A shikara ride on Dal lake is one of those experiences without which a trip to Kashmir would be incomplete. I had a chance to visit Srinagar in August 2016. With a curfew imposed in Srinagar, tourism had taken a hit and it felt like we were the only tourists on Dal Lake.
We set off on a Shikara ride an hour or two before sunset to have some peace time on the lake. With the Himalaya on one side, as expected, the lake was absolutely serene, and the waters, still and tranquil. What we didn’t expect though, were the bird sightings, that we would have! In hindsight, it’s pretty obvious and natural that the place would be full of birds. It’s a lake after all! But nobody really thinks of birds when they think of Dal lake. Anyhow, I managed to click a few of them with my len’s limited 200mm reach.
A Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
A Black kite juvenile (Milvus migrans)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
A Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) preying on a little fish
Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
As the sunset began to set, we started heading back to our houseboat, with a slight regret for not carrying a birding lens with a longer reach for this boat ride. By the time we got to the houseboat, the sky was literally flaming in hues of orange and yellow. And so was the lake, reflecting the vivid colors of the sky. A stunning sunset to end the day with.
A stunning sunset a sight to behold.
With a feeling of satisfaction, we retired into our houseboat. Dal Lake had surprised us in more ways than one. No wonder it is referred to as the ‘Jewel in the crown of Kashmir’.
Sashikant Dash 
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