Purple Herons, Citrine Wagtails and Sandpipers Spotted at the Basai Wetland

Last Saturday when I visited the Basai Wetland, I was disappointed to see that the Kites had chased away all the other species of birds. It looked like the struggle for food had become intense so the only large birds that I could spot were Purple Herons. The smaller birds that I could spot included Citrine Wagtails, Sandpipers, and the ubiquitous Purple Swamphen.

Think of it, I wondered what the Purple Swamphen was doing with that rather thick stalk of weed and then realised that it might have been using it to build some kind of a nest! One rather fascinating incident was to see a catfish lunge at one of the tiny birds scrounging for food on the ground. It has been often warned that the African Catfish, locally known as Magur or Mangur is a rather aggressive kind of fish, not ethnic to the country that is steadily decimating the native fish species, yet the authorities allow farming of this fish turning a blind eye to this practice.

I was treated to a variety of poses by one particular Heron that took me through its paces of searching for breakfast. Part of a pair of newly grown hatchlings, this pair looks perfectly capable of flying away to other places. The strength of its beak and the patience that it displays while hunting is just a few of the amazing qualities of this rather large species of bird.

The Basai Wetland can be an amazing destination for birders in and around Delhi NCR. Unfortunately, very few people really know how to reach it. I have, for this reason, pasted part of the map hoping that interested birders might follow the train and reach it. It is incidentally more or less opposite the water treatment plant and is accessible through a narrow lane leading to a gas agency. A word of caution, one lane of the flyover, the one going to Gurgaon has been shut down, so you might as well take the Dwarka Express Way and then turn right towards New Railway Road, or Laxman Vihar while returning.

You might not get much in terms of facilities, and parking might be a problem, but then so what, you at least to get to see some of the most exotic of birds, that too without the hindrance of applying for entry tickets, or for that effect even vying for space with other enthusiasts, or perhaps bird watchers of the other kind!