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Deepor Beel, spread over 40.14 sq km, is one of the largest wetland, in Brahmaputra valley of Assam. Located barely 15 km South-West of Guwahati, it’s the nearest birding hotspot within the city’s municipal area. |
For anyone who lands at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Barjhar, one already starts brushing with the fringe part of the wetland, declared Ramsar Site in November 2002, while entering the city.
Though a sprawling wetland, its 4.14 sq km has been declared as wildlife sanctuary. In fact, my enthusiasm for bird-watching started from Deepor Beel, and still continues to visit the wetland whenever I manage to take out time.
With 219 bird species, of which over 70 are migratory, Deepor Beel continues to be the stamping ground for winged guests during winter. For new visitors I want to alert before hand that they are certainly going to be taken aback by the large pile of municipal waste dumped close to a Ramsar site. Yes it is a bane and a potential ecological threat for Deepor Beel. Almost everyone, except city’s authorities, is against garbage dumping near the wetland. But to inflate your bird-spotting list, withstand the noxious smell of garbage, and you will certainly be blessed with the sighting of greater and lesser adjutant storks. Tragedy is that many greater adjutant storks had died consuming poisonous wastes in last two years.
Although visitors soar up during winter, over the years I have seen the crowd is more of picnickers than serious bird watchers. No doubt serious and acclaimed birds do visit Deepor Beel, and also the place finds mention in their reports, my experience says that the increase in the flow of birders and nature lovers can save the wetland from wanton neglect and nuisance creating picnickers.
Amenities at the wetland site are still in its primitive stage. However, being nearest to the city, and with the improvement of road conditions, it can be easily reached and return back to the city on the same day. The best option is to put up in any of the city hotels, and make early morning trip to Deepor Beel and its adjoining areas, and come back on the same day. Of course a dabha near the watch-tower of Deepor Beel, provides modest but delicious breakfast. Country boats are there to do birding within the wetland, and it’s a comfortable ride both from the point of money boatmen charges and substantial portion of the wetland these boats cover. They (boatmen) charge between Rs 100 and 200 for a sail at least for couple of hours. However, the complains of boatmen starts especially during December-February when the water level of Deepor Beel drastically falls, making boat-ride a difficult exercise. A Rs 50 extra of course, of couse gears up the boatman to take the challenge of rowing even in shallow water. I generally do it, because from December to February, one can spot lot of waders, and shelling out Rs 50 extra, pays back with good spotting.
The bonus for birding in Deepor Beel is the adjoining Rani reserved forest. This reserved forest is still one of the greenest tracts within the city areas. Besides, birds, a little uphill trekking in Rani hills, one can still hear the morning shrieks of hoolock gibbons, the only ape species in Indian subcontinent. Deepor Beel is the best ‘passing-by” birding spot for birders who are destined to do birding elsewhere in Northeastern region. If one wants to visit Deepor Beel soon after landing at the aiport, one should drive down up to Jhalukbari rotary, and take right-hand turn toward national highway 37, the road that takes one to Kaziranga national park, about 250 km from Guwahati. On the highway, one should stop at Garchuk police point (about 11 km from Jhalukbari), and again take right-hand turn. Once you have taken that route, drive another 10 km till you see the wetland. People on the roadside will always be eager to help out with directions if you seek for. On the way of course, it is suggestible to make stops and look around for birds, for fringes of Deepor Beel offers equally excellent finds.
For those who decides to put up in hotels first and make trip to Deepor Beel the next day, it will be convenient to tell the driver to take up to Deepor Beel through Garchok point. It’s traffic-free 15 km drive early in the morning. My suggestion is to put Deepor Beel as a “passing by” spot, while including other nearby birding spots within and around Guwahati. Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, about 50 km from Guwahati, and midway Amsang wildlife sanctuary, makes an excellent birding trip along with Deepor Beel. Obviously not on a single day. After that happens, one can head to Kaziranga or Dibru-Saikhowa in Upper Assam. Else, cross the Saraighat bridge over Brahmaputra in Guwahati for trip to Manas in the west or for Nameri (Sonitpur district in Assam), Eaglenest (Arunachal Pradesh) and beyond toward North. In all these birding trips Deepor Beel gels well while entering to Guwahati or coming out of Guwahati.
Written By A birder cum naturist
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| Spotted owlet | Barn swallow | Black breasted weaver |
* The photos are contributed by Mr. Naresh Mitra. Copyright reserved. A special thanks to Mr. Mitra for his suggestion. |
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