Situated in the northwestern state of
Rajasthan, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary or Keoladeo national Park as it is now
called is about 180 kms from Delhi and around 55 kms from Agra.
It has been recognized as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site due to its importance as a bird sanctuary and its role in
the conservation of various bird species.
The sanctuary encompasses wetlands, marshes,
and woodlands, creating diverse habitats that attract a wide range of bird
species. The wetlands are particularly important for supporting water-dependent
birds.
The sanctuary is famous for hosting a diverse
range of bird species, including migratory birds that arrive during the winter
season and even though we have spotted seventy different species, the park has
recorded over 370 species of birds - both resident and migratory birds.
My son Fateh and I visited the park in January
2023 and even though January is not the best time to visit the park, we had
only a few days of holidays left and a quick day trip was all that we could
spare.
The drive from Delhi was smooth. The road is
good and by around eight in the morning we were at the gates of the park where
we were met with our guide. Unfortunately, the winter fog made photography near
to impossible. Maybe that was just as well, as the birds too had huddled into
small groups and away from the main road.
Around ten in the morning, the fog lifted a
little and things got better. What caught our eye were the flocks of Painted
Storks that had spread themselves around both sides of the road. There must
have been at least a few hundred of them.
Having got our fill of these storks, we walked
along the scrubland and spotted a number of migratory birds such as the Comb
Duck, Greylag Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Garganey’s, Gadwalls and Ruddy Shelduck.
A little further down the road we spotted the Dalmatian and Rosy Pelicans and
on the tree we got a glimpse of a Dusky Eagle Owl.
The highlight of the visit was around one in
the afternoon, where the Oriental Darters start to feed. I must have taken over
a hundred pictures of these beautiful birds catching fish and tossing them in
the air before eating it. What a sight.
Bharatpur is definitely a destination we will
go to again, except this time we will plan a visit around end February, when
the fog lifts and the weather warms up a little.
Overall, for birders, Bharatpur is a must and
even though my experience was somewhat average, I would grade Bharatpur a 7/10
N/A
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