Bangalore diaries - Kaikondrahalli lake visits

I visited 2023 November, so it has been close to a year.

26th October 2024

8-10am

To my delight, I discovered a skywalk across the Sarjapura main road, which meant I could not only get to, but could also return from Kaikondrahalli lake easily when the traffic would be bad.

 Photos and observations are at iNaturalist.  

E-bird list here.

The entry area is a complete turn-off.  There is muck in the water, it smells of sewage and quite sensibly the water birds do not linger here.  It is the western side and the north that have some bird activity.

The flocks of Little Grebe were not there this time.  And the Harrier was missing.  

But I saw Cinereous Tits, busy and vocal!  they were foraging in the scrub.  I spotted a moving flash of white on grey on the mud face to the west of the lake, and decided to check with my binoculars.  I did not know they were common in Bangalore, and I was happy to watch them for a while - there were a pair of them, and they had a regular gossip session going, chirping and wheezing to each other as they hopped and flitted around in the undergrowth.

The Kites and Cormorants were a plenty, as also the Swamphens. Dusky Crag Martins dived and glided over the water's surface.  The piercing call of the white-browed wagtail drew my attention to the stone bunds, where it was moving around.

Walking back home on the skywalk - it was 10 am but the weekend traffic was so light!

30th October '24

I went anti-clockwise around the lake today, and started with the wood spider, which caught me in its  fascinating web, metaphorically, and delayed my progress.  Try as I might, I could not get my camera to focus on it!

Ebird list for 30th.

iNaturalist Observations for 30th

A Spotted Dove called from the Tabebuia tree and sunbirds flitted around so fast that I could just catch glimpses of them.  Sunbirds are so busy, and so vocal, for some reason they fill you with a good feeling, a sense of joy.

These little drops of sunshine dotted the undergrowth, and I came to know they are called Hairy Beggarticks!!  What a strange name!

The stones were covered with fresh moss, renewed by the overnight rains.

The Tits were there, and I saw the shy white-cheeked barbet high up in the canopy, pulling fruits from the Kusum trees that lie the northern end of the lake.

On the stone bund in the lake were some very glum looking lapwings, and one energetic sandpiper!

The path is lined with these Millingtonias, dripping their jewels.  

2nd Nov '24 ebird checklist

iNaturalist uploads here.

My last visit this trip to Kaikondrahalli.  And I saw a familiar friend - a lone painted stork, surrounded by Spot-billed ducks and Coots.

The stillness and quiet made me stand and stare, and daydream for a bit.  I watched a kingfisher flash past.  I heard the Dove coo above me.  A jogger went by.  It was like an amplification of quietness.

This black kite also seemed to be enjoying a morning moment of quiet, sitting still and observing me observing it.

And then the magic was broken by a bunch of barking dogs who then went and parked themselves on the bund.  I hoped they were not hunting eggs or fledglings.

I did a U turn, retracing steps quite happy to go back to the quieter part of the lake rather than the road-facing part.  And I am glad I did.

There was a photographer sitting on the fence, and he greeted me with a smile and said in low tones - "chestnut headed starlings".

I looked up to see a bunch of them, in a mixed flock, with drongos as well.

This is what I captured.  A drongo and a chestnut tailed starling sitting on a Eucalyptus tree.

And this is what he captured!

We both watched a pair of common kingfishers with their sharp calls, as they ducked from one dead branch to another. A Coucal sat in the open - forced to emerge from the shadows to dry its wet feathers in the sun.

It was a goodbye to the lake and its denizens, until next time.  

There are half-finished drain connections, iron bars sticking out dangerously, pigs snorting in the dirt and garbage, groups of stray dogs, and plastics in the water.  It is a wonder that despite this horror, the birds are there.  Maybe by the time I visit next, things may be better?  Maybe that's why the winter ducks are giving the lake a miss?

eBird India Checklist - 5 Nov 2023 - Saul Kere / Sowl Kere - 41 species

eBird India Checklist - 5 Nov 2023 - Saul Kere / Sowl Kere - 41 species

Overnight rains, a cloudy day and my dear friend Neeta for company - quite a perfect start to a birding morning.  

It started with a sight of these piggies snuffling in the mud, surprising and amusing me.

The yellow tacoma bushes were a riot of yellow, and just past them, we saw the usual pond herons and swamp hens in plenty.

Today's surprises included a dozen pelicans - I did not see them on my last visit - and some Garganeys!

Also bumped into the bangalore birders in full strength including Garima.

The best moment was a pair of white-cheeked barbets, knocking on a dead tree, possibly nest building.

And oh yes, another checkered keel back - this one in the water, swimming away and into the hyacinth.

eBird India Checklist - 3 Nov 2023 - Saul Kere / Sowl Kere - 43 species

eBird India Checklist - 3 Nov 2023 - Saul Kere / Sowl Kere - 43 species

Lovely and long morning at Saul kere.  Walked to the lake and back.  Water levels, even lower, and the hyacinth is more.  The JCBs have done their job - there are storm water drains coming in from everywhere.

My morning highlight was a Cinereous Tit seen almost at the end, the scaly-breasted manias in plenty, and the Kingfishers flashing across the water.

The Prinias - so evident last time from all parts of the surrounding scrub, were conspicuously absent.

There was a yellow flowering tree, in a row, and I have identified it as Burmese Rosewood - it looked like a cross between the copepod and the laburnum!

The Marsh Harriers were here, but the birds were quite calm.  

No migrant ducks  did I spy.

Stilts at Saul kere, Bangalore - YouTube

Stilts at Saul kere, Bangalore - YouTube

Grey headed swamp hens at Saul kere, bangalore

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.

Bangalore diary - Despondent about Kaikondrahalli lake

 25th April 2023

It is quite an adventure trying to cross the main Sarjapur road - tellingly, there are no pedestrian crossings, so you make your way, with a prayer on your lips and nerves of steel.  And a little too late, I realised the stupidity of trying to do this with 80+ year old mother as well.  

All this urban adventure in order to see Kaikondrahalli lake, which we had enjoyed on our previous visits. Mother and daughter let out a collective gasp of consternation on entry, as we were hit by the smell of sewage, and foamy, green water covered with hyacinth at the entrance run-off area.  It did not get better as we went in and around the lake on the bund - the water level was understandably low, but there was no sign of life - where were the fishes we would see? And where were all the ducks and coots and cormorants?

The path wound round to the other side, and here I saw a whole lot of Little Grebes

Of course there were more apartment blocks all around - to be expected - but not the flow of untreated sewage in from the side!

At the far end, in the submerged skeleton of the eucalyptus grove, the Large Cormorants continue to roost, and there were several Black Kite nests, untidy and large.

A large, undisturbed ant hill - I wonder if it is still intact after the rain of the last few days.

I listed 19 species, as we left and headed back for our reverse adventure crossing.

My mother entered the apartment complex, and exclaimed that she was not going back to the lake - it had made her so upset and despondent.  She did not want to go back.