Manglajodi Marshes

I had first read about Manglajodi from a post by our friend and fellow member of Birdphotoindia Bikramaditya Guha Roy a few years ago. After that a few of our other birding friends like Somadi and Maitreyeedi went there from Calcutta and brought some fabulous photographs. But I had to wait till January 22nd of 2012 to go to the Manglajodi marshes. The co-birders on this trip were Partha, Suranjan and Suman. 

Black-tailed Godwits displaying their strength to a lone Marsh Harrier circling above 

Going to Manglajodi from Calcutta is fairly simple. We boarded the Madras Mail from Howrah at 11:45 pm in the night. It reached Balugaon at around 8:15 where a taxi was waiting for us. We first went to Mr Bhujbal's house in Tangi which is off the main highway towards Bhubaneswar. Had breakfast in the town and then off to the marshes of Manglajodi. Total driving time is about an hour. The Yashwantpur Express is perhaps more convenient as it reaches Balugaon a couple of hours before which gives you more time at the marsh on the first day.

Mr Bhujbal is the man who made Manglajodi into what it is today - a safe haven for birds. It was not so even a few years ago. Locals used to regularly poach on the winter visitors for money (you cannot really blame them as there is hardly any other economic activity in that region and it is difficult not to poach for money in that scenario). A greylag goose would fetch them Rs 600 or a purple moorhen would go for Rs 30. 

Mr Bhujbal convinced the poachers to turn into protectors. Of course it took him years. Today people like Madhu and Sadhu who used to kill thousands of birds every day even a few years ago, guide tourists and show them the birds with a pair of binoculars and a Salim Ali field guide. In the evening they sit together in the cooperative office to discuss what new birds they saw and where etc. 

This dramatic change happened because of the persistent efforts of Mr Bhujbal since the early 90s of the previous century. A very soft spoken nature lover with deep roots in the rustic heartland of Orissa, Mr Bhujbal is not an English speaking sophisticated city-bred birder. I have to one day sit with him and dig out his story. He has a special place in his heart for my family because my wife Monisha speaks fluent Oriya and she used to keep communicating with him about our visit.

Mr Bhujbal had arranged the taxi, hotel, boat and of course the guides in Manglajodi. I am oath bound to bring Monisha during my next visit. He is probably in his late 50s or early 60s. He has had a cerebral stroke, he said and that's why doesn't go to the marshes very often. 

Manglajodi is a safe haven now for these fast disappearing Ruddy Shelducks - winter visitors from across the Himalayas

Here I will post some of the images that I shot during the two-day stay so that it serves as a guide for future travellers. The bird names are given below the images

A Cinnamon Bittern

Booted Warbler

Grey Heron

Oriental Skylark

Oriental Pratincole

Streaked Weaver

Pied Kingfisher pair. Male on left and female on right

Northern Pintail

Ruddy-breasted Crake

Northern Shoveler

Now a few mundane details about the place and logistics. We had initially wanted to stay at the marsh itself. Paying little heed to Mr Bhujbal's advice we did not book any hotel in Balugaon. But upon arrival at the Samity office where we were shown the floor of the office hall we realised that it was not possible for us any more to spend a night in such spartan surroundings. The dirty bathroom, with no running water, was the final nail on the coffin. We decided to stay in Balugaon. This added to the overall cost of commute - Rs 800 each way - and more importantly lost time in the morning birding hour.

As a student, particularly while hiking in the high Himalayas, we have stayed in worse accomodations. But here somehow we realised that we have grown up a bit. The evening chat session at Balugaon's Digantika hotel was highly enjoyable. Suranjan had brought a Single Malt and we didn't spoil its taste with any added water.

We realised to our pleasant surprise that it's been a long time that any of us had travelled in a stag group of close friends like this. We didn't eat our dinner at Avantika but as advised by the taxi driver Durga (09777650472) we had it at a road side dhaba across the hotel. Good food at affordable cost. On retrospect, next time I would like to go in my own car. It will save us a lot of money in commute. Only problem is the waste of two days in going and coming back.