Local newspapers in Jaipur have been reporting for several years the increasing numbers of waterfowl and other birds observed at Chandloi lake. Finally, interested enough by photos of Greater Flamingos, I made my first visit in the middle of September 2009.
Owing to the paucity of rainfall around Jaipur this monsoon season, I was quite surprised by the spread of water in the lake. The lake is surrounded by much habitation and agricultural fields. In the middle small islands covered by kikar trees clearly are magnets for a large number of waders and ducks.
A motley group of people was already gathered on the embankment and seemed to have eyes only for the star attraction – the Flamingos. Indeed, 1000+ Greater Flamingos were bunched together in a tight flock, swimming in the deeper water and then wading up to the islands in the middle. A pair of Painted Storks had built a nest on top of a kikar tree, as had several Cormorants. I followed the progress of their nesting over the next few weeks. The Stork nests were soon abandoned, but the Cormorants were successful in breeding.
As with any North / Western Indian jheel in autumn (and later through winter), the air, water and land was literally teeming with life. Overhead, twittering Martins and Swallows swooped low over the water and wheeled higher in the sky. The margin of the lake had the usual assortment of waders – Sandpipers, Stints and Plovers, chasing each other off their separate pieces of turf. Rosy starlings flew past in large numbers, rising from adjacent agricultural fields, adults showing much pink, but the juveniles plain brown.
However, for me the highlight that first day was a migrating group of Grey Wagtails that literally swarmed the area in their hundreds. H later told me they were possibly on passage, since we did not see them in such numbers again.
Interestingly, during a subsequent visit on 10th January 10th 2010, S and I saw a much smaller flock of Yellow Wagtails exhibiting much the same behaviour. The Yellow Wagtails varied in the extent of yellow on the underbody – some juveniles (?) with much duller plumage.
Another curious observation is that in September we saw a small flight each of the Black Ibis and the Black-headed Ibis, but not another Ibis over 10 subsequent visits through January.
In sifting though my notes I also notice that the composition of ducks commonly seen kept changing over the months. In September our resident ducks like the Spot-billed Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Comb Duck and Cotton-pygmy Goose were joined here by the first of the winter visitors - the Shovellers. Over the next few weeks it was almost as if the residents kept getting pushed out by migrants. In October we observed good numbers of Gadwalls and Pochards – both Common and Tufted. We have record of Common Teals and Ruddy Shelduck in November. Bar-headed Geese (200+) arrived in December, and apparently have good feed on the islands which were now exposed as the water receded. The handsome Northern Pintails (100+) also appeared in December. And then just after Christmas a pair of Greylag Geese, unmistakable with their large size and pink bills and legs, and quite careful not to be seen consorting with their bar-headed cousins.
Another pattern developed over subsequent visits to Chandloi – from visits spanning a few hours, I often started spending the whole day Sunday around the lake. Sometimes alone, and on some occasions accompanied by relatives, friends and expert Birders (each group not mutually exclusive). Every visit was a learning experience. One always observed something new. Conditions kept changing. As we ranged farther afield around the lake, we discovered our little ‘hot spots’.
One in particular keeps throwing up new surprises.
The Eastern embankment draws a finger of the lake deeper towards the Railway tracks. This narrow water body is a good area to observe birds at close range both in the water and in the ‘thorny vegetation’ covered banks. The ‘thorny vegetation’ is actually an infestation of Angrezi Babool (Prosopis juliflora). If only we could somehow replace this with ‘proper’ trees and shrubs, the bird count would explode. Thankfully, the embankment is also studded with several kair and ber bushes. Agricultural fields also provide feed and cover to several birds.
Often we have strolled along the embankment, the lake on the left and the agricultural fields to the right. Once an unfamiliar and vocal flock of birds with bright yellow underparts, was identified with some difficulty as Black-headed Buntings. The same day we saw another new bird for me – the Black-headed Munia. This was the Atricapilla sub-species with all-chestnut belly and flanks. A pair of Scaly-breasted Munias provided entertainment chasing each other between the kair bushes. Brown shrikes also have their favourite perches here – and we have seen both sub-species - Cristatus with brown crown and Lucionensis with grey crown.
