Bird watching at Pashan Lake, Pune

Purple Moorhen

The winter season is a delight for bird watchers. I love to do bird watching and bird photography hence doesn’t want to miss an opportunity with my new Camera. There are many places around Pune where you can see migratory birds. I visit Pashan Lake once in a week. You can spend plenty of time by just watching birds and their activity. 

About Pashan Lake:
Pashan lake is artificial Lake near Pashan area. The lake was built in the 1990s to supply drinking water. Pashan lake has a total catchment area of 40 square kilometres (15 sq. mi). Now water quality deteriorated due to the quantity of sewage water and other effluents mixing in the water. This Lake area and surrounding area attracts migratory birds and so is a popular spot for bird watchers from Pune.There is narrow footpath Nature trail along Lake. The nature trail is the best place for Bird watching and to capture a photo.

To reach Pashan Lake, join Paud road (by flyover from Dashapuja Ganesh temple) from Pune city – Paud road – Chandani chowk – Do not join on national highway – From Chandani chowk take right (which goes towards Pashan area) –Pashan Road – Drive till Pashan circle – Take left on circle – Do not take right turn towards Pashan-Sus Road –Keep looking for an old arch on left – Take left there – Drive around 1 km and park your vehicle to explore area.

For footpath nature trail, if you are facing to Lake then keep walking on the left side – You will find narrow footpath which goes inside forest – Keep walking and explore other trails on the right side which take you close to the water body. Please mind your steps as some part of land close to the lake is quite middy or covered by water plants.

December 2013: Kothrud to Pashan Lake (Distance is approx. 9-10 km)

I’m a regular visitor to Pashan Lake for bird watching in every winter. It is just as paradise place for bird watchers and that too so close to the city area. Every time, my intention was a bird watching but from this year I started bird photography with my new camera. You can catch me there on a sat evening or in the morning. There is a small island in-between Lake which is home to most of the wetland bird. It’s better to carry binoculars.

I don’t know what to write more on Pashan Lake so I will post a list of birds which you can see in Pashan Lake.
   

Pond Heron	Purple Moorhen	Mahratta Woodpecker
White breasted Kingfisher	Drongo	Brahmin Duck
Small Blue Kingfisher	Indian Pipit	Glossy IBIS
Red-rumped swallow	Common Coot	Common Pochard
Open billed Stork	Jungle Babbler	Green Bee-eater
Spot-bill Duck	Egret	Laughing Doves
Purple Sunbird	Cotton Teal	Forest Wagtail
Little Cormorant	Pied Kingfisher	Grey Wagtail
Indian Whiskered Tern	Shoveller Duck	Yellow Wagtail
Ashy Wren warbler	Large pied Wagtail	Painted Stork
Red wattled Lapwing	Pied Bushchat	Asian paradise flycatcher
Pheasant tailed Jacana	Purple heron
Bonnelli's Eagle	House Crow
Rufousbacked Shrike	Jungle Crow
Redvented Bulbul	Magpie Robin

Below are snaps were taken during my various visits to Pashan Lake.

Misty morning at Pashan lake

Purple Moorhen

Fighting couples of common coot

Common coot

Spot-bill Duck

Painted stork Record shot

Purple heron - Record shot

River turn

Grey heron

Grey heron in flight

River Tern in action - Male River turn came close to Female and he gets the opportunity to mate and raise the family with her. I was lucky to shoot this...!!!

I will try to upload more and more travel blogs. Thanks for reading this Travel Blog.

Pritesh Kulkarni

Pune