My Friend Flipper

As we travel to Kaziranga we pass lots of sights, the mustard seed is getting ready for harvesting and the fields are a striking yellow.

Arty shot

Green Bee Eater

We found ourselves behind two motor bikes at one point both laden with live ducks.  Those next to the exhaust tried to keep their heads away from the heat and fumes which was strange to see.  I'm not sure if they were to replenish stock or heading for the pot but we did eat duck curry that night and it was delicious so you can draw your own conclusions.

Checking orders for duck tonight

Do you want your duck smoked?

The wedding band played a wonderfully out of tune racket - it was fun to pass and just listening to them makes you giggle

Nice uniform guys

The band bring up the rear

After we entered the national park our first view is of a wild elephant grazing in the bush.

We'll have more to say about elephants in due course

The park is full of so many animals including Hoolocks Gibbons playing in a tree above us at the roadside.  Nearby are Langurs and a giant black tailed Squirrel

Female Gibbon

Hoolocks Gibbon with distinctive white eyebrows

Langus with nice sideburns

Big bushy tiled squirrel

The Brahmaputra River is currently low with huge deserted sand banks in the middle.  In the mist it is very eerie and it is difficult to work out where the river ends and the sky begins.  I can only describe this as sailing in a desert.

Desert in the middle of the Brahmaputra

I claim this island for the Peoples' Republic of Rugby

Our boat awaits

We walk on the sand banks but see very few birds and no other animals.  The silence is drowned out by some young Indians on the riverbank playing their music through massive speakers at  ear bleeding volume (which is normal for India) and enjoying a picnic (which is a national pastime).

We are served lunch on our boat which is excellent but with enough food to feed a family of ten

John relaxes at the pointy end of the boat

Queen of the Brahmaputra

Lunch is served

This area is famous for the Gangeatic dolphins which we keep spotting but struggle to photograph as they leap from the water so quietly.  Eventually, our persistence pays off and we get a passable snap.  I have to admit that this trip on the Brahmaputra is very relaxing as we cruise and is a major highlight of our journey so far.

Gotcha you little bottlenose dolphin!

The Brahmaputra flows slowly on

Banded geese

On the way back we pass close to a couple of rhinos 

and a Hog Deer

North Eastern India is famous for the hornbill.  We have been told by the owner of our hotel that our room is a favourite places for the hornbill to rest and that they usually sit outside the shower.  Sure enough, on entering the bathroom we are lucky enough to see these amazing birds chatting away.

Do you think my beak looks big in this?

We are now off into the hills of Balipara and more adventures in the Nameri National Park