Rann Diaries - Wild Asses

Gujarat diaries so far...

The Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur) also called as khur, is a subspecies of the Asiatic Wild Ass species. The Indian Wild Ass sanctuary is one of the last places where the endangered Indian Wild Ass is found. It’s heartening enough to see them thriving and in good numbers in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

Wild Asses are fast runners clocking speeds in the range of 70-80 km/hour and can easily outrun a jeep and what I observed is that they are instant runners, i.e., a distant sound and they start galloping and seeing this behavior almost every time I saw these wild asses made me come up with the below –

“An ass started running and all the other asses followed him; they ran, ran till one ass stopped to look why they were running and the other asses stopped to look why the one ass stopped running.”

Well, taking it on a lighter note, that’s how I felt as I saw them mostly running. Only a few of them were at ease with us in their sight. I wonder, is it because the jeeps that come make them run to get ‘those shots’ or is their instinct to take off every time. Also, to be considered is that they do not have any natural predators to fear (except the wolves that would target the colts rather than grown adults). Yet, they are the flagship species of Rann and its pleasing to see them thriving in good numbers and expanding their domain to favorable areas.

next up is the 'Jamnagar Jatra'... stay tuned :)

Rann Diaries - the Barnie and the Eagles

Gujarat diaries so far...

Continuing the story or probably the highlight from the Rann as we drove deeper into the Rann, Pratap bhai and I sighted some blackish aberrations on the ground, a far distance away. A little further and we realized there were aquilans on the ground, four in total with a small object in between.

(the four Aquilans and the Barnie!)

We stopped at a distance (when we saw the eagles were aware of our arrival), quite far from where we could see 4 of them on the ground and an object in between them. Surprised and happy at the same time to see so many of them together, we were probing into what was the object in between. The eagle's are more or less identified as a combination of Greater Spottee Eagle and Steppe Eagles.

(Steppe Eagle)

We never figured out till the object moved its head and Pratap bhai noticed it and shouted Owl, Owl. What! I refused to believe stating it couldn’t be and it was a piece of stone or rock, but as I was uttering and watching through the binoculars, the object moved again.

(in the middle of nowhere...)

Ah! I was wrong and pretty surprised in seeing an owl in the middle of Rann surrounded by eagles…! By now, the eagles were unhappy with our presence (we were quite far still) and took off one by one soaring high into the sky and vanished without a trace.

The owl was still on the ground with its head lowered and looked lost or probably had lost hopes of survival or probably was being chased by the eagles or probably had fallen off in flight due to exhaustion, I’ll never know!!!

(a distant shot from the jeep - notice the angle)

By now, we had figured out it was indeed a Barn Owl that looked like an object surrounded by the eagles. We came closer and the Barnie was still and unmoved. We were about a distance of 30m and yet the Barnie was still and unmoved, meditating with its eyes closed.

(a closer look again from the jeep)

Now, I got off the jeep and wore the protective gear for the elbows, changed the settings in the camera and yet the owl showed no signs of movement! I went flat on the ground and inching closer to it got as close as 10-15m and yet it remained still.

(closest view, shot lying on the ground - notice the angle)

After the shoot, I woke up, retreated and now doubted whether the owl was well or in a semi conscious state of shock. I walked straight up to it slowly and then as I was close, it flew off much to my relief and then sat again a little distance away.

Sensing, it would be dehydrated, we left a little pool of water closer to it on a piece of foil sheet closer to it and left the scene.

(parting shot...the Barnie!)

What was the Barnie doing in the middle of Rann, how did it reach? What happened later are some questions that I have no clue about and best left unanswered.

On field, some incidents never fail to amaze you much to your disbelief.

Coming next… the Ass story…!

Rann Diaries - A full day in Rann!

Gujarat Diaries so far...


