Monday 26 December 2011

Bird Watching at Siruthavur



Bird Watching at Siruthavur


I had planned to visit some "unconventional" place for Bird Watching near Chennai. Quite similar to what I had explored earlier this year. I inquired with a few people and I was informed about Siruthavur, which is about 5 kms or so off the Old Mahabalipuram Road.

I along with 3 more friends set out early on the morning before Christmas and reached the OMR around 6:30 AM. We searched for the place and to my pleasant surprise found it in the same route that we took last time for bird watching, and numerous times before for bike trips. Only that we had to take a small deviation from the route we took the last time to reach the Siruthavur lake and the adjoining forest.

We reached the place around 7:30AM, thanks to excellent sense of direction and distance of the guards in the toll booth.Once we reached there, I realized that the place had more of the native birds, that too the ground dwelling ones, than the waders, irrespective of the big lake. But that does not matter. We we there for bird watching and the purpose was served.

Following are the birds that we spotted here.




Green Bee Eater
Red-vented Bulbul
Pied Bushchat
Crested Bushlark
White-eyed Buzzard
Little Cormorant
Black Drongo
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Pond Heron
Night Heron
Pied Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Asian Koel
Red-wattled Lapwing
Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Common Myna
Indian Peafowl (Peacock). Never expected this one there.
Paddyfield Pipit
Little Plover
Ashy Prinia
Indian Robin
Purple Sunbird
Purple-rumped Sunbird
White-browed Wagtail

The highlight of the day, according to me, was the spotting of the Peacocks and White-eyed Buzzard.

There are also opportunities for some good macro photography for people who are interested in that. This place is worth visiting another time and if we can spend more time, we can spot more birds.


14 comments:

Satty Boy said...

Frog Pic is amazing... Wonderful catch.

Trails of a Traveler said...

Thanks Yuvika and Sathish.

Ram

Sharan said...

Good Write up....it's short and good...gives us the feeling to go this place for sure...

Shrinidhi Hande said...

nice set...

Trails of a Traveler said...

@Sharan: We will plan one day. It is in the same route we took the other day

@Shrinidhi: Thanks

Ram

Ramakrishnan said...

Bird watching is such a fabulous pastime. Nice captures.

Anonymous said...

nicely timed!
happy new year :)

Trails of a Traveler said...

Thanks Ramakrishnan and Joshidaniel

Ram

Anonymous said...

isnt it a gr8 joy to explore outside the 'prescribed' areas and discover bird havens :)

luved the 1st in-flight pic

Trails of a Traveler said...

That is a very true statement Sandeep! Thanks for the support..

Ram

Thomas said...

Beautiful pictures! Looking at these birds makes me wanna go there in Siruthavur and see them for myself... including that camouflaged frog.

layana resort & spa

Trails of a Traveler said...

Thanks Thomas

Trails of a Traveler said...

Thanks Thomas

Trails of a Traveler said...

Thanks Thomas