Peninsula Tour- Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary

It is thanks to Ranjit’s cousins, Raj and Jaya, that we visited the Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary.

The bird sanctuary, on the outskirts of Kozhikode, spreads over a cluster of islands in the Kadalundi river close to the estuary meeting the Arabian Sea. To reach the first of the cluster, vehicles park on the mainland and there is a foot overbridge across the river.

Most of the islands have small homes for the local fishermen and a few enterprising folks run boat services on the river into the sanctuary.

It is an interesting enterprise that Mr. Baburaj, who is a part of Island Tourism, has conceptualised. Visitors can do a boatride on the river, almost upto the mouth of the sea and can closely bird watch, enjoy the ride and return to base. Thereon, along the banks of the river, a wholesome meal is provided and can be enjoyed within the sanctuary.

The boats can seat 12-15 persons and since the waters are shallow, the boatman uses a long bamboo pole to manouevre the boat. The waters are calm and shallow and that helps nervous passengers like me. The islands are connected by bridges with openings for boats to go through and oyster fishing and fishing happen near the bridges and in the shallows.

Some of the islands are actually mangroves that are conserved and many of them have tunnel like inlets and the boat rows into the cluster and we can see the mangrove at very close quarters. There is a cool, stunning green space that one rows through.

There are many species of indigenous birds and more than 60 species of migratory birds that visit the sanctuary, December being the best time of year to see all of them.

There are herons, ibises, kingfishers, egrets and many many more birds and if we moor the boat at a reasonable distance, we can observe these birds wading and sifting through the shallows for tiny fish. There are sandbanks that are spots for the birds to rest between meals and also stumps of trees on which the ocassional cormorant dries out its wings. And the shallow waters have speckled jellyfish, that just casually float past, on account of a gentle current.

There are many more bird pics in the album, the link to which is here…..

https://photos.app.goo.gl/E4LhSM3x53qgkEdX8