An early rise and we were off early passing the numerous salt pans, salt dunes, salt loaded trucks, salt refineries and the Patdi railway station (mainly used to transport salt) into the Rann, deep into the Rann to be witness to some amazing moments and sight some wonderful species out there that needs an experienced eye to sight the birds and no better person than Pratap himself. Some distance into the Rann and all you can see is the mirage of water over the distant horizon making you believe the coast is near but the farther you go, the farther the Rann extends and the mirage never ends. There are no tracks or paths inside Rann, where you go is where the track path created, an ideal place to get lost in the salt desert.

But, there is some charm in the Rann, a place of solitude and peace the heat notwithstanding, you just want to keep going chasing the mirages, sighting the birds, following them on a wild goose chase, be yourself and live for yourself and live your moments in the Rann. Water, is precious, and no better place than Rann to learn it the hard way, the seething hot sun and the hot weather sucks out every ounce of water from your body and you feel the thirst every now and then, also, its important to keep yourself hydrated sipping water frequently to keep you going…

We went in search of the elusive Macqueen’s Bustard that visits the NW India during winters and is a species whose number is going down drastically. These are large birds found on the ground and are found in grasslands or scrub forests. Habitat destruction and hunting are the primary reasons for the decline in their numbers. We were greeted to open spaces first when we scanned the area and after a couple of rounds here and there we first got to see the bird flying away from out of nowhere to deeper areas, such is its camouflaging nature its very difficult to spot the bird especially when its roosting or squatting on the ground (see image below)...

Thus, started the hide and seek game with us in pursuit to see the elusive one, and the bustard running amok. We were patient and completely at the mercy of the bustard, when it chose to sit/squat, we would lose sight of it and had to just wait for it to come out of its hiding. For the initial hour, the bustard never came close and was very skeptical of our presence. Slowly, as we patiently waited without a movement, biding our time the bustard started moving around and after more than an hour of us being there started appearing in areas much closer to us and in complete visibility. I didn’t get any super close-up shots nor didn’t I want it and so after more than a couple of hours, we left the place in search of other species.

Till date, I never understood why the Kestrel has the name ‘Common Kestrel’ as its hardly visible everywhere and sparser around the place I live. But in Rann, I could see them everywhere and so commonly, there would be a Kestrel on every other tree hiding itself or scanning for potential preys but I never got a good shot of it from Rann. All that I was engrossed in was trying to identify whether is was the more rarer ‘Lesser Kestrel’ among so many seen.


Pallid Harriers were more visible than in Velavadar, but again I never saw one perched or roosting on the ground, so all that I saw them was soaring high above scanning the grasslands.

Shrikes, Wheatears, Stonechats, Larks, Plovers, Pipits were all around the place and in good numbers, and the best part was I would see them all take-off only when the vehicle was closer to them, thanks to their super camouflage or my lack of trained eyesight! Roaming deeper in the Rann, we came across a pregnant Desert Fox that ran for cover on sighting us. One of the flagship species of the Rann is the Greater Hoopoe Lark and which also top of my wish list to see and I was lucky to see them up close and happier to see them in good numbers. Their flute-like-whistles song is a must-watch for all bird lovers and the way they do it is just amazing. They sing with rising and falling notes consisting of whistles and clicks, rising with fluttering strokes and then nose diving, wish I had a video to record the same, amazing display of behavior.

As we moved ahead, the next sighting was another first timer for me, the Merlin belonging to the Falcon family. Usually hunts in low flight with fast wing-beats and short glides and normally found singly. I was more than happy to sight this species that’s only common in these regions and uncommon elsewhere.

Next up was an interesting sighting sequence that will be shared in a separate post… 

With the sun battering hot, we took a much needed break at a temple located at a far end of the Rann (Sigh! I forgot the name) with people and kids interestingly looking at my attire and equipment. Past 2pm, we resumed our journey back into the Rann and Owls kept us busy for a long time. Also, our search for the hyena’s and wolves bore no fruit as there were no signs of them in their typical habitat in Rann!

As we traversed along the nook and corner of Rann, and me happy and contended with whatever I got to see rather than having an unfulfilled wishlist, we came across a big herd of Indian Wild Ass or locally known as Khur, probably the biggest herd I was seeing since stepping on to Rann. Why? The answer lay within, this being quite remote with minimal human interference and their population was thriving and in good numbers, great to see that! Hope, the flagship species of the Rann prosper and with it prosper the beauty of Rann for time to come! Wish!

wait for more to unfold...

