The Sanctuary for Migrators!

How much do you travel every year? Have you ever calculated the distance? How many villages, cities, districts, states, countries have you seen so far? Do you keep a record of it?

Now, these are not just questions but collectively they make you nostalgic about the journeys you have made so far. Because for eons, we humans have been travelling for many reasons. It’s in our genes. And I think, the only living creature that follows us, or vice versa, is the flock of birds.

They fly miles, cross boundaries, and migrate countries. The hibernal season encourages them to take an escapade. And in doing so, the radar senses which they acquire genetically help them travel easily.

To realise this exemplary feat, I visited Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan. Every year, the avian families from across the world book rooms here spread across grasslands, swamps, shrubs, woodlands, and wetlands. It’s an age-old tradition which they have been following religiously.

When we reached the park early in the morning, there was no sight, only sounds of birds. As the clouds were in close-knit with the surrounds. It seemed they were in an intense love moment. There was a magical aura all around. The bird’s whistles reached their crescendo but the vapours ignored them and were busy cuddling. The residents of the forest were singing sopranos and in between my camera’s shutter button started beating with click-click sound.

The first bird that we encountered right at the entrance was the amazingly beautiful national bird - Peafowl. It was a sign of great fortune because an Egyptian Vulture was the second in the list. For us it was a lifer perching on a dry tree, scanning the forest surface, seeking breakfast. When it realised our presence, it simply glided amidst the misty surrounds and vanished.

But what appeared next were a series of surprise. A host of elusive birds were ready with their musical notes. Gray Francolin, White-Eared Bulbul, Gray Hornbill, Jungle Babblers, Blue Throat, Lesser White Throat, Plain Prinia, White Breasted Waterhen, Striated Swallow, all were up for the morning riyaaz.

Two resident birds’ species: Common Moorhen and Lesser Whistling Duck had occupied sanctuary’s maximum space. They were almost everywhere - floating, cuddling, feeding, relaxing and flying. Their great numbers proclaimed their strength but when a Eurasian Marsh Harrier took a flight of surveillance, the clans scattered to save their own lives. Such was the terror of the killer bird.

Marching on a path that separated the wetlands had its perks. The avian townships laid on both sides where residents were busy filling their stomach as much as they can. The Romantic Channel was also On with twitter breaks in between. But as I switched back to the Food-food channel, I saw a Greater Coucal  relishing a carcass in the middle of the wetland. When I went near the edge of  the waterbody to check-out the prey, I met a photographer busy capturing that incident. He told me it was a fawn killed by a feral dog just for the sake of claiming its territory. It was a heart-rending moment. As for predators, they have a reason to attack but feral dogs?!

I knew I was way behind my herd. So I took strides to catch-up with my friends just to discover their annoyed look, which was quite fair. Because what they came across was an experience of a lifetime. They were a few meters away from one of the most handsome and tallest couples of the planet - Sarus Crane. At 5’11’’, they were wandering graciously amidst a green patch outgrown by wild grass. Pecking and savouring the little insects hiding beneath the earth’s surface, they were revelling each other’s company. Irrespective of the fact that they have been observed by at least ten birders.

While I write this, a few poetic words flew and then landed on my pages:

 Seems white but smeared with grey.

Tall & gracious roaming amidst the wild hay.

Every stride filled with style.

Red-crowned head adding to their flair.

Wing-span flaps and slaps the air.

Nature must have taken time to make this lovely pair!

Keoladeo’s biggest attraction is the guests from the Siberian region that includes Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. Facing the toughest mountains and beating the extreme climatic conditions, dabbling ducks like Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Garganey and Eurasian Wigeon arrive without fail. They were together yet separated by families across water bodies.

But out of all these, the family that inspired me to visit this place was that of the Bar-headed Goose. With typical goose honking call, they were flying over a region almost 2kms away from the main gate of the sanctuary. What makes them special is their ability to experience the idiom – the sky is the limit. They are renowned for their flying skills and known as the highest flying birds in the world. As it’s been observed by the scientists that they can kiss the fifth biggest mountain on Earth – Mt. Makalu and hug the pride of the Himalayas – Mt Everest. Their distant cousins - Greylag Goose was also present but their feat is not as remarkable as their exceptional cousins.