This area also seems to be a favourite haunt of several raptors. On one occasion we observed 6 Eurasian Marsh Harriers in flight. The same day a pair of Booted Eagles quartered the sky just above. On 20th October 2009 I recorded a pair of Ospreys. Later through December one Osprey stayed back. At first, this bird looked rather bedraggled, and perched forlornly for hours on a stone post in the middle of the lake, and we thought it may not survive for lack of prey. But just days later we saw it again, feeding on a fish, and then taking to the air with renewed vigour.
Closer to the Railway track and in the dry, scrubland and fallow fields in winter, apart from the common birds there are also the Tawny Pipit, Greater short-toed Lark, Red-collared Doves, Pied Bushchats, Siberian/ Common Stonechats, the occasional Desert Wheatear, and a party of Common Quail.
One bird which I have seen on every occasion through this winter has been a very large Gull. Amongst the usual assortment of Terns and smaller Gulls, this individual was distinctive for its size. Finally, we were able to ID this as the Pallas’ Gull – a non-breeding adult. It often feeds on dead fish washed up on the islands, even chasing away the larger Grey Herons that flap too close to its meal.
This post would be incomplete without a mention of another special bird that only arrived a few weeks ago at the lake.
DB and I had observed two separate flocks of very large birds flying North as we approached Chandloi from Jhalana Reserved Forest on 27th December 2009. We enjoyed excellent views as the Great White Pelicans wheeled in tight circles low over us. However, the Pelicans did not come down to the lake that day. Then on 10th January 2010 accompanied by S, we had seen a solitary Pelican sitting on a small island newly emerged in the lake. Earlier that day I had added the White-tailed Lapwing to my personal checklist. As the day drew to a close S pointed out a flight of Pelicans approaching the lake. Quickly we scrambled closer hoping to see them touch down. The Pelicans banked and dropped lower. While one bird nonchalantly scratched its belly with a webbed foot, another kept twisting its neck as if to see if the flight formation was being maintained. Soon they settled down gracefully on the surface of the water close to their mate on the island.
Getting to Chandloi lake from Jaipur –On the Jaipur – Kota highway, and past the Jaipur (Sanganer) Airport. Another 15 kms away you arrive at the village of Shivdaspura. From here you turn right towards the village of Chandloi, 2 kms away. My usual routine on morning visits is to park at the Petrol Station short of Chandloi village. Just across the road from here is an earthen embankment encircling the lake. Having the sun behind you is useful as you gaze across the water.
Owing to the paucity of rainfall around Jaipur this monsoon season, I was quite surprised by the spread of water in the lake. The lake is surrounded by much habitation and agricultural fields. In the middle small islands covered by kikar trees clearly are magnets for a large number of waders and ducks.
A motley group of people was already gathered on the embankment and seemed to have eyes only for the star attraction – the Flamingos. Indeed, 1000+ Greater Flamingos were bunched together in a tight flock, swimming in the deeper water and then wading up to the islands in the middle. A pair of Painted Storks had built a nest on top of a kikar tree, as had several Cormorants. I followed the progress of their nesting over the next few weeks. The Stork nests were soon abandoned, but the Cormorants were successful in breeding.
As with any North / Western Indian jheel in autumn (and later through winter), the air, water and land was literally teeming with life. Overhead, twittering Martins and Swallows swooped low over the water and wheeled higher in the sky. The margin of the lake had the usual assortment of waders – Sandpipers, Stints and Plovers, chasing each other off their separate pieces of turf. Rosy starlings flew past in large numbers, rising from adjacent agricultural fields, adults showing much pink, but the juveniles plain brown.
However, for me the highlight that first day was a migrating group of Grey Wagtails that literally swarmed the area in their hundreds. H later told me they were possibly on passage, since we did not see them in such numbers again.
Interestingly, during a subsequent visit on 10th January 10th 2010, S and I saw a much smaller flock of Yellow Wagtails exhibiting much the same behaviour. The Yellow Wagtails varied in the extent of yellow on the underbody – some juveniles (?) with much duller plumage.
Another curious observation is that in September we saw a small flight each of the Black Ibis and the Black-headed Ibis, but not another Ibis over 10 subsequent visits through January.
