Migration

Birds migrate. People too migrate. During my visit to the wetlands of Bhigwan on the new year’s eve of 2016, I started wondering how the two would compare.

Bird Migration is indeed full of intrigue and fascination. It is a natural miracle. Migratory birds fly hundreds and thousands of miles in search of better conditions and habitats for feeding, breeding and raising their young. The journey is often a perilous one due to factors ranging from adverse weather conditions to habitat destruction, poaching and human interference.

How birds manage such extraordinary feats still remains a mystery. In the words of Sir David Attenborough (who needs no introduction), “there seems to be no single answer: they use many methods. Some we are beginning to understand, some mystify us; and there may be some that depend on abilities we have not yet suspected!”

An example of one such extraordinary feat is the case of the Arctic Tern. Its journey, starting within weeks from hatching, will take it from northern Greenland, down the western coasts of Europe and Africa, across the Antarctic Ocean to the South Pole – a total of 17000 kilometers! Less than a year later, it will cover the same distance again on its return journey home!! The Bar-headed Geese who winter in several parts of the Indian sub-continent, are another example of exemplary fortitude. These geese have been recorded flying above the Himalayas at heights above 23000 feet! The average cruising speed of ducks and geese has been found to be between 65 and 80 kmph or more. A migratory bird flies between 6 to 11 hours a day or sometime even at night and can cover distances ranging from 200 km to 880 km in one ‘hop’. Non-stop flights of atleast 3200 kms across open seas are undertaken by the Eurasian Golden Plover which is a winter visitor to India. This bird breeds in Alaska and Siberia. In 2007, a female Bar-tailed Godwit was found to have flown 11,500 kms non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand — without taking a break for food or drink. She completed her journey in 9 days.

More amazing still is the instinctive ability of young birds to find their way back to their ancestral homes without being guided by birds that have done it before!  In some species, adult males are the first to arrive at their breeding grounds followed by adult females. These birds will breed and raise their young before flying back.  The order of the return journey, however, is reversed. It is the young, new-born birds, in some cases not more than a couple of months old who will form the vanguard! The young birds have no previous experience of either the route or the destination. Yet they accomplish the journey with amazing accuracy.

So how does one explain this phenomenon?

According to some scientists it is the inborn ability inherited through countless generations of migrants journeying back and forth year after year. It is similar to other vital urges like building nests without having any previous experience or training. However complicated the architecture, birds build their nests according to the traditional pattern of the species, even if they are doing so the very first time!

A crucial feature in migration of birds is that however perilous the journey may be, they make an equally arduous return journey from where they migrated. Scottish ornithologist Landsborough Thomson describes migration as “Changes in habitat periodically recurring and alternating in direction, which tend to secure optimum environmental conditions at all times.” Thus birds have devised a clever way to get the best of both worlds! When their home grounds become too cold and freeze over in winter and food becomes difficult to get, they migrate to warmer places where food is available in abundance. Then as summer approaches, they fly back to the cooler climes of their home grounds to nest and bring up their young, where food will now be easier to get.

An amazing feature to be noted here is the accuracy of the return. Birds have been found to not only return to the same general locality year after year, but often to the same nesting site. A ringed Grey Wagtail was found to return, presumably from its Himalayan breeding grounds to a particular lawn in Mumbai which was no bigger than a tennis court, and that too on almost the exact date in September for five years running. (Ref: Book of Indian Birds by Dr. Salim Ali). Another more recent discovery is that of a Siberian Ruby-throat that was found to return to the exact same spot in Bharatpur each year. This feature is referred to as ‘site fidelity’.

In addition to the extensive journeys of migrant birds from beyond our own frontiers, birds also migrate locally. For example some ducks like Spot-billed ducks. These seasonal movements are no less regular in their cycle than those of true migratory birds. The Indian Pitta for instance breeds in the north of India and migrates down south through peninsular India upto Sri Lanka. He is a ‘passage migrant’ passing through Mumbai. We often see him in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at the onset of the monsoon before he leaves for his return journey back north. Apart from this, altitudinal migration also happens among species living in the Himalayas who migrate to lower, warmer climes in winter and return to their breeding grounds at higher altitudes in spring.

