Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary and Darbhanga

#KusheshwarAsthanBirdSanctuary at #Bihar
On 27^th October, we visited the Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary, situated 45 km from Darbhanga. The sanctuary was notified in 1994 and it covers 29 square km area. We were very happy after reading news reports about beginning of arrival of waders in Kusheshwar Asthan. When we were about to proceed, I found some Indian starlings are welcoming in the campus of Circuit house of Darbhanga. I captured some snaps and start our journey to Sanctuary with great hope as media reported. When we reached and started touring inside the wetland the media report was not realized by us. However, we sighted some territorial birds; such as Pied Kingfisher, Great Egret, Indian pond heron and Little cormorant. We noticed  folks of migratory birds (50-60 Grey headed lapwings) while returning from the Sanctuary.

Brahminy myna or Brahminy starling (Sturnia pagodarum)at  #CircuitHouseDarbhanga 

Piedmyna or Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) at Circuit House Darbhanga 

Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

 Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

Black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) at Circuit House Darbhanga

Black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) at Circuit House Darbhanga

Grey-headed lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)

Grey-headed lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)

#Piedmyna or Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) at Circuit House Darbhanga

#Piedmyna or Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) at Circuit House Darbhanga

#Indianpondheron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii)

#Indianpondheron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Grey-headed lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)

Grey-headed lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Little cormorant (Microcarbo niger)

Little cormorant (Microcarbo niger)

#Indianpondheron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii)

#Indianpondheron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Great egret (Ardea alba)

Little cormorant (Microcarbo niger)

Little cormorant (Microcarbo niger)

Kanwar Bird Sanctuary

After visiting of Baraila bird sanctuary(#Birdsanctury) we proceeded towards Kanwar lake (#Kanwarlake), largest freshwater oxbow lake of Asia. The weather condition was not very conducive for the bird watching and photography. However, fortunately we got about an hour sunny window to observe patterns of waders and territorial bird. Our bird watching began with the sighting of Shikra while waiting at forest guest house to stop rain. We captured Rufous treepie and Common mynah; however, I did not snap Greater Coucal.  Soon after, we went into the lake by small boat. We found few folks of waders and wagtail besides Indian territorial birds (#Indianbird) such as Drongo, Kingfisher, Indian roller, Indian pond heron etc.. 

Shikra (Accipiter badius) at Forest Guest house,Kanwar Lak

Black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

#Kanwarlake

Citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola) 

White-breasted kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

#Kanwarlake

Garganey(Anas querquedula)

Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis)

Cattle egret (Bubulcus)

Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)at Forest Guest house,Kanwar Lake

Common myna (Acridotheres tristis) at Forest Guest house,Kanwar Lake

Baraila Bird Sanctuary (Vaishali) and around

On October 26, we started our journey from Patna in early in the morning to visit to Baraila Lake, spread over 2,000 acres of area in the Vaishali district of Bihar. This lake was notified as Bird Sanctuary by the Bihar government in 1997. The lake is flooded with the water (as came to know that lakes recieved one of the best rain during last decades) and covered by water vegetation everywhere. Our primary purpose of visit was to learn about lake and ascertain migration pattern in October, if any. We did not come across any migratory birds rather than few territorial birds such as Pipit, Intermediate Egrets and little cormorant. We are told that migration takes place in this wetland in the mid of November. However, we sighted a pair of Indian roller, consider as auspicious in Mithila, closed to the lake. We also witnessed nesting sites of Egrets near Teghra.

Baraila Wetland 

Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis)

Little cormorant (Microcarbo niger)

Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)

Paddyfield Pipit(Anthus rufulus)

  

 

Patna Zoo and Danapur

The Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park boasts several species of flora and fauna including birds. While waiting my batchmate and friend Nand Kishor,with a great anticipation, I spent about an hour for bird watching inside zoo. However, I sighted and captured through my lense only few birds due to cloudy weather. The cloudy condition and dense-high trees prevented me to capture good photographs. Soon after Patna zoo, myself and Nand Kishor, a true birds watcher and a serving member of Indian Forest Service proceeded towards Danapur Cantonment to watch Asian Openbill and their migratory pattern.In the evening of 25th October we visited Eco Park too; however we hardly observed  avian life in the Eco Park.

Grey-headed Barbet (Gymnobucco cinereiceps)- captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014 2014

Oriental magpie-robin (caltsyskas mists) Captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014

Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans)- captured at Danapur Cantonment area on October 25

 Jungle babbler (Turdoides striata)- captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014 

Grey-headed Barbet (Gymnobucco cinereiceps)- captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014 2014

Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)-captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014

Jungle babbler (Turdoides striata)- captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014 

Oriental magpie-robin (gazatism sularas) Captured at Patna Zoo on October 25, 2014 

Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans)- captured at Danapur Cantonment area on October 25

White-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)- captured at Patna Zoo on October 26