Turn for the Terns

While Travelling to Malavalli all through Mysore Road we saw road widening taking place and many many trees that were cut down for this purpose, felt like we were passing through a desert. I couldn’t help but reminisce about the days when me and my brother would ride my dad’s Kinetic Honda from Bengaluru to Mysore and trees lining on either side of the road would shield us from the burning sun.

We decided to stop for breakfast at our usual restaurant, Kadambam, which used be in Jayanagar 3rd block many years ago. Just before we stopped we noticed a quaint lake about 50 metres before the restaurant and saw some white birds circling over the lake. I was really curious and decided to take a look after the breakfast. After a quick bite of idli and Venn pongal, we went to the lake.

This lake used to be about 100 feet or more away from the Bengalurur-Mysore highway but now sits right next to it.To our surprise the white birds turned out to be River Terns and Whiskered Terns which were looking for fish and diving down to make a kill.

We saw Egrets and Pond Herons on the shore line.

There were plenty of Little Cormorants swimming and diving in tandem to catch fish.

A lonely Grey Heron was standing on the opposite side of the lake.

To our right we saw many Kites gliding on thermals. One of them decided to come down to the lake but was vehemently chased away by one of the River Tern – it probably shouted “this is our lake go away”.

There was a bore well on the edge of the lake on top of which sat a cute little Common Kingfisher bobbing its head. A few minutes later a White-Throated Kingfisher came an sat in the same location.

Just few feet away was a Green Sandipiper.

We heard the calls of Koels, Common Tailor birds, Brahminy Kite, Ashy Prinia and Red-Wattled Lapwings.

But the icing on the cake was a dark grey bird walking on the edge of the lake. It was kicking the mud and looking for frogs and crustaceans to eat.

At first I couldn’t tell which species it was. We waited for it to come out in the open and took some pictures and to our surprise it was Western Reef Heron. Yaay..!!! A Lifer (in Birling lingo when you see a bird first time in your life its referred to as a Lifer).

We walked around the lake and noted down all the species we observed and heard. This pristine and beautiful lake is supporting a rich variety of birds.

You can find the complete list of birds in the link below –

https://ebird.org/checklist/S65348011

Before we left I said good bye to the Terns for showing off there diving skills for us and also to this beautiful lake and I wondered how many more days will this lake survive given the unbridled expansion of human population and need for space. We might be looking at the last of the lake’s glory days. 

To be continued…

Read my next blog for the next leg of this journey…

Thank you,

M.P.Narahari