Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary Timings, Tickets, Best Time to Visit

We may not be able to fly like a bird but how beautiful it is to witness a bird flying. If you are a bird lover then I am sure you must have thought about flying like a bird. But alas! Now you can only enjoy seeing the birds fly. However in today’s concrete structural cities, birds are almost not seen everywhere. But you can visit a designated place that is just made for the birds. And what can be better than visiting a bird sanctuary. The Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary one of those places that you can surely visit.

If you are in Maharashtra then the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary can be a really good option to stay amidst nature. Not to forget, the amazing variety of bird species that you can observe here. Furthermore the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is also known for activities like camping and boating. So now you have a place in your vicinity to enjoy being amidst nature. Keep on reading this article as I will mention each and everything that you need to know about the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary in this article. This is going to be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip there. For all sorts of Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary Information read up the whole article.

Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

Location: Solapur Pune Highway, near Bhigwan, Maharashtra

Timings of Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary: 6 am to 6:30 pm

Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary Tickets: Rs. 30

How to reach Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

By air

The nearest airport to Bhigwan is Pune Airport that is around 105 km away from the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary. Another nearest airport to the sanctuary is the Mumbai Airport that is 258 km away. Both the airports are well connected to major cities in India like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore etc and abroad. From the airport you will get taxis or you can hire a car to reach the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary.

By train

In Bhigwan the Bhigwan railway station is the nearest railway station to reach the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary. You can reach Daund as well and from there you can get cabs to reach the sanctuary.

By road

As the sanctuary is located on the Solapur Highway it is well connected to railways. From Pune you can travel to reach the bird sanctuary and the distance is around 105 km. State buses are also available from nearby cities to reach the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary. Even from Mumbai Bhigwan is well connected. It is only 250 km away from Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary. Ahmednagar to Bhigwan Bird sanctuary distance is around 118 km.

Overview of Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

A small town in Maharashtra Bhigwan is a location that is easily accessible from Pune, Ahmednagar and Baramati. Due to the wetland created on this location because of Ujani Dam, migratory as well as resident birds are spotted here in abundance. Also known as the Bharatpur of Maharashtra the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is a popular tourist spot in Maharashtra as well.

Other major attractions in the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary are boating and fishing. These are activities that are enjoyed by the visitors here to a lot of extent. Even for camping this one is a popular site for the visitors. With the lush greenery around and the serene atmosphere it serves as the perfect backdrop to enjoy some peaceful time.

Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary best time to visit

Ideally the best time to visit Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is from December to March. The winter season is the choice of the Flamingo birds. If you visit at that time then you can spot many flamingos here. Flamingos need less water for fishing and so they prefer this time and it would be a sight to witness. Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary season to enjoy the most of the sanctuary is the winter season. Also many birds from the north also visit here during this time period. So you can surely plan your visit to the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary accordingly.

Birds in Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

More than 300 varieties of bird species are spotted in the Bhigwan Bird sanctuary. Out of them what this sanctuary is mostly known for are the Flamingos. The Greater Flamingos spotted here are migratory birds. Furthermore the flamingos come from areas like Europe, Kutch, West Africa during the winter season. These flamingos are not spotted much if it rains a lot. For comfortable nesting and swimming shallow water is more favourable for the Flamingos. So most of the time they are spotted during the winter season when there is less water.

Painted storks are another variety seen in abundance here. Their vibrant beak and black and white wings look beautiful. Further there are many aquatic birds seen here as well. These are

· Glossy Ibises

· Egrets

· Herons

· Stilts

· Sandpipers

· Terns

· Asian Openbill

· Gulls

· Indian Cormorants

· Little Cormorants

· Black Crowned Night Herons

Other than these a huge variety of migratory birds are also spotted here that includes

· Eurasian Spoonbills

· Garganey Ducks

· Black Tailed Godwits

· Bar Headed Geese

· Ruddy Shelducks

· Common Coots

· Northern Shovelers

· Eurasian Wigeons

A huge variety of land birds are spotted here as well. These are

· Osprey

· Peregrine Falcons

· Marsh Harrier

· Brahminy Kites

· Spotted eagles

· Wagtails

· Green Bee Eaters

· Kingfishers

· Common Hoopoe

Major attraction and crowd pullers found in the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary are

