Bar-headed Geese finally arrive in Gurgaon; Why do they have a discolouration around their beaks?

It was a welcome treat to spot Bar-headed Geese finally at the Chandu Budhera wetland. They seem to have been a bit late in arriving in Gurgaon, probably because of the weather conditions, smog, and pollution. Bar-headed Geese are known to travel long distances to winter in the northern plains of India. Earlier, they could be spotted at the now defunct Basai Wetland but now seem to be moving further and further away from the city due to urbanization and human activities.

Incidentally, Bar-headed Geese are known to travel at great altitudes where Oxygen levels drop in rarified atmosphere. It is said that Bar-headed Geese travel from Central Asia and Tibet and that they navigate accurately, landing on the same patch of land year after year. Bar-headed Geese follow important flyways utilizing important natural features, landmarks like rivers, mountains, relying on the position of the Sun, stars and magnetic fields to navigate. Bar-headed Geese are marvels of nature in terms of navigational abilities, resilience, and the ability to fly at great altitudes often over the peaks of the Himalayan mountains.

The movement of migratory birds, their appearance, and non-appearance are important indicators of the adverse conditions of the environment and ecosystems of each biodiversity hotspot. The movements of migratory birds also provide important information on food availability patterns. A study of migratory patterns of birds is an important indicator of changing climate patterns, deterioration of ecosystems, and perhaps, even important warning signs of the adverse impact of human development activities.  

I have been photographing Bar-headed Geese for the past ten years and have noticed how they have been shifting their wintering spots. Earlier, they would land and the now-defunct Basai Wetland, closer to the city, but now they are moving on. The Sultanpur National Park, the so-called Ramsar site, doesn't even attract them. It is high time that the powers did some research to understand the actual situation on site.

It is high time that environmentalists and authorities took cognizance of the environmental degradation that is taking place in Gurgaon due to development activities.

Please note that the reddish-brown colour around the beaks and the sides of the heads of the Geese is because of staining caused by an iron-rich mineral in the water. Some of the wetlands might also contain abnormally large amounts of industrial waste. 

Rare Gulls Spotted at the Chandu Budhera Wetland-Gurgaon

Just today, when I visited the Chandu Budhera Wetland, I was in for a surprise! There in front of me was the largest flock of gulls I have ever seen! Truth be told, I have rarely spotted more than one gull. The problem however is identifying the correct species. The gulls spotted by me are probably the world's smallest gulls also known as the little gull or Hydrocoloeus minutus. These birds migrate along the coast of the Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

It is indeed surprising to spot these gulls so far away from their native habitats. The spotting of these gulls is probably very significant as it is probably an indicator of the impact of climate change, changes in migratory patterns and also change in food patterns. 

However, spotted a whole cloud of gulls that too far inland from any sea shore was indeed an amazing experience! To see the birds wheeling as one unit all around the area was indeed a surreal experience. Though I was quite far away from the birds, I did try to take a few snaps of this 'cloud of gulls'!

At The Diocesan Fete (Ekta Utsav)

This year, as every year past, the annual pilgrimage to the Diocesan Fete at the Cathedral Church of Redemption took place on November 30. This year, the Diocese of Delhi was celebrating its 55th anniversary since its inception.  It was a time of catching up with one another, enjoying exotic food, and ushering in the Advent Season! The approach of Christmas was evident in the decorations, souvenirs, and memorabilia on sale everywhere.

It was a joy to see the Clergy decked up in spotless white, a symbol of purity, serenity and peacefulness. The whites and the reds seemed to bring out the approach of Christmas, snow, Santaclause and reindeer!

The exotic scents of freshly cooked food, the bright splash of colours of the decorative plants, Poinsettias, were a treat for the eyes, especially after the bleak bout of greys brought in by the ubiquitous NCR smog! For many, the Ekta Ekta divas is all about trying out new attire, bringing new looks, and, of course, for many students, a welcome break from studies.

Breathe - A Poem About Life in a Smog

Ring-a-ring o' roses, a pocket full of posies, a-tishu a-tishu, 

We all fall down! And all the King's men and all the king's

Horses couldn't put us together again. And as we breathe in

The toxic air, "beneficent beasts of prey and greedy-good 

Doers " turn their attention to petty things even as we choke

And gasp for a breath of fresh, clean air, one breath, just one!

