hard to nail down Indian Grass-bird. But perhaps an equally life-enhancing experience was the travel to the marshes in our convoy of three SUVs. No apparent road rules apart from honk to say we’re here and we will be forcing you to change course, even if that risks you hitting a goat, a dog, a cow, a tuk-tuk or a beautifully dressed woman carrying her shopping.
    Also the drive, full of interest: markets, roadside sellers of dusty fruit and veg, workers in the fields with all sorts of hand tools - some in conical sun hats, many rather nice looking dogs - at least one per roadside vendor and a considerable police/military presence in the towns.
    Incredibly rough dirt tracks causing the vehicle to buck about have proved wonderful physio for my back which is now more supple than it’s been for years - so I no longer need a shoe horn to get my boots on.
    Two slight annoyances: experienced observers have been seeing quite a few species that I need but have not called them out. And one our vehicles stopped and photographed a 6’ long and 4” thick trackside snake without communicating. Sorry Lewis - I know you’d have liked a photo! It was a chequered keelback.
    So, there is a problem caused by the group being split between three vehicles and not being in proper contact with each other. Nevertheless an amazing day.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Scanning the marshlands.
    1Lesser Coucal - a cuckoo relative.On the roadThe parrotbill - bird of the day.

    Thirty-something new birds before 8am.

    April 11, 2024 in India ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A grassland and wetland morning, out by 4am in the cool when birds are most active. Extremely rural area with many people working in the fields, including cutting reeds and similar for cattle feed. Rare and localised Indian Grassbird and Black-breasted Parrotbill seen, amongst many other nice things.
    Back at the hotel around 10 am for a rest before visiting the same areas again so others can get views of the grassbird, as they failed in the morning.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Ponies on a three lane carriageway
    The group gets refreshments.Shashank goes through the log.

    Imphal, Yellow-throated Laughing Thrush

    April 10, 2024 in India ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    One of our main target species under our belts and so rare it thrilled all our group members. But, given that every bird here is new for me they all have more or less equal value to me, so Long-tailed Shrike and Pied Harrier were my “birds of the day”. Fantastic frenzy of traffic, cattle, horses, tuk-tuks and hooting of horns as we drove through the town.Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler

    It starts.

    April 9, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Easy travel from Doune to Edinburgh; Edinburgh to Heathrow and now waiting to board the Virgin Atlantic aircraft “Fearless Lady” for Delhi. There will be a 10 hour or so wait there for our connection to Imphal but I’m sure we’ll cope.
    Now about an hour out of Delhi after a flight during which the time did not drag. The plane is less than half full so plenty of extra food and drink available.
    Final notification: we have about nine hours to wait before our next flight to Imphal - but tomorrow will bring the first exciting birds and the coming together of our group of seven.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    Packed
    2Will I see one?

    Always hopeful

    April 5, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌫 5 °C

    Four days to go and I’m obviously far too keen! Packed already, including with things I still need here - like wellies and other waterproofs, not to mention bins and scope.
    Fantasising about all sorts of Indian birds including members of my generally least favourite group - the game birds. So here’s a photo of Temminck’s Tragopan on Flickr Creative Commons courtesy of Keith Murdock.Read more

  • Rick GoaterWild N E IndiaTraveler
    They'll need cleaning.

    One week to go

    April 2, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Thinking about packing now - for comfortable birding in varied weather conditions. What to include? What to leave out? Wellies? Imodium? Mozzie net? Lightweight stool? Umbrella? Crocs?

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler
    The ferry arrives in Port Ellen
    The Kennacraig - Islay direction.Distant Paps of Jura.On board.

    Homeward bound

    March 20, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    A two hour “navigation”, as they’d call it in Galapagos, from Port Ellen to Kennacraig. Flat calm and parties of auks feeding all over the place relatively close to Islay. Also more divers than I’ve ever seen, with probably tens of Great Northerns and Red-throateds, and a handful of Black-throateds. Most of them in Loch Tarbert. Watched a Hen Harrier making its way to Islay some time after we left harbour but still no White-tailed Eagles in spite of perfect eagle conditions.Read more

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler
    The place.
    The stills - everyone too busy to waste time shining them.Only about 600 barrels of the original pre-1994 stuff.A rather nice original padlock.The still for producing The Botanist gin.Octomore 14.4. - very heavily peated but excellent with a drop of water.Last evening on site.

