Voyage 361

Birding in Hesaraghatta Lake, Bengaluru Black-winged Stilts at the Hesaraghatta Lake bed Having heard about the Hesaraghatta Lake for its abundant avian species, had planned my visit over the weekend. About the lake: Hesaraghatta Lake is actually a man-made reservoir built across the Arkavathy river in 1894. It served as a drinking water supply for Bengaluru city. The lake stretches over 3km long and nearly 1km wide during monsoons and the lake surface area covers upto 1,100 acres at its full capacity. The lake bed is surrounded by the grasslands which attracts raptors, shrikes and many resident bird species, and the lake itself attracts the water birds. Hesaraghatta used to be very popular among the birders when the Vultures and Eagles were commonly sighted. But today due to constant deterioration of the lake and increasing human intervention, the avian species count have drastically decreased. Birds of Hesaraghatta Lake: Hesaraghatta Lake has reported more than 240 specie

Shoreline Birdwatching in Arnala Vasai, Mumbai: Eurasian Oystercatcher in flight at the beach in Arnala, Mumbai After having done bird watching in lakes, parks, hills and grasslands, one thing which was long awaited was a dedicated bird walk in seashores. There are many popular birding destinations in and around Mumbai for shorebirds including the Arnala beach and Buigaon beach in Virar, Uran wetlands in Panje, and Akshi beach in Alibaug. After following recent bird counts reported in Arnala, decided to visit the shoreline of Arnala in Virar. About Arnala Shoreline: Not to be confused with the Arnala beach where tourists and locals flock in, but the shoreline extending towards Mamachi Wadi and Tuss Khadi are popular among the shorebirds. Its very much undisturbed and unfrequented by humans. Arnala Shoreline, Mamachi Wadi How to reach: The nearest bus stop is the Jyoti Mata Church stop in Virar. Buses from Virar railway station run every ten mins to Arnala. The beach i

Bird watching in Pashan Lake, Pune The tiny little Pale-billed Flowerpecker at the Pashan Lake, Pune Pashan Lake is considered as hotspot for birds.With nearly 210 avian species reported in this lake, it is the third best place in Pune city for bird watching after Kavdi Pat and Vetal tekdi. It hosts both resident and migratory birds due to its thick tree canopies surrounding the water body. The best time to visit the lake is during the winters, although resident birds are seen round the year. Bird watchers from Pune have noticed there have been significant decline in the bird species spotted at Pashan Lake since last few decades, specifically the migratory birds. The decline is arguably due to the ‘beautification’ project conducted by the Pune Municipal Corporation. Its simply natural habitat attracts more life than the artificial habitats. Birds of Pashan Lake: Some of the popular bird sightings at Pashan Lake includes the migratory Northern Shoveler, Lesser Whistling-Du