Sunday, October 21, 2012

19. Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Lucknow

21st October 2012
Today, early morning, we drove out some 50 kms to the Nawabganj Bird  Sanctuary, on the Lucknow-Kanpur highway.  October, of course is too early for the migrating birds but still we expected to find some resident birds. The place has always had a lot of monkeys, so we made sure we did not carry any plastic bags or food with us. The drive through the city, many parts of which looked completely new to us, took well over an hour.  
As expected the caretaker told us that the migratory birds were yet to arrive. The season will start with the approach of winter and will reach a peak in January-February when you can see over 200 varieties of birds here, coming all the way from frozen Siberia.
We walked around the lake, all of us clicking away. A water-body, as large as the one in Nawabganj, will inevitably have a whole eco-system flourishing around it, and you will see a variety of creatures thriving there. The trees and the lichen and the waterlilies on the water and the sounds of the heronry on the trees in the middle of the lake are sights and sounds which would gladden any nature lover’s heart. A surprise sighting was a paradise fly catcher which glided across out of sight.

The beautiful trek around the lake

Cormorants and Asian Open Bills nesting on a tree


Asian Open Bill on the lake

A Dragon-fly


A Jacana




Open Bill in flight

Darter

A Pond Heron about to take flight

A Shikra scavenging on a dumpster

Intermediate Egret








Grebe

The lookout
Raka was all for climbing this tree, settled for posing by it.

There is only one way! no need for directions.


An interesting bench








Inside the Deer Park. Definitely not deers but a dear all the same


A reminder of what we missed

8 comments:

  1. Thank you. Just saw your very encouraging comment.We are currently visiting Ghana and are compiling a Post on the Birds here. Will be putting it up on our return to India in the second week of March 2013.

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  2. I am planning a visit to Lucknow coming January, i hope i get some good shots at the migratory birds that time. Let's see if i can add something to my list of 250.

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    1. Do share what you see. That is the peak season so hopefully you will have good sighting.

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  3. Great tips, many thanks for sharing. I have printed and will stick on the wall! I like this blog. Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary timing

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    1. Thank you so much, Shivani for visiting our blog. We have visited your website too and find it quite informative and interlaced with beautiful pictures & a delight for nature lovers/tourists. All the best with your work.

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  4. Interesting Article. Hoping that you will continue posting an article having a useful information. Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary timing

    ReplyDelete