    Too much whisky

    March 19, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Not a birding day in spite of the best weather yet. A tour of the Bruichladdich distillery was much more engaging than I expected and at daughter’s long-distance insistence I spent more on a bottle of whisky than I ever had before - probably because my judgement was clouded by the tasting session. Anyway, nice to have a full unopened bottle to look forward to.
    Two more leg-ringed Choughs seen feeding in a cattle field were the Birdy highlight of the day. I’ve gone the whole week without seeing an eagle, which is a bit frustrating.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler
    Thise are Choughs - I promise!
    Good visitor centre and lunch.

    Ardnave Point for Choughs

    March 18, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    After a fine walk to the west on Machir beach and a highly recommended visit for coffee, lunch and the purchase of some very fine whisky at the Kilchoman distillery for an upcoming ‘brothers long weekend’ on Skye, three of us drove to Ardnave Point in the hope of finding Choughs - those crow relatives with red feet and red downcurved bills. A wonderful male Hen Harrier performed for us on the way.
    A longish walk in heavier and heavier rain and increasing wind did not reduce the pleasure of seeing 24 Choughs probing the soil for invertebrates and showing off their glossy blue-black plumage. Many sported multiple colour rings - no doubt for valuable research reasons but it made them look a bit ‘manhandled’. I took a phone photo but not worth it really.
    Huge numbers of Grey Seals hauled out on Nave Island opposite the headland. Then back to the caravan and snug warmth.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler
    The American Monument on the Oa
    The words.Foggy on the Oa.A story of heroism.Watching Twite.Some ancient culture on the drive north.O e of four carved lions that had had their heads removed. Why?

    A day on the Oa

    March 18, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    A party of five drove to the Oa - a cliffs bulbous peninsular, good for raptor species. Fog was a problem for much of the time and no eagles performed for us. We did see a female Hen Harrier and had a very brief view of a probable Merlin from the vehicle on the way. The fog cleared occasionally to give glimpses of impressive cliffs.
    Birdy highlight was about 20 Twite, some males sporting lovely pink rumps and several birds also sporting a mixture of colour rings on their tarsi. Good, distinctive calls as well.
    More Cullen skink in Port Ellen followed and then a scenic drive north checking bays for divers etc. Must have seen a total of 15 Great Northerns and some views of very smart foraging Red-breasted Mergansers. Rock Doves gave good views - really lovely birds in comparison with their feral relatives and we watched a relaxed foraging otter diving amongst the rocks and seaweed.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler
    View from the caravan
    Whitefront - these will have overflown the Greenland icecapBarnacle Grese - from GreenlandWatching Pintail ducks.

    Loch Gruinart

    March 15, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    A windy but sunny day in the Loch Gruinart area. Barnacle Geese in their hundreds and also many lovely Greater White-fronted Geese of the Greenland subspecies feeding in the rougher grasslands. A not too thorough search along the roadsides for the Red-breasted Goose amongst the Barbie’s but it was not found. Maybe tomorrow. A female Hen Harrier was nice to see and some of the party saw a White-tailed Eagle and a dozen Choughs at Ardnave Point.
    Lunch at the Oyster Shed on the east side of the loch was a nice break from the windy birding.    Read more

  • Rick GoaterIslay birdingTraveler

    Queuing at Kennacraig

    March 14, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    A drive with the caravan from near Stirling. Pretty wet and pelting with rain as we wait for the ferry, the timing of which has been put back and put back several times. Due to land on Islay around 8pm and then a bit of a drive to the booked site. Will be no fun setting up in the dark and the rain and then eating probably as late as 10:30.
    Footnote: I was quite right about setting up in the dark and the rain. Absolutely black and we’d forgotten head torches. Using the light on the phones meant we did jobs one handed. Hey ho, tomorrow may provide us with a Red-breasted Goose amongst all the Barnacle Geese at Loch Gruinart.    Read more

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