Pulicat Bird Sanctuary

Indian Pond Heron.

Indian Open Billed Stork.

Above are some photos of Birds I saw at Pulicat. The boat ride I took will be hosted later.

Frankly, there is a lot of information about Pulicat and how to reach there but nobody seems to be telling the full facts that Birds are not easily seen here! In fact somewhere, maybe on the Forest deptt web page I saw Flamingos breed at Pulicat, but I saw not a single Flamingo. The sites says Oct-Nov are best season, but when I come here I am told Flamingos will be seen in March only. So there you are!!!! Facts vs Fiction! And then maybe the Birds have stopped Coming?? But who will acknowledge that from the Authorities?

Here are some links for example

http://www.indianetzone.com/6/pulicat.htm, 

http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/india/chennai/excursions-from-chennai/pulicat-in-chennai.html,

http://frissko.blogspot.com/2009/02/pulicat-aka-pazhaverkadu.html

http://srgopalan.livejournal.com/

What I learnt from these sites and also from personal attempts to reach the Right Place are these:-

1. There are at least three entry points to the Pulicat Lake and also more which are not very marked or known.
1. Tada - A right turn under the Flyover at TADA (there will be a Liquor Shop on the left side when you are facing towards Nellore- since most look for such things so am using this landmark provided of course the shop exists in future). Take a right turn under this flyover and then take Left turn. Where to take the left turn? Drive slow and ask. It is near. This will take you to a boatinf point.
2. Sulurpet - A round turn junction road 3km after Sulurpet and there towards Sriharikota. You will not get any boating point here. But this will be better as you can see Birds on the marshy lands both sides of the Sri Harikota Road and also before Sri Harikota you will find a Right turn which takes you on a untarred road inside by the side of the water area and here there are chances you will see birds.
3. Ponneri - Both above are in Andhra Pradesh State since Pulicat Lake is the water between the mainland India and the Sri Harikota Island formed from the Bay Of  Bengal entering at open points. The point to turn right turn from NH 5 road towards Ponneri  is 9 kms from the 1st Toll Gate from Chennai and from there again you have to travel 13 kms to Ponneri and then 17 kms towards the Pulicat Village.
4. There are some other points to reach the lake too I am sure. Because I went to the Pulicat lake through another point, cannot say where I took the right turn now, because there is no mark and by chance I had asked someone standing on the road and he said 'oh you just take a U-turn back towards Chennai and immediately on the left side you will find a road (there is a shop or shops at the entrance point and the road is one that looks like one going into a village) and the road actually crosses a railway crossing (there is a Bump which is rectangular and touches the bottom of low bottomed cars!! SHIT!!) but this take you to a point where you can boat.. but do not want to see birds.. here you cannot. Just boating..
2. 
   
   
   The Pulicat Lake got its name from the name of the Village. The lake water is placid with no waves. There are places where the depth is not much and here are the places where you will find birds. But be warned... Oct-Nov is NOT the best season as everybody says... if you want to see birds easily. I mean birds are there, but not so openly on the lake..All you will see are seagulls.. and that too frm far. If you go near the boat engine sound will make them fly away and you cannot go near because of the shallow water. So you need VERY powerful Binoculars or at least 500 mm Telephoto!
3. 
   
   You can see some birds near the Ponneri-Pulicat Road too. But if you want to see more, I am now thinking you need the right gear like Knee High Gum Boots and Walking Stick to support you in the marshes! Yes! Because you should actually go into the marshy lands and bushes and trees to see or else if you think you will just boat (they will charge 400- 500-600 depending on your ability to haggle) and birds will make an appearance for you, then you are highly mistaken! 

In fact the best places to see birds and feel happy that you have seen are

1. Vedanthangal-  in Tamilnadu this place is a closed place and lots and lots of birds are here- Plus you can see some Peilicans and Painted Storks. which are so large that you can see them clearly.. Here you can just walk around and see.
2. Nelapattu - in Andhra Pradesh where you can see lots of birds again being a closed place and you can see Open Bill Storks which are bigger birds. Of course both here and at Vedanthangal you can see other birds too. Here too you can just walk around and see.
3. Kodikkarai or Point Calimere.. This is the best place to see Salt Water Birds and even Flamingos if you are lucky. Here you can go by boat and to islands and get down to the islands and then see birds.. Here there are many places to see, more in my post that will come up later.. Please read there.

Now the Flash Slide show of the Birds.