LALBAGH DIARIES: JAN 2014 - III

LITTLE CORMORANT & INDIAN DARTER

After shooting the avians in the Lotus Pond (Link), I headed towards the Lalbagh lake. I was a tad disappointed as the raft of ducks that are a big hit with the visitors were not to be seen. On a closer inspection, I found that they had gathered in the vegetation at the centre of the lake, far away from view. Nonetheless, the other feathered creatures like the Cormorants were present in sizable numbers.

Little Cormorant

The Little Cormorant is a pocket sized power house. If you observe them for long, you will you will notice that these guys just do two things during most of the day. Fist, they will dive into the water, remaining submerged for short intervals in which they hunt for small fish. Once a fish is caught, they come out of water and swallow it. This is repeated about five times. Next, they will fly to a nearby branch, spread their wings and remain motionless. This is the best time to get good snaps. Watching them is a visual treat.

Indian Darter

Belonging to the family Suliformidae, the Indian Darter or the Oriental Darter is commonly known as the Snake Bird because of the peculiar shape of its long and slender neck. A resident of the South and South East Asia, it is a Near Threatened species. As such, I was very excited at getting a chance to see them. There was just one darter on that morning, elegantly perched on the leafless branch, watching the still waters for prey.

Spot Billed Pelican

The Spot Billed Pelican is one of the iconic birds of the city. A Near Threatened species, there was just one pelican in the lake. Generally, one can see them congregate in large numbers, sometimes in association with painted Storks too. Far away from other avians, it was fishing with its huge, characteristic beak.

Links to all posts in the series:
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - I (Link)
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - II (Link)
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - III(Link)
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - IV (Link)
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - V (Link)
(1) Lalbagh Diaries: Jan 2014 - VI (Link)

AGARA DIARIES - PART 5

SOARING HIGH

For more posts on Agara Lake, click here (Link)

For more posts on Spot Billed Pelicans, click here (Link)

AGARA DIARIES - PART 4

MORE PELICANS AT AGARA

Below are some more images of the Spot Billed Pelicans that I have clicked in Agara. Hope you like it.

For more posts on Agara Lake, click here (Link)

For more posts on Spot Billed Pelican, click here (Link)

AGARA DIARIES - PART 3

THE SPOT BILLED PELICANS

Listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, my chest swells with pride to say the lakes of Bengaluru is the one of the last remaining strongholds of the Spot Billed Pelican - an aquatic avian species which is seeing decline in its numbers across is original habitat. You see there is more to my city which is world renowned for producing top class software solutions as much as it is for its infamous traffic jams. Here in the southern part of Namma Bengaluru, I have seen these magnificent creatures in at least three different lakes over the past two years - the Lalbagh  lake, the Madiwala lake in BTM and lastly the Agara lake near HSR. Although this part of the city is witnessing unprecedented growth, so much so that I think it will not be long before the corporation 'annexes' Bannerghata into it, the place continues to be a favorite amongst the Pelicans. The pictures posted as a part of this post were clicked over several birding visits to the Agara lake in August and September 2013.

Measuring over 50 inches, the spot bills are white in color, with a tinge of grey over most of its body and a slightly pinkish pelican-esque beak which has spots on its lower side, giving this species its name. Weighing in at about six kilograms, they spend most of the morning time doing pait pooja i.e. foraging for food; using their massive beaks to catch fish in shallow waters. In fact, they are said to be so good at this that in the past, fisher folk in eastern Bengal used them as decoy while fishing. As the day gets hotter, after all the hard work, you will find them perched on tree tops. Theses birds are social, living in medium sized groups which, on some occasions are found close to human settlements. It is common for them to establish colonies along with other aquatic avians, mainly the Painted Storks. In the wild, they are known to live for three decades, now that is quite a lot for birds. Breeding takes place one a year in the non-monsoon months with the female laying 3-4 eggs that hatch in about a months time. The young ones go their own way after three months and will reach maturity in two and half years.

The original range of the Spot Billed Pelican extended from Pakistan in the west to Indonesia and Philippines in the east, covering most of India, Sri Lanka and South-eastern Asia. However, the reckless damage caused to the highly eco-sensitive wetlands and destruction of nesting sites for logging have adversely impacted their numbers. Nowhere is this more evident than the island nation of Philippines from where they draw their scientific name - Pelecanus philippensis. While they are said to have been found here extensively in the dawn of the twentieth century, their numbers plummeted later to such an extent that they were wiped off from here in the 1960s. Reports from the time of the Raj and in the later years, talk about the presence of a mega colony along the Sittang River in Myanmar (Oates: 1877 and Stuart Barker: 1929), in Buchupalle village near Kadappa (1902) and in the Kolleru lake (Neelakantan: 1946). Unfortunately none of these exist any longer; the situation is so precarious that there are only three countries in the where you can find breeding population of these Pelicans namely Southern India, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