The Indian Sub-continent attracts more than 220 winter visitors, some of which are also passage migrants. Winter visitors to India originate mostly in northern and central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Wetlands like Bharatpur and Harike in the north, Chilka in the east, Pt.Calimere in the south and Thol in Gujarat are some of the places in India that attract flocks of migratory water birds. Our forests and scrublands too play host to our winged visitors during winter. Among the wetlands of India, one of the largest in South Central India that is a haven for migratory birds is Bhigwan – located around 100 kms from Pune in Maharashtra. It is like a pilgrimage for most bird watchers. Year after year, thousands of migratory ducks, waders and waterfowl congregate at this large expanse of water bodies formed by the back waters of the Ujjani Dam across the Bhima River. Teals, Spoonbills, Geese, Ducks, Gulls, Storks, Herons, Egrets, Coots, Pochards, Harriers, Osprey and an incredible variety of waders make their annual journey to this wetland. Other birds like Pratincoles, Pipits, Larks, Chats and Shrikes are also seen in the surrounding dry habitat. A small population of Greater flamingos, also winter here regularly.

It was my visit to this very paradise, with dear friends Adesh Shivkar, an extremely knowledgeable and experienced birder and his lovely wife Sweedle Cerejo Shivkar, an expert in orchids, that set me wondering about the magic and mystique of migration.

As we set out from Baramati at the break of dawn on the very first day of the new year of 2016, I had no idea how memorable this trip was to be.

As we entered the back-waters in a small wooden boat, a panorama of beauty unfolded in front of our eyes. Flocks of Pintails, Shovellers and Ruddy Shelducks who were busy feeding on the small patches of land emerging from shallow waters, took to wing as our boat approached them. Majestic Open-billed Storks stood alert in the shallow waters, waiting patiently for their chance to catch their prey. A solitary Grey Heron stood calmly taking in the warmth of the sun on that cool January morning. Brown-headed Gulls floated lazily around in the water. Shapely River Terns flew gracefully over our heads. White and Glossy Ibises too were busy hunting for their food. As we floated around in our little wooden boat, a flock of Spoonbills seemed to have had their fill as they stood preening themselves in the shallow waters. It was truly an idyllic morning.

(contd. after the photographs......)

Northern Shovellers (Male and female)

Painted Storks

Ruddy Shelduck

Asian Openbill

Wooly-necked Stork

Grey Heron

Brown Headed Gull

River Tern

Whiskered Tern

Wood Sandpiper

Spoonbills

Spoonbills

Glossy Ibis

White Ibis

Little Ringed Plover

Ashy Crowned Lark

Suddenly, there was a rush of excitement amongst us, even in the tranquility of the morning, as our guide gave us an extraordinary piece of information. A solitary Greater White-Fronted Goose had been recently spotted in the area. The Greater White-Fronted Goose is a rare bird in the Indian subcontinent, with just three previous records in Maharashtra. It was perhaps the first time it was spotted in Bhigwan. This bird breeds in Siberia and Greenland. It is rarely seen in the Indian subcontinent. This lone individual had probably strayed into Bhigwan with a flock of Bar-Headed Geese. Obviously, our aim was now to somehow try and spot the goose. But soon enough, the efforts of our young guide bore fruit after many anxious moments. We were indeed lucky to have seen this beauty as it waddled around on a patch of land near the water before flying off and giving us that truly precious snap-shot of himself.

(contd. after the photographs......)

Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

So how does bird migration compare with migration of people? Birds migrate for a reason. So do we humans.

