Oh No!, What to Do?
As we were in our taxi riding from Munnar, high in the Western Ghats, back down to Kochi we casually chatted with our driver. We mentioned our 4:50am flight to Goa the next morning. He asked if we were flying Indigo Air to which we said, “yes”. Indigo Air has more domestic routes in India than any other airline…or at least it used to.
The government of India, many months ago, tightened some safety regulations to get in line with international norms for the fatigue management of pilots. It is pure speculation on my part, but I suspect that Indigo Air thought they could buy their way out of compliance…they were wrong. The day of compliance was the day before our flight and Indio Air was woefully unprepared. Some 75% of Indigo Air flights were cancelled due to pilot availability.
Birding Goa at Risk
We had the driver drop us off at our hotel by the airport. We checked in and headed straight to the airport. The line in front of the Indigo Air ticketing counter was long. We waited in the line for a couple of hours. Yes, our flight was cancelled and they processed our refund. We had already booked and paid for three additional flights with Indigo Air, but we decided to wait and see how things went before throwing in the towel on all the other flights.
How to get to Goa was the next challenge. There were seats the next day on Air India, but the price gouging had already begun. What should have been a $100 flight to Goa was now available for $600. I wasn’t about to do that.
We walked back to the hotel and was asked by a taxi driver if we needed a ride, I joked and said “Sure, take me to Goa.” He did a double take and then got serious. He talked to a couple of his compadres who quickly surrounded me. The negotiation for the 18-hour drive started at $450 and we eventually settled at $300. I said, “we leave at 6pm”. That was an hour away. Just like that, we had a plan that would keep us really close to our original schedule.
The Long Drive
The driver and his brother would alternate driving duties as we tried to sleep in the back seat. First stop was at the driver’s house where he insisted that we come inside and meet his wife, mother and two children while he got ready.
After a mostly sleepless night we arrived safely at our destination. I was so ready for birding Goa!
Goan Food Is Good
We had our driver drop us at the Goa Airport where I would pick-up the rental car. From here, we would drive straight to a birding spot where among other birds, I was hoping for Terek Sandpiper which was seen recently.
On our way to the Agacaim Tidal Mudflats we passed a restaurant tucked away in a nice neighborhood. It just had a nice and inviting feel to it and a style that we haven’t seen yet in India. Carlito’s Attique would be our stop for a lunch. This turned out to be a fantastic place to eat and learn a bit about Goan food and Goa history. We chatted at length with the owner, Carlos Gonsalves, who was very friendly and chatty. More on Goan history later.
Let's Start Birding Goa
On the Agacaim Tidal Mudflats, we managed 30 birds including three lifers, Ashy Prinia (Finally!), Tibetan Sand-Plover and Streak-throated Swallow, but no Terek Sandpiper.
Those Challenging Peeps
Spotting Tibetan Sand-Plover or a Greater Sand-Plover amongst the much more common Kentish Plovers is about like identifying between Western, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers in the USA. Once you know the field marks and stare at a thousand birds it starts getting easier. I was becoming an expert.
The Enchanted Nest
The first half of our Birding Goa stay would be at an AirBnB called “The Enchanted Nest” in South Goa. It lived up to its name. The private home was on a large lot with lots of gardens and landscaping. The owners were bird lovers and doctors who did undergrad degrees at the University of Nebraska. They were Indian Cornhuskers!
Birding around the house would yield two more lifers, Vigor’s Sunbird and Spot-breasted Fantail.
Rice Field Fun
The most productive hotspots in South Goa, in addition to the Agacaim Tidal Mudflats, were the Maina-Raia Wetlands (where we went twice) and Carambolim Lake. In total South Goa would produce a whopping eighteen lifers, but no Terek Sandpiper.
We met and connected with a most interesting person at the Maina-Raia Wetlands. Vince Costa is a local artist, musician, historian and award-winning film maker. His short format documentary on the rice fields around where he grew up won the best short documentary at the Asia Independent Film Festival a few years ago. He also likes birds and photography. You can find his music videos on youtube and watch the documentary here. You will first be directed to open a Vimeo account with email and photo age verification. Don’t sign up for a free trial or any other commitment. Once you are in Vimeo, click this link again and it will take you to the page for the documentary. Click on the left triangle of Watch the film. Then enter the password redmackerel and you won’t be disappointed. I know, cumbersome and complicated but worth it.
Returning to Carlito's
We enjoyed Carlito’s Attique so much that we went out of our way to eat there a second time. This time there was a young duo singing mostly American pop songs. She had an angelic voice, and he was pretty good too. During their break, we approached them and started a conversation. They were Goan and mostly played in their own full bands but did these little duet gigs on the side.
They asked what type of music we liked. I mentioned that I was from Texas and Oklahoma and liked country music. I didn’t request any songs, but when they returned to stage they kicked off with a George Strait classic, All My Exes Live in Texas followed by the Merle Haggard classic Okie from Muskogee. Literally, my two favorite karaoke songs. Yes, I did sing along to their delight.
