Tal Chhapar
Tal Chhapar is a semi-arid village about 225 kms and almost 4.5 hours by car from Jaipur in the Churu district of north Rajasthan. The roads aren't great and combined with the indisciplined traffic, intense heat, and the blazing sun, the 4.5 hours seem much longer than they actually are. Chhapar is home to many native and migratory birds along with the blackbucks and nilgais that form the majority of the local wildlife.
Probably the best time to visit Chhapar is in December, when one can spot many varieties of migratory birds. However, October onwards is generally considered a good time to visit for birding. Even though the number of birds is less, one can spot more variety during this time. Chhapar can get extremely hot and dusty, especially during the afternoons. In winters, the temperature also drops quite a bit. Ker and Sangri trees dot the landscape with intermittent sprinkling of stunted shrubs and bushes. Tal Chhapar in terms of birding is divided into 3 adjoining but distinct areas - the salt pans, the Tal Chhapar sanctuary, and the Gaushala lands. Each of these have their own charm and native residents. The presence of water bodies, plenty of prey, and natural cover ensure that the big birds of this area have ample reasons to stick around.
The salt pans area is adjacent to the sanctuary and has many waders (big and small) and ducks in addition to other birds. The underground brine oozes onto the surface where it's left to dry under the sun in the salt fields. The water evaporates, leaving behind the white salt. This salt is then taken to processing units where it's packed and sold. Early morning is the best to visit the pans; the forenoon and afternoon glare from the pans is blinding. This area abounds in small passerine birds and has a large number of water bodies and ponds. There are also many wells and step wells, the walls of which provide nesting space to the raptors.
The Tal Chhapar sanctuary is rather small, only about 10 sq. kms but it more than makes up for its size in terms of birding experience. It's an open grassland that offers great visibility for long distances owing to its flatness. This sanctuary used to be the royal hunting grounds of the local maharajas and boasts of a large number of blackbucks and birds, especially raptors. While the grass here isn't tall enough to hide the wildlife completely, it does provide cover to the foxes, hares, and francolins. It resembles the African savannah in terms of color and density. Early mornings and late evenings are great times of the day to see the birds in the sanctuary. Morning safaris are from 6:30 to 9 am and evening safaris are from 4 to 6:30 pm. A big prosopis tree houses spotted owlets right at the entrance of the safari. Within the sanctuary, there are many watering holes (one of which is named after Dr. Salim Ali). There are some pockets that are cordoned off to prevent overgrazing by the blackbucks. In the absence of natural predators, the blackbuck population has really taken off here. The govt. now plans to relocate some of them to a different site to prevent overcrowding. There are perches put up at regular distances to make it easier for both birds and bird watchers.
The third area in Chhapar is the Gaushala land, that's covered by thorny shrubs and stunted trees. Large tracts of this land are owned by the surrounding cow shelter homes, hence the name gaushala. Mostly you are on your own, but if you come across one of the gaushala members, you have to pay Rs. 200 as entry fee. This area again is divided into multiple sub-areas. On one side you have a zone for carcasses that abounds in carrion-eating birds such as vultures and ibises. In the middle, you have a relatively cooler area with taller trees that abounds in smaller birds such as the Indian spotted creeper, hoopoes, nilgais, and blackbucks. The last zone is a relatively hotter zone that has eagles, lizards, snakes, and foxes. It's here that you can hope to come across raptors with kills.
We stayed for 2 days and 2 nights at the Raptor's Inn (different from Raptor's Paradise closer to the highway) in Chhapar which is managed by Mr. Atul (+91-8826907085). It's a small place, similar to a homestay. They provide meals 3 times a day with a fixed menu. You can spend evenings catching up with guides and other birders. We met a gentleman from Gujarat who has been visiting Tal Chhapar for 17 years. The homestay folks arrange safaris in all the three areas at all times of the day, and can book your sanctuary safaris too. The safaris are usually in open Gypsy or closed cars such as Bolero. Most of the guides are locals and quite knowledgeable about the wildlife. Just as the focus in other national parks is on sighting big cats during safaris, the focus of the Tal Chhapar guides is to sight raptors and birds of prey. The Tal Chhapar sanctuary is one of the few places in India that provides a focused birding experience. It's definitely worth a visit if you are keen on spotting birds of prey.
