Finance
Winter brings with it a chill and a draught. But it also brings a slew of flight beauties from all over the world. These birds travel in search of warmer zones to escape the cold temperatures. Every year, hundreds of bird species migrate to India to escape the bitter cold in their breeding areas.
This year marks Dr. Salim Ali’s 126th birthday. He was known as the Birdman of India because he was in charge of conducting the first bird survey surveys across the country.
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary- Gujrat
Nal Sarovar, 60 kilometers from Ahmedabad, is one of India’s largest bird sanctuaries. In April 1969, it was designated as a bird sanctuary, and in 2012, it was designated as a Ramsar site. This 120-square-kilometer avifauna sanctuary is known for its wetland vegetation and provides opportunities to see a variety of seasonal and resident birds and other fauna. Birders and nature lovers can rent a boat to cruise around the lake and spot various birds.
Birds found here : Rosy pelicans, Flamingoes and Brahminy Ducks
How to reach: The nearest railway station is Viramgam, which is 40 km away.
Entry fee: ₹75 per person
Timing: 6am to 5.30pm
Best time to visit: November to February
Nalbana Bird Sanctuary, Odisha
The Chilika Lake, India’s largest brackish water lagoon, includes the Nalbana Bird Sanctuary. It is known for its large green spaces of land that serve as refuge points for several migratory birds that flock here every year, covering an area of 15.53 square kilometers. In 1981, the lake was designated as a “Wetland of International Importance.” The sanctuary, which is 15.53 km square, was designated as a bird sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972. Tourists are not permitted in the sanctuary, but visitors to the Kalijai temple can take a boat ride to Chilika lake to see the sanctuary. During the monsoon season, the entire island of Nalaban is submerged. This tiny island facilitates congregation of about 60% of total migratory birds visiting Chilika lagoon each year.
How to reach :The nearest airport is Bhubaneshwar taht is 105km from Barkul and the nearest railways station is in Balugaonthat is 6km away from Barkul, from there you can take a boat.
Entry fee: Free
Timing: 6am to 6pm
Best time to visit: November to March
Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Maharashtra
This sanctuary, established in 1968 and located in Panvel district, covers an area of 12.11 square kilometers and is one of three in the state. The place gets its name from the Karnala fort that stands in its midst, as well as a rock shaped like a loudspeaker, or karn in Marathi. The fort was built in the early 1400s by the Devagiri Yadavas and the Tughlaq rulers. It is home to 150 resident species and 70 migratory species.
Birds found here include the following: blackbird, blue-headed rock thrush, bluethroat, red-breasted flycatcher, blackhead cuckoo, magpie robin, paradise flycatcher, and a variety of others.
The nearest airport is in Mumbai, which is 52 kilometers away. The nearest railway station is in panvel.
Cost: adult ₹30, and child ₹15
Timing: from 7am to 3pm
Best time to visit: October to February
Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
It was established in the 1850s as a former duck-hunting reserve visited by Maharajas and during the British Raj. This national park is located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and is a haven for bird enthusiasts. It was formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary before being renamed the Keoladeo National Park. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1985. This area attracts birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Siberia. This 28.73-square-kilometer park is home to 364 different bird species.
Birds found here: painted stork, Siberian crane. Greater Spotted Eagle and Imperial Eagle, herons, ibis, cormorants, spoonbills, storks
how to reach: nearest airport is situated at Agra, which is 56-kms from Bharatpur. Regular rail services connect Bharatpur with all the major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra. The Bharatpur railway station is about 5 Kms from the park/bird sanctuary.
Cost: 75 for Indian tourists and Rs. 500 for foreign visitors
Timing: 6am to 5pm
Best time to visit: November to March.
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh
It is situated near the village of Nelapattu in the Andhra Pradesh district of Nellore. It has a total land area of 458.92 hectares. The villagers’ farmers and their feathered friends have a special relationship in which their waste acts as natural fertilizer for the crops and the villagers protect the birds. Every year, the government hosts a Flamingo Festival to promote tourism to Pulicat Lake, India’s second largest salt lake, and the Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary. It is home to 189 bird species, 50 of which are migratory.
In addition to the black-headed ibis, Asian openbill, black-crowned night heron, and little cormorant, birds found here include the spot-billed pelican. Northern pintail, common teal, little grebe, northern shoveler, Eurasian coot, Indian spot-billed duck, grey heron, Oriental darter, black-winged stilt, garganey, and gadwall
how to reach: Nellore to nelapattu distance is 82.4 km
Cost: Adults INR 2 Per Person, For Kids INR 1 and For Foreigners INR 400.
Timing: 8am to 5pm
Best time to visit: October – March
Dr Salim Ali bird sanctuary, Goa
This sanctuary, named after renowned ornithologist Dr Salim Ali, is located on Charoa Island in Goa. It is one of the state’s smaller sanctuaries, measuring 1.8 square kilometers, and visiting it requires prior permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden of the Forest Department in Panaji. The Forest Department of Goa designated it as a national park for the first time in 1988. It is an estuarine mangrove habitat with low mangrove forest covering the area. Although open all year, it is not recommended to visit the site by boat during high tides. There are approximately 400 species of birds, both native and migratory.
Birds found here include: Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Ibis, and Indian GoldenOriole, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, purple herons, white egrets, eagles, kingfishers, coots and pintails
how to reach: To reach the island, tourists can take a bus or taxi to the Ribandar ferry wharf, cross the Mandovi River via ferry.
Cost: ₹10 for Indians, ₹100 for Foreign Tourists
Timing: 6am to 6pm
Best time to visit: Dec- Jan
Sunderban National Park, West Bengal
The sunderabans, the world’s largest delta and mangrove forest, is formed by the confluence of two of India’s largest rivers, the Ganga and the Bhramaputra. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site comprised of 56 islands of mangrove forests. This park is well-known for its tiger population, as well as resident and migratory birds. It has over 300 bird species and covers 10,000 square kilometers. The only way to explore the park is by boat, which departs at 8:30 p.m. and returns at 4:00 p.m. The Sundarban National Park is a conservation area.
Birds found here include: Northern pintail, Lesser whistling duck, Mangrove whistler The red-breasted woodpecker, The black-hooded oriole The black-necked stork Common flameback, black-capped kingfisher, brown-winged kingfisher.
how to reach: Sunderban National Park is Netaji Subhash International Airport at Dumdum, Kolkata, which is on an average 112 kilometers away from the National Park. The nearest railway station link is Canning. It is approximately 48 kilometers away. Sunderbans are mostly approached by riverine transportation and are adopted as the best way to connect. Motorboats to travel to Sunderbans can be hired from Namkhana, Sagar Island, Sajnekhali, Sonakhali and Raidighi.
Cost: INR 60 for Indians and INR 200 for International Tourists
Timing: 7 am to 5 pm
Best time to visit: dececmber to February
Source:HT
