Vadodara’s bird photographer’s book acts as a guide

Birds are considered to be winged angels which are adornment and heritage of nature.

Ratan Mahal Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Dahod district is famous for not only bears but is also knows for colorful species of birds. The place is ideal for bird watching all through the year but the more suitable time is in summer just before the monsoon and winters are considered more suitable.

Dr. Rahul Bhagwat is a bird photographer from Vadodara who has taken a camera and walked around every corner of the sanctuary with it and has worked hard to capture snaps of the birds.
He said that there are more than 205 colorful winged angels in Ratan Mahal and that bird watching and photography are all about patience, restraint, and hard work to capture the beautiful photos.

Based on the photographs of Dr. Rahul, the Forest Department has published a Ratan Mahal Wildlife Sanctuary Bird Guide. Under Vadodara Wildlife Department, it has been published by the Environmental Tourism Development Committee, Naldha, which is currently available at the office of Ratan Mahal Bear Sanctuary.

Dr. Rahul’s adventure has been full of patience which enabled him to photograph at the famous bird and wildlife sanctuaries and places of the country. This book is the first publication to present his struggle and has been made keeping Ratan Mahal and its bird heritage at the heart. This book will introduce tourists to the birds of Ratan Mahal.

Ratan Mahal Sanctuary is home to more than 205 species of native and exotic birds, some of them can be seen in all twelve months and some in favorable seasons. The sanctuary is closed to tourists during the monsoons. Recently, the Forest Department has declared a part of it as a special birding zone, which he considers to be a good move.

Dr. Rahul has published his book and thanked the Forest Department for making his efforts worthwhile. It has been made possible by the encouragement of Forest Conservator Aradhana Sahu, Shashikumar, and Deputy Forest Conservator Dr. Dhawal Gadhvi. He has received special help from Rohit Vyas, Dr. Bhavik Patel, and Nisha Phadke in this work.