And we are fed juicy titbits to keep us busy and not think

About the toxic air. We've stripped the Aravalli mountains

Of trees and plants, whittled down the oldest mountains,

Drained out wetlands, cut down forests, all in the name of 

Development. And all this while the 'King of Melon city'

Relaxes in his realm, 'placid' to all intents, just and wise!

All we want is fresh air and not purified air, greenery, and

Not concrete jungles, vibrant wetlands, and not sewage pits!

But all we get is stale, toxic, deadly air that damages our eyes,

Destroys our lungs, leaves us handicapped for life. People are

Affected, not by chemical warfare, but by the toxicity of apathy.

And all the 'king's men, nor his horses, seem to want to help us!

The eyes smart, tears flow as they try to wash out the pollution,

You sneeze, cough, and your breath rasps as your lungs fight to

Extract the much-needed Oxygen from a toxic soup of particulate

Matter, organic refuse, corrosive gases, and other harmful things.

Fresh air is a costly commodity, and you need to travel far and wide

To get a sniff of it. Some say, "Leave this place if you don't like the air!"

All those of us who are more 'liberated' and enlightened might

Claim to fight for our rights, the right to travel, the right to work,

But then, we forget that one of the basic rights is the right to 

Breathe fresh and clean air. We need to, not just start, 'Mending 

Walls', but build tall walls to stop the smog from pouring in!

That would be true technological advancement put into good use.

As you read these lines, you see the toxic haze roll in, ominous,

Malicious and predatory, with all intent to suffocate and choke

Everyone, children, adults, and the elderly! The smog advances

blanketing everything in its  wake, bringing in a 'Dusk' of unreal

Nature, wilting everything it touches, turning colours into deadly

Greys, a hint of things to come, even as we watch helplessly!

And as time passes, the breath of fresh air becomes a lost cause.

It is in the news that, soon, apart from gas masks, we will be sold

Bottled air of different flavours, even as we wear our branded

Gas masks! Natural fresh air will soon be a commodity of the past,

To read about and watch in films. As we emerge into the twilight

World, reality fades, and the dusk emerges with all its ghosts!

The eyes smart, tears flow as they try to wash out the pollution,

You sneeze, cough, and your breath rasps as your lungs fight to

Extract the much-needed Oxygen from a toxic soup of particulate

Matter, organic refuse, corrosive gases, and other harmful things.

Fresh air is a costly commodity, and you need to travel far and wide

To get a sniff of it. Some tell, leave this place if you don't like the air!

Raptors of Gurgaon

Crested Serpent Eagle spotted at the Sultanpur National Park

While Gurgaon develops into a concrete jungle with fewer wetlands and greenery, Raptors have adapted to the changing landscape with great success. It is therefore not surprising to see Shikras and Eagles perched on power line poles waiting for a chance to pounce on small rodents or even scrounge for leftover food in the dustbins. 

A Brahminy Kite spotted at the Chandu Budhera Canal area. 

Raptors are, however, not just scavengers (unfortunately) but also some of the apex flying hunters. Their swiftness in flight, keen eyesight, and superb maneuverability make them among nature's most amazing flying wonders! No wonder some of the fighter planes with stealth features take their shape from falcons.

A Shikra spotted at the Sultanpur National Park

Raptors are some of the most amazing birds to photograph. They are nature's examples of aerospace engineering and no wonder many of our fighter aircrafts are designed after them. Raptors are a source of inspiration for aerospace engineering. They exhibit exceptional aerodynamic capabilities and unique flight adaptations whether it is reconfiguring their flight dynamics in terms of changing their wing and tail profiles to suit the situations! Talk about thrust vectoring! The field of study associated with a study of the flight dynamics of raptors is called biomimicry. Aerospace engineers study flight patterns of raptors in several key areas including wing morphing and flexibility, adapting to different speeds, (sweeping back wings, flaring, maneuverability, and improving wing camber to achieve efficient flight patterns.

Sultanpur National Park

Serpent Eagle at the Sultanpur National Park