Beautiful Birds of Pakistan - Flamingos

I first came face to face with this beautifully colored, long legged and amazing bird in Lahore Zoo in my childhood. While I admired this tall with elongated curvy neck and pink plumage, I was equally fascinated the Urdu translation of its name as Lamdheeng - someone with long legs, which is a befitting translation of a flamingo's appearance.

Flamingos do not have a sizable population in Pakistan, but out of the six species found world wide, Greater Flamingos are spotted in Pakistan, mostly in the salt lakes or the coastal regions of Pakistan. As per Wikipedia, the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, on the India-Pakistan subcontinent, in the Middle East and southern Europe.

Many years ago, while going to Skasar in the Soan Valley near Khushab/Sargodha, I came across this beautiful birds in the Ucchali Lake at the footsteps of Skasar hills.It was getting dark that day and traffic going up the hills was almost non existent, so I sat with the guard in the guard room. As it was his evening food time, he picked up his shot gun, went out and I heard a single shot. And then he triumphantly returned with a duck in his hand that he cooked and we both ate. Thankfully, he did not shoot a flamingo.

Flamingos have long, lean, curved necks and black-tipped bills with a distinctive downward bend. The specially curved beak of flamingos helps in stirring up mud to sucks water through its bill and filters out small shrimp, seeds, blue-green algae, microscopic organisms and mollusks. 

The close up of the bill of a greater flamingo - Photo: National Geographic

It is observed that the Greater Flamingo feeds with its head down and its upper jaw is movable and not rigidly fixed to its skull.

Why flamingos are always found in the saline water - there is an interesting Argentinian folktale that describes its colours and saline water abode. Here is how the folklore goes:

Long ago, the animals of a forest arranged a ball. While the rest of the animals had a new dress, the flamingos had nothing but a white cloak only. This really saddened the flamingos and decided to consult the jungle wizard, the owl, for a solution. The owl designed vividly coloured striped trousers and the flamingos looked really attractive. At the ball, they caught everyone's attention but the snakes got angry as the trousers were made of snake skin - for owl prey on snakes and the owl wizard had only snake skins left in her nest. The snakes as a protest bit the flamingos who ran to the nearest lake to ease their pain. Since that day, the flamingos do not leave the saline water as the saltwater keeps away the pain caused by the snake bites away. That is why they have red legs red and their feathers pink.

The flamingos breed in the form of a community around large lakes and water reservoirs. In captivity in zoos, they still breed well as the zoos keep large mirrors in their cages, which gives a feeling of not being alone as the mirror imaging looks like a community to the captive birds.

ave you heard flamingos calling? Well I have not, but it is said that their call is a goose-like honking. 

The photos by Mirza Naim Baig have been taken in the coastal region around Karachi, Pakistan. But flamingos are mostly spotted in the central Punjab in the salt lakes like Ucchali and Khabekki.

About the Bird Watcher and Photographer

Mirza Naim Baig is a freelancer member WWF who takes part inn the preservation of wildlife, beside being a wildlife tour operator. He is from Karachi and studied Bachelor of Arts at Edwards College, Peshawar and lives in Karachi. He is the owner of Dream Merchants.

His birding experiences and photos can be seen on Facebook. All photos above are the property of Mirza Naim Baig and have been shared here with his exclusive permission. In time more of his birding photos will be posted to share his hard work and love for these little flying birds.

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Beautiful Birds of Pakistan - 3

We usually see ordinary wood peckers in our courtyards, lawns and gardens that remind us of the famous cartoon series "Woody Wood Pecker". But I have never seen the colourful Black Rumped Flameback Woodpeckers as shot by Nusrat Ali and seen in the caption photo (above). I am sure for many of novice birdwatchers, this will be a unique addition to their albums. As per Wikipedia, the black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or lesser goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas.

Hoopoe

I always mistook hoopoe to be from the family of woodpeckers and would think of the cartonned version of this bird as it often landed in my garden (below). 

But it is only today that I came to know that this brownish coloured bird with black and white stripes is called hoopoe and not at all related to the woodpecker family. It is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive "crown" of feathers. Three living and one extinct species are recognized, though for many years all were lumped as a single species—Upupa epops.