The sanctuary is also home to carnivore birds like Black-necked Stork. It was a treat to watch the only stork couple on an isolated grassland patch amidst a wetland. Preening and weening their long wings, they too were tall, dark-around-the-neck & wings and handsome. Ducking ourselves we moved towards the edge of the wetland and sat there to have a closer look at the couple. But then our limited eyesight gave way to the binoculars and telelens. What we saw were a couple engrossed in their small world and looked quite similar except their differentiating yellow and blue coloured eyes.

While these birds ensured to stay away from the human population, the diurnal birds of prey – Eagles and Accipiters that include Greater Spotted Eagle, Indian Serpent Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Marsh Harrier and Shikra appeared in the sky or on a tree’s branch at regular intervals. They had positioned themselves strategically and kept vigil on the resident and migratory birds. One little mistake by any one of them and the predators would march an attack.

Nonetheless, the nocturnal birds of prey - Spotted Owlet, Indian Scops Owl and Dusky Owl Eagle were preparing themselves for yet another exciting night attack. By taking long-hour naps in broad daylight they gave some relief to their binocular vision and binaural hearing; abiding by the rules of nature.

What I'm sharing here is just a glimpse of what I experienced because what I saw at Bharatpur was a sanctuary haven to millions of amazing birds. The credit goes to its caretaker - Mr Bholu Khan, a legend who has worked with the legendary Mr Salim Ali. A simple man with humble attitude who ardently takes care of the 28.7 sq. km wetland from last 40 years. Even after retirement, the management has specially appointed him to look after the land of birds. And it’s because of him and his team’s conservation effort, in our two days’ trip, we were able to discover around 103 bird species on day 1 and again 103 bird species on day 2 out of 364 (approx.).

The sanctuary seemed to be smiling through melodious birds calls but its history still weeps through engraved writings on stone placards.  The place was formed 250 years ago with an idea to delight in the guns & egos of the then Maharajas and British viceroys. It was a major duck hunting ground demarcated by bunds & dykes. It has experienced its worst massacre on 12^th November 1938, when the then Governor General of India Lord Linlithgow killed 4273 ducks in a day (3044 in the morning & 1229 in the afternoon).

But like they say, one’s past always gets wrapped in a beautiful present. From the days of hunting to the days of conservation, the sanctuary is now placed on the Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention. Where the next generation still migrates here and book their rooms spread across grasslands, swamps, shrubs, woodlands, and wetlands.