In sifting though my notes I also notice that the composition of ducks commonly seen kept changing over the months. In September our resident ducks like the Spot-billed Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Comb Duck and Cotton-pygmy Goose were joined here by the first of the winter visitors - the Shovellers. Over the next few weeks it was almost as if the residents kept getting pushed out by migrants. In October we observed good numbers of Gadwalls and Pochards – both Common and Tufted. We have record of Common Teals and Ruddy Shelduck in November. Bar-headed Geese (200+) arrived in December, and apparently have good feed on the islands which were now exposed as the water receded. The handsome Northern Pintails (100+) also appeared in December. And then just after Christmas a pair of Greylag Geese, unmistakable with their large size and pink bills and legs, and quite careful not to be seen consorting with their bar-headed cousins.
Another pattern developed over subsequent visits to Chandloi – from visits spanning a few hours, I often started spending the whole day Sunday around the lake. Sometimes alone, and on some occasions accompanied by relatives, friends and expert Birders (each group not mutually exclusive). Every visit was a learning experience. One always observed something new. Conditions kept changing. As we ranged farther afield around the lake, we discovered our little ‘hot spots’.
One in particular keeps throwing up new surprises.
The Eastern embankment draws a finger of the lake deeper towards the Railway tracks. This narrow water body is a good area to observe birds at close range both in the water and in the ‘thorny vegetation’ covered banks. The ‘thorny vegetation’ is actually an infestation of Angrezi Babool (Prosopis juliflora). If only we could somehow replace this with ‘proper’ trees and shrubs, the bird count would explode. Thankfully, the embankment is also studded with several kair and ber bushes. Agricultural fields also provide feed and cover to several birds.
Often we have strolled along the embankment, the lake on the left and the agricultural fields to the right. Once an unfamiliar and vocal flock of birds with bright yellow underparts, was identified with some difficulty as Black-headed Buntings. The same day we saw another new bird for me – the Black-headed Munia. This was the Atricapilla sub-species with all-chestnut belly and flanks. A pair of Scaly-breasted Munias provided entertainment chasing each other between the kair bushes. Brown shrikes also have their favourite perches here – and we have seen both sub-species - Cristatus with brown crown and Lucionensis with grey crown.
This area also seems to be a favourite haunt of several raptors. On one occasion we observed 6 Eurasian Marsh Harriers in flight. The same day a pair of Booted Eagles quartered the sky just above. On 20th October 2009 I recorded a pair of Ospreys. Later through December one Osprey stayed back. At first, this bird looked rather bedraggled, and perched forlornly for hours on a stone post in the middle of the lake, and we thought it may not survive for lack of prey. But just days later we saw it again, feeding on a fish, and then taking to the air with renewed vigour.
Closer to the Railway track and in the dry, scrubland and fallow fields in winter, apart from the common birds there are also the Tawny Pipit, Greater short-toed Lark, Red-collared Doves, Pied Bushchats, Siberian/ Common Stonechats, the occasional Desert Wheatear, and a party of Common Quail.
One bird which I have seen on every occasion through this winter has been a very large Gull. Amongst the usual assortment of Terns and smaller Gulls, this individual was distinctive for its size. Finally, we were able to ID this as the Pallas’ Gull – a non-breeding adult. It often feeds on dead fish washed up on the islands, even chasing away the larger Grey Herons that flap too close to its meal.
This post would be incomplete without a mention of another special bird that only arrived a few weeks ago at the lake.
DB and I had observed two separate flocks of very large birds flying North as we approached Chandloi from Jhalana Reserved Forest on 27th December 2009. We enjoyed excellent views as the Great White Pelicans wheeled in tight circles low over us. However, the Pelicans did not come down to the lake that day. Then on 10th January 2010 accompanied by S, we had seen a solitary Pelican sitting on a small island newly emerged in the lake. Earlier that day I had added the White-tailed Lapwing to my personal checklist. As the day drew to a close S pointed out a flight of Pelicans approaching the lake. Quickly we scrambled closer hoping to see them touch down. The Pelicans banked and dropped lower. While one bird nonchalantly scratched its belly with a webbed foot, another kept twisting its neck as if to see if the flight formation was being maintained. Soon they settled down gracefully on the surface of the water close to their mate on the island.
Getting to Chandloi lake from Jaipur –On the Jaipur – Kota highway, and past the Jaipur (Sanganer) Airport. Another 15 kms away you arrive at the village of Shivdaspura. From here you turn right towards the village of Chandloi, 2 kms away. My usual routine on morning visits is to park at the Petrol Station short of Chandloi village. Just across the road from here is an earthen embankment encircling the lake. Having the sun behind you is useful as you gaze across the water.
Happy Birdwatching !
What a command.... on birding and writing.
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