Cancel , right now ! any of your travel plans which you may have made ,as I am going to reveal you a place near Pune ,that i have discovered and bet for being the most diverse, birdiest place ,ever. Bhigwan , otherwise referred to as the “Bharatpur of Maharashtra” lies just 120 kms away from the Pune city .Being strategically located at the edge of the catchment area of Ujjani Dam is a hotbed for migratory birds .
Come winters, the backwaters of the Ujjani Dam becomes the temporary home to thousands of migratory birds ,that includes the exclusive pink Flamingos. These months of the year Bhigwan turns a paradise for many bird watcher’s .Hoards of birders flock here, hoping to capture a perfect shots of these elegant birds in all their natural glory. To name a few the other prominent birds species which can be seen are the Grey Heron, Kingfishers, Sandpipers, Ruddy Shelduck, Egrets, Pond Heron, Garganey Duck, Gulls etc .
Whether you’ve been birding for years or you’ve just started out, it is one of the newest and probably the best place near Pune to try your mettle in the field of Bird Photography.
Below are few of my best Bhigwan’s bird shots :-
Grey Heron
Asian Open bill Stork
Intermediate Egret
Cormorants
Stilt
Heron
Painted Stork
Red wattled lapwing
Black headed gull
Black headed Ibis
Small Pratincole
Ruddy Shelduck
How to reach Bhigwan
The distance of Bhigwan from Pune via road is approx 120km .Once you reach Bhigwan, you have to then drive 8 kms further up towards the city of Sholapur , so as to reach Kubhargaon village. There,ask anyone for the direction to reach ‘Kranti Flamingo point’ cottage houses. The ‘Kranti Flamingo point’ cottage house is registered under MTDC (Maharastra Tourism Development corp) and is treated as a gateway to some of the many excellent spots for bird watching .The hamlet is absolutely in rural and caters to limited lodging and fooding facilities . There are no hotels or any commercial activities nearby ,so it is recommended to carry own consumables for your duration of stay .
Click here to see the map direction to Bhigwan on Google maps .
Boating at Bhigwan
Best Time to visit Bhigwan is from the month of December to March which may vary year to year
Things to carry – DSLR Camera,Camera batteries ,Extra SD cards, Binocular, Drinking Water and Hat
Where to Stay in Bhigwan – Accommodation and food are available on pre-booked order (A decent single room stay may cost around Rs 700 per family per room and Rs 500 for an option of living in tent accommodations .Food may cost Rs 100 per thali, as per eating habits ). Contact Sandeep Nigare(+91 9960610615) of Kranti Flamingo point can arrange for your great stay at Bhigwan .Happy Birding !