Now scroll down for many more beautiful birds of Pakistan as seen and shot by Nusrat Ali:

Tawny Eagle

The Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) is a majestic, large, handsome and rather ferocious looking bird of prey that inhabits Africa. Although it is generally observed both north and south of the Sahara desert. the one above was observed in the desert of Sind, Pakistan. The Tawny Eagle was once considered a relative of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), however, it is now classed as its own species due to differences in anatomy.

Spotted Munia

Black Headed Bunting Male

Robin

Paddyfield Pipit

Striolated Bunting

Grey Francolin

Baybacked Shrike

And last photo of today: My favourite colourful Green Bee Eater

About the Bird Watcher and Photographer

Nusrat Ali is a graduate of Karachi University and resides in Karachi. He finds time from his busy life in search of birds in and around Karachi. He shares his photographic adventures specially with regard to his birdwatching hobby on Facebook. All photos above are the property of Nusrat Ali  and have been shared with his due permission. 

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Tracey Curtis's biplane touches down in Pakistan

(PHOTO: AYSHA SALEEM/Express)

Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline has always been a touchdown must for many aviation expeditions and record breaking flights. Lat Tuesday, a Canadian female aviator Tracey Curtis touched down in Karachi in a 1942 Boeing Stearman bi-plane 'Spirit of Artemis.'

Tracey Curtis' journey in her bi-plane is a sort of dedication and paying homage to Amy Johnson, the pioneering British aviator, and emulate Johnson’s epic solo flight from Britain to Australia in 1930 by following Johnson’s route to relive her dramatic adventures.

The 53-year-old Miss Curtis embarked upon a 13,000-mile solo flight in a vintage open-cockpit biplane on October 1, 2015. She was received on the Quaid-e-Azam International airport by Air Marshal Salman Ahsan Bukhari of Pakistan Air Force (Pictured above), John A Tucknott, British deputy high commissioner of Pakistan and Engro chairperson Hussain Dawood.

Curtis’ flight is expected to take 12 to14 weeks with her arrival in Sydney in early 2016. Her flight from Farnborough, England, has so far touched down destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean to Jordan, over the Arabian Desert, across the Gulf of Oman to Pakistan. Continuing her journey to India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, she will finally cross the Timor Sea to Australia.

Tracy with Pakistan Air Force officer  Squadron Leader Saira Batool at Gwader airport (Photo APP)

Earlier, Tracey Curtis touched down at Gwader seaport of Pakistan on Monday. On her arrival she was received by Squadron Leader Saira Batool, a lady pilot of Pakistan Air Force. Later Tracy endorsed her remarks on her Facebook: "Overwhelming reception in ‪Gwadar. Unbelievable welcome by C-47 and honoured to meet Air Force pilot Saira and now high on cliffs overlooking the Arabian Sea. Blown away by it all."

During her short stay in Karachi, Curtis will visit Dawood Public School and interact with more than 2,000 female students. The event is being organised by Engro Corporation, Habib Bank Limited and the Dawood Foundation.

Welcoming Tracy Curtis, John A Tucknott, British deputy high commissioner of Pakistan, said that he was delighted to welcome Curtis to Pakistan. “I have been living in Pakistan for the last two years, and I find it to be one of the most colourful and culturally rich nations.”

Sources |Express Tribune-17 November|Express Tribune-18 November

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The Three Anarkalis

Anarkali is a very romantic name indeed. Films and historical books are replete with the romantic tales attached with this name. So we already know much more about Anarkali of the courtyards of the Emperor Akbar and his son Shaikhoo. That was all about the first Anarkali. Lately, the story of Anarkali was given a new dimension by Shoaib Mansoor in a beautiful video, which further dramatizes the love story.

