TO GUDA LAKE AGAIN

 

A friend of mine had once sent me photographs of ‘Vultures’ which are very rare and an uncommon sight these days. That was at the back of my mind for quite some time.

 

Another friend, who is a birding enthusiast, has been taking me to places around. We have been able to get some good shots of birds and animals. As I was tending to the garden this morning, he walked across and asked me if I would accompany him for bird watching.

 

“Neki aur pooch-pooch” is how the saying goes. Give me five minutes and we were off.

 

We were in a dilemma. The vulture spot was about thirty-forty kilometres on the Jaisalmer Road. However, we had never been to that place nor had any intel if we would find those birds now. That made us change our decision to go to Guda Lake again.

 

‘Demoiselles Cranes’ are here in thousands. Every time we go, we not only get to see and photograph them but also get a view of a lot of other water birds. Like last time one got to see a ‘Painted Stork’ feeding amongst them.

 

We decided to watch the birds from a mandir close by instead of the government forest guest house, the designated bird watching point.

 

On arrival, my camera came into action at the entrance to the Mandir itself. A lone “Drongo” was sitting on a cow’s back. Could it be plucking out hair to make its nest comfortable? It was possible but this is not the nesting season.

 

As we stood to take some pictures we got the answer. It was picking out ‘Ticks and Horse Flies’ from within the clumps of hair on the cow’s body. What a juicy blood filled breakfast was it’s menu to feast on. Then she hopped to the ground, probably she had dropped a tick which she gobbled up. We walked within her safety zone, so she took off to another cow sitting a little far away.

 

Guda Lake had an eerie silence. This was an indication that the cranes which constantly keep ‘trumpeting’ were not there. As we climbed over the embankment, our apprehension came true. There were only a few birds in the lake. Some, sitting on its banks, welcomed us. The feeling was a little disappointing but nevertheless.

 

My friend was armed with a binocular. He has a good knowledge of birds. Look there, there is a heron, there, see there is a large cormorant across the lake. In the civil they point out, unlike the army where we used to indicate targets keeping the general line of direction as a reference and clock method. I just could not see them. What the heck!

 

Then I panned through my camera and saw some which he was trying to indicate. I thought my eyesight was giving up even with my spectacles on, not realising that while I was photographing the Drongo, my eyelashes had wet the glasses and vision had got blurred. I quickly did the ‘fauri ilaj’ and cleaned my spectacles. I could see much better now.

 

Knobbed Bill Ducks, Coots, Snipes, Rock Pigeons, Northern Shovelers, Oriental Darters, Babblers, Stilts, Cormorants, Lap Wings, SandPipers, Herons, Egrets were there in plenty. What I was looking for were some new species of birds. You tube link given below.

 

https://youtu.be/f30PQECTbaE

 

Then at one corner of the lake was a pair of “Spoonbills” picking breakfast. The spoon was so prominent that one could use them as cutlery. Just then a “River Tern” flew past and I was lucky to get a flying shot. She returned and perched on an electric cement pole in the centre of the lake. I thanked my model for posing.

 

Soon the Tern was shooed away by a “Pied Kingfisher”. What a graceful bird it is! All in black and white. It sat at a vantage point with its eyes fixed on the lake to find fish, snails, and frogs to wriggle and dive to make a kill.

 

We didn’t realise that we had spent two hours enjoying the best company. Before leaving we had to say Ram-Ram to the Pandit ji. He told us that we need to come at dawn if we want to watch the cranes up close while he spreads their feed. He reminded me that I had promised to take his photo in action, which I promised again.

 

It was time to meet the forest guard before we set course for home. Having done that, my friend and I discussed that we had witnessed a huge herd of Chinkaras and Black Bucks during our last visit.

 

It was our lucky day. As we lowered our car windows to have a better view of the landscape and take on fleeting opportunities for photos, we spotted a pack of dogs agitated and barking at something. It was a cluster of wild boars. Mama boar along with her little piggy boars were the centre of attraction.

 

The dogs moved on. Mama boar came to a kikar tree and started nosing and digging on something. Generally, boars dig out roots to eat. One couldn't make out what it was digging. Her grunts were clearly heard. That must be a warning to the piglets to stay safe and away.

 

Then we saw it pulling out a carcass of a dead animal. The reason for the agitated dogs was that they were feasting on it. The bold boar bulldozed them away to claim the booty. The piglets waited patiently in the thicket for mom to return.

 

As we moved on, we spotted a herd of ‘Blue Bulls’. There were five bulls and only one cow. They were grazing at the same place where we had seen a herd of deer.

 

While going through the photos, it was a little surprising to see that the kikar trees in the lake had turned white. The ones across the wall were green but those close to the lake were white. What could be the reason?

 

It was exercise for the brain and the brain responded with logic. Those trees were night perches of birds which visited the lake. The change of colour was due to the droppings of the birds. It didn’t take much time to figure it out.

 

It was a day well spent. Can you guys spot any other bird which I forgot to mention? I wonder!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS