(delhibirdpix) The Commoners - # 69.03 - Black-Necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) - 2010-174

This is time for Heronry - and all the activity it is associated
with. The best perhaps was Bharatpur with its trade mark 'cacophony'
orchestrated by thousands of birds just as one entered. Alas, it is
missing with no rains and water there. Next one near Delhi is
Sultanpur which too is perhaps going the Bharatpur way - it was
flourishing last year this time but is now closed to the public after
the careless manner it was managed.

It was heartening to then hear from the Range Officer at Sur Sarovar,
Agra that it hosted upwards of 20000 birds - Egrets, Herons, Storks,
Darters, Spoonbills, Cormorants etc and all in the process building
nests or laying eggs or rearing chicks. What could stop anyone to
visit the place ! Armed with fully serviced vehicle, food and optical/
photographic equipment, four of us left at four in the morning.

Ran into some kind of a minor jam right in the morning little
realising that millions were thronging to Mathura, Vrindawan and
Govardhan offering respects to 'Gurus' on Guru Purnima (Full Moon).
Afternoon, when we were returning - the jams were phenomenal with
people every where and packed like Egrets, Herons, Storks, Darters,
Spoonbills, Cormorants etc on roads, jeeps, cars, buses, tractor
trollies, trucks - anything that moved.

We got the Heronry of Birds and as also of People - two for the price
of one.

Heronry at Sur Sarovar is rocking (were told the Director of Keoladeo
National Park, Bharatpur was there and full of envy and thinking of
filing a suit for 'alienation of affection' and 'luring his beloveds'
from Bharatpur. I would do too.)

20000 was perhaps a conservative estimate - we got to see only from a
distance and that too what was on the periphery. What was the inside
of the islands, we did not pursue lest we disturb.

We enjoyed all the facets associated with Breeding - from bringing
nesting materials to feeding the chicks and of course the fights for
territory.

Bonus was quite a few other birds.

Here are some images and more to come in the following days as I get
time (an expression I never used when I had a high profile job in the
corporate world) from my main activity - BIRDING.

Handsomest pair of Black-necked Storks that I have seen so far.

Cheers.

Anand Arya
353, Sector 15A
NOIDA 201301
INDIA
+ 91 98182 61909
www.anandarya.com
www.okhlabirdpark.com
"This is a copyrighted image. Not to be used for any purpose without
prior permission."
Canon 1DsM3 + 800mm