Swan Nadi, Ropar, Punjab

Post by Mr Parbhat Bhatti

My trip to Swan Nadi, Ropar, Punjab, from Sep 10-Sep 13

Downpours have filled the river and turned the surrounding farms into water ponds with lush green vegetation all around. The water channel looks like an immense grassland.

Winter migration of the birds has started. While the resident Black-winged Stilts & winter Sandpipers species have also appeared. Then I saw Indian Pond Heron was taking his brea fast of the little fish, Ferruginous Pochard (2) and Common Coot (2) were floating in water with Spot-billed Ducks nearby. Then I saw Black Drongo, Black Francolin, Grey Francolin, Purple Swamhen were also feeding.

When I went to one kilometer ahead from roadside, I saw 5 Painted Storks and one pair of Wool-necked Storks. On the way a House Crow was seen perched on a cycle-career. A pair of Collared Dove was mating. On both days of my 8 hour visit I saw Crested Lark, about one hundred pairs of House Sparrows, White-browed Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Paddyfield Pipit, many flocks of Red Munia, Baya Weavers, Scaly-breasted Munia, Common Rose-finch feeding on ‘Bhang’ plants, Common Tailorbird, Ashy Prinia, Yellow-Bellied Prinia, Plain Prinia, Pied Starling, Common Mynah, Bank Mynah, Pied Bushchat ,Common Stone-chat ,White-tailed Stonechat, about 50 Black Ibises, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bitterns, Little/Intermediate Egrets, pair of Common Hoopoe, Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Pied & Eurasian Cuckoos; Pied Kingfishe, White-throated Kingfisher.

In the end, when I went to the nearby village Bathri, I saw a pair of Sarus Crane with a new-born baby. It is very good news for me and other bird-lovers . (There are only four pairs left in Swan Nadi area)

Regards,

Parbhat Bhatti