We humans migrate mostly from rural areas to cities in search of better living conditions, financial resources, economic opportunities, infrastructure facilities, etc. We call this urbanisation. While urbanisation has its advantages, the rapid rise in urban population, in India, is leading to many problems like increasing slums, decrease in standard of living in urban areas and causing severe environmental damage too. It is, in fact, an irony, that our own migration trends have put the lives of migratory birds at risk. After very long and arduous journeys, migratory birds face countless dangers like destruction and degradation of habitats, loss of critical stopover sites such as coastal wetlands, illegal killing, poisoning, pollution and collisions with badly-positioned infrastructure like power cables and wind turbines. Ironically, most of these hazards are a creation of our own migration to cities. And, unlike birds, we humans don’t necessarily return to our home grounds thus creating an imbalance in the ethnography of the region. So is this migration in the true sense? Or just urbanisation which has more dis-advantages for our natural world?

But then why do our natural world, our animals and our birds matter in the first place? What difference would it make in our lives if birds ceased to exist?

Well, it would make a difference. Birds are important for ecological balance and for our own well-being. They keep systems in balance. They pollinate plants, they disperse seeds, scavenge carcasses and recycle nutrients back into the earth. But even more than their ecological value, they feed our spirits….. they inspire our souls to take flight ….. artists and poets are moved into creating art and poetry ….. birds remind us that we depend on nature and not the other way around.

As someone beautifully put it, birds matter not least, because amazing migrations remind us what an interconnected web we live in, from pole to pole.

So how could we ensure safer grounds for birds and at the same time ensure better opportunities for ourselves? What if rural folk had access to better living conditions in their villages itself? If the very same conditions for which they move to the cities in the first place, are made available to them in their own villages….better living conditions, financial resources, economic opportunities, etc., would they need to then move into cities and trigger the numerous disadvantages of urbanisation?

A wonderful effort came to light when I met a local bird enthusiast in Bhigwan, Sandip Nagare.

Having grown up in Bhigwan and lived in the area surrounding the Ujjani back-waters since he was a child, Sandip knew about the birds around his neighbourhood. His curiosity and inherent zeal to learn more about his feathered friends lead him to study the birds enough so as to be able to guide visitors who came bird watching. Soon, he became the most sought after bird guide. Realising that this could be a great source of income for him and his family, he started building a few extra rooms in his existing house. Visitors were given clean boarding and lodging facilities. His family cooked up delicious local meals for the visitors. Sandip has now trained young boys from his village to be bird guides. Boats owned by local fisher families are rented out for birding excursions. Sandip’s tiny step has ensured decent livelihoods for many youngsters of the village and for the fisher folk as well, as their boats bring them some extra income when they are not fishing!

(contd. after the photographs......)

Seeing the success of Sandip’s attempt, others from the village too have started offering their houses and services for birding visitors. In recent times, Bhigwan had been suffering from the problem of poaching and illegal killing of birds by the local ‘fase-pardhi’ community. With the advent of this enterprise, poaching too has been reduced drastically as the new bird guides now act as vigilantes ensuring the safety of the birds. The villagers are now self sufficient and earn decent livelihoods. Would they now want to move to cities?? 

While Sandip’s resourcefulness has contributed in a big way to conservation of the surrounding habitat and the safety of the migratory birds, he has also successfully managed to give a few villagers and their families better living conditions, financial resources and economic opportunities. The very same reasons they would want to move to the cities.

We need many more Sandip Nagares in our villages, so that our village folk will never feel the need to move to cities in search of better opportunities. And excessive urbanisation won’t take a toll on our visiting and resident feathered friends.

As Sir David Attenborough wisely said, “Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps it’s time we control the population for the survival of the environment.”

Adesh Shivkar, me and Sweedle Cerejo Shivkar

Nivedita Kothare

Bhigwan – 31^st Dec 2015 – 1^st Jan 2016

A Beauty Pageant of the Natural World

On a recent trip to Goa with Nature India, I witnessed a beauty pageant of a different kind.

They wore the trendiest colours as they pranced and preened in sheer vanity. In hues of blues, yellows, reds, greens, browns, whites and blacks, some looked bright and colourful, others dull but pretty. Some wore spots and others streaks.  Some had spangled manes and others sported crests. Shapely eye brows and stylish eye liners were there to see. Colourful cheeks, plunging necklines and collars were on display too.

It was a beauty pageant of the natural world – a beauty pageant of birds! But unlike our own beauty contests, here its not the females but the males who would score high on the beauty stakes!

With so much beauty on display, and add to that a trip named “Romance with Birds and Butterflies”, there couldn’t have been a more romantic experience for me. For, I fell in love all over again with my beautiful feathered friends!

We reached the Nature’s Nest resort to a warm welcome with a cool and refreshing glass of Sol Kadhi! This was just the beginning of a gratifying indulgence of food and beauty that was to follow over the next 3 days.

Goa doesn’t sound like a place one could go birding, would it? One would rather loll on the sandy beaches or relax under the swaying palms right?

Wrong. There’s much more to this tiny state of Goa than just its beaches, swaying palms, rock music shows and flea markets.

Goa has as many as 6 wildlife sanctuaries, 5 of which are part of the area covered by the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats are internationally recognized as a region of immense global importance for the conservation of biological diversity. UNESCO has listed them as a World Heritage Site. There are more than 450 species of birds found in Goa. Such is the natural wealth of this little gem of a state.

Over the next 3 days, we would roam the forests of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary in search of our feathered friends and also visit the relatively unknown Maina Lake and go on a river cruise over the Zuari for water birds.

Our trip began with a foray into the nearby forests in search of the elusive Sri Lanka Frogmouth.

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is a nocturnal bird related to the nightjars. Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud laughing song, it’s head is as wide as its body and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. A master of camouflage, when alarmed, it slowly moves its head up pointing its bill upward so that it resembles a leaf or a dry branch! It relies on something called crypsis to remain undetected.  In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an organism to conceal itself especially from a predator by having a colour, pattern and shape that allows itself to blend into the surrounding environment. 

So when Adesh announced that we would venture out in search of the elusive bird, the excitement was palpable. It was early evening. Omkar, our local guide/expert lead us into the woods where he had seen the bird roosting a couple of days earlier.

The frogmouth generally chooses a spot to roost during the day, and then uses the same one for months. So with fingers crossed, we followed Omkar in anticipation, hoping the bird would still be there at it’s chosen spot. A few minutes later, Omkar’s face lit up with a wide grin. He excitedly pointed out to the bird which, as expected, was perched right there on the very same spot!

Sri Lanka Frogmouth

Beauty, they say, lies in the eye of the beholder. This was the fourth time I have seen the Sri Lanka Frogmouth. But believe me, it seemed even more beautiful this time than ever before! We had just feasted our eyes on the first contestant of our beauty pageant!

Pleased with our sighting, we moved out of the woods towards an open meadow-like area. 

There on a huge ficus tree, was a frenzy of activity. A large flock of Pompadour Green Pigeons that seemed to be carved out of plasticine, were gorging on the fruits. Thick-billed Flowerpeckers flitted around from tree to tree. An Ashy Woodswallow sat atop another, Malabar and Plum-headed Parakeets called as they flew swiftly around, Sunbirds showed off their iridescent feathers as they hovered around flowers for nectar. Green Bee-eaters displayed their aerial feats. The beauty on display was no match to any other beauty pageant in the world!

Pompadour Green Pigeon

Usually birds have two peak periods of foraging activity during the day. One in the early morning presumably to replenish energy reserves depleted during the previous night of fasting. The second peak in foraging activity is late in the day as the birds build energy reserves to prepare for the coming night.  It was business as usual here on this meadow. Soon the birds would fly back to their roosts for the night.

After a satisfying half day of birding, Adesh had planned night trail in an attempt to locate another nocturnal bird, the Nightjar.

