Amazing Snaps of Ibis, Herons and Egrets at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon

Feels great to see a Cattle Egret take a good shake before starting its day in the morning at the Basai Wetland in Gurugram. 

A lone White Ibis looks at me with curiosity even as an Egret peeps from below. Egrets and Ibis seem to tolerate each other fairly well!

As I said earlier, Egrets and Ibis seem to have a fairly good relationship with each other. Moreover, they seem to be fairly at ease with human beings around!

A Red-Naped Bronze coloured Ibis stands before a White Black-headed Ibis at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon. Both of them belong to different families but live in close proximity to each other.

A Heron peeps into the water for a meal of fish. Herons are quite commonly found in the wetland of India. They are tolerant of human beings.

A Bee-eater preens itself at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon. Bee-eaters can be found in great numbers on the outskirts of the town.

A Purple-Heron soars high in the sky over the Basai Wetland. Purple Herons are quite common wherever there is water on the surface. They happily consume fish and other amphibians, frogs and snails.

The Basai Wetland is our own backyard Masai Mara!

Wildebeest-ahem, Buffalos feeding on succulent grass

Spot-billed Ducks

A Heron flies overhead

Purple Herons flying towards each other

If you thought this is Masai Mara or one of those exotic, commercially promoted tourist destination, you are wrong. Tucked away, on the Basai-Jajjar highway, right in the backyard of sector 9, Gurgaon is a hidden paradise of birds, slowly disappearing a slow and torturous death! A paradise it is, and it is a stretch of Wetland known as the Basai Wetland, a paradise that the government continues to dispute though it continues to support a large number of exotic species of migratory as well as resident species of birds. 

Wire-tailed Swallows

This time when I visited the Wetland on the 23rd of August, an off-day for me, I was pleased to spot a trio of Dabchicks (Little Grebe) wading along looking as unconcerned as ever! Little Grebe, especially those that are breeding have a distinct rust-red colour on their heads and necks. Even more fascinating was the stately flight of a common pond Heron and then the frisky Wire-tailed Swallows that are distinct from Swifts that lack the bright bluish-purple coat of their cousins. The Wire-tailed Swallows moreover have long parallel wire-like appendages in their tails, rather like radio antennae.

Dabchicks or Little Grebe

Weavers are very artistic, especially when it is about weaving a nest to lay eggs in. They, incidentally end up tying up long stalks of grass to form a single nest. And, yes, they try to mislead you about the presence of their nests even though there is a tell-tale sign of stalks of grass bending down to a knot.

Weaver Bird

Weaver Bird

If Wire-tailed Swallows are frisky then so are Bee-eaters! Spotted in two or threes, Bee-eaters seem to be wired for action. I sported quite a few of them darting to and fro.

Green Bee-eaters

Bee-eaters

Wire-tailed Swallow

The larger birds like to congregate on the ground next to the water surface. Cattle Egrets, Common pond herons, Ibis, and Lapwings like foraging for food in groups. One might see a significant congregation of assorted birds foraging together for food at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon most of the time!

Egrets

Egrets

Perhaps the greatest attraction of the Basai Wetland is that the entry is free all the year-round and it offers an exclusive opportunity for bird-spotters and wild-life photographers to test their skills in wildlife photography. I guess there is a slight advantage in the authorities not identifying the Basai Wetland as a Wetland because then the entry would be restricted. 

A pair of Purple Herons

Male Bluethroat Bird Spotted at the Basai Wetland, Gurgaon

This Sunday when I visited the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon, I was in for a treat when a male Bluethroat bird performed quite a few antics before me. Surprisingly, this a bird that is normally very secretive! The Bluethroat bird, known by its scientific name as Luscnina svecica is a striking bird as it has a very colourful blue bib around its neck.

In all probability, the bird was not aware of my presence since I was shooting with the sun right behind me, and moreover, I was hidden behind a shed that the local fishermen had constructed to keep watch over their stock of fish.

On researching further about the bird I came to know that in India the Bluethroat bird breeds only in Ladakh, North Kashmir and Spiti. It is interestingly a visitor over most of the country during the winter season.

Great to know that this little bird has the wanderlust, especially since it has travelled a long way from the mountains on to the plains.

Large Monitor Lizard Remains Spotted at the Basai Wetland

The Basai Wetland in Gurgaon has a tendency of springing surprises every now and then. Today when I visited the wetland I was in for a surprise as right there on the path was a giant monitor lizard of a most colorful kind. measuring a bit more than one and a half feet, it was lying on its side, perhaps, it had been attacked by a large bird, or had been hit by a moving vehicle. Another surprise sighting was a colourful Strawbery Finch bird. I have pasted the photograph below.

I did as a child see lots of monitor lizards close to my home in Arba Minch Ethiopia but then they were not as colourful as this one was. I wonder how much more beautiful this lizard would have been had it been alive. Unfortunately, no one seems to be bothered about preserving the Basai Wetland for posterity. Today as always there were people who were chasing away the Cormorants that were trying to land on the surface to hunt for fish. It was a disappointment for me especially because I wanted to photograph these birds actually diving for the catfish. I wonder with a bit of anger why the authorities are deliberately allowing this treasure trove of flora and fauna to be destroyed, that too with impunity! Wonder if there are not educated people who will take up the cause of protecting the wetland before it is swallowed whole by land sharks and greedy good doers.

