Wild Life photography : tal chapar jan 2013

1. our experience-

Tal Chhapar is located in churu district of Rajasthan. Nearest airport is at Jaipur which is 215 km away from here and you can reach by road either by hiring private taxi or through RSRTC buses.

One day before we inquired about the bus timings and we came to know that we have to first reach sikar and then change a bus from there for Chhapar village. I along with my two brothers Govind and Prathmesh caught a bus for sikar at 5 am from sindhi camp

We then reached sikar around 7.30 am and had our breakfast as the bus for chhapar was scheduled at 9am from there.

Finally we reached Tal chhapar around 11.30.Then we decided to have our lunch before entering the sanctuary. There is a small shop nearby where one can have its meal.

Before entering the park we met Poonia sir(Range Officer) because of whose effort tal chhapar has became home of so many bird species

But we were disappointed when he told us that there is no bicycle available for the tourist and one can either go by four wheeler or on foot. We have visited other bird sanctuaries like soor sarovar and keoladeo and there bicycles are available for the tourists.
So we were left with only option to take a walk inside the park.

Egyptian vultures having their meal

The moment we entered the park we saw a flock of Egyptian Vultures scavenging on a dead dog (shot by park officials as they may harm the black bucks inside the park)

Egyptian vulture

Tal Chahpar hosts birds like Tawny Eagle, Harriers , Vultures(king, Egyptian) , Buzzards,Indian roller , Shrikes(bay backed and grey), Black Ibis, Demoiselle Cranes, Bush larks , Drongo,Peacock, Bee Eater,Bush Quaill,Francolin,Kestrel. Some of the water birds that are found here are River Tern, Gulls, Sandpiper, Gadwall(duck), Black winged stilt,Kingfisher(white throated),Painted Snipe,Spot bill.

bay becked shrike

As we move along the forest trail we spotted Black Bucks in the grassland. Young fawns were with there mothers while males were alone.

Tal Chhapar is also home to other animals like Desert Fox and Desert Lizard.

One should carry eatables and drinking water with him while entering in the Sanctuary as there is no canteen inside like Keoladeo. when you feel it


moving ahead siddharth and prathmesh		with bottles in hand

view from inside


blackbuck

There were some male black bucks locking horns with each other. we then decide to go there where we have spotted demoiselle cranes from bus but unfortunately there is no single crane around there as all of them fly away to pond there or somewhere else one guide tells us that all will came in morning and then in evening .we then take rest for half hour as walking barefoot seems very difficult to us .
after rest we then start moving backwards from other end as the clock is showing 3:30 and we have to go back home at the same day.