Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary is an
excellent habitat for wetland birds, also popularly known as the Bharatpur of
Maharashtra. NMBS is located close to Nashik in Maharashtra, India. Though, the best time
to visit this place is December to March, we planned a visit in the first week of April
2012.
We started our drive towards Nandur
Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary from Mumbai very early in the morning. By the time it was lunch
hours, we (Myself, Yash, Avinash and Aditya ) were there. Our guides Mr. Pramod
and Mr. Amol, were waiting for us. They connected us to Mr. Tanaji, who checked
us into the Forest Guest House located a couple of kms from the water body,
along a river.
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Ruddy Shelduck |
After lunch and some rest headed
toward the Lake. The water level were low that particular day, hence taking a
boat ride was not possible. So we walked around the periphery of the Lake,
Ruddy shelducks in large numbers were present.
We also sighted Black-winged
Stilts, Yellow Wagtails (in large numbers), Pacific Golden Plovers, Herons,
Egrets, Little Ringed Plovers. They were shrubs along the periphery and Indian
Silver Bills, Oriental magpie Robbins were seen hopping and chirping.
|
Indian Silverbill |
By the time the evening set in
located a spot, where there was a large flock of Oriental White Ibis, Purple
Moorhens, Spot-billed Ducks. It was to get dark soon, so we returned to the
Guest house. We were served delicious home cooked meals by Mr. Tanaji.
As the night set in, the
temperatures dropped and was very cool. We decided to move around to spot Nightjars. We could hear them call,
but could not photograph them. Finally, retired for the night.
While, we were enjoying the
breakfast, heard White Throated Kingfishers call and rushed out. It was a
wonderful sight as a pair was around, just near the Guest house gate.
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White-throated Kingfisher |
|
White-throated Kingfisher |
They had
their nesting in the rock surface. We kept our distance and watched them.
Little later, we decided to walk towards the river. We sighted Barn swallows,
White-browed Wagtail, Streaked Swallows, Laughing Dove. We were particularly excited when we sighted a pair of Spotted Owlets!
|
Spotted Owlet |
|
Laughing Dove |
|
Little Ringed Plover |
Overwhelmed, with the sighting we
were ready to meet Pramod and Amol near the water body again, where we had been the
previous evening. The water levels were surprisingly higher than the previous
visit. So we took the boat, but soon realized it was not deep enough. The boat
would get stuck in the weeds, making it difficult to even pull it!
|
Walk into the lake towards the Grasslands... |
So we gathered the enthusiasm and
started to walk towards the centre of the lake, the water was initially knee deep,
but at some spots it was till our waist. The view was amazing, with grasslands
all around the periphery.
|
Common Stonechat |
We
managed to cross a large water body on foot,
wading and balancing. The flocks we had seen from far, were now very
close to
us. Large flocks of the Woolly Necked storks were sighted. We had a
another lifer, the Oriental Pranticole. There were four of them that
particular day.
|
Oriental Pratincole |
We found a spot in the lake, where
the depth was not much at all. We decided to sit and wait. The patience paid
off, we had a flock of Eurasian Spoonbills, Spot-billed Ducks, Painted Storks,
Black-winged Stilts flying all around us. Perching and taking off…Soon we
sighted a Western Marsh Harrier circling over the flocks, scaring them.
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Eurasian Spoonbill |
|
Western Marsh-harrier |
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Painted Stork |
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Rufous-tailed Lark |
|
Yellow Wagtail |
|
Spot-billed Duck |
|
Pacific Golden Plover |
It was almost mid afternoon and the
sun shinning bright on us. Moreover, we had to head back towards Mumbai and reach
before it got dark.
We were told by our guides that in the month of
December/ January Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary homes thousands of
beautiful and migratory birds. There are more than 230 species of birds, out of
which 80 are migratory species. The migratory birds we missed sighting were White
Stork's, Flamingo's, Pintail's, Mallard's, Wigeon's, Gargenery, Northern Shoveller,
Pochard's, Cranes, Shanks, Eurasian Curlews, Godwits, Weavers, etc.
On the way back we stopped for
sugarcane juice, which tastes the best in summers.
Promising our self's that we would visit this place soon, bid good bye to the wetlands...
Happy Birding!