There was something different about the Goan food in comparison to the food in Kerala. It had a little more western style and flavor in the dishes. I was starting to put two and two together and when we relocated to North Goa and stopped at the historic town of Old Goa, it all came together.
The Light Bulb Comes On
Names like Carlos Gonsalves and Vince Costa were not Indian names, the style and atmosphere of the restaurant and the food was nothing like we had experienced in Kerala. Even the speaking accents were not as difficult of follow. Indeed, Goa was a Portuguese colony for 450 years. By the way, Goa is a State in India, not a city. This tiny area was Portuguese while the balance of the sub-continent of India was British. As you would expect, after 450 years of existence under the Portuguese the influence on architecture, food, language and culture, in general, is huge. Many Goans, like Carlos have deep Portuguese familial roots.
As has occurred with most European colonies around the world, no amount of autonomy, short of full independence will suffice. Vasco de Gama claimed Goa for Portugal in 1510. The final struggle for independence began in 1946 under the leadership of the Indian Socialist Leader Ram Manohar Lohia and his Goan doctor compadre Juliao Menezes. They ignited civil disobedience and organized armed civilian militias to create a level of disruption. They fought for Goan independence and ultimately the Portuguese were not up to the fight and granted independence in 1961 after one final military campaign with India’s support.
Goa followed a similar path as the Republic of Texas in that it quickly recognized that they were better off to be a part of their bigger, wealthier and more dominant neighbor. They quickly allowed annexation by India and eventually achieved full statehood a few years later.
Birding Goa in the North
South Goa is the rural, agrarian county and North Goa is where the resorts, beaches, and nightlife are. We moved to the north to experience a little of that and to hit one of the top locations for birding Goa, the Socorro Plateau. In Goa my lifer count exceeded my expectations garnering a total of 24 lifers.
No Tigers This Trip
Now, back to the Indigo Air issue. While all indications were that there were still massive disruptions to flight schedules there was no confirmation that our next flight, which would take us to Nagpur via Bangalore was cancelled. We were running out of time on free cancellation at our Nagpur Tiger Safari Lodge and our actual Tiger Safari. There were no alternative flights to Nagpur on other airlines.
We had to make an executive decision to cancel our Nagpur trip. That would surely leave about a dozen new birds on the table but se la vie. Another consideration was that Tiger Safari laws had just changed due to recent fatal tiger attacks. Safaris into the core habitat zone of the tiger were no longer permitted to minimize habituation of tigers to people. Only the buffer zones of the sanctuaries were now accessible. Seeing a tiger in the wild is now a long shot.
The Move to Chennai
That took us directly to our last location in India, Chennai. Our AirBnB was in the urban center of this massive, overcrowded city. After a few days seeing what there is to see in Chennai, including the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle, who was murdered in Chennai. (Yes, I am talking the OG “Doubting Thomas”.), we had to get out.
Time to Get Out of Chennai
We headed to Mahabalipuram, about 2 hours south of Chennai. This is a much more interesting spot and is the site of the Mahabalipuram Shore Temple. At 1300 years old it is one of the oldest temples in India. There is a constant stream of pilgrims (mostly buses full of women) coming to visit and pray at the deeply spiritual sites. They all dress similarly, typically sarees of bright red and yellow color. They are clearly having a great time on the pilgrimage, laughing and enjoying the ancient town and each other’s company.
We hired a taxi to take us to Sirudhavur Lake. This was a very nice rural area with lots of birds. I added a few new birds here and got some excellent photos, but no Terek Sandpiper.
A Nice Surprise Ending
The last birding location in India would be a quick stop at Tiger Cave historical site on the way from Mahabalipuram to Chennai where I got my last India lifer, a big surprise of a Spotted Owlet sitting in a tree in broad daylight. I was now 11 birds short of 2000. I had full confidence that I would see that bird in Sri Lanka, our next stop.
After more than 5 weeks, we said goodbye to India. We left with a big pile of great memories, 110 lifers and 255 birds seen in India. It was an enlightening experience on so many levels.
I watched the video that won the awards. Most deserving. Besides the British and Portuguese colonies, France also kept several colonies. You and Mirka enjoyed Goa and other places in India because you “expected and adapted to the unexpected.”
Bird photos are exotic and rewarding for sure. During my two voluntary assignments in India in the late 1990s , I concentrated on advising small Indian banana farmers. Too bad I did not have time for birding during those trips. But you two can show me more at Hospital Point I hope.
I just have to ask. Did you get a new camera? Your photos are stunning! Had to look up Goa. Very interesting. Keep going.
Thank you, Nita. No new camera. Maybe just getting a little better.
WOW, that Pied Kingfisher having dinner! 🙂