Sundarban Masked Finfoot & Mangrove Whistler in W1 December 2025 - Trip Report

This 03 Day December 05-07, 2025 Sundarban Trip was Led by Mr. Ikbal H Babu. The Team started from Dhaka on Thursday evening and arrived Khulna at around 12:30AM. The Ship started promptly, picked up the Forester Guard and cruised towards Finfoot Zone of Sundarban via Dhaki River. This Trip was targeted to capture primarily the Masked Finfoot, Brown Wood Owl and Mangrove Whistler. We had a Dutch Group that’d visit this area on later days so this Trip worked as a recce trip for that one. 

The Team arrived at Location at 06:30AM and went inside the Canal looking for Masked Finfoot. They were greeted by several Brown-winged & Black-capped Kingfishers as usual this time of year. Mangrove Pitta called and one Lesser Adjutant was seen. Other highlights of the morning session was a Common Flameback and Large-billed Leaf Warbler. 

The Group found a Masked Finfoot female, not all of the guests seen it first time. The Bird was swimming but then quickly went inside the undergrowth and stayed there. Then it moved a little to an opening and all guests could see the Bird. But again not everyone could capture a photo. The Bird went inside again and did not come out for hours. The Group waited there for sometime but to no avail. Only about half of the group could capture a record shot but for others it remained seen only.

The Next day was more of same, no finfoot sighting. During morning, the group entered a nearby Boardwalk because high tide was going on. They entered the Canal again and saw most of the common birds from previous day but not the Finfoot. So they decided to move on to next Location to try for the Brown Wood Owl on 2nd day evening. 

The Wood Owl only responded to Playback but did not come in sight. So it was only a call only lifer for the guests. Next morning they entered the Trail looking for Mangrove Whistler. The Bird was mixed with other small birds & was bathing and very actively moving around the Shekher Temple. Guests got very nice photos of the bird. Other highlights of the day were Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. 

The Group visited Karamjal Wildlife Center in the Afternoon and found few more birds for the Trip. More Nuthatches showed, along with Streak-breasted Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownapes & Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. The Group found a total of 85 Species of Birds in 3 Days, only the Brown Wood Owl was heard only. 

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