Cream Rolling the European Roller

I was stuffing myself with cream rolls for breakfast at Shirshupal just after an enjoyable birding session with a European Roller and thats when this blog title popped up in my mind ! “Cream Rolling the European Roller”

Doc Bedekar had called in and as usual had a new plan that I couldn’t refuse. Do you want to do Bhigwan he asked. Bhigwan is close to Baramati south southwest of Pune. My car was unavailable so we decided to hire a cab for the trip. Doc also added one very interesting location, we would also be able to go to Saswad, to see the vernal hanging parrots in the Bajra millet field. That parrot has been on my list for a while but, I had not been able to get a good picture of it as yet. These birds come to a millet farm at Saswad in Aug/ Sept.

Doc had tied up with Umesh Salle at Bhigwan to guide us. We used Umesh’s Scorpio for moving around. And since there were only two of us photographers, the car was adequate and there was no jostling for any “lens space” ;-). Doc had planned 3 days for our trip. Depart day 1 afternoon for Bhigwan. Reach Bhigwan day 1 night. Day 2 and Day 3 at Bhigwan. Afternoon Day 3 leave Bhigwan for Saswad. Day 3 evening session at Saswad and get back to Mumbai Day 3 night.

The drive from Mumbai tool a better part of six hours. And after a nice dinner at Shree hotel near the Bhigwan highway turnoff, we crashed for the night at Umesh’s house for the night. Umesh has a couple rooms he rents out to his guests. Very basic with an attached bathroom and for us, that worked well.

The 5th morning we headed out at 5 AM to track some wolves. It was still raining and the area was all green at kalvadwadi. After driving around a bit and asking the rangers there, we finally spotted a pair of wolves far down on the slope. The were ambling up to a garbage point further up the hill. Umesh had correctly guessed their movement and setup at the garbage dump just in time for us to see the wolves come in. The light was not great and it was still cloudy but the wolves were there. Target species no 1 in the bag 🙂 It was still cloudy and it started to drizzle lightly. Weaving through the hills, we spotted an Indian fox on its morning patrol. That guy was fidgety as anything and we had to really work the car to get a decent view. Luckily he stopped briefly to take a look at us and, I managed a few shots. The bird activity was muted due to the drizzle but even so, we managed to see a few Indian coursers and some larks.

Around 8 AM, with the wolves and the fox gone, we decided to move location to the Kalas area and try for the Red Necked Falcon. This too was a target species for the trip. If the weather was dry the bird had a slim chance of coming down on the ground. When it rains, the bird comes on the ground to find some worms the rains throw up. But since it had just drizzled, the chances were high. As we entered Kalas and drove towards the falcon area, first we saw a few chinkaras up on the hill side. The Falcon was sitting on a dried tree. The tree with the bird, made for a gorgeous wide frame. We kept on the bird and tracked it around as it flew away. Umesh, since he has been tracking this bird all monsoon said that it will go a little distance and sit on the ground. And sure enough, we could see it settle on the ground. By now Umesh had already moved and we got some neat shots of the Red necked falcon on the ground. The good thing about Umesh is that he knows how to position the vehicle so that his guests can get a good frame. You don’t have to guide him for positioning !

As we were photographing the falcon, a few short toed snake eagle juveniles showed up and gave us some very cool preening shots. We wrapped up Kalas with a Southern Grey Shrike and decided to go see some water birds at Hagarewadi.

Since it was already a bit late , around 11AM now, and we decided to grab some brunch. Brunch was cream rolls, vada pav and black coffee. I downed a couple cream rolls without batting an eyelid. I had to guide the tea shop guy on, how to make black coffee. Seems this was the first time anyone had asked for it ! Since the weather was good for the birds to be active, our idea was to skip lunch and keep birding .

One tyre had a bit less air so we filled in air on that wheel and also fixed a puncture on the tubeless. But as we drove a few kms towards the next birding spot, the puncture gave way and we had a flat tyre. Pulling to the side, try as we might, the tyre wouldn’t come off and we broke three of the five tyre bolts ! That now put us in a situation that this had to go to a workshop to be fixed. Umesh had a electric air pump and we did a temporary air fill and managed to reach a puncture guy. He did fix without removing the wheel, just good enough for us to reach a mahindra workshop to replace all the bolts. That took a good part of the afternoon and we were finally back to birding only by 2PM.

White eye nest at the workshop !

We drove to Hagarevasti area for the Strawberry Finch ( Red Avadavat). Not many there but at a spot in the midst of sugarcane fields there were a few flitting about. We also saw, the Tri Coloured munia and the Scaly Breasted Munia here. Nice quiet place and had a very enjoyable afternoon shooting these colourful birds. At another part of the area Umesh took us to show us some ruff by the side of the reservoir. The hilly area there was also quite interesting and we spotted the Grey Francolin and Silverbills.

By 3.30 we were very hungry and came on to the highway for some chai and vada pav. The shop was making its own “Misal” but the misal pav itself was not ready so had to fall back to vada pav.

