Common Cranes from Punjab (by Parbhat Bhatti)

I visited the Shalla Pattan area of Gurdaspur on 25^th January 2007, after the meeting with Mr SS Bajwa who had told me that he had seen numerous Cranes in that area. When both of us visited the area, we counted more than 1000 Common Cranes winter in about 40 in sub-groups.

We intimated S. Gurmeet singh as he was the Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden of Punjab at that time. On being enquired, local people told us that the cranes were wintering there on a regularly basis. Wetland was very good. Land was used by farmers for paddy only. The situation is same even now. After paddy harvesting is over, the farms are left uncultivated, till the next paddy season begins.

There were hundreds of juvenile/sub adult cranes with the adult.

Other birds seen were Ruddy Shellducks, Bar- headed Geese, one pair of Sarus Crane, Common Teals, ,White-tailed Lapwings, Steppe Eagles, Purple Swamphens, flocks of Red Munias etc.

Comman Cranes arrive in these parts of the state during November and winter there till March. Later on, I had re-visited the site on 25 Nov 2007, Feb 2008, Jan 2009. Cranes were still to my much delight.

Hope to see them again this November.

Regards,
Parbhat Bhatti

Bhiwani Wetland - highlights on 6th Septemer 09

With Dr Chetna Shrma, Ms Geeta Goswami, Anil and Ram Mehar, spent 30 minutes watching birds at Bhiwani Wetland from the road, on 6th September 2009.

Birds visible to us without any efforts on our part were Glossy Ibises, numerous Ruffs and Reeves, White-tailed Lapwing, Wood/Green Sandpipers, Common Redshanks, Pied Avocets, Shovelers, Comb/Spot-billed Ducks, Lesser Whistling Teals, Gadwals, Openbill Stork, numerous egrets, herons and cormorants.

A newly built concrete drain passes across the wetland, obviously to drain out its waters. Garbage from the citiy is being dumped all over the road towards wetland.

How long will it survive?

Suresh C. Sharma

Bhiwani Wetland, Haryana on 6th September 09.

Glossy Ibis - there were at least 10.

The pool adjacent to the road was crowed with Ruffs.

There were three nests, this was still occupied, Black Ibis.

Despite drainage of the wetland and hardly any rains in Haryana, Bhiwani Wetland still harbours impression population of water fowl.

A Cuckoo being fed by a Long-tailed Shrike

On 20^th September 2006 early moorning, I watched a Long-tailed Shrike feeding a much larger cuckoo (definitely a cuculus species) chick near Bharmpur village which is situated between two canals.

Parbhat Bhatti

Mirzapur Dam (Chandigarh region)

Mirzapur village and the jheel, there is an old Forest Rest House. This scenically beautiful area is rich in bird life. Photo by Narbir Kahlon.

White-rumped, Long-billed and Cinereous Vultures

These photographs were taken by Nangal-based Mr Parbhat Bhatti from Rainy Khad, Pathankot, Punjab on 6th January 2008. On the top two photographers, Cinereous Vulture can also be seen. There are a few Longbilled (Indian or Slender-billed) Vultures also in the group.

Hope they survive, unlike from other parts of the country.

White-rumped Vulture sighted in Pubjab

Mr S. S. Bajwa from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, a member of birds-chandigarh has sent wonderful photographs of White-rumped Vultures. These have been posted at birds-chandigarh by Narbir Kahlon. Hope these (according to Mr Bajwa there might be about 200 of them) birds surive. One picture also shows an active nest with a pair perched nearby.