After arriving in Delhi, I was picked up by a former colleague at my university and we headed south towards Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, the site for the wedding. This city is located only about 200 km south of the capital, but it took us close to 6 hours to drive there. I spent three days in Hathras, including a full day at the wedding of my former PhD student. Attending an Indian wedding is like stepping into a living kaleidoscope of color, culture, music, and emotion. It’s not just a ceremony; it’s a multi-day celebration of love, family, tradition, and joy that leaves a lasting impression on everyone involved. It was indeed a great experience, with flowers, good food, music and fireworks. Definitely well worth a trip, and an unforgettable experience.
On this page I show some impression from India. First, the impressive wedding with all its pomp and circumstance deserves a few photos. We started the birding trip the day after the wedding, focusing on two eBird hotspots in the Hathras region. The first stop was at the Patna Pakshi Vihar (Pundhir Bird sanctuary), Etah. This is a small wetland good for waterfowls and waders. We also stopped at two other locations that day. The second day we drove to Ranthambore, a full day of driving, with two short stops to look at wetlands next to the road not too far from Bharatpur.
After a couple of days in Ranthambore, we headed west toward Jaisalmer and Desert National Park. First stop was in Pushkar, close to Ajmer. Here we got to see some good birds, such as White Bellied Minivet and White-tailed Iora. It took another couple of days to get to Desert National Park, where I stayed in a tented camp, Prince Desert Camp, Sam Jaisalmer, for 4 nights. We explored Desert National Park for two full days with a local guide who had a 4W drive pickup suited for off-road driving.
On our way back towards the capital, we stopped at several birding hotspots, including Akal Wood Fossil Park, Khichan, Bikaner Jore Beed Vultures Conservation Reserve, and Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary. Several of these stops offered good birding.
Unfortunately, with its rapid urbanization and population density, India has become world’s largest contributor to plastic pollution, accounting for nearly 20% of the total global plastic waste. A study published in Nature in 2024 showed that nearly 40% of the 9.3 million tons of plastic waste generated annually in India is mismanaged and leak into the environment each year. This means you will find plastic waste everywhere. Single use plastics and packaging are piling up in cities and along the highways. Plastic waste is found everywhere, also in more remote birding areas. With limited public awareness, India has a massive plastic waste challenge, and I include some photos showing such pollution.
In Desert National Park, Western Rajasthan. GIB = Great Indian Bustard
Travel route for a 15-day long birding trip to Western Rajasthan in December 2024
Ananya, my "guide" during the first days in india, including picking me up at the airport in Delhi
Indian wedding
Pomp and circumstance
Bridal couple
Entertainment, even with clowns and a dwarf :)
Wedding fireworks
Lot's of decor
The first night, with only the groom and his family present
Fresh and strictly vegetarian food (and very tasty) was served in many booths
We had to go outside for a beer (Prabhu organized). The wedding was pure non-alcoholic
Small village outside Hathras
Mismanaged plastic waste is found everywhere in the countryside in India
Agriculture is the main industry in Uttar Pradesh
Farmland outside Hathras, Uttar Pradesh
Still optimistic ... In Patna Bird Sancturay first day of birding
Dalveer, my guide during the trip
Patna Bird Sancturay
Cattle Egret, and a modern farm worker with a smartphone
Farmers
Farmland birding in Uttar Pradesh
Ranthambore National Park - Zone 7
Jungle Retreat Ranthambore, stayed here for two nights
This is how it looks like when there is a tiger sighting. Same procedure as on African safaris when arou the big cats
Crowded in Ranthambore in the morning. In Zone 10 with a tiger hidden in the bushess
Sawai Madhopur city near Ranthambore National Park
Sawai Madhopur city near Ranthambore National Park
Pushkar birding early in the morning, looking for the White-naped Tit
Accomodation in Pushkar, Clarks Resorts Bandanwara, Ajmer.
Camels are a major attraction in Ajmer, especially in Pushkar, famous for the annual Pushkar Camel Fair held in October or November.
In India, cattle is often seen eating plastic waste. Near Pushkar
Not good to see such piles of waste when birding a site
Birding site in Western Rajasthan
Our driver during the 15-day long trip (I forgot his name, he hardly spoke any English at all)
Pushkar
The most luxurious accomodation during the trip, the Marugarh Resort in Jodhpur
Marugarh Resort room
Lunch, locally made bread
A favorite with Dalveer and a staple cuisine, Masala Chai tea
Jaisalmer
Into the desert!
Prince Desert Camp, west of Jaisalmer
At Prince Desert Camp there was entertainment every evening from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, with very loud music. It was disruptive for anyone hoping to enjoy the silence of the desert and find some peace after a long birding day
Accomodation at Prince Desert Camp. Except the evening noise, a fine place to stay
Stayed in the tented Prince Desert Camp for four nights
First morning in the Desert National Park looking for the Great Indian Bustard
Remote road in the Desert National Park with fences, probably for livestock control and grazing management?
Goats
Bird spotting
The local guide invited us for lunch in his private home
Impressive and tasty food!
Making tea with dried dung
Desert National Park
Searching for a Saker Falcon, seen the day before by someone else (unfortunately, not refound)
In the park with the local guide and driver
Shelter for cattle herders
Local town
You don't escape the plastic waste, even in the most remote areas
Local town
Wind farms and associated power lines threaten the Great Indian Bustard through habitat loss and direct collisions, as the birds are vulnerable to the infrastructure in their grassland habitats
Vultures on a carcass in front of modern infrastructure
Bogged down. Our regular car was not designed for offroad driving. The driver was more of a city slicker ... :)
Flooding. Some areas in the park were flooded, and we found surprising high numbers of waders and waterfowl
Acacia tree, perhaps Vachellia nilotica?
Being close to the Pakistani border, we had overflying jets while in Desert NP. This is a Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30MKI, I think
Akal Wood Fossil Park is a National Geological Monument in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Wood fossil at Akal Wood Fossil Park
At the site for Demoiselle Crane feeding in Khichan
Bird flu warning. We had to wear masks due to an outbreak of Avian influenza (H5N1 strain). In late 2024 - early 2025, outbreaks caused the deaths of dozens of cranes, leading authorities to implement measures like restricting entry, monitoring water bodies, and advising the public to stay away from crane areas
Jorbeer Conservation Reserve near Bikaner
Cattle carcasses. Tons of bones from dead livestock are taken to the reserve, attracting lots of vultures and raptor
Raptors Inn, accomodation in Tal Chhapar
Some of the birds of prey found in Tal Chhapar
Left in time. Leftover plastics debries from the carcass of a dead cow. Incredible, piles of plastic waste was all that was left of the dead cattle...
Habitat for the Indian Spotted Creeper, a target species in Tal Chhapar
Some native birders found the Indian Spotted Creeper. They got very eager, so it was obvious a sought-after target :)
Blackbuck hidden in the long gras in Tal Chhapar
Tal Chhapar
Masala chai tea time again. Here in city of Tal Chhaper