Nightjars are nocturnal birds with long pointed wings, short legs and short bills surrounded by rictal bristles (but they've got big mouths). They prey on moths and other large night-flying insects which they catch in flight.

Like the Frogmouths, Nightjars too are masters of camouflage. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. And to make their sighting even more difficult, nightjars have developed a rather unique perching behavior. They perch a fair distance above ground but sit along the length of the branch rather than across it. Smart indeed!

Armed with torch lights, we tottered up towards a plateau in the fading light of the evening, following the footsteps of Adesh, Mandar and Omkar.  By the time we reached the plateau it was pitch dark. We waited in pin drop silence. Adesh scanned the area with his torchlight as we waited with bated breath. Soon, Adesh’s torchlight was following what seemed to be two bright lights. The eyes of nightjars glow in the dark if some light falls on them. We had spotted our first nightjar! It was the Jerdon’s Nightjar. As it flew around the periphery of the plateau, we could see its glowing eyes!  It soon settled on a perch. We scampered to get a closer look. “Khatarnak!” Mandar’s reaction to the sight said it all! As we were ogling and clicking away in frenzy, another pair of eyes was seen in the distance. Our attention now shifted to this one. We waited patiently, hoping this one too would settle down soon. And sure enough, it did. Soon were gawking at our second nightjar, the Grey Nightjar.

Jerdon's Nightjar                                                                                        Jungle Nightjar

Delighted with the beauty that we had just witnessed, we returned to the resort for a delectable spread of Goan cuisine graciously prepared by Nature’s Nest staff and then to the cozy comfort of our beds to retire for the day.

The next day began early. I woke up to the melodious call of the Indian Pitta. Although during this time of the year, the Pitta is usually silent, it often calls just once at around 6 o’clock in the morning only to fall silent during the rest of the day. This habit gives the bird the sobriquet “6 o’clock bird”.

As we got onto the bus to drive to our birding location of the day, we experienced another frenzy of activity on the powder-puff tree at the entrance of the resort. Several Lorikeets or Vernal Hanging Parrots showed off their acrobatics as they hung upside down feeding on its blossoms.  A lone Loten’s Sunbird hovered around in search of nectar. The campus of Nature’s Nest itself had such a wealth of bird life. It was a wonderful start to the day.

A bridge over a small river was our birding location for the day. Nicknamed “the studio” by Adesh as one gets to see and photograph birds at close quarters, the place proved to be ‘ammmazzing’ in Nature India’s parlance!

The wires running across the bridge ran perfectly at eye level. They were choc-a-bloc with swifts and swallows of several species. Wire-tailed, Streak throated, Red rumped and Barn Swallows, Asian Palm Swifts and Dusky Crag Martins all jostled for space. Indian Swiftlets and Brown Backed Needletails displayed aerial acrobatics. Some were juveniles, others’ feathers moulting. When not breeding, swallows form large flocks and roost communally. Swallows are excellent fliers and more often than not feed on insects on the wing. Their flight is fast and involves a rapid succession of turns and banks. It is a wonder how they never ever collide into one another in their aerial display! 

As the drama on the wires continued, our attention shifted to a nearby cluster of trees. The melodious call of a Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher showing off his vibrant hues, caught our fancy. A vivid Iora called from its perch in the thickets. Inspite of its bright yellow and black colours, it was difficult to spot in the foliage. A tiny Nilgiri Flowerpecker prancing around in the tall bamboo grass was a close encounter. This is one of the birds endemic to the Western Ghats that is found in Goa.  A pair of Magpie Robins seemed to be expressing their love for each other in song. Across the bridge on a huge ficus tree, a Brahminy kite sat majestically on a high perch. As I was taking a shot at this handsome bird with my camera, I noticed a flash of colour in the bushes nearby. A vibrant Crimson-backed Sunbird was proudly brandishing his beautiful bright plumage. This was another endemic bird.

