Cyclone Remal Hit Bangladesh on the last week of May 2024. Few Pelagic Birds were reported right afterwards from West Bengal in India and subsequently from Rajshahi Padma of Bangladesh. So We thought of arranging a trip near Dhaka Padma River also. Few Birds were reported from Dhaka Padma including a Jouanin’s Petrel which would be a new Country Record for Bangladesh.
BirdingBD Tours guests met up at a pre-fixed place in Dhaka early on a wednesday and started for Padma River in Munshiganj promptly. They quickly started their boat journey right after picking up some snacks near the Boat . The Total Party Size was 07 Birders including Host Ikbal H Babu. Weather was foggy and cloudy on the river, ideal for the birds to hang out there Longer. The Team was a little skeptic about whether they’d find any because the Cyclone already passed two days ago. But Luck was on their side, they spotted one Wilson’s Storm Petrel First. This Bird’s Foraging Behaviour is super unique and interesting to look at how it hops on water. Guests had loads of fun witnessing it foraging and photographing it.
Soon after, guests were delighted with sighting of few Bridled Tern, 03 to be exact but mostly in flight near Shariatpur side of Padma River. Soon after, a pair of Short-tailed shearwater was sighted too. Guests got Absolutely fantastic photos of this bird there.
Weather was rough and the Mighty Padma wouldn’t stay still so the Team decided to return and call it a day. Jounanin’s Petrel was not found. But just before landing on land again, two of the guests took photos of a distant bird which turned out to be another Tern, this time a Sooty Tern. So total number of pelagic species in this short Twitch trip was 04, the Trip was hyper successful. each guests got atleast 03 Lifers, Two Luckier ones got 04 Each.
- Wilson’s Storm Petrel (01)
- Bridled Tern (03)
- Short-tailed Shearwater (02)
- Sooty Tern (01)
These Pelagics were found in 05 Places in Bangladesh in Total. Species was a Total of 05 including the new Jouanin’s Petrel which was only sighted by Two Birders at Padma River near Mawa, Munshiganj on May 29th only.
No one else got them as far as we know. So our Team getting 04 out of that 05 is indeed very good. Check out below Photos of the Birds taken by Mr. Ikbal H Babu & Mr. Manirul Islam.