In recent years, there is some news to cheer about for all wildlife enthusiast. The sustained efforts of conservationists and to some extent the protection measures put in force and implemented by authorities has helped revive their population in Southern India. Famous stories of villagers pitching in to help conserve them have come from the villages of Kokkare Bellur in Karnataka, Uppalapadu in Andhra and Koonthankulam in Tamil Nadu. In 2007, IUCN changed its status from Vulnerable to Near Threatened - surely a positive sign. Considering that many of our water bodies here in Bengaluru are in 'not-so-good' condition, it is great to see the Pelicans do so well in the lakes to the south of the city. The case of Lalbagh, perhaps the most well maintained of all the lakes in Bengaluru is not so surprising; the water here is sparkling clear and the absence of weeds and water hyacinth means that the ecosystem is not disturbed. Although, contamination continues to pose a threat to both Madiwala and Agara lakes, the large variety of fauna found here, especially the water birds, indicates that food for them in the form of fish and other creatures is available in plenty. Of course, this does not mean that we drop our guard and stop fighting this long and arduous battle to save our lakes from corrupt elements. Another fact that makes all three so attractive to the Pelicans and our other avian friends is the presence of nesting sites in the center of the water. Each of these water bodies boasts of an island, right in the center which is covered by dense vegetation; the trees provide excellent nesting sites, the water surrounding them provides protection from predators and their inaccessibility limits human intervention.

For more posts on the Agara Lake, click here (Link)

For more posts on the Spot Billed Pelicans, click here (Link)

AGARA DIARIES - PART 1

THE AGARA LAKE

Sandwiched between two uptown localities of the city, namely HSR and Kormangala, the Agara lake is like an oasis in the urban jungle that Bengaluru has become today. While it may have significantly shrunk in size, this medium sized water body still attracts a large number of avian species all throughout the year. In fact, it a thriving eco-system right in the heart of the city. Situated about 2.5 km from the busy Silk Board junction, you will find it on the left side while travelling towards Marathalli along the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Luckily for me, I pass by it twice each day since it lies en route my work place. As my shuttle moves along the boundary of the lake in the mornings, I stick my head out of the window to catch a glimpse of birds that have made Agara their home. And boy, I am elated to see that in the last two years that I have spent in the IT city, the number of winged visitors coming here has been steady, inspite of the many problems plaguing this lake.

At the official entrance to the lake is a large stone slab, on which you will find a strange piece of art, a pyramid of sorts. It consists of a girl balancing the Earth over her head. On the globe, is a boy in upside down position. Finally, placed over the right feet of the boy is a rooster. The words inscribed on the slab are something that we need to imbibe to preserve the ecological balance: "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children". Once inside, you will find a watch tower that offers a vantage point for birding. Along the edge of the water body is a path for jogging, which is shabbily maintained.  Right at the centre is an island, a 'natural fortress' which is covered by vegetation and is a heaven for aquatic birds. On the eastern side is a small patch of greenery, dotted with few trees. A wall which is breached at various places marks the boundary in all directions. 

Like all other lakes in the IT city, Agara is facing several threats, some of which may undermine its existence in the near future. Although this part of the country received more than average rainfall this season, some parts of the lake are still devoid of water, probably due to the fact that water is being drawn from here at a faster rate. Untreated sewage water continues to be discharged into it, making it an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, besides the foul smell. In fact, a nullah flows parallel to the western border of the lake. The unchecked proliferation of weeds inside the waters poses a grave danger since these plants prevent the flow of water. The growth of water hyacinth will tamper the oxygen levels thereby devastating aquatic life as well as the species that feed on them. Another cause of concern is the high level of air and noise pollution due to the traffic along the Ring Road in the vicinity. Finally, since the area is not manned properly, it has become a hub for several anti-social elements too in recent times. It is important that measures are put into place as fast as possible to prevent this lake from extinction. If this is not done, Agara like the Iblur lake located about 5 km from here, will be gone forever.

The good thing for the lake and its admirers like me is that the local community here is pretty aware of its responsibility towards the environment. In 2004, under pressure the Forest Department erected the fence around the lake and spent funds in cleaning the premises. The boundary wall here has prevented encroachment which is perhaps the biggest reason for the disappearance of several lakes in the city. Three years later, when the government had planned to lease out the Agara lake to a private company for the development of a theme based water park, it was met with stiff opposition and the proposal never materialized. On September 8 this year, the Chief Minister made a surprise visit to the lake after a newspaper reported that it had become a hot bed for mosquitoes. He is said to have blasted the authorities in charge of the maintenance and has asked them to take steps to clean up the lake. Though the lake is still in danger, there is a important lesson here for all of us. Local support is extremely crucial for the conservation of our city's lakes. 

The efforts put in by the locals is paying off. On my several visits to the lake in the last three months, I have spotted as many as 25 different species of birds. I guess an experienced photographer or a birding enthusiast will do a much better job. The incredibly high number of aquatic birds found here seems to suggest that the water here is quite clean and home to several kinds of fish. In fact, this water body is a breeding spot for birds like Pelicans, Coots and Moorhens. The pleasure of watching these avians with their young ones is very satisfying. However, there is more to Agara, actually much more. Birds of prey like Black Kites and Brahminy Kites are very common. The nullah is a magnet for smaller birds like Kingfishers and Drongos. One can spot a plethora of insect species including butterflies, beetles and bees. Several kinds of snakes too have been seen here. On my first visit, I also spotted a Mongoose in the bushes. The presence of so many faunal species  is evidence that Agara lake is doing well and I hope it stays this way forever.

For more post on Agara Lake, click here (Link)