Bangalore diaries - discovering Saul kere aka Ashy Prinia Heaven

Sarjapur diary - 

4th May 2023

I visited this lake today.  Saul kere, after an unsuccessful attempt to reach it a few days ago, I chose a straightforward path, off Sarjapur main road, past the fire station, apartment blocks, drainage canals, fruit vendors, an auto stand, a recycling station, into Maruti nagar, and finally the southern gate of the lake!

The entry was completely flooded with overnight rain mixed with sewage.  A Good Samaritan had placed stones to hop across - and I am proud that I did so without falling in the puddle, as I am wont to do.  

A 2km periphery mud bund was heavily used by walkers, joggers and later by pedestrians hurrying to the EZ large complex at the Western gate.

Saul Kere project must be redesigned to be bird-friendly - Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

For some strange reason, this part of the lake/wetland seems to be getting dredged.  Marsh is also good and natural, someone needs to tell BBMP.

All city Corporations seem to be the same....some strange (to me) ideas of restoration, beautification, development?

The lake is surrounded by Tech parks, offices, etc.  If one didn't but a boundary of some sort, then I guess this would just vanish?  Like erstwhile water bodies in T Nagar and Lake Area in Chennai and Indira Nagar in Bangalore

I enjoyed my walk, in solitude.  Solo birding after a long time.  

Ashy Prinias called from every bush, and from the reeds.  I have never heard so many at one spot!  

Each part of the lake had different colonies.  There were Black-headed ibis on one side, Great Coromorants on the central island, 

Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage in another area, along with pond herons.

40 species in an hour.  

Pelicans swam in their usual contemplative fashion - After many years, I saw a pelican walk - it strolled onto the dryer fringes.  The cattle egret hung around together in breeding plumage, the Ashy Prinias called from every tree, a couple of Brahminy Kites circled and settled in the middle, where the lake bed was being dredged, swamphens scratched around.  I did not see a single grebe - they were all at KKhalli lake?

In the more wooded area, beeeaters swooped and bulbuls called.  In the side nallahs, white-breasted waterhens cackled loudly, and the Spot-billed ducks swam in families in the more open waters.

Black ants were starting out on their home-building project.

It was a lovely cool morning, and the rain held off, I went back to the stepping stones - one of the stones had been knocked off - so damp socks, but happy me, as I walked out into urbania again.