A Verditer Flycatcher peeped from the broad leaves of a bush. This gorgeous bird is a lovely blue-green colour, as the name suggests. An interesting fact is that these birds don’t get their dramatic plumage colour from pigments; instead, this is a structural colour that results from the feathers scattering light in such a way that it appears blue. The beauty pageant just got better!

White Bellied Blue Flycatcher

Another beauty we were lucky to have seen, was the White Bellied Blue Flycatcher. Lucky, because it tends to be extremely quiet and inactive, making it very difficult to uncover. It forages mainly in the dark shade below the forest canopy. Its low song that can be heard only at close quarters only adds to the difficulty in spotting it. Another bird endemic to the Western Ghats (including the Nilgiris), we chanced upon this beauty the following day as we ventured into the Bondla Wildlife Sanctaury.

As dusk approached, we made our way towards what Nature India calls “Hornbill” bridge. It is here that we see large congregations of Malabar Pied Hornbills as they return to their roosts after a long day of foraging in the forests. Malabar Pied Hornbills are easily identified by their huge size and striking black-and-white plumage. They have a huge casque on their beaks giving them a unique appearance. It would be of interest to know that Hornbills display rather unusual breeding behaviour.  The female lays up to six white eggs inside natural existing tree cavities. The female remains inside the cavity with the eggs. When the eggs are ready for incubation, the male begins to close the entrance to the cavity with a wall made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. Initially the entrance is just large enough for the female to enter the cavity. Soon, the remaining opening is also all but sealed shut with mother and chicks inside the cavity. There is only one narrow aperture, big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and eventually the chicks. During the incubation period the female undergoes a complete moult. Eventually the eggs hatch and chicks emerge. They continue to remain inside the cavity with the mother for a few weeks. When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother then breaks the wall with her beak and emerges from the cavity. Both parents then feed the chicks until they are ready to fly.

As we stood at the “Hornbill” bridge waiting for the Malabar Pied Hornbills to arrive, a Stork Billed Kingfisher sat majestically on a twig abutting the water. We noticed a few Little Swifts indulging in a fantastic aerial display. They would fly swiftly upwards and then hurtle below the bridge in full speed only to re-emerge gracefully. This behaviour continued for some time. Slowly, the number of swifts began to increase. Soon, there were hundreds of them indulging in the same aerial display. It was a sight to behold! Then, almost as quickly as they had appeared, one by one they began to disappear under the bridge. It was time for them to retire to their roosting site which was under the bridge.

Just as the swifts disappeared under the bridge, Adesh gestured in animated excitement! An Amur Falcon female was flying past overhead. Rarely seen in the Western Ghats, Adesh’s excitement was only proper. A small raptor of the falcon family, this bird was one of the least talked about species until recently when, in 2012, Conservation India reported massive large scale harvest of these falcons in Nagaland. Researchers estimated that between 120,000 and 140,000 individuals were being trapped and killed for human consumption in just one location in Nagaland at the Doyang roost site in Wokha district each year. 

The Amur falcons start their annual migratory sojourn from south-eastern Siberia and Northern China to Northeastern India. They stop-over and roost in Nagaland and some adjoining Assam districts before leaving for southern Africa where they spend the winter. This migratory stop-over and roost is believed to be by far the largest and most spectacular roosts of any species of falcon ever seen. As many as 140,000 to 150,000 falcons are seen roosting together. The most amazing part of their migratory flight is the three-and-a-half days non-stop flight across the Arabian Sea. The birds make a cycle of an incredible 44,000 kms annually.  

Thankfully, the massacre of the Amurs has now stopped with the great efforts of Nagaland Forest Dept.  alongwith several non-governmental organizations like Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust (NWBCT), who have initiated extensive conservation education programmes. This year not a single bird has been poached. On the contrary, people in Nagaland, are preparing to not only welcome the avian visitors but also hundreds of tourists and bird-watchers from different parts of the globe. An incredible effort indeed!

