A BIRD LOVER'S JOURNAL: CKBS - Chintamani Kar Bird Santuary, Kolkata.

Birding in Kolkata : If you are looking for a birding place in Kolkata that you could cover in one day then CKBS (Chintamani Kar Bird Santuary) is the best bet. CKBS is among the first birding spots we visited when we were new initiates in birding back in 2012. Deb and I had heard of a dense patch of forest a kind of retreat for bird’s right in the middle of South Kolkata. On a chilly Sunday morning in Nov 2012, we set out to this location with nothing but GPS to guide us.

The Santuary is a rectangular patch of land with an area of about 17 hectares (1). Its nestled bang in the middle of Narendrapur locality. Once you've crossed Narendrapur Ramkrishna Mission (which will fall on the left if you're driving towards Sonarpur), look out for Dabur Workshop that falls on the right. Just after that on the right is a narrow lane that will lead you to CKBS. Its not so difficult to spot.

Over the years the government has made an effort to bring this piece of land to better shape which becomes evident form the boundary walls adorned with colourful bird graffiti.

There are a number of shanties up ahead, that offer Tea, snacks and breakfast although the menu is limited to omelets and kachori. We always head into the sanctuary early and mid morning when the it gets a bit crowded, we hop out for breakfast and birding along the canal.

Tickets can be bought from the ticket counter at the entrance.

Visiting Hours 7.00 am to 4.00 pm in winter. The timings slightly differ for summer.

An entry fee is at Rs. 50/- per head.

A word of caution: Rub a good amount of Odomos (mosquito repellent) before you leave the house. Also carry a tube with you. There is no provision for food or drinking water inside, so do carry your own stuff. It is more convenient this way because once you have ventured into the trails, going outside the sanctuary for refreshments is an incumbrance you would rather to avoid.

The board at the entrance points out the dos and dont's:

Please do not use Flash for photographing birds.
Do keep your cell phones on silent mode.
Do not play bird recordings-repeat-do not play bird recordings.
Do not wear any deodorant or perfume.
This will act as a red flag for birds from a distance.
Please don't wear clothes of any colour other than forest colours of green, beige, and brown. Another red flag!
Do not bring children as it’s not a picnic spot. You can bring them for educational purpose only but please keep them disciplined.
Observe and Photograph nature silently with as little disturbance as possible.

A Paradise for birds and bird watchers

To be fair CKBS has the resemblance of an orchard that has been left to go wild over a few decades. There is a perpetual feel of the forest here. At some places the canopy is so thick that it does not allow the sun to penetrate. The air holds a moist eerie quality and is impregnated with the steady hum of insects. All kinds of birds songs reverberate around you.

Tamarind, Mango, Jackfruit, Coconut Palm, Banana, Guava, Common fig among other trees forms the main frame of its dense canopy. The undergrowth is dense and consist of shrubs, creepers, ferns, weeds and grasses.

If not for the quintessential photographer that you come across every now and then tucked behind a tree stump, creeping on the forest floor or chasing a bird or two you'd almost forget that you are in the heart of a busy sub-urban locality.

There are a number of trails that divide the sanctuary. You can pick any of them but do lookout for cobwebs, caterpillars and leeches. The trick is to become one with nature and stay still inspite of the mosquitoes, let the forest sounds settle and then you'll begin to see the birds.
If you take the first trail on the left of the entrance you'll find yourself in a dense bamboo groove. This is where one might catch sight of the common hawk cuckoo. There are a number of dead coconut palms, the hollows which have become the home for Parakeets and Barbets. On any given day these hyperactive parakeets display an industry of nest building, feeding the mother or the young that makes for a riveting study.

Lineated Barbet Rose-ringed Parakeet

A colony of houses flank the right and back boundaries of C.K.B.S while its left fringe till 2012 bounded by a canal is now threatened by a new highway development (Kamalgazi-Baruipur extension) that will irreversibly damage its delicate ecosystem and further shrink its size.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

There is a lot of beauty to be found here; in clusters of mushrooms springing from rotting logs, in the wild blossoms that stand in stark contrast to the dense green, in bumbling bumble bees rushing in and out of the blooms, in the slanting rays of early morning sun seeping through the canopy, in the diversity of the phyllotaxy, in the necklaces of wines hanging from trees, even the rose like rotting patterns on the leaves on forest floorand the army of ants that colonise the detritus. As they say nature abounds in beauty if only you can see.

Land Planarian-Hammerhead slug

Over the years we have explored this paradise numerous times sometimes coming back disappointed and sometimes rewarded by lifers. But our very first date with CKBS is a memorable milestone in our birding history mainly because it was a trip marked by many “firsts”.

Firstly, it was the first time we spotted all four different woodpeckers (Fulvous breasted, Flameback, Rufous, Streak Throated Wood Peckers) usually seen in this region on the same tree. Secondly because we got plenty of first time sightings (lifers) of many birds one of them being the Large -Tailed Nightjar. Lastly because that was the first time we met Mr. Mihir Pal, an amazing photographer, whom we fondly call as Mihir Kaku. We would be properly acquainted with him 6 months later on another memorable trip to Henry Island in April 2013, and over the next few years we would be sharing many birding memories together. But our very first meeting was on our very first CKBS trip where we shared a mid-morning snack of puffed rice and sweets, sitting amiably on broken tree stump, unbeknownst of our future camaraderie.

We revisited C.K.B.S again in last winter (2013), with him and this time we were hoping to capture the elusive Black-Naped Monarch, which was long overdue. I also befriended a caged monkey and shook hands with him.

On 9.11.14, we again found ourselves within the confines of this tranquil sanctuary. Umpteenth one for us, but very first trip for our birding pals Paromita and Shubho. Every time we visit CKBS it holds some surprise or the other in store. This time we added a Brown Fish owl couple to our lifer list.

Brown Finh Owl (Hutum Pacha)

Blacked-Naped Monarch

Its a little early for winter birds and thought we would not be seeing any winter veterans like the monarch yet...but just as we were about to leave his highness graced us with his magnificent presence.
The Large-tailed Nightjar however, is a different story. The old man is a kind of CKBS landmark, has always been sighted sitting ideally or rather sleeping in the same place year after year completely indifferent to trigger happy photographers.

CKBS FAUNA:

CKBS is famous for the monitor lizard (Goshap in regional lingo) that nests in burrows and water holes inside the forest and are usually seen basking in the sun in the canal adjacent to it. Among other reptiles garden lizards and Skinks may be spotted by a observant eye. A number of mammals have also been sighted here. Indian Palm Squirrel are found in abundance. Grey Mongoose is another favorite if rare sighting. There have also been reports of Jackal sightings.

Apart from this a variety of Butterflies and Dragonfies have also been recorded in CKBS. A more detailed list may be seen at http://chintamoni-kar-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.in/

For CKBS birds checklist please click link below:

http://abirdloversjournal.blogspot.com/2014/12/ckbs-checklist.html

Internet Resources that offer more info on CKBS:

http://www.bengalbirds.info/ckbs_narendrapur_birds.php

http://chintamoni-kar-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.in/

I hope you enjoy some of the pics from all trips to CKBS.