Moment in the sun: Kerala’s Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary prepares for a high-flying summer

Despite the scorching heat, Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary prepares for a high-flying summer with an impressive show of over 200 species of regional birds

Just an hour into the self-guided Salim Ali Nature Trail at the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, you feel the sunburn from the scorching heat. The foliage on the footpath is thick and green, the Periyar lake stands still as the sun pierces through the windless sky. Only the cacophony of the wild mynas, orioles, and the occasionally-passing tourist keeps you company. You even wish you had paid more attention to how quickly you finished two litres of water. And yet, if you are an avid birder, it is impossible not to smile as you realise what Dr Salim Ali, the Birdman of India, meant when he called the Thattekkad region “the richest bird habitat in peninsular India, comparable only with the eastern Himalayas.”

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is a haven for birds. “You should have come in November or started early today. It does get a bit too hot these days,” says a smiling Sudha Chandran a.k.a Sudhamma, the famous guide at the sanctuary. For over two decades she has seen tourists and birders struggle with the heat.

. Situated in Ernakulam district, about 12 kilometres from Kothamangalam, Thattekkad is one of India’s most popular bird sanctuaries. One of the unique aspects of this 25 sq. km region is how even during the offset of the monsoon, there is no shortage of regional birds —  more than 200 species in number, and the flow of visitors.

Thattekkad is one of the rare sanctuaries that attracts birds of local migration and tourists even during the fiery months of April and May. “That is why it’s too early to ascertain how this season has fared when it comes to tourists. People in search of migratory birds may not come, but local tourists and tourists from other states come in these months as well,” says Ouseph, Assistant Wildlife Warden at Thattekad.

But what makes this place special? Ouseph calls to attention the uniqueness of the region where the sanctuary is located. “There is no other place in Kerala that gets so much water. We are truly blessed for the water that flows through the Bhoothathankettu Barrage. The sanctuary is surrounded by reservoirs like Periyar and Periyar Lake in the West; and Idamalayar and Idamalayar Lake in the North.”

Adding to the abundance of water bodies, the forest cover makes it stand out from most other sanctuaries as it brings in both water birds and forest birds to the region, with the latter more in count. “If you see a Ceylon frogmouth, or a Ceylon bay owl, or a Malabar trogon, or the dollarbird, you will be attracted to the sanctuary. Photographers who visit here upload pictures of birds like Ceylon frogmouth, whose guaranteed sight is something truly special,” says Ouseph. “There are three nesting areas and many birders come here especially to get a sight of this frogmouth,” says Agil Jose, a 30-year-old watcher.

This is also why Ajay Henry, a 27-year-old Munnar-based software engineer and bird enthusiast is drawn to Thattekkad. . “If you go to the forests near Munnar, you might still come across some species of birds. But you wouldn’t find them regularly visiting those areas,” he says.