After tea we scooted to Vitthalwadi to try for the Mottled Wood Owl. The light was dropping and despite calls, it was hard to spot this large owl. But our persistence paid and it flew on the branch , far away but could take a clear shot. I think there was a pair there in that area.

Mottled Wood Owl

And the arty shot

Brown Crake

Dinner at Umesh’s was Pitla, Bhakri. Nice local veg meal

The next morning was to look for the European Roller at Limbodi area. Limbodi also has many poultry farms and that area is a raptor magnet. But the start was with the Chestnut bellied sandgrouse. Many of them around, giving easy picture opportunities. While shooting the sandgrouse, we spotted a couple of foxes in the folds in the ground. The Baramati airport is pretty active and a trainer Cessna aircraft kept making circuits high up in the air. Not many raptors as yet. The european roller was very much there and camped on a row of pole markers on a hill. It was active and hunting for breakfast and gave a few cool flight shots. What a colourful bird. This is a lighter version of the Indian roller. Not many raptors at this time but a Montague Harrier gave us some great sightings. All in all, an enjoyable morning of birding.

We stopped for breakfast or rather brunch at Shirushupal. Again only tea and cream rolls. Today again, no lunch planned, so a couple extra cream rolls of course 😉 As if I need a reason ! By the time we downed a few rolls, the shopkeeper’s wife made us some fresh vada pav. That would have to be till dinner.

Creme Rolls for breakfast to last the entire day !

We would bird in Shirshupal area for the Eagle Owl and enroute see some sunflower farms. There is a deep canal type cut in the rocks where the Eagle owl usually is seen. Try as we might, couldn’t spot it. Then as we were moving on the edge of the canal, it suddenly flew out from under us and sat far away on an electric pole. No way we could’ve spotted it had it not taken flight ! Now there was no possibility that we could cross the deep rock chasm, and get to the side the bird was at. But as a compensation, we did get a few cute spotted owlets inside that same gorge 🙂 Loads of Baya weaver nests in that gorge too.

Another interesting thing I learnt was about a tree that is “poisonous”. Seems when its flowers fall to the ground even the snakes bolt and get into peoples houses. Its called “undir mari” in the local language most likely its “Gliricidia Sepium”. No bird or animal eats anything from this tree !

About 1300H we started to move to Parinche, Saswad for the vernal hanging parrots in the millet field. Just as we moved a few kilometers, we had a flat on the same tyre we had before , again ! This time we had a stepnee but the bolts wouldn’t come off. The earlier tyre change had worn off the tyre spanner groove ! Some local help to get a right spanner and finally the wheel was replaced. We restarted our drive to Parinche after two hours. It was past 3.30PM when we reached the millet farm. Not bad, and we could still make the evening session. The vernal hanging parrots get their name from their feeding position where they feed upside down.

Vernal Hanging Parrot, Millet Farm Location at Parinche.

Just as we entered the farm , two bonellis flew over. They nest in a electric pylon nearby and are seen regularly. The millet farm also threw up a chestnut bunting and a rose finch. No luck with the white bellied minivet though.It was threatening to rain and we had to quickly pull out the rain gear to keep out equipment dry. The vernal hanging parrots flew in with a distinct screech but landed on the far side of the farm. We ran over to the other side and quickly made a few shots. Just two birds this time. No sight of a big flock that I had heard about.

Seems the farm is a biz venture and some photographers pay the farm owner not to harvest the millets thus compensating them for their earnings. Suddenly it started to pour and we had to move into the farmers porch to save ourselves from the rain. It was interesting to chat with the other photographers that had turned up that day. Mostly all from Pune. Finally met up Krish Chandran, with whom Ive been in touch over two years now. Also, a lady, Pooja, who took a solo trip to Costa Rica in the pandemic and got the whole resort to herself too !

Everybody was talking about Sony and how great it was. Most had switched or were switching. I am locked on to Nikon. Not planning to shift. I am happy with the Nikon gears. I know how to work it well and get what I want. Hoping the new Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera will kick some serious butt. I think it will.

The rain continued past six pm and the light had by now dropped considerably. As soon as the rain abated a bit, we wrapped up our gear and headed back for Mumbai. But as we started, it started to pour with a vengeance. Lucky we were already in a car. But now we had a challenge due to the pouring rain, to transfer the gear and ourselves from Umesh’s car to ours. A restaurant on the highway had an empty porch and we used that to jump out of Umesh car and get our gear to that porch. Then got our car to back near the porch and rushed in the rain to keep our gear and jump into our car. Got totally soaked to the bone. But the gear was safe in rainproof bags. What an exciting end to a quick but wonderful trip. Thanks Doc Bedekar !

Photo Tips

* Bhigwan is long lens territory 600m yes !
* Plan minimum 2 full days for Bhigwan. I didnt touch the wetland area on this trip.
* Need an SUV to go around Bhigwan. Large, vehicle ground clearance needed.
* One day at the Parinche millet farm is good enough. Again long lens territory this.
* Highly recommend Umesh Salle for guiding. He can help with the logistics too.
* Umesh Salle is highly recommeded for guiding. (There is a pic in the gallery with his number on the rear of his Scorpio)