GUDA LAKE HERE WE COME

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

08/XI/2025

 

Finally, the date dawned to visit my favourite lake very close to our home. Migratory birds come congregating, adding to the spectacle and vividness in the desert. We are privileged.

 

There is a tussle between man, machine, and nature. A road runs adjacent to the lake, carrying people in all modes of transport. Herds of cattle which come to drink at the lake. Surprisingly, this year the lake is overflowing.

 

There are dumpers and tractors working continuously ferrying sand, gypsum and stone for construction work. However, these birds find solace in returning year after year.

 

Their habitat is being encroached, feeding ground is shrinking at a great pace but people here take care of these birds, especially the “Demoiselles Cranes” which come all the way from Siberia covering more than 4000 kms over the Himalayas flying non stop, battling predators and fatigue to feed and gain strength at this lake.

 

Last month, from our roof a huge flock of about 200 were spotted. Today, I met them face to face. They stood gazing at us not more than forty meters away. A little stressed by our presence, but calm in their demeanour. They have got used to human presence.

 

It all began with a short drive to the lake with our neighbour, another birding enthusiast.

 

We took a turn towards a village road from the highway to reach Guda Lake. Hardly had we driven a kilometre that we spotted a whitish bird atop a tree. It was the “Great Indian Shrike” or the Ashy Crowned Grey Shirke, called the “Butcher Bird”.

 

It feeds on rodents, insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and lizards. She may even get hold of eggs and chicks. In Indian folklore, it is a harbinger of good luck and change of season. We just had rains a couple of days back, which indicated that winters would soon follow. The prediction this year is that we shall have a severe winter.

 

Our journey continued. We saw another white bird perched on a tree called a “Safed Baaz” (White Hawk). It was a raptor with glowing red eyes. Predatory in nature and carnivorous, it also feeds on insects, reptiles, and rodents. The farmers are grateful for being a rodent hunter. It hunts by hovering motionlessly and diving down onto its prey.

 

Going forward we caught three “Hoopoes’” perched on an electric line. They were in no mood to pose. A ‘Starling’ also gave a guest appearance. A click was all that was allowed and we moved on.

 

We saw a flock of cranes circling the sky which indicated that we were nearing the lake. The first site of them was just below a culvert on the main road. There must be a thousand of them. Their typical calls to each other sounded music to the ears.

 

My camera came into action. In between the flight of cranes, we spotted a “Painted Stork”. Last year we had seen a “Woolly Necked Crane” nesting. Welcome my friend.

 

It circled the lake with the other cranes and settled on top of a tree in the middle of the lake. The way it perched gave a hint that it planned to make its nest there. We should see its chicks soon.

 

Egrets, Pond Herons, Nose billed ducks, Kingfishers, Teals, Moore Hens, Lap Wings, Cormorants etc were teeming in the lake. Many “Little Grebe” birds were frolicking by diving in and out of the water. An odd tortoise stuck its neck out of the water at times. The scene was picture perfect. It took time for us to absorb all the activity. Reflection of the trees in the lake was sublime.

 

Just then I remembered that there was a “Barn Owl” living in one of the holes of a “Jaal” tree. The caretaker told us that now there were five. We met them all. Mr Owl took up the sentry post. Mrs Owl and a chick went indoors. The two naughty chicks kept watching us from a distance.

 

Two hours just went by like a flash. It was time to head home. While we were chatting we spotted two herds of “Black Bucks” and “Chinkaras” grazing leisurely in the distance on either side of the road. Capturing all of them in the short kikar bushes and high grass was a little difficult.

 

They were cautious but our presence didn’t bother them due to the distance. It would have been a missed opportunity had we not spotted them in the wild. Two males locked their horns for obvious reasons, till one fled and the other claimed the herd. Soon herds walked into the kikar jungle.

 

It was such a satisfying day being with nature and meeting so many birds and animals.

 

When will I visit next? I wonder!!!!!

 

PS: Videos and Photos will follow shortly.

 

JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS