Birding at Nal Sarovar

 Wetlands in India

India harbours a substantial area of the global wetlands. Jheels (lakes), Talav (ponds), dams, seasonal waterbodies, paddy fields, streams, marsh lands, coastline, mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries and large stretches of mudflats etc. contribute significantly to enrich habitat diversity, resulting in rich wetland biota, including colourful bird life. Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad (2011) has estimated about 1,50,174 sq. km (6.9% of the total geographical area of the country) of wetlands in the country, with highest share of Gujarat amongst all states in India. Of this, The extent of watery-lands in Gujarat is about 34,350 sq. km (17.6% of the state’s geographical area and 22.9 % of the national wetlands). In other words, about one fourth of the India’s fascinating wetlands are in Gujarat where millions of colourful water-birds decorate the landscapes.

Gujarat Wetlands

In Gujarat, the coastal and inland wetlands cover 35.8 % and 6.0 % of the total wetland area respectively in India. The state recognised the value of important wetlands related to geo-morphology, ecology, flora and fauna and constituted nine Protected Areas - one national park, seven sanctuaries and one conservation reserve to preserve a total area of 13,052 sq. km. Additionally, eight wetlands of national conservation significance have been identified and notified by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India for their conservation in partnership with the local communities.

Important wetlands as Protected Areas in Gujarat are (i) Great Rann Wildlife Sanctuary (ii) Wild Ass Sanctuary in Little Rann (iii) Marine National Park (iv) Marine Sanctuary (v) Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary (vi) Thol lake Bird Sanctuary (vii) Porbandar Bird Sanctuary (viii) Khijadia Bird Sanctuary (ix) Chharidhund Conservation Reserve.

Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, consisting primarily of a huge lake and ambient marshes, is situated about 64 km to the West of Ahmedabad near Sanand, in Gujarat state of India. Mainly inhabited by migratory birds in winter and spring, it is the largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, and one of the largest in India.

The lake measures 123 square km, attracts over 210 species of birds in the winter, and harbors a variety of flora and fauna. Thousands of migratory waterfowl flock to this sanctuary just after the Indian monsoon season. The shallow area and ponds on the outer fringes of the lake attract the wading birds that feed in the shallow waters. Besides a few mammalian species including the endangered wild ass and the black buck, its migratory bird population includes rosy pelicans, flamingoes, white storks, brahminy ducks and herons.

Millions of birds visit the delightful bird sanctuary in winter and spring. It harbors over 250 species of wetland birds. Winter migrants from the north including purple moorhen, pelicans, lesser and greater flamingos, white storks, four species of bitterns, crakes, grebes, brahminy ducks and herons visit Nal Sarovar.

Our Nal Sarovar visits

My wife Meena and I visited the Nal Sarovar wetlands twice during this winter - on 25th December 2014 and then on 22nd February 2015. We could select only Sundays or holidays for these visits as it would have been extremely difficult to take time otherwise. The first time we left Gandhinagar in the evening and after a two hour drive through the crowded Sanand town, with lots of speed breakers, arrived at the Green Mango Resort, which is quite close to the Nal Sarovar. It is a nice resort though we arrived late at night and left early morning, so we were not able to savour much of its hospitality. Literally at the crack of dawn we came to the Nal Sarovar and were helped by our local people to have a boat ride in the lake. Here motorised boats are not allowed for that would affect the birds in a big way. 

The second time we did not stay anywhere overnight, but started from Gandhinagar itself at about 6.15 AM and reached Nal Sarovar after just 1.15 hours. Due to early morning the traffic was very less, all the more so because of the ensuing India Pakistan one day cricket match. This match also ensured that the bird watchers were very few in the Sarovar despite it being a Sunday. I have advised my colleagues and friends to visit Nal Sarovar before our migratory guests fly out.

The early morning birders on the non-motorized boats.

The boatman showed us this soaring eagle - we were lucky to get this silhouette. I had to click several shots to eventually get this one.

The sea gulls were very frisky and they kept on swimming next to our boat. Against the morning sunlight, this shot of gulls was quite appreciated on the Explore section of Flickr- the photo site of Yahoo where I regularly post my photos.

The Great white pelicans are quite a pleasant sight in the Nal Sarovar, with their beak colors ranging from orange as in this one to quite a pale yellow in several others. They swim in a group; I got this shot when a single pelican was going to another place in Nal Sarovar itself.

The flamingos are there in thousands- this is the Greater Flamingo species, I am told that as summer progresses, their wings become even more orange. Well, I hope to see them again in summer to test this. 

The flamingos in flight are always a great sight and several hits and misses ensured this photo. In the photography lingo, it is called 'spray and pray'. You take many shots in the continuous mode of camera (spray) and then hope that at least a few of them would turn good (pray). 

Among the other species, I could see this purple heron - the normal or grey pond heron are a very common species all around the Indian wetlands.

The glossy ibis was another interesting catch - I have seen several black ibises with their red crowns in Gandhinagar , but I had yet to see this glossy colored one.

The cormorans are another wetland species, after a full swin in water almost in the torpedo mode, they would come out and dry their wings. Not many birds are this prone to full spreading of wings in a stationery position. 

And just as we came out of the Nal Sarovar, we saw this sarus crane pair in the wheat fields. It is a testimony to the ahimsa and animal loving nature of Gujaratis that we see so many birds and animals moving so freely throughout the state.

Staying at Nal Sarovar

The first time we stayed in one of the resorts near Nal Sarovar- the Green Mango resorts. They have quite a large number of rooms , moderately furnished and reasonably decent. This place is hardly at a five minuted distance from the Nal Sarovar. There are several other hotels and guest houses also in the neighborhood.
The second time we did not stay anywhere but went straight from Gandhinagar and reaced nal Sarovar in just 1 hour and 15 minutes. There is  a well kept forest guest house just on the bank of Nal Sarovar, and with just a little more improvement , it can become a wonderful place. There is also an orientation hall there and it is quite useful.