Me Sahyadri January 2018

As the economic development has taken the center stage, the balance between the environmental sustenance and socio economic development will be under the scanner. As most experts with balanced views have proclaimed, Indian wildlife and ecological system sustenance will be under threat, unless precautions are taken with the help of appropriate research and long term national interests. As we encounter the economic development, many habitats which indirectly or directly help sustainable development will be damaged. The awareness to gauge the success by sustainable development and not by year to year growth is a distant dream any environmentalist will assume in current scenario.
Western ghats, or Sahyadri as we all call it as, is a treasure trove of spectacular landscapes, biodiversity, flora, fauna, some amazing geological wonders and man made monuments. With the increasing pressure from human encroachment, all these elements are under stress and in turn are under depletion. Western ghats should be left untouched by human beings, to protect their future generations from getting short of resources, such as water, energy and clean air. The important elements of western ghats, which need protection are highlighted in the new version of Photo journal, Me Sahyadri Magazine. The current issue has some photographs and information about the grassland hills of north western ghats in the rain shadow region east of Pune.

As the sun rises above the barren rocky hills after the cold starry night, the golden light spreads over the yellow grassland. The grass glitters with golden sparkle. The sun brings little warmth in early morning cold breeze. The birds on the dry grassland leave their roosting places in the acacia trees and the bushes. The migratory birds from the north and resident birds make a gala on the grassland in the winter. The migratory larks start making synchronised acrobatic movements in the flocks in the sky, sometimes showing their grey upperwings and sometimes their white underbodies.
The resident rufous tailed larks make beautiful light whistles adding the light melody to the wind melody. The pairs of chestnut bellied sandgrouse land from the sky and start walking fast picking the seeds from the soil under the grass. They soon are lost in the barren landscape thanks to their amazing plumage camouflaged with respect to the habitat. The acrobate lark species, the ashy crowned sparrow larks are seen basking in the morning sun on the rocks.
The bush chats are seen on the thorny aloe vera tips while the green bee eaters are busy catching the damselflies and bees in the mid air with intermittent perching on their favourite fence wires and acacia branches. As usual the drongos are doing their job of policing. The bajra and maize fields are invaded by the huge flocks of the migratory buntings. The frankolins are making their morning titir titir calls, while walking briskly over the mounds. The rock bush quails are busy in the foliage and the bushes and are hardly seen due to their amazing camouflage. The steppy eagles are patiently seating on the hill tops waiting for the air to get warmed up so that they can take their flights.
The Chinkara gazzels are seen cautiously feeding on the grass on the hills away from the human habitation. The devil eyed, black shouldered kites are seen hovering above the grassland looking for their food. The harriers are seen floating in the sky just few meters above the grassland, constantly looking for their food, with their heads down. While the nocturnal animals like wolves and hyenas are now resting in their dens, suddenly one can see heard of grazing sheeps followed by their nomadic human masters. The colourful turbans, large moustaches and long bamboo stick follow these large sheep heards only to disappear beyond the horizon. After landing the courser birds are seen running on the grass before they start picking the beetles in the grass. By the time sun heats up the air, one can see the steppe eagles high up in the sky making rounds and rounds. While this is happening the humans are busy fencing the land plots, preparing for the economic boom they see in the future of this dry grassland thanks to the proposed new Airport.

Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) is a small bird of 17 mm size. The Siberian Stonechat breeds in Siberia south to the Himalaya and southwest China, and west to eastern Turkey and the Caspian Sea area and easternmost Europe and winters in southern Japan, south to Thailand and India, and west to northeast Africa. Siberian Stonechat adult male has black crown, ear coverts and throat. It has white patch on side of neck. It has orange breast. It has white patch on wings with dark tail. The female has pale brown upperparts and head, white neck patches (not a full collar), and a pale, unstreaked pinkish-yellow rump. Its scientific name Saxicola maurus means "dark rock-dweller". Saxicola derives from Latin saxum "rock" + incola "inhabitant"; maurus is Latinized from Greek maúros "black". It is a migratory bird. It breeds in summer in Himalayas and North West Pakistan. It winters in Indian subcontinent. In winter it is seen mainly in dry regions. The male has a clicking call.

Yellow wattled Lapwing, Vanellus malabaricus is a bird seen in the arid region all across India, (25 cm). The bird is often seen in a group of 2-6 members, in dry grasslands on the ground, looking for insects. In the afternoon these birds are seen relaxing in shadows under the trees. As the name suggests, the bird has yellow wattle between its eyes and bill. The wattle is an ornamental organ. It is mainly useful as an ornament for courting mates. Larger wattle indicates good health, nutrition and ability to survive. Many other birds such as red headed vulture, red Jungle fowl, red wattled lapwings etc. also have similar organ called as wattle. Yellow wattled lapwings have sandy grey upperparts with white underbody and black crown. As compared to red wattled lapwing the yellow wattled lapwings are less noisy and smaller in size. The various colors of the iris of this bird have been recorded. The colors recorded are pale yellow, silver grey and brown. Interestingly the iris of the bird in the image here is dual, silver grey at the top and brown in the lower portion of iris. The eyes are surrounded by a thin yellow circle. The consistency of the black color on the crown is disturbed by small sandy grey patches. The white patch behind both the eyes meet at the backside. The bird is known as Pitamukhi Titvi in Marathi.

Veergal
Reason : Man died in the battle. Being carried to Heaven.
Location : Ratanwadi, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra

Sykes's Lark (Galerida deva) is a lark which is found in dry and arid region in Central India. It has prominent crest and has Rufus color It has streaks on its breast. The bird is seen in dry region, grasslands, rocky small hills. It feeds on insects and seeds.

Veergal
Reason : Man died in the battle.
Deity being prayed : Shiva Linga with Nandi (in top panel)
Location : Ratanwadi, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra

Veergal
Reason : Man died in the battle.
Location : Ratanwadi, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra

The steppe eagle is a bird of prey. It belongs to the family Accipitridae. Steppe eagle is similar to the Tawny eagle The gape of the steppe eagle is an easy way to distinguish it from the tawny eagle. The gape extends beyond the centre of the eye as against the tawny. These birds are migratory. Steppe eagle winters in India and Africa and summers in Central Asia and Europe. These birds are seen in grassland.

The southern grey shrike is also known as rufous backed shrike. It is grey white. it has a black mask over its eye from beak to ear coverts. Its front body is white. It uses acasia thorns to struck the kills. Then it tears the kill using its bill holding the kill on the thorns. It uses this method as it can not use its feet to hold the kill, like raptors do.