Bhigwan Birding Blitz

WhatsApp groups can be fun, but sometimes they feel like noisy neighbourhoods where everyone talks at once. They can pull you in, distract you, and leave you wondering where your time went. That's exactly what happened, on one of the briding whatapps groups came a wonderful trip report of Bhigwan birding, that was good enough reason to get pull in, get distracted and wonder where your time went.

Few WhatsApp messages, one phone call, and three ladies were all it took for the plan to Bhigwan to fall into place, three sessions dedicated to spotting as many bird species as possible. Across three focused sessions of birding, we explored wetlands and grasslands, ultimately recording 110+ species. What a day of determination, discovery, and pure birding enthusiasm.

The purpose was simple, cover as much as we could and have fun. But we birders are always organized and focused, so of course we made a wish list of species that would make us happy. And we ended up getting far more than we hoped for: a record number of Grey Herons, crisp shots of an Osprey, huge flocks of Short-toed Larks filling the horizon over the grassland, the famous raptors more than 25 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, buntings, and of course the SEO, just to name a few.

There was nothing we hadn’t seen before, but that’s the fun of birding—you never get tired of seeing the same bird again and again. Each time you learn something new; each time, it feels a little different. I’m never sure whether it’s because the individual birds are different or because we have changed since we last saw them. What I am sure of is that every birding session leaves you a little more enriched than before.

Wading Wonders

Brown-headed Gulls giving the Eurasian Coot company! Or is it other way round?

Co-existence? Conflict? or simply unbothered?

Brown-headed Gulls

She Shoveler (Northern)

He Shoveler (Northern)

Saw tons if not thousands on submerged poles, on the wires

Whiskered Tern

As usual were seens hovering over the waters

River Tern

Do you also see it smile?

Painted Stork

And how about this one's smile?

Gargany

Little Egrets

Certainly giving the Osprey a run for its money. Big catch there!

Grey Heron

Indian Cormorant

Pond Heron

The ruling raptors

Western Marsh Harrier

This one hovered effortlessly over the wetland, scanning the water with quiet precision.

Its steady, graceful hold in the air added a touch of wild drama to the landscape.

Greater Spotted Eagles

In came these two, and suddenly every treetop they passed sent cormorants, egrets, and herons bursting into the air.

The Greater Spotted Eagles had definitely announced their arrival.

Perfect flight shots of the Osprey crisp, steady, and beautifully lit as it glided overhead

The only thing missing was a fish in its talons, maybe next time!

Osprey

A must have shot for the grasslands - Steppe Eagle

That's some attitue - Greater Spotted Eagle

Would you believe me if I said I was actually trying to photograph the Red-rumped Swallow and not the Short-toed Snake Eagle that stole the frame?

Mighty Bonelli's Eagle, guarding it's nest

Common yet not so common.

Black Kite (Black-eared)

Hovering over the poultry waste, the juvenile Egyptian Vulture circled gracefully, looking every bit the curious scavenger.

Long-tailed Shrike, thorns not needed!

Long-tailed Shrike, not in a mood to use the tools!

Every angle was clicked. Left profile, right profile, and ofcourse head-on.

Spotted Owlets

The Bay-backed Shrike flashed its colours in flight, proudly revealing exactly how it earned its name

That's what birding’s version of winning the lottery looks like.

Short-eared owl

Grassland Gems

Warbler's tounge have you seen it before?

Clamorous Reed Warbler

Black-headed Bunting

Red-headed Bunting

Indian Bushlark

Citrine Wagtail (juv)

Western Yellow Wagtail

Mongolian short-toed lark migrates from its breeding grounds in Mongolia and China to winter in peninsular India.

Do they ever leave marks like we do? Do they wonder why humans leave so much footprint?

Mongolian Short-toed Larks on the tyre marks

Rocks? Turtles? Doves?

Nah! Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in dozens. I could not capture all in a frame!

As the day folded into memory, we realized this trip was more than just a checklist of sightings, it was a beautiful reminder of why we bird.

We wrapped up our journey across wetlands, grasslands, and evening skies, it felt like more than just a "checklist" adventure. With birding companions Rajashree Kale and Dr Kavita Bandivadekar, the Boat Ride & Wetlands, Kadbanwadi Grasslands & Raptors, and Shirsuphal sessions turned into a full-on birding marathon and yielded 114 species.

What stays with me isn’t just the numbers, but the shared excitement at every sighting, the laughter over botched identifications, and the thrill of nature’s surprises. Relive our sightings, enjoy it here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/435407

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