GAJOLDOBA INQUEST OF BIRDS

Siliguri to Gajoldoba is about 32 k m . Last 20 km is smooth way . Arko my friend is accompanying me. We traversed through Mahananda sanctuary by keeping river Tista canal to our right . It is a pitch road on the Tista barrage . It took approx 45 minutes on our bike . The spectacular Scenic beauty gave us extra mileage .We were overjoyed . From the barrage as long as we stretched our vision , there were birds and birds on the firmament in a linear pattern ! An eye catching scene indeed ! River Tista from the north is flowing towards Haldibari to enter Bangladesh . The left side canal road is flowing towards Alipurduar . The right side road  reaches Jalpaiguri . We took a halt keeping our bike at some place . Hired a boat to visualize the birds , especially the long-tailed duck . Vast water body . In the middle and on right in the river are "Hogla" bushes . Hundreds of stiff-tailed ducks , some  great crested grebe and two pairs of radisel ducks were just in front of us . We were overwhelmed . Our boat sailed closer to take their snaps in our camera .At a little distance we came across northern modeler ferruginous duck and some laser whistling kites .

Some unheard chuckles of unseen birds reached our ears from   the bushes . We could not trace them . However , the inquisitiveness ended as some parcel solomon hess arrived within our vision .Their beautiful red "tilak " is really marvelous . Our boatman pointed to the path and informed us that , the rhinos traverse that way and the footprints can be seen . Seldom they come here at night . . Even last night they were seen .   after a while we reached near the last point of water body .A darter was sitting alone with spread wings . as we proceeded it flew with its huge wings .Anyhow we had to return back now . We saw some colourful kingfishers were busy to catch fishes as they are usually doing . Our boat turned for our destination and eventually we came across eurasian wijden and common pochard . Leaving the boat we got up to barrage where a few sandpipers ,siberian stonechat and little buntings resting casually . It was unique gazing for us .   Now we had to take our lunch . We proceeded towards locality . A small hotel came on the way . The owner satisfied us with homely hot rice and some fresh Tista fishes well prepared . It was very tasty food as the prawns gave a nice flavours . We understood that the tourists come here to have the homely lunch of these small hotels .   Our wrist watCh showed it was about to 3 pm . So we took off with our bike for Fulbari which is apProx 26 km from Gajoldoba . Fulbari barrage is also  famous for its water body , which originates  from river Balason . We took a halt there till dusk and saw some nomad birds . Since the darkness spreaded , we could not wait any more . But one thing to inform our readers , that Fulbari is also famous for good tasty fishes . Many people do fishing for their living. We also purchased some fishes for home .    A pleasant journey ended with memorable incidents with unknown birds , unique tastes of fishes and spectacular sceneries very close to our city , Siliguri . ( end )

https://youtu.be/Xfi6ZsM3Oqs