Into the Unknown Territory of Hesaraghatta Lake

Like everything else, Hesaraghatta Lake has a history attached to it, in fact, quite an old one.

In 1894, Hesaraghatta Lake was conceived by Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, the Dewan of erstwhile Mysore state and the M. C. Hutchins, the chief engineer of Mysore. It was developed with the intention to meet the drinking water requirements of the city. (Source: Internet)

The early 2000s saw the lake completely dried up due to the encroachment of the lake’s inlet and outlet channel routes. Backed by some decent monsoon seasons over the past couple of years, the lake is back to life. I won't say it is thriving, but surviving will be an apt word.

I have heard a lot about the place, the birds it used to attract & how everything was lost once it dried up. I would be honest, my expectation was quite low from Hesaraghatta lake, but why not take a chance?

We (me & my wife) reached there at 6:30 AM & the first impression was, the place is huge. A big lake complemented by a wide lake bed & grassland.

The golden sun rays were piercing through the trees, creating a beautiful aura around it.

Photo Credit: Jayshree Das

The view of the moon on the morning sky was a pleasant sight as we started to explore the place.

The gentle cold breeze was an indication that winter is not far off.

Yes, there is a small temple on the bank of the lake along with a jogging track adjacent to it.

Looking at the grassland, I was expecting to find some raptors but could only spot Brahminy & Black kites.

Photo Credit: Jayshree Das

In Pic: Brahminy Kite

The lake has Egrets (Little egrets, Cattle egrets & Great egrets), Painted Storks, Pond Herons, Cormorants, Darters, Common Sandpipers, a flock of Little Stints & Common Coots.

As we went near the lake bed, saw a small bird hovering over the lake. On a closer look through my camera, it looked like a Pied Kingfisher (a lifer for me). A dive into the water confirmed my intuition, Pied Kingfisher it is.

The Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), unlike other kingfishers, uses hovering as a major hunting technique. With wings beating rapidly above the water, it keeps a keen eye for the presence of a prey below. A new learning for me, but I was not satisfied, I wanted to capture it in my camera.

The hunt was happening so rapidly that it was getting extremely difficult for me. After a couple of rounds of hunting, it just disappeared. I was feeling pity, asking myself, whether I will get another chance again?

I waited, adjusted my camera settings (to match its swiftness & speed) & did some trials on Barn Swallows. No disrespect to Barn Swallows, they are beautiful birds, but my mind was caught up with Pied Kingfisher.

God has been kind, it came back in the same spot, started hovering over the water. Target set, it plunges down to grab it with its long bill.

In between all these, I tried to keep track of the bird & let my camera do the rest for me.

Now, the moment of truth, did I succeed this time? I will leave it to you.

In Pic: Pied Kingfisher (hovering over the lake)

In Pic: Pied Kingfisher (Ready to plunge)

In Pic: Pied Kingfisher (Diving towards the prey)

In Pic: Pied Kingfisher (with the catch)

In Pic: Pied Kingfisher (mission accomplished, flying away)

In the end, it was not only about kingfisher. I was fortunate to see a flock of Little Stints flying across the lake, taking midair turns as if someone has blocked their way or maybe just showing off their skills.

In pic: A flock of Little Stints

At the far end of the lake, a group of Common Coots was swimming in the lake. From a distance it gives an impression that numerous white dots are floating over the water thanks to their white frontal shield.

In Pic: A group of Common Coots

The clock ticked past 11 AM, the day has to end now.

What a fascinating day it has been; lots of learning about their behavior, couple of lifers & addition of a new birding hotspot in my list.

Hesaraghatta has been unknown to me, was not sure what to expect, but then I got more than what I bargained for.

An Honest Confession: Clicking birds in flight are more fun, it provided me a sense of satisfaction & accomplishment. No doubt more challenging for a person like me who is still learning the tricks & trades of bird photography.

I came here with a lot of question marks, but going back with a smile & a HAPPY SOUL!!