Bharatpur: A Birders Paradise

 

“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.”

– Destin Sparks

“In order to see birds, it is necessary to become part of the silence.”

-Robert Lynd 

A tranquil part of the Sanctuary

Birds, birds birds, the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is simply full of them, and going there on a weekday is that much more calm and serene.  

Telling each other secrets A pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets go about their circle of life while we look on...

A Grey Heron dries its feathers

Birds are one of the sure indicators of the environment, if they are in trouble, we know we’ll soon be in trouble. To see the one of largest gathering of migratory and resident birds in India, I went to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in the winter of this year. The Sanctuary is and was known by different names, but I like Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and I shall call it variations of that.

A Black-winged Stilt contemplates its reflection in the small pool behind where I was staying

A long but lovely train ride from Mumbai deposited me the next midday at Bharatpur, it was too late to go to the Bird Sanctuary, so I did some local birding around the place I was staying.

Sarson (mustard) flowers everywhere one could see

It was lovely, the quiet and sounds of village life, of course punctuated by the electronic blare of modern times. At this time the fields were planted with sarso (mustard) and the yellow flowers of the ripening crop was like a carpet as far as eye could see.

A Grey Wagtail sits onthe rocks  in the village pond.

Over the next three days I took a guide (one day) and one of the ubiquitous cycle rickshaws, the same rickshaw person became my friend and guide, and we went around various parts of the park over three days.

one of the many rickshaws going along the trails that divide the wetland

At this time of year there are many birds and animals, many of them breeding and the young, like that of humans, are either raucous or quiet, shy or aggressive.  Each of them engrossed in the circle of life that perpetuates the type.

A family of Painted Stork with the parents feeding the chicks. The noise is deafening.

A Painted Stork chick comes for a closer look.  It has been dipping its hurt beak into the water..

Scratching that infernal itch

Not long ago this was the private hunting reserve of the British and the Maharajas, stone tablets bear mute testimony to the terrible slaughter that took place here each year. Then in recent years, sadly the Sanctuary was the pawn in the power play of politics. For now, all is well.

One of the stone tablets which proudly displays the slaughter of years past

For those that haven’t been there, Bharatpur is a series of large swamps with trails crisscrossing. Algae covers the swamp, in hues of bright green or rust red and the birds feed on these algae or the fish that live here. It seems that various types of large birds have proprietary rights over different parts of the swamps and the trees growing in the midst of these wetlands.

A flock of Bar-headed Geese drink water...

...this Eagle is the master of all he surveys

This part of Bharatpur city thrives on birds, at the place where I stayed, the owner proudly showed me a family of owls breeding on his property. On the day I arrived since I was too late to go to the Bird sanctuary, I went for a walk near the village behind where I was staying and birds went undisturbed about their business.

An Owl shuts its eyes against the glare of the day

Dew makes this spider's web a necklace fit for a queen

There are many animals too in this Park, nilgai, boar, jackal and much to my delight, a family of porcupines.  Of course the Indian Rock Python is ubiquitous, this being a favourite place to spot them.

Indian Rock Python basks in the fading sun.

The emblem of the sanctuary and often spotted here are the Sarus Crane, there are many stories about them, some true and some not so true, nevertheless seeing these huge birds is fascinating. Then there are migrating and resident ducks, geese, coots and a variety of smaller water birds, each busy feeding on the rich nutrients the swampland has to offer.

A Brown Shrike looks out for a juicy morsel in the air.....

...while this Egret has caught a fish swimming below the rust brown algae

Great White Pelicans seem to be master tacticians, they form a flock and corner the fish, then each diving in to catch what it can. Just watching them sail majestically to and fro is a delight.  Then suddenly there is a flurry of frantic activity as these huge birds dive in to catch what they have cornered.At sunset, skeins of these huge birds fly off to roost.

Great White Pelicans form a flock to fish...

.....At dusk these huge birds fly off to roost

It is a photographer’s paradise, sit still or move around, do both sometimes, there is much to be seen and images made of. The park closes after sunset, so watching the sun go down each day is particularly beautiful, the water takes on a golden hue and birds feed well into the darkness.

Dusk at the Sanctuary, but an Egret looks for fish.....

 

The sun goes down among the trees, and so the circle of life goes on.

Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive and go to places like these.