The second Anarkali is the once famous Anarkali Bazaar of Lahore where anyone visiting Lahore would go for shopping, specially the ladies. I had some vivid and nostalgic memories attached with this Anarkali. Being from Lahore and the youngest of all brothers, I had to invariably accompany my mother to Anarkali Bazaar for shopping. Our first stop used to be at Banao Bazaar, an allayed mini bazaar inside Anarkali. Beside other features (common to women), one of the best attraction used to be the spicy fruit chaat, which I believe still sells like hot cakes. The fruit chaat used to be so spicy, that unless one drank milk shake, the burning wouldn’t go away. So our nest stop would be the milk shake shops. Milk shake in those days wasn’t available freely as of now, and it was more specific to Anarkali alone. Few would also know that the tomb of once mighty ruler of India, Qutab ud Din Aibak, who died while playing “Chogan” ( Polo), is also situated into one of the side roads of Anarkali. No one visits the place as people hardly know of it existence. Strange are the ways of Nature – kings buried go un-noticed.

After the shifting of the bulk of population to areas adjacent to Gulberg and the Lahore Defence, Liberty and markets in the Y Block and other places in the Defence became the hub of all shopping for most of the people in Lahore and also of all the visitors. While the Anarakali Bazaar still serves as the hub of the shopping for the people living around the place and that of old Lahore, its galore has dimmed over the years. Though opening of the second Food Street has added some added attraction to the Bazaar.

There was yet another Anarkali, which had been synonymous to the Karachi Zoo for decades and was very popular among children. Yes, I am talking of the lone female elephant of the Karachi Zoo, who died earlier this year. Aged 65-70 years, she was the oldest inhabitant and the main attraction for the visitors of the zoo. Born in Burma Anarkali, one day she walked into the jungles of the Former East Pakistan in early 50s. and at that time she never knew that she would be flown to a place thousand of miles away to become darling of the children for the rest of her life.  I too had a chance to see her when once I visited the Karachi Zoo many many years ago. And may heart really ached listening to the news of her demise.

So all three Anarkalis leave behind romantic and unforgettable memories. While the real Anarkali will continue to live on in the history books, and the Lahore Anarkali Bazaar would continue to provide a shopping place for many, the Anarkali of Karachi Zoo will some day fade away from the memories of those who had the chance to  see her once in their lives.

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Karachi - the First City into My Memory Chip

I am adding my first entry into my new blog - and I take a start from Karachi. Not because it is the gateway to Pakistan "Bab-e-Pakistan" as it lies on the most southern portion of Pakistan on the Arabian Sea, but because my earliest childhood memories belong to this city. I was three years old when my father then serving in Police in Sargodha (where he was the Reserve Inspector at Police Training School "PTS" responsible for the training of the recruits - later PTS moved to Sihala near Rawalpindi and upgraded to the level of a college) was transferred to Karachi in the Intelligence Bureau (and had a great deal to do into its organization and functioning).


So it was Karachi - I had a faint memory of how our house looked. It was near the place where present day Hajji Camp is located. There was a Fish Toll near our house. Once it rained very heavily and I remember we walked in knee deep water to a nearby complaint office to report for the electricity failure. I was almost five then. The famous China Creek was not far from our house and near that there was a small shop which beside other things sold "Till kay Laddoos" - then my favourite. Then there were Trams in Karachi, which I once remembered to have ridden with my brothers. Alas!! That treasure has since vanished. One of my aunt living with us was an air hostess in PIA and would always bring back bundles of chocolates and other sweet stuff. Once she brought me a small toy of Santa Claus riding a stag-driven cart. When the toy ran, it gave a ringing bell sound.


Then one day it was announced that my father had been posted to Lahore and we were to pack up. So we boarded a train (later it was revealed that we boarded the then famous Tez Gam). We left at night and I still remember the small hillocks passing by the moving train like ghosts.


I came back to Karachi in 1977 and then there was no ending to it.


