The Birds of the Deccan Grasslands

Baya Weaver

The grasslands and the surrounding regions were teeming with life. All these denizens asked from us was to leave them alone to their persuits. The budding nature tourism in this region is full of enthusiasm but it lacks the maturity of the conservationalist approach. There is a LOT of money coming in from well-to-do urban uppies with long lenses and expensive cameras and nothing to do on weekends.

This is a win win situation if and only if the mad headlong rush for money is replaced with a mature sustainable model. The short term goals and rivalry and the ensuing unethical practices must go.

Respect for nature is paramount.

Grey Francolin

Rain Quail

Rain Quail

Painted Sandgrouse

Painted Sandgrouse, male and female

Painted Sandgrouse, male and female

Painted Francolin (female)

Indian Courser

Paddy field Pipit

Crested Lark

Southern Grey Shrike

Purple Swamp Hen

Purple Swamp Hen

Red Nape Ibis

Bramhini Starling

Laughing Dove

Deccan Grasslands

The air was crisp and cool as we travelled to the hinterlands of western Maharashtra. The regions around the Ujjani dam used to be arid grasslands called ‘maalraan’. With the dam and irrigation much of the area is now under cultivation with sugercane being the primary crop.

But there are these isolated rocky regions where not much grows which have remained as grasslands and as havens for the Indian grey wolf, the fox and myrid birds. You also see blackbucks and chinkaras roam these lands.

Ghera Sudhagad | घेरा सुधागड | Kalekar's Campsite | Kondgoan Dam | कोंडग...

Wildflowers

The august sun shone through the broken clouds. It had just rained a few minutes back. The sada was green with life.

The wildflowers danced to the light breeze. They gave a soul to the landscape.