· Greater Flamingo

· Lesser Flamingo

· Collared Dove

· Laughing Dove

· Pheasant Tailed Jacana

· Gadwall

· Painted Spurfowl

· Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

· Little Grebe

· Painted Sandgrouse

· Steppe Eagle

· Black Shoulder Kite

· Common Wood Shrike

· Dusky Eagle Owl

· Short Eared Owl

· Orange Minivet

· Malabar Grey Hornbill

· Short Toed Snake Eagle

· Rufous Tailed Lark

· Thick Billed Flowerpecker

Flora in Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

Even though this is a designated bird sanctuary we still cannot ignore the flora here. The topographical range, swamps, dry grasslands, wetlands, woodlands and backwater of the area are the reason for such a variety of bird species in this sanctuary. The flora along with the environmental factors creates a thriving ground for such rich avifaunal variety. Along with dry deciduous forest, the sanctuary also has a lot of medicinal plants here as well. Furthermore, even commercial vegetation like Teak, Bamboo, Ain and Tendua are also seen here.

Activities is Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

Boating

One of the fun activities that visitors love here is boating. From Ujani Dam the Bhigwan Lake spreads along the area. Many organizations are found here that offer boating at this spot. Furthermore the main idea of boating in this location is to spot more birds.

While boating, the boat will take you close to where the birds are mostly found. From there you can enjoy a good view of the majority of birds. It will be highly recommended that you carry your binocular along if you want a better view. Also do not forget to carry your cameras along so that you can click many pictures. I can say that you will be spoilt for choice here as birds will be seen in abundance here.

For birdwatchers this can be one of the most interesting activities here. Boat rides are arranged here as the birds tend to avoid the crowd and prefer staying in their own vicinity. The flamingos are mostly found in their own natural habitat. By these boat rides you can delve deep into the places where you can spot more birds. Boating in Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary would cost around Rs. 1000 for a team of six for half an hour.

Fishing

Bhigwan as an area is largely dependent on fishing as an occupation. Therefore you can witness fishing activities here. One thing that Bhigwan is also popular for is their freshwater fishes. During the boat ride also you can get a closer view of fishing activities. And for the ones who want to enjoy fishing can opt for it too.

However you can also strike a conversation with the fishermen and get some insight about their life and livelihood. What can follow are deliciously cooked fishes that you cannot miss out on. Visitors especially love the spicy and deliciously cooked fish here. Fish thalis are also available here for the visitors to try. So if you are a fish lover then you certainly cannot miss out on this.

Camping

Another super cool and interesting activity in Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is camping. To enjoy a chilly night out in the open, under the sky is thrilling to experience. And if you are adventurous enough then you must opt for camping at the sanctuary. Furthermore the overnight camping here will provide an unparalleled experience for you. Especially when the sun rises in the morning, just soak in to nature as much as you can. I am sure you will be able to return with a bag full of memories to cherish later on.

Sunrise and Sunsets

Both the sunrise and sunset in Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is special. The orangish tint of the sun and the light rays as the sun rise just fills the area with a golden glow. Also the sunrays just change the colour of the whole landscape transporting you to a different world of beauty. Same for a sunset you can enjoy the birds flying back to their nests.

You can also see the birds in their energy saving mode while standing on one leg. All these will hint at the fact that the day is over. The whole area will engulf into a golden glow that will reflect everywhere. I am sure if you can enjoy anything between the sunsets or the sunrise here it will be like a lifetime experience for you. Furthermore these spectacular views would stay with you for your entire life.

Nearby places to visit from Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary

Mayureshwar Wildlife Sanctuary

This is a small wildlife sanctuary that spreads for only 5 sq km. However the sanctuary is quite rich when it comes to flora and fauna.

Kumbhargaon Bird Sanctuary

This is another bird sanctuary near the Ujani Lake that you can visit too. It is yet another sanctuary that houses a variety of bird species.

Ujani Lake

A serene lake, the Ujani Lake is one of the popular tourist attractions nearby. This is a well known spot for bird watching as well. Many birds visit here to quench their thirst. You can easily observe a variety of birds here in their natural habitat. Furthermore it is a popular site for boating as well.

Bhuleshwar Temple

This is a 13^th century temple which shows its architectural brilliance. It is also one of the mythologically and historically significant temples visited by many people.

Wrapping Up!

Now that you have all the information about the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary, simply plan up a visit here already. You will be totally amazed at the brilliant variety of birds spotted here. Furthermore after visiting here you will have a strong knowledge on the bird species as well. So when are you planning a trip to this sanctuary? Do let me know if this article on the Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary is helpful for you.

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