Recently, we, Nirmal Solanki, Vijendra Prakash Parmar, Varun Luniya and me, went to LRK, Gujarat from 7 to 9 Feb 2014. The drive from Udaipur to Patdi, LRK where we were supposed to be staying, had its own excitement as we had to stop for two hours on NH-8 due to an accident. While it was our first visit, we missed many birds as it was not the right time to visit to LRK. The best time to visit LRK is December, according to our guide Ali Khan.
On 8th Feb 2014, we spent the day at Bajana wetland and Wild Ass Sanctuary. The view of Lesser Flamingos was magnificent! It was truly amazing experience to see so many lesser flamingos! We saw one Imperial Eagle too!
On the next day, we went to other part of Rann, near Dhanbad, Nimaknagar looking for McQueen Bustard, but we could not see any. According to people there, it had already left. But we saw many raptors there!
On way back, we went to Thol Lake Bird Sanctuary, but since Bird Census was going on, we could not do any birding. Finally, we went to “Pertin Birding Site”, a beautiful birding site on Sabarmati River in Gandhi Nagar.
Here is the list of birds we saw:-
1. Lesser Flamingo
2. Imperial Eagle
3. Painted Sand-grouse
4. Pied Avocet
5. Crested Lark
6. Common Crane
7. Northern Shoveler
8. Northern Pintail
9. Common Teal
10. Spot billed Duck
11. Rudy Shelduck
12. Marsh Harrier
13. Eurasian Spoonbill
14. Purple Moorhen
15. Common Moorhen
16. Desert Wheatear
17. Black Kite
18. Grey Heron
19. Greater Egret
20. Spot billed pelican
21. Black Drongo
22. Black Winged Kite
23. Common Kestrel
24. Green bee Eater
25. Cantish Plover
26. Little Ringed Plover
27. Long tailed shrike
28. Indian Silver bill
29. Red Brested Flycatcher
30. Montagus Harrier
31. White Breasted Kingfisher
32. Common Kingfisher
33. Isabeline Shrike
34. Small Pratincole
35. Blacktailed Godwit
36. Cattle Egret
37. Siberian Stonechat
38. Ashy crowned Sparrow Lark
We stayed at Bhavna Resort & Farm on Dasada Road, Patdi, Surendra nagar. It is nice place to stay with reasonably good facilities and very good service. The owner Mr. Prashant Raval is very nice person and we will always recommend this place if one wants to visit Wild Ass Sanctuary, Bajana wetland for Lesser Flamingos. They have Jeeps, Mahindra Pick ups for safaris.
Dear admin, you are doing a nice job by sharing so much valuable information for us budding birders. As I am from Gujarat, particularly Ahmedabad, I would like to share some information here. There is a beautiful site called Pariej near Nadiad, Gujarat which is on Baroda-Ahmedabad Expressway. Another good place is Indroda Nature Park, Gandhinagar where you can spot many terrestrial birds. The GEER Foundation functions from here which is doing a very good work in the field of nature conservation. Nalsarovar, which is km from Ahmedabad on Surendranagar Highway is a Ramsar sight, and should be best visited during Dec-Jan. Banny grassland, particularly Chharidhandh, is a wonderful place where you will fine Great Indian Bustard if you are lucky and many other avifauna. Its also rich in wildlife. And if you are lucky enough to get Army permit and you have a tough body and soul, you may get to Flamingo city which is a once in a lifetime experience. Keep sharing. Thanks a lot.
want an extensive birding/photography tour of Gujarat for my wife and me. would like to do so exclusively or in very small group with a knowledgeable guide. suggest dates a intenratry, between 10th nov 2015and 10th jan 2016
want to visit LRK , THOL and NALSAROVAR for bird photography from KOLKATA WEST BENGAL, would you please suggest about the best timing, stay, guide and others if related ….