Canadians in India 2014: November 30, 2014 -- Excursion to the Forest Preserve

We have been trying to organize a birding day in the Forest Preserve which is situated behind Sukhna Lake towards the mountains.

The Forest Preserve Authority office is in Chandigarh – open only on weekdays between 9 and 4 with closure at lunchtime. You can see that two people working every day an hour outside Chandigarh would have difficulty getting to that office to pick up the necessary permission papers needed to get into the Preserve.

Turns out that one needs to submit a filled-out form including desired visiting date, GATE by which you want to enter, name, age of persons visiting, license number of vehicle, and foreigners also have to submit a photocopy of passport, visa as well as a passport-sized extra picture. This form then gets “processed” for several days prior to your requested date of entry, and with any luck you are given permission to enter – and supposedly someone at that GATE has been given the word that you are bonifide. Not the case, by the way.

So, through Harpreet’s friend, the necessary papers were picked up, we completed them – attached documents, got the driver’s info. – gave them back to the friend who officially submitted them. In due course, we came to know that we were “on the list” for Sunday, Nov. 30^th – along with Harpreet, who decided to go along.

It was a good thing that Harpreet was along, because at the locked gate, the gatekeeper spoke no English, read no Hindi (on the permission form) and was prepared to deny us entry despite our preparations. Harpreet was finally able to persuade her to open that gate, but I doubt we could have budged her.

The grounds were lovely, and the weather perfect – a little breezy and sunny. We hiked around three dams, and were able to see three new birds there. I believe Rob has pictures I will attach. We watched the Fantail - rapidly flitting about -without really being able to get a bead on him, and, because he was almost all black, we did not have much to go on UNTIL he several times fanned out his tail to such a degree that there could be no doubt it was an identifying characteristic.

Red-wattled Lapwing

Harpreet is only just getting enthusiastic about birding – due to our long drives to work where she has to listen to us rattle on about all the birds we are seeing. So, about a week ago, we gave her a belated Diwali present – the same wonderful (now well-thumbed) Indian bird guide that Jan gave us ten years ago. Now Harpreet is HOOKED.

Luckily she thought ahead – and brought four delicious paranthas for us to munch on at noon. I had NO FOOD along, which is inexplicable, if you know anything about my family.

Hansi, Harpreet, and Rob in selfie with paranthas

Mid-afternoon, we moved to Lake Sukhna, to check for any migrating waterfowl. There were MANY Bar-headed Geese on the lake, with lots of Ruddy Shelducks but none of the storks or spoonbills that we hope to see later in December.

Bar-headed Geese

Tufted Duck

At day’s end, Harpreet suggested we go to Sector 34 for a different kind of chaat – Chaat Papri (one of her favourites) so we did. You can see from the picture below that all the various items that get crumbled up on that plate are then covered with yogurt and chutney. And no, I DON’T know what all those items are. I’m going to have to google it. And that wrapped up our day. Slurp! [Here's a recipe and ingredients from the net. Ed]

Hansi and Rob eating Chaat Papri and somehow managing to keep it on their plates despite the steep incline they are standing on. Just kidding. One can often tell the age of the camera person by the way the shot is framed--young people love the crazy fall-off-the-earth tilts so popular in Coke ads. Speaking of same, check out the tiny coke delivery truck below.

I have to say that we have had more luck spotting birds at the lake (which requires no advance planning nor permission) than the Forest Preserve, but the possibility excites to see other wildlife in the protected area (like the Sambar we spotted). Decisions, decisions . . .