Pashan Lake bird watching 2015, Pune ~ Vietnam Open Touris

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

Orange headed Thrush

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

To reach Pashan Lake, join Paud road (by flyover from Dashapuja Ganesh temple) from Pune city – Paud road – chandani chuwk – Do not join on national highway – From Chandani chuwk 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 left side – You will find narrow footpath which goes inside forest – Keep walking and explore other trails on right side which take you close to water body. Please mind you steps as some part of land close to lake is quite middy or covered by water plants.

Dec 2014 to Feb 2015: Kothrud to Pashan Lake (Distance is approx. 9-10 km)
I’m regular visitor for Pashan Lake for bird watching in every winter. It is just as paradise place for bird watchers and that to 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 sat evening or in the morning. There is a small island in-between Lake which is home for most of the wet land bird. It’s better to carry binocular.

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

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

Finally...Mission accomplished.Paradise Flycatcher Male at Pashan Lake...

Last year, I got an update from shepherd that he saw bird with long white tail n black head. From that day I was searching for this beauty. Many bird watcher told me that there was no paradise Flycatcher in lake area.

Finally after a year, I saw 2 Male Paradise Flycatcher on same tree...Somehow due to low light and dense tree, Clicked Record shot.

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