Thursday, August 1, 2013

Romancing the butterflies - Buxa!

Buxa Tiger Reserve (760 sq. kms) lies in the Northern part of West Bengal state in Jalpaiguri district. Lately its been in news over the naxalite activity and the deaths of elephants by the railway lines that cut right across their habitat. Me and a group of my friends made this trip thanks to the then DFO of Buxa, Salimath Sir. Although declared as Tiger Reserve, Tiger has not been spotted in Buxa for the last few years. However Buxa had lot to offer, since this was my first trip to see the Northern species of India. The one week we spent roaming a few places in and around Rajabhatkhawa was quite overwhelming. I could only identify a handful of butterfly species. Here's a photo journal of the one of best 5 days we spent in W Bengal.

Day 1 - In and around the guest house in Rajabhatkhawa.
Id?
Pale grass blue
tiger moth - Nyctemera Coleta?
Dark Evening Brown?
Day 2 : A 14 km walk and stay at Aadma village. The route to which lay in the meandering valley abutting the lovely Jainti river.
Hill Mynah
Lascar
Albatross?
Bush hopper?
Gaudy Baron
Puchinello
Indian Roller
Dusky Yellow Breasted Flat
Red Helen
Chocolate albatross
Palmfly
Common bluebottle
Tailey Jay
Bright Sunbeam?
Bright Sunbeam?
Id?
Dart Id?
Cerulean
Assorted :) 5 Bar swordtail
Rounded Pierrot
Rolling in the deep..
white capped water redstart
Day 3 : Enroute to Rajabhatkhawa from Aadma
Puchinello
Id?
Sailor Id?
Id?
Id?
Oakblue Id?
Oakblue Id?
Angled Castor
Spangled Drongo
Id? Blue?
Id? Blue?
Id?
Centaur Oakblue
Orange Oakleaf
Moth Id?
Mealy bugs
Common Lascar
Id?
Id?
Himalayan Banded Treebrown
Id?
Centaur Oakblue?
Peacock Pansy
Wreathed Hornbill
Sunbeam ID?
Water Snow Flat
Lascar on my bag :)
Blue tiger
Id?
Same one as above Id?
Day 4 : Vulture Breeding Center
Hawk Moth Id?
Moth Id?
Moth Id?
Commander
Moth Id?
Yellow Helen
Tick
Chestnut bellied nuthatch
Hedge Blue?
Grey Count
Glassy Blue Tiger
Jerdon's Baza
Fluffy Tit
Tri Colored Flat
Day 5 : Buxa Fort
Id? Skipper
Id? Skipper
Common Sailor?
Dark Palm Dart?
Staff Sergeant?
Garden Lizard?
Blue Spotted Crow
Blue Spotted Crow
Common Tinsel
Golden Sapphire?
Golden Sapphire?
Tailless Plushblue?
Himalayan Blue Imperial?
Day 6 : In and around Alipurduar
Pale grass blue?
Moth Id?
Moth Id?
Frog Id?
Palmfly
Tusker near APC in Buxa
Malayan Giant Squirrel
Day 7 : Jaldapara WS
Chestnut Bob?
Chestnut Bob?
Yellow footed green pigeon
Id?
Alexandrine Parakeet
Indian Rhino
Lesser Adjutant Stork
Gaurs
Peacock
Sambar
Red Jungle Fowl
Moth Id?
Tokay Gecko
Day 8 : Safari, Jaldapara WS
Safari
Rhino
Red breasted parakeets
Black hooded Oriole
Lesser Whistling ducks
European Bee eater
Black Ibis