Field Notes: Highlights from exploring the Dhanauri Wetlands in Monsoon Pt.1
- serasamarna
- Jul 12
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 14
It was Sunday, July 6th, 2025, I was to go birdwatching with the esteemed Dr. Surya Prakash who I met through my dear friend, Dr. Preetika Garg. It had been since December 2024 that I last went birding with Dr. Surya Prakash, because of whom I had many of the 455 birds currently gracing my lifer list.
Upon reaching Preetika's place, a delightful surprise awaited us: our mentor, Nikhil John our mentor from the Barefoot Birders 2024 Birdwatching course, was joining us! His presence instantly elevated the anticipation for our birding adventure.
As we arrived at Dhanauri, the skies were overcast, hinting at potential rain and leaving us uncertain about how long our birding session would last. We met with Dr. SP at Tiranga Chowk and followed him to our exact birding spot. En route, a magnificent Grey-bellied cuckoo in its hepatic morph greeted us. Nikhil had previously described this rarer, rufous-brown alternative to the more common grayish-brown form. It was a genuine treat to observe it perched on a cemented pylon, part of the fence bordering the small green patch that divided the road. Recent genetic studies reveal that these captivating color morphs are determined by the W-chromosome, found exclusively in female birds.
Entering Dhanauri, we were immediately captivated by a pair of Sarus Cranes, gracefully foraging together. The vibrant red of their heads created a breathtaking contrast against the golden yellow of the field and the lush green grasses in the background. Both Preetika and I were utterly smitten, quickly reaching for our cameras to freeze the breathtaking moment.
It was difficult to tear ourselves away from the majestic cranes, but the distinctive call of the Bristled Grassbird, swiftly pointed out by Dr. SP, reignited our excitement and sent us searching.
Trailing slightly behind the group, I soon caught up to find they had already located the elusive bird. Its unique call, distinctive flying pattern, and the bird itself were truly fascinating. Birding with such seasoned veterans offers an unparalleled charm; the learning opportunities are immense. We also observed several zitting cisticolas flitting about.
This little warbler, was having a bad hair day as the winds had ruffled up its feathers. As I looked closely, the feathers on top of the bristled grassbird's head were raised by the wind making it look like it had a crest-ish but it actually doesn't. This was soon followed by the bristled grassbird reaching for its preening gland and it started to preen itself, carefully using its beak, stopping every few seconds and making sure to look both ways, to avoid any predators-perhaps.
Respecting the bird, we chose not to disturb it and move ahead after our admiration and continued our search for other species.
The Dhanauri wetlands are full of reeds, agricultural fields and of course the weland area. This makes for an interesting habitat for many birds, especially in the winter migration.
We moved through the agricultural field, and Dr SP greeted some local farmers warmly, they seemed to know him just as he seemed to know them, thanks to the many years that he has been exploring Dhanauri. Our patience was also generously rewarded with sightings of the Indian Bushlark and Crested Larks that appeared noticeably paler, an indication they were molting.
Soon after, we were absolutely breath-taken when Nikhil spotted a Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea), which undeniably became the star of our session. The spectacle intensified when it was pursued by a gray-headed swamphen, prompting the Watercock to cross the entire field. This chase provided an incredible opportunity not only for us to capture its photograph but also to observe its movements and characteristics properly as it went across the field. The golden streaks on its back almost glowed in contrast to its black plumage. This elusive waterbird, although large is incredibly difficult to spot for a new birder like myself. Had I not known better I would have confused it with a Eurasian/Indian Moorhen.
After being absolutely wow'ed by the watercock, we started walking out of the field, as we walked carefully on the edges so as not to damage the fields carefully tilled by the hardworking farmers of Dhanauri, something tiny and yellow grabbed my eye as it flew past.
Two mating butterflies! They looked so beautiful against the lush green of the grassblade I couldn't peel my eyes off of them and was inspired to click a picture. I was not always fond of butterflies, but birdwatching with Dr.SP, seeing him observe and identify them, share facts and anecdotes, I eventually started being for mindful of these winged little beauties.
As we moved ahead, we saw a flock of tri-coloured munias, this little one carefully choosing nesting material. It's amazing how monsoon, as a season, has many creatures preparing to reproduce, starting new familes ensuring the survival of their species. Nature is always at work, doing something significant. It's a delight, if only we observe.
Incredibly impressed and happy with the birdwatching session, we had almost made our way out but of course nature had more for us, we were greeted also by other little but fascinating creatures such as the Lesser Three-ring butterfly, which was my butterfly lifer.
Honestly, there's so much that my untrained eyes still need help observing compared to those of a seasoned naturalist.
Nikhil, soon spotted a monitor lizard, which was a joy to observe, especially after knowing this fun fact: In the early days of civilisation, the Egyptians would chain a large lizard, like a Nile Monitor, by its front legs to a big rock near the river.
If the lizard was calmly sunning itself, the Egyptians knew it was safe to go into the water but if the lizard was thrashing around, trying to break free, they knew a crocodile was nearby. The lizard didn't want to become dinner, so its struggle was a warning.
This is why the Monitor Lizard got its name—it monitored the crocodiles' movements.
While our primary passion lies with birds, both common and rare, our focus isn't limited to them when accompanied by naturalists. Their keen attention to every detail makes it impossible to ignore the other wonders of nature. Thanks to Dr. SP, I got the opportunity to observe a fascinating insect species called the Plant Hopper, and to Nikhil, I owe the knowledge of a beautiful dragonfly, the Wandering Glider; This dragonfly is a true globetrotter! It's found almost everywhere on Earth except Antarctica, though it's not common in Europe.
It really loves moist winds. You can see this because in Southeast India's Tamil Nadu, it only shows up after the second monsoon, which brings rain. But in the rest of India, it arrives with the first monsoon.
It's also an amazing flyer, reaching altitudes of up to 6,200 meters in the Himalayas – that's the highest any dragonfly has been recorded!– a memorable dragonfly lifer for me!
Then we proceeded for post-birding breakfast, which was a delicious meal by Dr. Preetika and a mouth-watering cake offered graciously by Dr.SP. After an amazing walk, and an equally refreshing breakfast, Preetika, I and Nikhil felt like we could explore a bit more and it proved to be the right decision!
Nature, like its creator, never disappoints when you humbly ask to get to know it more.
We were rewarded by an amazing sighting of the Oriental Honey Buzzard who mesmerised us by showing its beautiful courtship display, the Cinnamon Bittern, and Oriental Pratincoles but more on that in part 2.
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