Bar-headed Geese pic by Satyajit Shinde

Our Birds List

Day 1	Day 2
Lesser Whistling-Duck  100 Bar-headed Goose  70 Graylag Goose  30 Comb Duck  10 Ruddy Shelduck  2 Garganey  10 Northern Shoveler  12 Gadwall  10 Indian Spot-billed Duck  15 Mallard  6 Northern Pintail  12 Green-winged Teal  8 Indian Peafowl  10 Gray Francolin  7 Little Grebe  30 Painted Stork  10 Little Cormorant  10 Great Cormorant  30 Indian Cormorant  20 Oriental Darter  10 Gray Heron  15 Purple Heron  18 Great Egret  2 Intermediate Egret  6 Little Egret  2 Cattle Egret  10 Indian Pond-Heron  5 Black-crowned Night-Heron  15 Glossy Ibis  8 Black-headed Ibis  15 Eurasian Spoonbill  8 Egyptian Vulture  1 Crested Serpent-Eagle  2 Indian Spotted Eagle  2 Greater Spotted Eagle  1 Imperial Eagle  1 Eurasian Marsh-Harrier  2 Shikra  3 White-breasted Waterhen  20 Gray-headed Swamphen  25 Eurasian Moorhen  60 Eurasian Coot  300 Sarus Crane  4 Black-winged Stilt  20 Red-wattled Lapwing  20 White-tailed Lapwing  4 Bronze-winged Jacana  4 Common Sandpiper  4 Green Sandpiper  1 River Tern  2 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  15 Eurasian Collared-Dove  10 Laughing Dove  12 Yellow-footed Pigeon  40 Greater Coucal  10 Indian Scops-Owl  2 Dusky Eagle-Owl  2 Spotted Owlet  2 Little Swift  20 Indian Gray Hornbill  1 Common Kingfisher  4 White-throated Kingfisher  16 Pied Kingfisher  5 Indian Roller  10 Coppersmith Barbet  1 Brown-headed Barbet  1 Yellow-crowned Woodpecker  1 Rose-ringed Parakeet  50 Long-tailed Shrike  1 Black Drongo  10 Rufous Treepie  15 House Crow  20 Large-billed Crow (Indian Jungle)  2 Dusky Crag-Martin  20 Barn Swallow  18 Wire-tailed Swallow  2 Streak-throated Swallow  2 Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher  10 Red-vented Bulbul  30 Common Chiffchaff  1 Clamorous Reed Warbler  1 Common Tailorbird  8 Ashy Prinia  10 Plain Prinia  12 Lesser Whitethroat  1 Large Gray Babbler  10 Jungle Babbler  40 Indian Robin  4 Oriental Magpie-Robin  10 Bluethroat  4 Black Redstart  1 Siberian Stonechat  1 Pied Bushchat  4 Asian Pied Starling  16 Brahminy Starling  10 Common Myna  8 Bank Myna  8 Purple Sunbird  4 Gray Wagtail  1 House Sparrow  20 Streaked Weaver  2      Red Avadavat  1 Indian Silverbill  12	Lesser Whistling-Duck  200 Bar-headed Goose  100 Graylag Goose  100 Comb Duck  25 Ruddy Shelduck  2 Garganey  10 Northern Shoveler  50 Gadwall  10 Indian Spot-billed Duck  20 Northern Pintail  30 Green-winged Teal (Eurasian)  20 Indian Peafowl  6 Gray Francolin  10 Little Grebe  15 Black-necked Stork  1 Painted Stork  10 Little Cormorant  100 Great Cormorant  30 Indian Cormorant  10 Oriental Darter  30 Black Bittern  1 Gray Heron  15 Purple Heron  15 Great Egret  1 Intermediate Egret  15 Little Egret  5 Cattle Egret  5 Indian Pond-Heron  5 Black-crowned Night-Heron  15 Glossy Ibis  5 Black-headed Ibis  15 Eurasian Spoonbill  10 Egyptian Vulture  1 Crested Serpent-Eagle  4 Greater Spotted Eagle  5 Booted Eagle  1    Imperial Eagle  1    Eurasian Marsh-Harrier  3 Shikra  3 Black Kite  1 White-breasted Waterhen  30 Gray-headed Swamphen  30 Eurasian Moorhen  100 Eurasian Coot  400 Sarus Crane  2 Black-winged Stilt  20 Red-wattled Lapwing  30 White-tailed Lapwing  10 Bronze-winged Jacana  2 Common Snipe  1 Common Sandpiper  10 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  15 Eurasian Collared-Dove  15 Laughing Dove  15 Yellow-footed Pigeon  70 Greater Coucal  10 Indian Scops-Owl  2 Dusky Eagle-Owl  2 Spotted Owlet  8 Indian Gray Hornbill  2 Common Kingfisher  5 White-throated Kingfisher  20 Pied Kingfisher  7 Indian Roller  8 Coppersmith Barbet  3 Brown-headed Barbet  1 Black-rumped Flameback  3 Rose-ringed Parakeet  60 Long-tailed Shrike  3 Indian Golden Oriole  2 Black Drongo  25 Rufous Treepie  15 House Crow  30 Large-billed Crow  2 Large-billed Crow (Indian Jungle)  3 Barn Swallow  7 Wire-tailed Swallow  2 Red-vented Bulbul  50 White-eared Bulbul  20 Common Chiffchaff  1 Blyth's Reed Warbler  1      Clamorous Reed Warbler  4 Common Tailorbird  5 Ashy Prinia  20 Plain Prinia  15 Lesser Whitethroat  4 Yellow-eyed Babbler  7 Large Gray Babbler  7 Jungle Babbler  70 Indian Robin  10 Oriental Magpie-Robin  15 Bluethroat  8 Pied Bushchat  2 Asian Pied Starling  8 Brahminy Starling  40 Common Myna  10 Bank Myna  10 Purple Sunbird  2 Gray Wagtail  2 White-browed Wagtail  2 Olive-backed Pipit  1 House Sparrow  30 Indian Silverbill  18