Paradise of birds

Sonda village in Sirsi taluk of Uttara Kannada district is known for its historical and religious significance. Apart from Vadiraja Math, Swarnavalli Math and Swadi Jain Math, there are several beautiful stone-carved temples in this region. This was the capital of Sode Sadashiva Raya, a king of Sode dynasty, who ruled in the 16th century, under the Vijayanagar Empire. Remains of the fort and other monuments can be seen around the place. Another place of interest here is Sahasralinga, where hundreds of Shivalingas are carved in stone on the riverbed of Shalmala, a tributary of River Bedti. All of these can be witnessed in a radius of about 10 km.

Avian beauties

For nature enthusiasts, Sonda is more known as a breeding ground of cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis). Thousands of cattle egrets gather in the 4.5-acre Mundigekere Lake for breeding during the initial days of monsoon. The lake is covered by thickly grown Pandanus to the height of about 20 feet on which the birds nest, lay eggs and brood them. The lake is a safe haven for birds as it is not easily accessible for humans.

“In fact, their arrival indicates the beginning of the monsoon season,” says Ratnakar Hegde of Sonda Jagrutha Vedike, a local organisation dedicated to preserving the avifauna and historical monuments of the area. Though it is believed that the nesting activity of egrets at this place has been happening for centuries, it was P D Sudarshan, an ornithologist, who started keeping a record in the 1980s. Now it is being continued by Ratnakar Hegde.

The members of the organisation have observed that as the monsoon approaches, normally during the last week of May, a few egrets, numbering to some tens, hover around the pond supposedly to inspect the area before calling the larger flock. The number increases by the day and they start getting into the pond. Then they start building the nests using locally available grass, tree leaves and twigs. The period when they lay eggs and start brooding is the time of heavy rainfall. This year, Ratnakar has recorded that around 800 egrets have come here for nesting during the month of June.

One can see these birds till the month of November as the breeding season extends to that month. A good binocular and a camera would be a birder’s delight while visiting this place. A well-designed 40 feet high concrete watchtower facilitates the observation of birds from an aerial distance of about 250 feet. The place is maintained by the Forest Department.

Local people believe that the arrival of egrets indicates the beginning of the monsoon and that the rain intensifies as they start laying eggs. We are yet to see the effect of declining rainfall and erratic distribution of rains on the breeding activity of these birds. Children from nearby schools come here for excursion and learn about nature and its elements in this season. Some other species like white-breasted waterhen, pond heron, little cormorants, munias and mynas nest and breed here.

Other birding places

There are several places in Karnataka that host the birds in different seasons of the year. Here are some dream destinations of bird enthusiasts:

Gudavi Bird Sanctuary: Spread over an area of 0.74 sq km in Shivamogga district, the sanctuary provides shelter to about 190 different types of birds like grey heron, night heron, little cormorant, jungle fowl, waterfowl, white headed crane, pond heron, black headed crane, darter, Indian Shag, white ibis, pariah kite and Brahminy kite. The best time to visit this picturesque place is between June and October.

Kokkrebellur: A popular birding place located near Mandya, the village is named after painted storks (Ibis leucocephalus). Apart from these birds, one can also see spot-billed pelicans (Pelecanus philippenis) going down on to the large shady tamarind and peepal trees to build their nests. The villagers consider these birds as harbingers of prosperity and good luck. The village attracts many visitors during the nesting season.

Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary: This is located near Shivamogga and it is a small island formed by the flowing Tunga river. Dense trees on the island provide shelter to birds like median egret, little cormorant and darter. The best time to visit is between July and September. During the peak season in August, thousands of birds can be seen in this sanctuary.

Attiveri Bird Sanctuary: It is a reservoir spread across an area of 2.23 sq km. Located near Mundgod in Uttara Kannada district, this sanctuary turns home to about 80 species of birds, including migratory birds. The best time to visit this bird sanctuary is between November and March.

Kaggaladu: Located in Sira near Tumakuru, Kaggaladu once had the second largest nesting colony of painted storks and grey herons in Karnataka. According to conservationist Mallikarjuna Hosapalya, birds have not arrived here in the last two years. Bheemasamudra Lake and Mallasandra Lake are some other lesser-known nesting places for birds in Tumakuru district.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary near Mysuru, Hidkal Dam in Belagavi district, Tungabhadra Dam and its backwaters, Ankasamudra Tank near Hospet and Kundavada Lake near Davanagere are some other popular birding places. Apart from being favourite tourist spots, all these sanctuaries offer a learning experience for students and nature enthusiasts. Local associations conduct camps in different seasons to facilitate the process.