The sense of equanimity that the Andaman Islands shower on the travellers is breathtaking and recharges one’s body and mind. Every year many people plan a vacation to the sandy beaches of Andaman in search of solitude, natural beauty and adventure but very few are aware that the Andaman Islands are known as the paradise of Birds. It is said that the Andaman Island is home to 270 species of birds including migratory and endemic birds. Every year many species of birds migrate to these enchanted islands and travellers can enjoy bird photography which in itself is a soulful experience. In this blog, we will discuss ideal locations to go for bird watching in Andaman, best season to go for bird watching and different species of the birds.
Mount Harriet National Park is known as the tropical evergreen forest in Port Blair which was originally a reserve. It is a home to seven endangered species including the Andaman wood pigeon, Andaman Cuckoo Dove, Andaman Scops Owl, Andaman Boobook, Andaman Woodpecker, Andaman Drongo and Andaman Treepie. Apart from these endangered species one can see Dollar bird, Olive backed Sunbird, Pintail Snipe and many other birds that make a perfect sight for photography.
It is suggested to visit the park early in the morning as the birds are active at that time and as the day proceeds, they will be in their nests lazing around. At evening also one can see the birds before 5 pm but after darkness, there is no point visiting the park.
It is located in the south of the Andaman and is primarily a wet land. One can see many water birds and waders here and by evening one should return to the hotels. Most of the birds here include Brown Hawk Owl, Collared Kingfisher, Sunda Teal, Black-napped tern, Andaman Hawked Owl, Orange headed thrush and Olive backed sunbird, Fulvous Breasted Woodpecker and many other birds that are a rare sighting in the urban city. It is a welcoming silent adventure as travellers are instructed to maintain silence so that birds do not fly away. Again the ideal time to watch birds is an early morning but after sunset shots are also worth taking in this area. The afternoon is the time when birds are least active so either visit the place early in the morning and stay overnight to enjoy the beautiful click during sunset and sunrise.
Located towards South of Port Blair this track is the most popular one for trekking and birding. It is normally said that trek to mount Harriet from Chidiya Tapu is the perfect track for bird sighting and bird photography. The 4km stretch of evergreen moist forest offers a different variety of birds to watch and click including Andaman Serpent Eagle, White Throated Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Alexandrine Parakeet, Andaman Drongo, Black naped Oriole and many more that makes the trek exciting. If you want to enjoy birding to the maximum then visit the place early in the morning as the bird photography done with sunrise is simply spectacular and you get to see different types of birds chirping and flying.
This is an ideal place to watch endemic birds. One needs to stay overnight as the trip can be exhausting but the birds can be photographed here in the morning and afternoon. Though birds are inactive in the afternoon but here one can vouch on their sighting even at noon and after sunset. Here one should not miss the adventurous night birding where one can watch night owls like Andaman Barn-owl, Hume’s Hawk Owl, Andaman Scops-Owl, etc that can be seen in open fields. It is an experience one should not miss and is an ideal setting for night birding photography.
Undoubtedly, this white sand island cannot be missed as it is a hub to rich flora and fauna in the Andaman Islands. The island is a reservoir of mangroves, forests and variety of birds that are extinct from urban cities but are living a peaceful life here amidst the blue water and open sky. Morning in this island starts with the chirping of birds of various species and if you are a bird lover then you will get to watch many exotic birds on the island. Some of the species that cannot be missed are the endemic one’s like a green pigeon, emerald dove, hanging parrots, long-tailed parakeets and many other. These birds can be seen early in the morning and at the time of sunset.
After discussing the different location where one can sight different species of birds and the types of birds in the Andaman. Next, we will discuss the ideal time and season for bird watching. Well, Andaman is the collection of islands where the summer never ends and winter never begins. The tropical weather of the islands has made it a year round destination for vacationing and is congenial for birds to stay. Though migratory birds keep visiting and leaving the island but the majority of the species can be found on the island that may not be seen at any other place.
Having said that, the ideal season to visit the island, especially for bird watching is pre or post monsoons as the monsoons are the time when bird watching is a rare sight. So from February to May one should definitely plan a vacation to the islands and opt for bird watching or bird photography package as the experts will guide the travellers to remote locations where birds can be observed.
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