Rann Diaries - Day 2

Gujarat Diaries so far...

After a mixed hectic first day, next morning was a quick starter with the jeep all set and Pratap bhai coming on time. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses were the toast for the morning, they are so beautifully camouflaged that its very difficult to spot them in the Rann and if you have seen one or two, you would have missed a dozen that would be right next to you and as you approach them closer, they all fly away in unison with a ‘phurrrr’...

After the patient session with the sandgrouses, then came the herd of wild asses and I was next busy occupied seeing and shooting various water birds, from flamingos to pelicans, to shovelers to gulls.

As Pratap bhai had to leave early, I called it a day for the session as going around without a person who knows the place is like searching a needle in a haystack... very difficult, every location looks the same and an untrained eye can never see anything unless its closer and in your view. With the early coming in, got more time to relax and enjoy the meal spread.

For the evening session, Pratap’s brother accompanied me and he was equally good as Pratap in sighting birds and identifying them. The evening belonged to the raptors, kestrels, harriers were there everywhere and it was a sight to the sore eyes seeing some of them coming to roost after dusk.

Literally, as the sun went down, the Rann looked like infested with harriers everywhere, all of them roosting and at one time I could see 8-10 individuals just around me, but albeit all at a safe distance from me. I tried getting some ground level shots of a couple of them but with absolutely no light around, it was a tough ask. Another interesting note was the female harriers were more co-operative and didn’t mind my approach than the males who took off every time I tried to approach them!


Next day would be a ‘mega day’ with loads of action… stay tuned :)

Rann Diaries - LRK special

Here are the Gujarat diaries update so far...

I would be presenting some photo blogs of some individual species interspersed with my Rann diaries travelogues to highlight their importance and beauty.

First on the list is the Globally threatened Macqueen’s Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii) formerly treated as con-specific with Houbara Bustard. Bustard’s are primarily land birds and are low distance flyers and their population in total has decreased drastically owing to hunting and habitat destruction. The Great Indian Bustard (one of our pride species) is almost on the verge of disappearing owing to its habitat loss and pity it doesn’t receive as much attention as the Tiger.

They breed in deserts and other very arid sandy areas. Measuring 60cms long with a wingspan of 140cms, it’s a pretty big bird when seen in the field but very elusive and shy. Interestingly Macqueen’s Bustard is vocally almost silent. They typically lay 2-4 eggs on the ground and are omnivorous in diet.

I had to spend close to two hours in getting a good view of this species in the vast grassland, it being very elusive and shy. Small sounds from our end and it would disappear into the dry grass, typically sitting down amidst the tally dry grass and often putting its head up to observe the surroundings.

Finally, after persuasive tactics, and patience, got to see the bustard at viewing distance, probably once it got used to our presence in the area. But, in doing that, I had covered the entire grassland on foot, crawling, kneeling and running to catch a glimpse of it!

All episodes from Velavadar Diaries here...

Rann Diaries - Little Rann of Kutch

Apologies on the onset, this would be a series of posts, I'm trying to share as much as I can but it never seems sufficient...!

After a wonderful start to my Gujarat sojourn at Velavadar, off we came back to Ahmedabad with Falguna getting me dropped at the railway station to proceed towards Chote Rann or LRK. As I was traveling solo, I chose the public transport often hopping on to the rails and bus services to commute between the places I intended to visit and I had a gala of a time commuting by public transport meeting so many unique individuals and witness to the world pass by as the train chugged along.

Viramgam Junction is the nearest railway station to Little Rann of Kutch, just about 70kms from Ahmedabad, and the town Patdi (my place of stay) about 30kms further away from Viramgam railway station. I chose to stay at Bhavna Resort & Farm, a place not known to many and surprisingly located very close to the Indian Wild AssSanctuary, the sanctuary I had planned to visit. Also, by choosing to stay here, I chose to stay away from the regular jaunt of photographers/birdwatchers that prefer to stay at the Rann Riders / Royal Safari Camp or other places located a little far away from the sanctuary premises.