Flight of the Great Purple Heron - A Poem

Patiently sits a Purple Heron in the weeds,

Slender neck merging with tall stalks of Grass,

Staring into the distance, eyes like beacons - waiting.

Waiting for an opportune moment to feed and

Lift away into the ether, to soar gracefully and

Like a jet thunder into the infinite.

“What thoughts do fill your mind – dread visions

Or sweet dreams - lost lakes and shrinking ponds

Or abundant lush wetlands with friends so many!”

Eyes like beacons flash, waiting for something

To happen? If only - if we’d read the warning

Of things that were and things that are to be!

But then, perhaps, tis just the pensive thought of

One drunken with air so fresh, so much green, of

Sight of Great Heron waiting to feed!

Late,r the purple Heron does find a fish one size

too big and swallows it whole! Disgusted, I turn

Away but then we all need to feed, don’t we?

Satiated with its morning feast, the Heron lifts

Into the blue sky, great ponderous wings

Claw into the air like a thundering Jet’s wings.

Pheasant Tailed Jacanas Spotted at The Basai Wetland

It was a joy to spot a flash of Gold contrasted by a patch of white in the middle of the grass and weeds at the Basai Wetland yesterday. While the Wire-Tailed Swallows were away, the Pheasant Tailed Jacanas could be seen in abundance. These were, however, a little away from the main part of the wetland. One particular Pheasant Tailed Jacana seemed to want to give me the full benefit of its antics even as I followed it around; it led me on, as it sang aloud to those hidden in the water weeds.

Only one gender of the species, the male develops such a long tail and the golden patch on his neck makes him particularly conspicuous to the female. Jacanas are found in abundance in the area and they are not in the category of dwindling species.

Different Moods of A Bee Eater Pair at the Basai Wetland

I thought it was only human couples who have differences, but then, even birds have their differences. Strangely enough, when I visited the Basai Wetland today, I was in for a treat, especially since I was party to what I believed was a Bee Eater Bird Couple having differences. The mail of the two seemed to fly off only to return to his mate. Amazed at this display of affection and disagreement, I stood fast and waited to see the story unfold. It seemed amazing, no doubt. The photographs tell a story of a couple of Bee Eaters having a fight no doubt!

They seem to be having an argument and sure the Bee Eaters seem to have turned away from each other!

It seems they have reached an agreement! Their love for each other seems to be evident. They are together in everything, no doubt.

The distance seems to appear, one of the two birds seems to be in disagreement and is ready to fly away because of some argument. The message for us is that Bee Eaters too have their disagreements, to it is OK for us human beings to have disagreements!

Sometimes, things work out after an argument, but then I wonder if it is f

or appearance. We often want to show the world that all is well even when the cracks have appeared!

But then, this is what happens when you don't see eye to eye! You look away in disagreement, to tell the world that you have an issue.

It is when things go out of control that one of the two flies away. But then in most cases, this is just a scare, a threat.

After the flight, we come together to see if things can be mended. In many cases, it is about having one last try.

The loner is left all alone, waiting perhaps for her mate to return. In most cases, it is the one with the patients who wins the innings! Ultimately, these birds did get together, affirming that love does win in the end!

Egrets and Weavers at the Basai Wetland

The Basai Wetland never ceases to surprise you each time you visit it! What if no one cares about it, nature has a way of gracing what will one day become yet another address in the real estate boom! While the authorities turn a blind eye to what might be one of the last treasure troves of Gurgaon, naturalists and birders keep visiting the wetland even as the water drains out and people continue to denude the Waterland of its fish. I have seen dead birds entangled in strings stretched between poles and yet our wildlife officials ignore this. However, a more pleasant image is provided by the Moorhen, Cattle Egrets and Streaked Weavers that throng the place long after the migratory birds have flown away.

Streaked Weavers abound in the Basai Wetland. The birds can be found flitting from tree to tree, often looking for food in the underbrush. In the above snap, the one with food in its beak was doing a flypast even as the one on the stalk of grass was looking on! I thought they were Munia birds, but then I guess I was wrong!

The Little Green Bee-eater is commonly found flying around, perched on tree branches and in this case one of the poles from which strings were attached. Bee-eaters are active little birds and they don't let you approach them from close. Thankfully, the zoom lens helped me get a snap of one. Bee-eaters eat insects when Bees are not around.

Egrets are graceful birds and they are equally graceful in flight! I was able to get a snap of one while it was wading in the water with a reflection thrown in! As long as there is water, these birds will keep visiting the wetland.

The Moorhen might be a common sight close to wetlands, lakes and ponds. The muted yet contrasting colours of this one made it a compelling subject. Moorhens are waders and they feed on insects, worms, grain and paddy. Generally found in pairs or flocks, this one decided to do a solo walk.

The Indian Pond Heron is a common sight at the Basai Wetland. It can be founding standing rather still on the ground in the bushes.