I was later to find that Located on the mouth of the Arabia Sea, Karachi was nothing much until the Mirs of Talpur seized it from the Khan of Kalat in 1795 and constructed a mud fort at Manora. Originally what now constitutes Karachi was a group of small villages including Kalachi-jo-Kun or just Kolachi and the fort of Manora. Any history of Karachi prior to the 19th century is sketchy. Karchi is also said to be called Krokola from which one of Alexander the Great's admirals sailed at the end of his conquests was the same as Karachi. In 1729, Kolachi-jo-Goth became a trading post when it was selected as a port for trade with Muscat and Bahrain. In the following years a fort was built and cannons brought in from Muscat were mounted on it. The fort had two doorways, one facing the sea called the Khara Darwaza or Brackish Gate and one facing the River Lyari called the Meetha Darwaza or Sweet Gate. Currently, the site of those gates corresponds to the location of the neighbourhoods of Kharadar and Meetha-dar. In 1795 the city passed from the Khan of Kalat to the Talpur rulers of Sindh. The town then swelled and by 18181, had a population of some 13,000. Not much happened thereafter until 1st February 1839, when a British ship - the Wellesley - anchored off Manora. Two days later the little fort surrendered without a shot being fired on either side. Three years later, it was annexed into British India as a district. The fickle finger of fate had suddenly shoved the sleepy back-water towards becoming a megalopolis, a world city.


Its development during Sir Charles Napier's era has been significant, who once said "Would that I could come again to see you in your grandeur!". Napier's quote proved almost prophetic and today Karachi has all what a thriving seaport anywhere in the world should have - wide sunny beaches and yachting, deep-sea fishing, golf and horse racing all-year round. Karachi was not what many see it today. At the time of independence though trams were used as means of transportation in some selected sections of the city, it had mostly camel driven carts snailing around the city. Some Victorian style buildings could be seen in the city centre. In fact Karachi as a city lacked a rich cultural past or the absence of historical buildings. Some of the old Victorian buildings that still stand to their glory include the famous Frere Hall.


From camel/donkey carts and cycle rickshaws and trams, Karachi has come a long way. Today mini buses and metro buses have replaced carts and trams. While a majority of people wait for the buses after a hard day's work, gleaming new air-conditioned cars whiz by on broad and busy roads. Although there are very rich people in Karachi, called "Seths", a majority of middle class people, who Karachi feeds of his established industrial base, look on. Since independence in 1947, Karachi has swelled into a very big city with modern buildings replacing the old ones, though some old hearts weep with nostalgic memories when any old building goes down.


Today Karachi is bursting with skyscrapers, modern 5 star hotels and restaurants and many public parks and theaters. Karachi is host to the annual Kara Film festival. Although this festival is very new it has gained an eminent position in international circles. Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan and also home to the largest stock exchange of Pakistan: the Karachi Stock Exchange. Most Pakistani banks have their headquarters in Karachi. The headquarters of nearly all the multi-national companies based in Pakistan are in Karachi. Karachi also has a huge industrial base. The Karachi Steel Mills, the pride of the nation, is located near Port Bin Qasim and provides the much needed steel for the development of the country. There are large industrial estates on most of the fringes of the main city. The main industries are textiles, pharmaceuticals, steel, and automobiles, besides many cottage industries . Karachi is also developing into a software hub of Pakistan.


Karachi has a number of beaches, sun bathed with blue water kissing and taking away the warmth from the sun baked sand. French Beach is the finest beach in Karachi. The water is clean and the air is crisp. There are gorgeous rocks embedded in the ocean. The waves splashing against them is quite a lovely sight. But the Clifton Beach is the most visited as it is the only beach that is in the immediate city, close that is. All the other ones are farther away. Hawks Bay is yet another wonderfully sunny and sandy beach. The water is clean and if you need a tan, it is the beach to go to. The huts allow total privacy and the view is magnificent. If someone is interested in turtles then Sand Spit is the beach to go to. Paradise Point is the last beach on Sindh's limits. It is a fairly rocky, allowing no swimming.


Karachi is a true representation of Pakistan as people from all races and regions of Pakistan abound here which also is the chief reason that its restaurants provide a wide choice and range of Pakistani cuisines. One can find endless variety of Pakistani handicrafts like rugs / carpets of rare design and beauty and ornaments and clothes. In fact one can call it a ethnic and linguistic pot pouri of Pakistan.


So this is all about Karachi from me - my next travel will be through streets of Lahore (logically too as we came to Lahore from Karachi) where I grew up eating one of the best food anywhere in the world.

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