The excitement of seeing that solitary falcon had barely subsided when the magnificent Malabar Pied Hornbills began arriving. They made a pit-stop on a distant tree. There were atleast 10 to 12 of them. It is indeed a delightful sight to see so many Hornbills together. After some preening and grooming, one by one, they began to fly towards us. We were after all, in the path of their flight to their roosting site.  Hornbills, like many other birds indulge in communal roosting. Communal roosting has several advantages. Birds in a communal roost can reduce the impact of wind and cold weather by sharing body heat through huddling. A large roost with many members can visually detect predators easier, allowing individuals to respond and alert others quicker to threats.

So who says beauty doesn’t go with brain? These beauties of the natural world may not have brains but their instincts and behavioural and survival patterns are highly evolved. And they play an important part in our lives as well. Birds keep systems in balance: they pollinate plants, disperse seeds, scavenge carcasses and recycle nutrients back into the earth. They also feed our spirits, inspiring us to create art and poetry, inspiring us to fly and reminding us that we are part this earth. Birds are the proven bio-indicators of environmental quality and so are ecologically important too.

Spotted Dove

As we wandered in the forests of Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, White Browed and Yellow Browed Bulbuls gave us glimpses of their wonderful selves. A Spotted Dove sat staring at us on an overhead wire. Indian Robins hopped playfully along the road. 

Amongst the mammals, the Malabar Giant Squirrel was a delight to watch as it scampered acrobatically up and down the tall trees, excited on seeing us. Being an upper-canopy dwelling species, it rarely leaves the trees and travels from tree to tree with jumps of up to 6m. When in danger, it often freezes or flattens itself against the tree trunk, instead of fleeing. 

The species is believed to play a substantial role in shaping the ecosystem by engaging in seed dispersal.

While the first 2 days of our trip were extremely fruitful in terms of the number of sightings, it was on the last day that we were fortunate enough to see some quality species. The forest was dense but clear. It was abuzz with the songs of various birds. But our target that morning was the Malabar Trogon. As usual, Adesh and Mandar began scanning the forests with their hawk vision. Malabar Trogons usually perch absolutely still, especially when alarmed making it very difficult to spot them in the foliage. Their call too has a very low tone. So it was a pleasant surprise when after a lot of searching and waiting, we spotted one male sitting still, deep inside the thickets. Soon we could see the female too. Beautiful candidates for our beauty pageant! But it was the male and not the female who won on the beauty scale hands down. 

We were now all charged up for other quality sightings. It was not long before a gorgeous Fairy Bluebird in all it’s splendour appeared before us. A Flame Throated Bulbul sat atop a delicate branch. A White bellied woodpecker made a guest appearance as he flew across the canopy. The Speckled Piculet, a tiny bird with behaviour very similar to the woodpecker and lives on a diet of ants and termites, gave us a 2 minute appearance and disappeared into the foliage. A Blue faced Malkoha too gave us a dekko. So many quality species at once! Delighted would be an under-statement!

We were now headed for the ancient Tambdi Surla Temple. The stream behind this venerable temple is home to many a beautiful bird. We hoped to see the Blue-eared Kingfisher, which we were told is often seen along the stream. We sat along the stream, each one of us settling on one stone each, and waited with bated breath for the little beauty to make an appearance. We had heard his call. It was not long before his majesty finally made his appearance. He zoomed past us at full speed and perched on a branch abutting the water. We stared at him in amazement before he zoomed away as swiftly as he had appeared.

Blue Eared Kingfisher

It was indeed a fulfilling day at birding and I was full with contentment with the beauty I had witnessed in the natural world.

The excitement of the day continued into the night as we were in for a pleasant surprise back at the resort. To our utter delight, a special barbeque was arranged for us! Dishes were laid out with marinated chicken and vegetables, thoughtfully laid out separately. The non-veggies were soon busy piercing the skewers into the chicken and setting it on the coal for grilling. Our veggie friends were doing the same with their paneer and potatoes. There was cheerful banter as everyone took turns grilling juicy chunks of chicken and veggies. The night ended on a more serious note with some revision of the birds we had sighted.

