JOKA WETLAND'S HIDDEN BOUNTY

Reed beds behind IIM Kolkata is a birding hotspot....But every year more and more of this habitat is lost due to development of private property....Plots that yielded rare and bountiful sightings last season are now a series of brick walls and houses.....it wont be long when all these birds dis-appear unless a large scale intervention is called by enthusiastic birders and naturalists. This album is a call for help by the winged denizens of Joka to save this precious habitat form further desecration.

Tricolored Munia aka Black Headed Munia

This pair of Munias were foraging for food among the reed-beds. After following it for about 30 minutes I finally captured this shot just as it peeked out of the reed-bed cover, giving me the first lifer of this trip

Brown Shrike

After a marked absence in the summer months, the return of these hardy birds herald the beggining of the winter migrating season. This bird is called by many names, the most interesting of them being the "Kasai pakhi"(Butcher bird) due to its characteristic habit of impaling its prey on thorns and barbed wires.

My fascination with "Lal Munia" as the Red Avadevet is endearingly referred to by Bong birders started with my first trip to Joka last year. As we took a turn around an un-explored bend through the reed beds I saw a flash of red whizz past me. A bunch of these industrious birds were hopping around a bush by the path.

This is my second visit to Joka which I had embarked with a secret prayer to be able to document this very bird.

I was busy capturing a Ashy Wood Swallow when I found this little bird twitting to me from behind a bush.

Another sturdy bird of the shrike family, the Tri-coloured Shrike or Long Tailed Shrike can be spotted easily in an around Kolkata.

Ashy Wood Swalow

Another Lifer From this trip. 

Plain Prenia

long tailed shrike preening

Common Tailor Bird

Roufous Treepie