Also known as the California of Maharashtra, the Konkan region is popular for a variety of reasons. From beautiful beaches to verdant villages, delicious seafood, interesting water activities, coconuts and betel nuts. The area is also rich in a surprising assortment of flora and fauna. One such special location is the beautiful hamlet in the Shiravali village in the Chiplun region of Ratnagiri District of Konkan. Also referred to as Nandu’s Eaglenest Sanctuary, deep into the luscious Shiravali village surfaces Nandu’s typical Konkani house. A haven for birders and wildlife photographers, this Eagle Nest Camp, named such because of the landmark Nest of Eagle, becomes a stop for almost all tourists. Moreover, Nandu is the perfect guide for the incoming crowd as he helps you explore this glorious avifauna, especially the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, found in this place.
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Maharashtra
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Mumbai Airport
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9/10 for Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher
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8/10 Beauty of Forest
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60 Days in Advance
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Fauna of Nandu's Bird Sanctuary
Nandu’s Bird Sanctuary is surrounded by lush forests of Shiravali village. A peaceful birding reprieve with an abundance of great flora and fauna. The region is perfect for birdwatching and is a hub of tourists with such interests. The jewel of this land is the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher. This small but colourful adorable bird breeds in the western ghats during monsoon seasons. This vibrant bird nests in the mud banks found in the sanctuary and breeds twice in the monsoon months. Two sets of chicklets fledge, and both hatch in around 15 days. These special wet months are the only time to spot these rare birds. Despite the bird being popular in several habitats, its small size and quick flight make it impossible to be sighted in thick jungles.
Although structured literature on this treasure trove is sparse, talks with Nandu reveal that he has spotted almost 215 different species of birds in the area. Some of them include White-Throated Kingfisher, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Crested Hawk Eagle, Brown Wood Owl, Brown Hawk Owl and more. Apart from birds, you will come across a variety of different animals in the area, from amphibians to reptiles, mammals and the celebrated avifauna. The night trails in the Shiravali village are a great sport to spot some of the nocturnal animals like a Jungle cat, leopard etc. Several different types of crocodiles, bullfrog, Funnel Web spider, Giant Web spider, Indian rock python, Common Sand Boa Snake, Yellow Banded Wolf Snake, Bronx Back Snake and a lot more are resident in these fertile lands.
- crocodiles
- bullfrog
- Funnel Web spider
- Giant Web spider
- Indian rock python
- Common Sand Boa Snake
- Yellow Banded Wolf Snake
- Bronx Back Snake
- White-Throated Kingfisher
- Malabar Pied Hornbill
- Great Hornbill
- Crested Hawk Eagle
- Brown Wood Owl
- Brown Hawk Owl
- Fish Eagle Owl
- Leopard
- Jungle cat
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History of Nandu's Bird Sanctuary
Nandu Tambe is a local of Shiravali village and has made exhaustive efforts for the forests and nature nearby. He is associated with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and has completed several projects for them. He believes in ecotourism, is a keen conservationist and at his young age, he is known as a Snake Rescuer, Crocodile Specialist, Bird Specialist and Nature Lover.
You will stay at Nandu’s house in Shiravali and have your meals in the same location. Moreover, he has a hidden set-up on his farm close by for wildlife photography. Nandu’s farm is a protected area and he takes great care of the hides, even ensuring the photographers move out from time to time, to allow the birds a peaceful space.
Things to Enjoy
In Nandu’s trusty hands, you are assured that your trip to this small village will be very eventful. As a staunch nature lover himself, under Nandu’s guidance, you will have the most amazing experience of witnessing all the different fauna, interacting with the riveting creatures in their natural habitat and engaging in fun activities available on site. During the bright mornings, you can go on morning jungle trails to witness the different natural elements of the mystic forest. The tall trees, the famous Eagle Nest, colourful birds, throaty frogs, spinning spiders, elusive crocodiles and elegant snakes will be your friends on this journey. You can even go to the River Bridge to engage in fishing. Depending on the season, you can catch more than twenty fish in one go and have a hearty meal later.
After the morning trail, a delicious lunch is planned and during the evening activities like fishing and crocodile watch can be enjoyed. The rivers, swamps and lakes nearby contain nearly 700 crocodiles. The nights are usually reserved for the special night trail. Nocturnal cats, other mammals and snakes come out to play during the nighttime and make for a warm company on your nightly excursion. Cave exploration is also a thrilling activity reserved for this sanctuary. Heavy-duty torches, headlights and sticks are provided for this exploration. You can soak in the serenity of the dark cave and enjoy the spooky experience of bats hanging on the roof. If you’re lucky you can have surprise encounters with the local fauna inside the cave such as the Scorpion Spider.
How to reach Nandu's Bird Sanctuary
The Shiravali village is located in Chiplun, which is a mere 250 km from Mumbai and is well connected by rail and road. If you’re arriving at Chiplun via a train, Eagle’s Nest Camp can provide a pick up for you at the station. The Tutari Express is the best choice for a train from Mumbai to Chiplun. Since the area is well developed, you can even drive to Chiplun on your own. Once in Chiplun, you can take an autorickshaw or a cab to reach Eagle’s Nest Camp. If driving by yourself, from Chiplun you need to drive towards Guhagar on the Chiplun-Guhagar highway till you reach Rampur. After Rampur, you need to take a left at Gudhe Phata and continue towards the Pathardi Junction. From there drive to Eagle’s Nest Camp at Shiravali village.
Places to Stay
Eagle’s Nest Camp is the only option for staying at this sanctuary. However, Nandu and his family’s hospitality and warm meals will leave no room for complaint. The traditional Konkani house you will stay at will offer you an intimate experience with the surrounding forest and its resident avifauna. You can contact us for further details on how to go on this amazing excursion to Eagle’s Nest Camp.