Birding Hot Spots in and around Kolkata

Backyard Birding

Ever since the outbreak of Covid 19 travelling has taken a back seat. This has been a big psychological blow for trvallers like us. Being confined at home is the greatest curse for a traveller and travel writer.

Birding Hot Spots in and around Kolkata
Top left to right: Rufous Treepie, Central Park, Salt lake; Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Rabindra Sarobar; Black Rumped Flameback Woodpecker, Salt lake Canal Side; Asian Openbill Stork, Baruipur
Below: Lesser whistling duck, Santragachi

But we soon got adjusted to our new lifestyle. As a teacher, I was busy with my online classes and decided to spent the evening on my Salt Lake residence rooftop. Soon I got attracted by my feathered guest. With a bit of google search, I soon started identifying them. Soon I started documenting and photographing the birds with my 11 year old daughter Rupsha assisting me with a pair of binoculars.

Rabindra Sarobar, Lungs of South Kolkata

Rabindra Sarobar

Lungs of South Kolkata and Birder’s Paradise

The artificial lake of Rabindra Sarobar and the green zone surrounding the lake is one of the most beautiful areas of Kolkata. The entire area provides oxygen and is often refereed to as the lung of south Kolkata.

Rowing at Rabindra Sarobar

But it is hard to believe that even a hundred years ago this beautiful area was a marshy stretch of land. It was a breeding ground of mosquitoes and source of malaria and other diseases.

Birding from Salt Lake rooftop during Covid 19 lock, unlock and beyond

Birding from rooftop during lock and unlock

Compilation of birds documented from my Salt Lake, Kolkata residence

Also see: Lockdown Memories (Part 1) and Lockdown Memories (Part 2)

Lock, unlock, lock… and the process goes on and on. It has been over nine months since the lockdown started on mid-March 2020 and things are yet to come to normal. We have got adjusted to our modified routines. I still spend a couple of hours in the evening spotting and photographing birds and other wildlife from my residence terrace in Salt Lake, Kolkata.

Clockwise from top left: Red Vented Bulbul. Oriental Magpie Robin, Black Hooded Oriole, Rose Ringed Parakeet, Red Whiskered Bulbul and Coppersmith Barbet

My initial days was just restricted to observation only. With a little internet search I was able to identify and spot a few birds within a week. Next step was to photograph them but with no knowledge of birds and inappropriate equipment it was not an easy task, but I wanted to give it a try. My 11 year daughter Rupsha was my constant companion from the very beginning. She soon got the hang of it and started spoting birds with the help of a pair of binoculars.

Lockdown Memories Continues, Wildlife Photography from Rooftop

Lockdown Memories Continues

Wildlife Photography from Rooftop (Part 2)

Also see: Lockdown Memories (Part 1)

Lock, unlock, lock… and the process goes on and on. It has been over four months since the lockdown started on mid-March 2020 and things are yet to come to normal. We have got adjusted to our modified routines. I still spend a couple of hours in the evening spotting and photographing birds and other wildlife from my residence terrace in Salt Lake, Kolkata.

Oriental magpie Robin

I uploaded my first blog post in mid-June and the list of wildlife spotted was as follows:

1. Chestnut Tailed Starling or Grey Headed Myna (কাঠ শালিক) (Sturnia malabarica)
2. Red Vented Bulbul (বাংলা বুলবুল) (Pycnonotus cafer)
3. Oriental Magpie Robin (দোয়েল পাখি) (Copsychus saularis)
4. Purple Sunbird (দুর্গা টুনটুনি) (Cinnyris asiaticus)
5. Black Hooded Oriole (কালোমাথা বেনেবউ) (Oriolus xanthornus)

The second phase continued with the spotting of more birds and other wildlife, this new list includes:

1. Coppersmith Barbet (ছোট বসন্ত বৌরি) (Psilopogon haemacephalus)
2. Blue Throated Barbet (বড় বসন্ত বৌরি) (Psilopogon asiaticus)
3. Rose Ringed Parakeet (সবুজ টিয়া) (Psittacula krameri)
4. Indian Flying Fox (বড় বাদুর) (Pteropus medius)

Lockdown Memories, Wildlife Photography from my rooftop

Lockdown Memories

Wildlife Photography from my rooftop

Covid 19 has changed the way we lived, with the lockdown being implemented from 16 March 2020, there was nothing much to do. Stuck at home I started editing the Wikipedia.

Chestnut Tailed Starling or Grey Headed Myana

Although I have been attached with the Wikipedia Movement for almost a decade but my activity was more off line. The Covid 19 Lockdown first provided me to edit wikipedia on a regular basis.