In SHAR Road, Pulicat for GBBC-2017

SHAR Road-Pulicat

Title changed but our activities remain the same, yes this time bird survey happened under the name of GBBC short form for Great Backyard Bird Count. Chennai Bird Race for last month. GBBC dated is from feb17 to 20. The MNS planned this year to participate in GBBC and selected spotting area to be SHAR road near Sri Harikotta, Pulicat, Andhara Pradesh.

Briefly about GBBC- survey done not only in india, it is a global event. The bird survey wallpaper was published in http://www.birdcount.in/ . Any  society and individuals willing can participate and input their  bird count to http://ebird.org/content/india/ . During  survey, i thought that census of human population in india is taking place once in 10 years and 4 years once for Tiger but  for birds ? why the government  does not focus that much in bird survey?. Question mark is standing without answer  in front of the government.

Team

Thereby only bird societies, individuals, institutions, NGOS are focusing  birds survey in different name in different states example- Pongal bird count in Tamilnadu, Onam bird count in kerla etc. I agree that tiger is all power full animal but at the same time without birds in forest tiger can not survive due to the Food chain.

If we think pulicat immediately comes to our mind  flamingo, but when we went there for GBBC 2017 there is not even a single flamingo.To our surprise, there were flamingo banner every 500meters instead . So we can come to a conclusion that no water, hence, no birds. Anyhow, we focused deeply and spotted more than 25 species. There is wide lake spread on both sides of SHAR road, but, without water due to failed north east monsoon.

Watch Tower

The  day before remembered  by vijayakumar sir to arrive by 4.30am at Gandhi mandapam. Here i have to tel about vijayakumar sir. Ever full energetic and dynamic person without tension. Not only his mouth by words,even  his body also explains to others when he narrates about birds and tour experience. Whenever I meet him, he speaks with joy. Totally 12 persons were present in Gandhi mandapam, started from there by 3 cars to SHAR road via- Guindy, redhills, gumudipoondi, thada, sulurpet. If we take right  form sulurpet ill come SHAR road. In sulurpet, board shows that it is 18km  to Sri Harikotta.

Reached by morning 6.30am that time sun arrived (Photo attached). First, little and intermediate egret  invited us, then single red-watlled lapwing. Straight road with lake at both sides.  if water  is there only we can see lots of birds. But not like that so we walked and roamed here and there, went to near water many times, saw bushes and trees finally identified below given species:

1.Jerdon’s Bushlark, 

2.Grey Heron, 

3.Plover, 

4.Little Tern, 

5.Gull Billed Tern, 

6.Green Shank, 

7.Indian Roller, 

8. Golden Oriel, 

9.Black Drongo, 

10.Ashy Prinia, 

11.House Crow, 

12.Jungle Crow, 

13.Barn Swallow, 

14.Painted Stork, 

15.White throated kingfisher, 

16.Common Tern, 

17.Red vented Bulbul, 

18.Southern Coucal, 

19. Parakeet, 

20.Pond Heron, 

21.Little Egret, 

22.Intermediate Egret, 

23.Common Sandpiper 

24.Gray Francolin calls, 

25.Rock Pigeon,

26.Yellow billed  babbler and

27.Common Myna

we saw above birds not in one place, but  in different places. One birder from outside came with camera he told that there is no bird, so he did not take photos too.  because easily could not see birds there due to lack of water and he followed  us with his bike wherever we go and took snaps. Finally he went happily. Because we spent more time in each and every place even though birds is not  there. 

 Here i narrate whatever seen from my mind. 4 painted stork standing ,2 grey heron too, more than 5 parakeets flying , single sandpiper doing its work in water, short distance from sandpiper 4 plover searching for food, single Jerdon’s Bushlark roosting in electric wire, as usual barn swallow roosting and flying, little water in lake it is  very long  from the road. At  that time vijayakumar sir told that some birds landing in water so we walked in to the lake to identify. There, little, gull-billed and common terns with 3 green shank. After returning from  lake, we saw Indian roller in the electric wire and Golden oriel roosting in tree branch. ( photo attached), single southern coucal in ground. Few monkeys were walking and taking rest.

Jerdon's bushlark

Not sad but disappointed due to presence of few birds so planned to have breakfast, everybody brought different kind of snacks like biscuit, sandwich, bread, murukku etc .I was sitting in Ashish gupta sir car. Throughout the journey I have seen ashish sir activity, its  fantastic like talking with smile and always being happy with others. No partial move. Happily introduced by himself to the new comers. For example-when i was standing in Gandhi mandapam morning by 4.30 he introduced himself by telling name and handshake. Same mannerism with him till i had been there. Enjoying his life by watching birds and talking with others.

Here no raptors, mostly in wetland or lake it is there, some birds of prey flying, but raptors also disappointed like us as we could not see them there. Taken only few  snaps not like that of Chennai bird race.

Returned from SHAR road to restaurant to have tea and coffee. Before starting form SHAR road vijay sir told that if we go to thada, there is a hotel . We reached hotel at 9.30 am. Talked about SHAR road while having coffee. After restaurant our car moved towards  Greater Chennai. 3 cars riding in different routes now, our car via red hills , porur , guindy, adyar  finally i got down at adyar signal by 11.30am.

Enjoyed trip but if i think about survey in SHAR road is not satisfactory but  another Bird survey within a month in another place with some other title. So till birds are  living in world our journey also will. thereby this is not an end, will keep on going going going …….bye friends

-chezheyan

 Photo credit: Dr.Masilamani

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