MANGROVE BIRDING IN THE SUNDARBANS

Last year, my friends and I decided to visit the Sundarbans. My buddy Rahul grew up in Kolkata, but only got into birdwatching after he moved to Delhi, so it’s been one of his dream destinations. Of course, we were all excited to visit the famous home of the “mangrove tigers” ourselves so we decided that that was our next destination.

Our tour operator Asian Adventures  helped us plan an intensive but short birding trip, and also managed to get us a great deal on the flight tickets. Clothes, binoculars, and cameras hastily packed, we made our way from Delhi to Kolkata.

The drive to Sundarbans from Kolkata itself is great for wildlife lovers, with many stops for birding. And when we reached the riverbank, the boat was awaiting us. In a landscape dominated by waterways, the only way to access the area is by motorized boats.

The boat rides are about 4-6 hours long, depending on the water current. I would suggest keeping some light snacks just in case, especially if you’re someone who needs to eat at a particular time

On this stretch to Godkhali alone you can see six different types of kingfishers!

A few hours later, we arrived at the Sunderbans Jungle Camp on the Island of Bali. After a sumptuous lunch we proceeded to Sajnekhali – a great birding spot close to the Sunderbans  Mangrove Interpretation Center. The lush and mysterious mangrove forests are great for birding, with Brown-winged and Ruddy Kingfishers, Grey-headed Lapwings, Pallas’s Fish Eagles, Lesser Adjutants or maybe even a Mangrove Whistler lurking in the trees.

 After spending an hour or two at Sajnekhali, we returned via Sudhyanakhali Watchtower. This watchtower is where most of the tigers are sighted. There’s also a pond frequented by families of deer. Something did spook the deer, and we did catch sight of something fairly large moving through the growth, but we couldn’t tell what it was.

When we returned, we decided to dine at the boat with some music by the waters, a great relaxing moment before we went to bed.

The next day was a full-day cruise. After an early breakfast, we went to Dobanki Watchtower, renowned for having a 20-foot high enclosed canopy walk that extends for around 150m, where we had amazing sightings of Small Minivet, Black-hooded Oriole, Mangrove Whistler, Cinnamon Bittern, Swamp Francolin, and Grey-headed Fish Eagle. We even caught a fleeting glimpse of a Brown Fish Owl.

From Dobanki, we headed to Netidhopani, where we spent some time admiring the age-old excavations, as well as some wildlife wathcing from the watchtower. We saw plenty of Saltwater Crocodiles, and even a short sighting of the elusive Irrawady Dolphin!

On our third and final day at Sunderbans, we decided to get a taste of the local culture, so we went with our guide to the island village of Bali. Of course, being the enthusiastic birders that we are, we did some birding en-route. It was an interesting day, interacting with the locals to learning more about their life, that is woven around the Sunderbans. We even got to try our hand at some traditional basket-weaving. Where else could we do all this on a birdwatching tour?

The Best way to Travel to Sunderbans

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