Kokkare Bellur is a village off the Bangalore-Mysore road about 85 kms from Bengaluru. The last stretch which is 12 kms is rough. Driving past extensive paddy and sugarcane (bellur) fields is a treat. It is mistaken for a bird sanctuary which it is NOT.
The villagers venerate these colorful spotbilled pelicans, and storks who come to nest during January-June months. They are also paid by the Government of Karnataka @ 200 Rs - Rs 500 per tree the birds live on. I reminiscence my childhood where early mornings and evenings were filled with the caw-caw's of the crows and the chirping of sparrows, now replaced with the tak-tak of local music from the temples. Where did the birds go ?
The colorful ones are the parents and the black and white's are the new born chicks. The parent birds feed of
Kanva Resevoir,
Somanathapur lake and other spots for fish to bring back to the new born chicks. There is still abundant fish available nearby (100-200 kms) streams, reservoirs, cauvery, bengaluru hebbal lake and ponds.
You need to get there early morning or late evenings for a good view - you could get a view of the chicks if you are going mid-day. Evenings will bring back flocks of these. Just make sure you are not underneath them - for the droppings are messy. Locals say that these birds bring back fish weighing as much as 5-8 kgs for the chicks. The chicks themselves grow fast and are big enough to weigh 3-4 kgs atleast. You will see them mostly on tamarind trees and the yellow flowered trees. Fill your tank and get your own food.
Shimsha river flows through closeby meaning 1/2 km from the nesting site.
Kokkare Bellur is a village off the Bangalore-Mysore road about 85 kms from Bengaluru. The last stretch which is 12 kms is rough. Driving past extensive paddy and sugarcane (bellur) fields is a treat. It is mistaken for a bird sanctuary which it is NOT. 
The villagers venerate these colorful spotbilled pelicans, and storks who come to nest during January-June months. They are also paid by the Government of Karnataka @ 200 Rs - Rs 500 per tree the birds live on. I reminiscence my childhood where early mornings and evenings were filled with the caw-caw's of the crows and the chirping of sparrows, now replaced with the tak-tak of local music from the temples. Where did the birds go ?
The colorful ones are the parents and the black and white's are the new born chicks. The parent birds feed of Kanva Resevoir, Somanathapur lake and other spots for fish to bring back to the new born chicks. There is still abundant fish available nearby (100-200 kms) streams, reservoirs, cauvery, bengaluru hebbal lake and ponds.
You need to get there early morning or late evenings for a good view - you could get a view of the chicks if you are going mid-day. Evenings will bring back flocks of these. Just make sure you are not underneath them - for the droppings are messy. Locals say that these birds bring back fish weighing as much as 5-8 kgs for the chicks. The chicks themselves grow fast and are big enough to weigh 3-4 kgs atleast. You will see them mostly on tamarind trees and the yellow flowered trees. Fill your tank and get your own food. 
Shimsha river flows through closeby meaning 1/2 km from the nesting site. 
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Absollutely fabulous pictures..amazing, I will be back!
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