It was nice to know I was travelling to Bhuj by train after the appalling experiences on the night buses in Gujarat. It was however a shame that I could not get a sleeper berth for the ten hour journey. Consequently I had to go in the daylight, which meant loosing a day to travel. Nevertheless it was a relaxing journey in the top class which was almost deserted. My only fellow travellers were two Indian Railways maintenance guys also travelling to Bhuj. They kindly took it upon themselves to treat to me to all the best food at each station and ensure I did not have to lift a finger for the whole trip.


I needed to stay one night in Bhuj before heading back to stay at the Jugal’s bird Lodge near Nakatrana . This being new year’s eve Mr Jiti, the owner of Gangaram Hotel invited all his guests for cake at 10.30pm. Naturally this was the first New Year’s Eve I have experienced without any liquid (no tea as the restaurant was closed), but the cake was gratefully received. The couple from Bangalore were also there. I had met them in Diu and recommended Nitin’s place in Gir, which they had greatly enjoyed. I was though asleep before midnight struck.


The next morning I retraced my footsteps of three weeks ago and went to Nakatrana on a government bus and then made my way to Moti Virani and Jugal’s Lodge. There I met Jugal, Veer and all the staff again, but this time they were somewhat busier than my previous visit with some four other groups there.


Having established there was absolutely no chance of going to see and photograph the Jat tribe (whom I had spotted on the previous trip) we immediately knocked together a birding itinerary . This time Jugal’s son, Shiva was to be my guide. We kicked off with the Spiny Forest outside of Moti Virani and decided to leave the coastal birds around Mandvi and a visit to the Lava Desert to the following day.


Unfortunately the weather was not conducive to great bird photography in the Spiny Forest as the winds suddenly were strong and for the first ninety minutes we spotted nothing of interest. Shiva felt this was highly unusual. As the winds dropped of course so did the sun and it was then we met up with Jugal and his party, so we joined in with them on their search for the Indigenous Black and White Tit. After a long search we were finally successful, as the sun set. This dimming light prevented some good pictures, but at least the bird was well worth seeing.


Back at the Lodge all the other groups had gathered, one from Mumbai, one from Kolkata and one from Bangalore plus two foreigners from Melbourne who were with the ever friendly Veer. We all enjoyed a vegetarian meal from Jugal’s organic produce.


The next morning it was an early start at 5.30am, heading off to the coast via Mandvi. Shiva had done his masters degree research on the coastal birds here so he was the guide again . He was a very friendly and informative man. We speed through the countryside, under the moonlight emerging at dawn at Mandvi’s famous bridge area. Here we stopped for a quick Chai and a picture opportunity with the wadding birds who were focused on the pools of water underneath the bridge and further up the estuary. Despite the frantic morning hour rush hour, dust, pollution and piles of litter, there was a surprising healthy number of birds including a White Breasted Kingfisher, Spoonbills, Storks, Flamingos, Blue Egrets, Grey Herons etc. What was nice about this place was that these birds appeared (because they were undoubtedly used to humans) less concerned about people approaching them. They would of course fly away if they felt threatened, but this required a closer approach here than in many of the places I had visited in India. Consequently there were several good photo opportunities.


We moved on after a few hours to some more pools on the outskirts of Mandvi where there were a healthy population of Pied Kingfishers, Terns, Grebes, Grey Herons . These were more skittish than those by the bridge and were given greater protection by the vicious thorns of the ubiquitous feral Acacia bushes which dominate the landscape of this part of India.


Then we left to drive to vast beach on the eastern side of Mandvi, where a small community of Muslim fisherman live. There village is in the dunes, but the Mosque, Fishing Shacks, drying areas, nets and boats all line the vast sandy beach that stretches for kilometres into the distance. Amongst this paraphernalia where many Herons and Egrets just resting amongst the nets awaiting the arrival of the days catch. Like at the bridge area the birds here seemed oblivious to human encroachment and thus I was able to get some close photographs. All this activity and fishing gear obscured the vast pink blotches of Flamingos that were feeding in the beach shallows. But after we had finished at the village area, the Flamingos were easily spotted . The pinkness of their concentrated congregation, highlighted their presence from several kilometres away and we made our way towards them stopping to photograph Eurasian Curlews feeding en route.


I had not seen Flamingos in the waves before and these Greater Flamingos looked magnificent in the surf. The closer I got the clearer it was that not all the birds were comfortable in the surf so many started retreating along the surf’s edge down to where the Muslim Fishermen were arriving. They amazed in a concentrated area between me and the boats until they lost their nerve and took off en mass presenting a great photo op. Marvellous.


We headed back to Moti Virani for a late lunch before heading a few kilometres north to an area called the “the Lava River,” which I had been altered too by the Bangalore couple I met at the Gangaram. On the way, Shiva mentioned that he knew of a rocky ledge overlooking a secluded pool that was the preferred fishing area of several Kingfishers and we headed there. He was completely correct as the ledge offered a great vantage point to see both the beautiful Common and Pied Kingfishers stalk and hunt their prey. What was also great was how close I could get to them whilst they were hunting, surely the closest and best place I have yet found to photograph these (one of my favourite) birds . However in the morning the light would have been better, I noted for future reference.


We arrived at the dry river bed just at the sun was setting to view these weird lava formations. They certainly were weird and beautifully coloured. Unfortunately the cloudy windy weather that dogged the previous day’s bird photography returned and prevented these strange formation for truly glowing, but they were impressive nonetheless. Pinks, reds, yellows and even a green rock colours flooded the river bed. Rocks with multi coloured lines, trees growing out of them patterned etc etc. It was engrossing.


Back at the lodge it was an early night and the next morning Jugal kindly put me on a bus to return to Mandvi. I had decided to return to Mandvi so I could spend a night there to photograph the boat building on the side of the estuary. The bus was crowded with shoppers, traders and school kids and I amused myself in the cramped conditions by feeding the kids oranges (which they seemed perplexed by - most eat crisps and drink coke here).


At the chaotic and congested Mandvi I checked into the Rukmavati Guest House. This was a guesthouse in the city’s old disused hospital which was surprisingly atmospheric, spotless and super organised. After ten minutes I feel completely at home and the temperature of Mandvi was noticeably warmer than that in Moti Virani, so I could dispense with my thermals at night. Vinod Bhatt the owner was such a nice guy it was no surprise to find out he had some long term Indian residents. I had a nice room with a balcony and a good view. The only downside was the night time dog opera, which was at times extraordinary.


I headed off into town to locate the Osho Restaurant in the Bazaar. Jugal told me that this was one of the best Gujarat Thali Restaurant’s in all of Kutch. It was though difficult to find, with no visible signs in English, but thanks to all the friendly locals, it must have been obvious where I wanted to go as everyone immediately directed me there. And yes it lived up to expectations and it was packed. Delicious.


The bazaar itself looked interesting so I spent a great time nosing around before heading out to photograph the boats. This is one of the last handmade Dhow building areas in Gujarat and the huge vessels line both sides of the muddy estuary as it makes it way inland to where I was birdwatching on the previous day. These Dhows were huge. Fifty men spend around two years on each vessel and the ones lining the estuary were all in a state of readiness providing a great photographic opportunity. The packs of aggressive feral dogs were less welcoming and the area around the boats was badly polluted. Nevertheless there was also a sizeable population of wading birds including a group of squabbling Flamingos. I wandered through the Dhow construction area meeting several boat builders and avoiding the dogs.


As the darkness descended I returned to the bazaar for a great shave and dinner. I had a good sleep punctuated by insouciant barking and dog fighting before returning to Bhuj the following morning. I certainly should have spent longer in friendly Mandvi.