Birding Punit Van, Gandhinagar, Gujerat, India

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When: July 2024 Weather: Warm 25C

Nikon P900

In Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar where we were visiting the Mahatma Mandhir Convention Centre for our meeting next year, a good friend brought me out at 630am to bird. Initially we intended to go to Indroldar Nature Reserve but for some reason, the Indian gov doesn’t allow the park to open till 8am, a bit late for birders. So we went instead to a smaller patch of green, Punit Van (Van=Forest).

just 15min from the Leela Gandhinagar Hotel, the charming Punit Van (Forest)
A laughing dove watched over us as we entered the forest
as did a male Koel who was loudly calling
the speckled female koel was not far away
One of the highlights of Punit Van ..the number of male peacocks strutting their stuff in an effort to woo the peahens! I’ve never seen so many displaying peacocks before in any one location
truly magnificent
subject of his ardour
up close
in profile
even the rump is quite attractive!
different perspective
rather bedraggled male purple sunbird
purple sunbird male
female purple sunbird
female purple sunbird
then a lifer: the silver bill or white throated munia
more love in the air
silver bills all in a row
silver bill munia..for once appropriate to its name
well kept paths
bluetailed bee eaters with brekky
blue tailed beeeaters with parakeet
and then another lifer…on the face of it , just a sparrow…
but a small yellow patch on the throat can be just about made out here ..
making this the yellow throated sparrow, the bird which inspired the renowned Indian ornithologist Salim Ali to take up birding!
scaly breasted munia
red vented bulbul
jungle babblers were everywhere
and this large bird then disturbed the foliage…
a splendid greater coucal!
the park is serene with a few small ponds
spot billed duck amongst the leaves
a couple of spot billed ducks continued the romantic theme…
final bird of the morning was this ashy prinia
ashy prinia

Punit Van is a gem of a park; small and perfect for a 1 to1.5 hr ramble with plenty of bird diversity. And if you ever want to shoot peacocks displaying, there is no better place than this! Highly recommended. Thanks to my pal Manish for bringing me here.

One thought on “Birding Punit Van, Gandhinagar, Gujerat, India”

  1. Fantastic variety of captures ..am so happy i could bring you here …especially the dancing peacocks all over the place were just stunning ….we can do this again anytime ..cheers

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