Winged Tourists in My City

“How about some birding,” I asked myself one November morning, lazying on my bed. The nip in the air was unmistakable and the ceiling fans in Kolkata, or at least in some parts of the city, were running at half their speed. Proper winter here lasts only for less than a month in December-January and people bring out their woollens in the least pretext.

“Proud of My Grooming in Tagore”

It took no time to put my thoughts into action. Armed with my camera, the next morning I was at the Taratala Nature Park to pursue my newfound interest. The park has two huge waterbodies managed by the Mudialy Fishermen’s Cooperative Society Ltd. While over the years Kolkata has turned into a concrete jungle, the city still offers some refuge to the winged tourists seeking warmer resting places than back home. This park is one of them.

Being a newbie to birding, I was not aware of the species and the generic names of these wonderful visitors. It was the joy of watching them in flight and rest that got over me.

50 Years of Chiriyakhana

Here’s what my lens captured. Enjoy the slideshow and let me know your thoughts in the comment box below. Would love to hear from you.

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The road to bird kingdom

The road to bird kingdom. It's a haven on either side

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Perched atop

Monitoring from the top

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Up and above

Up above the world so high

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Away from the herd

Away from the herd, hunting for prey

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A migration like no other

A migration like no other. Only that they return

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Wings of fantasy

Wings of fantasy. A flight of several thousand miles

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The lone predator

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Organisational hierarcy

Organisational hierarcy. Or some great team bonding

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Camouflaged, but not conceited

Camouflaged, but not conceited. The art of survival