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No rain today, but the clouds and fog didn't lift until well after lunch. We headed first north by bus in hopes of finding some target birds in Kumher. The Indian Courser was found without too much trouble in a large unplanted field of straw/earth clods. Missed last year, we saw maybe eight, small grey balls with orange breasts and striking mask-like face pattern: a strong black eyestripe, white eyebrow, chestnut crown. Everywhere we go, we attract attention: sometimes begging children, often a cluster of young men who wander aimlessly in the cities and rural areas. With high unemployment, there seems to be nothing for them to do but hang out. Old men sit in circles on the pavement of tiny shops while women are out collecting firewood or making discs of fuel from cow dung. One of the young groups followed us through the Courser field until our local guides had to shoo them away.
Moving on through muddy back lanes past huts with cows, dung fuel, stacked reeds, trash, we stopped at Bund Baretha on grounds of a forestry "guest house" (maybe once upon a time), a dammed reservoir, another marsh area, hoping for a thrush or babbler. Only the same cast of characters: Lapwings, Waterhens, Jungle Babblers, White-throated Kingfishers, Black Drongos.
Heading back to the hotel by 4:30, I thought I could handle a shower in the cold bathroom until reminded that the hot water would not be turned on until 6:00. It's only available 6-10 am and pm at this hotel.
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