Our last day of the trip, we were now headed for a cruise on the Zuari river in search of marine birds. Zuari is the largest river of Goa. The Zuari along with the river Mandovi form the backbone of the river system of Goa. The two rivers are connected by Cumbarjuem Canal. The mangrove habitat along this canal supports a wide array of bird life in this region. 

Brahminy Kite

Even as we waited at the jetty for the boat to arrive, several Brahminy Kites were intensely scouring the waters from the skies. We dug into our packed breakfast while we waited. Soon we were on the boat and cruising off into the river. 

A visual treat soon followed. Several Greater Crested Terns had perched themselves on the bamboos anchored by fisherfolk for securing their nets. There were a few Sandwich Terns too amongst them. They usually forage in the shallow waters of lagoons, coral reefs and estuaries and sometimes also far out in the open seas. 

Large Egrets waiting for the best catch!

A little further down, a huge congregation of Large Egrets sitting along the nets made a pretty picture. The nets had provided a wonderful opportunity for these birds to forage. As Gull-billed, Whiskered and River Terns hovered ravenously over the water, a majestic White Bellied Sea Eagle flew strongly towards us. He had apparently already spotted his prey beneath the surface of the water and, before we knew it, had swooped down and grabbed it with his fierce talons and was soon on his way to find a suitable perch to devour the hapless fish. It was an incredible sight!

White Bellied Sea Eagle with his prized catch!

As we passed under a bridge spanning the river, a Peregrine Falcon sat precariously on a bolt under the bridge. This was apparently his favourite spot and was often seen here feasting on his catch of the day.

As we cruised along the river towards the Cumbarjuem Canal, we were now closer to the mangrove habitat. It was here that we saw 5 different species of Kingfisher – White Throated, Collared, Black Capped, Pied and Common Kingfisher. 

Black Crowned Night Heron

A lone Night Heron sat attentively in the mangroves. A huge crocodile lurked on the banks, while several Black Headed Ibis sat atop a thick bare branch jutting out through the mangrove foliage.

Black Headed Ibis

Western Reef Egret

It was now time to turn around and return to the jetty as we had one more session of birding at the Maina Lake before heading to Madgaon for that evening train back home. But the drama just didn’t cease to end. A stately Osprey gave us our parting shot.

At Maina Lake, another visual delight followed. Thousands of Lesser Whistling Teals, Cotton Pygmy Gooses, Shovellers,  Garganey and several other waders crowded the lake.  A lesser-known lake, Maina Lake is one of the largest and most productive wetlands in Goa in terms of birding. Marshy and covered with water lilies, it is filled with a wide variety of water-birds. Purple Swamphen, White-breasted Waterhen, Pond Herons and Egrets on the periphery were graceful even while stalking fish. The nearby paddy fields and woodland of Maina Lake provide a good habitat for Warblers, Munias and various woodpeckers, bee-eaters and parakeets. As we readied to return to our bus, a spectacular flock of hundreds of Glossy Ibis gave us the most memorable farewell one can ever get.

Lesser Whistling Duck

This beauty pageant of the natural world was indeed an experience to cherish and remember. But in the end, it would be unfair to declare a winner, as each and every living being of this incredible natural world is beautiful in its own way. It has immense beauty, incomparable to any man made world. Let us cherish the natural world because we are all a part of it and we depend on it.

In the end, it would only be appropriate to quote the most passionate naturalist in the world, Sir David Attenborough. “The natural world is a great treasure that humanity has and that we are part of. Every mouthful of food we eat, every breath of air we breathe depends on the natural world. If we damage this natural world we damage ourselves …. “ (in a recent interview to NDTV)

Thanks Adesh and Mandar for giving me an experience I will cherish for a lifetime.

Thanks Sweedle, for being my bouncing board J

Nivedita Kothare

Goa – November 2015