I boarded the Somnath Express and landed in Viramgam Jn at midnight and the vehicle from the resort was waiting for me at the station to take me to Bhavna farms at Patdi. With dreary eyes too, I was impressed by the appearance of the cottage and the interiors in particular, made up very well and I instantly dozed off after a long tiring day of travel.

Morning made me appreciate the property I was staying better, especially the cottages, locally known as Koobas, that were well equipped with a typical traditional appearance that would make you appreciate the efforts behind it. Geared up for Rann, met Prashanth, the owner of the property who briefed me about the plans for the day that sounded very promising. I was to have a jeep with me entirely for the 3 days I would be staying there and Pratap bhai (from the forest department) would be guiding me around and Pravin was the driver.

Armed with packed breakfast, all ready with battle gear, off I went on my first sojourn in the Rann, the Little Rann of Kutch with my permits inside the Wild Ass Sanctuary to sight new birds, birds and birds, all pumped up and excited.

With just a little distance inside the sanctuary, the jeep refused to budge ahead and conked off…! Well, the old Mahindra was showing its age with pomp and glee and my excited face was now turning into a hot red beacon. We tried to exchange our vehicle with another (driven by a more experienced person) from the same resort but will little success as the problem with the vehicle continued for the entire duration we were inside!

Well, the best part of the Rann sanctuary is that once you enter, you can stay in for the entire day without the need to come back and go again in the afternoon that helps save a lot of time but we chose to go back to the resort for lunch as the sun was too harsh and the erratic jeep helping no end and even Pratap suggesting taking a break from the hot sun.

Still, with the agonizing jeep, I got to see my first sights of the Common Cranes, Greater Flamingo’s and more than a couple of Tawny Eagle’s and many other bird species in Rann. Disturbed by the roaring of the sick jeep, we got to see a Desert Fox run for cover and safety from us.

Trudging slowly along, revving the jeep continuously, flamingo’s, harriers, kestrels, eagle’s, Wheatears, Whimbrels, and the star of the Rann – The Indian Wild Ass greeting us all along, and while close to a water source, got to see a couple of ‘Common Shelduck’s disappear into horizon (they are considered vagrant and elusive in Rann as I was told) and to add, the sightings of the Dalmatian Pelicans helped me regain my enthusiasm and excitement.

I came back to the resort with mixed reactions hoping the evening session would be rid of glitches. The food served was good with a menu of authentic Gujarati cuisine and I enjoyed the hot mouth watering food on all the days I stayed. A quick nap and I would again be back in the Rann. Evenings are considered more suitable for the raptors as they come back to roost and if there is good light you could get some wonderful frames with the setting sun in the background. Alas! The setting sun was probably miffed with me because for some reason or other, never got to see the famed view of sunset in Rann as the clouds played spoilsport all the days I was in Rann.

Again charged up and with the news that the vehicle was fixed and ready, got into Rann and the dry desert was buzzing with activity either with the sighting of birds or the charismatic Wild Ass. Sooner than latter, the jeep conked off again with now a problem with the oil filter made me go into a frenzy mood again, but was controlled better and there were no major stoppages for the evening.

As we roamed around looking for raptors and owls, the highlight of the day was the sighting of the Short-eared Owl at striking distance from the vehicle taking both of us by surprise, it took a few seconds for the birdie to realize and those few seconds were sufficient for me to capture couple of shots and then it flew away into thick growth that was beyond our vehicle’s reach and a ghastly view of bone littered ‘hyaena’ den area marked the end of the day for me as I came back with happy.

Oh yes!, I forgot about the Peregrine Falcon that put in a late appearance after dusk, just as we were racing to leave the sanctuary premises as it was late. I've always been fascinated by this beautiful bird of prey, the fastest flyer and an incredibly powerful bird. I've hardly seen it a couple of times and none have been long enough... awaiting my date with the powerful Falcon soon...

to be continued...