Pelicans up close at Nelapattu

My first live encounter with a pelican was on a visit to the Jurong Bird Park, in Singapore. My son was littler then, (literally!), probably around 4 ft, and completely enthralled by the feathered friends on view. We were walking along the path near Pelican Cove, and he was chattering away with us, blissfully unaware that following just behind him on the path was a pelican, walking with a deliberate, serious gait. My son happened to turn around, and was startled out of his skin to be eyeballing a pelican. This fellow studied my son with a deliberate air, dismissed him as not worthy of further interaction and then shuffled on up the path, with an air of an academic don ruminating his latest theory.

Then came Finding Nemo, and that delightful animation from Disney of a pelican, its large beak and inquisitive personality.

I always thought of them as these exotic birds that one finds in far-away lands. How ignorant I was. Our chance visit to Nelapattu - just 100 kms away from Madras - and there they were, nesting, socialising and living in a pelicanry. No, they were not migrants from somewhere else, they are there all year long, using the Barringtonia tree tops in the tank as nesting places. Not one or two but hundreds! These are the spot-billed pelicans, common in Asia.

Since then, I've seen them many a time, and am always fascinated by these large birds, each of which seems like quite a character. There was once this solitary, pensive pelican we came across in the waters of Pulicat, who really looked like he was in need of cheering up.

Another one flew by our boat, with a rather busy, dont-bother-me look, and what looked like a bill-full of fish.

Then there was this harassed looking mama pelican trying to calm her testy little ones, as she opened her beak to them. They create quite a combined racket, these birds, and as you approach, it reminds one of a school building where the hum of hundreds of kids carries across the air.

My favourite so far has been this young show off we saw on our last visit. As we watched from the boundaries of the lake, he came gliding down into the water. He came paddling by (they are good swimmers, with duck-like webbed feet), posing for all the shutterbugs, first left profile, then right, straight one now, ok now my beak with the spots, want to see my feathers?, alright that's enough, I have to go now!





A trip to Nelapattu is always rewarding because of these birds, and I could spend hours watching them as they go about their daily routines.

Getting to Nelapattu

Its not difficult to get to. The first time, we took a morning passenger to Gummidipoondi, then changed trains to Doravarichatram, from where its a short, dusty walk to the lake. This last time, we just drove down, lovely highway all the way once you leave the city. Driving down gives you the option of visiting both Pulicat and Nelapattu in a day. That way you can take in the graceful flamingoes and lovely painted storks in Pulicat (they require a separate essay) and then see the pelicans and Ibis and Open-billed storks in Nelapattu.