22 Bird Species Spotted During Pune Earth Walks at Vetal Tekdi
Engaging with the Urban spaces in Vetal Tekdi - A report of the Pune Earth Walks urban biodiversity trail
Date: 7 June 2026
Location: Vetal Tekdi
Walk theme: Birds, Nature, and Urban Green Escapes with Gaurav Nalkur
Walk Leader: Gaurav Nalkur
No of participants: 9
The hustle and bustle of Pune did not even provide respite on a Sunday, yet that did not deter the spirits of our participants from making it to the meeting venue for the first chapter of our Pune Earth Walks. After the successful establishment of Earth Walks as an initiative in places such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Ahmedabad, Pangot, Sasan Gir, and the recent addition of Kolkata, Asian Adventures, along with the Global Wildlife Fair, decided to increase the ambit of these walks, and as it would be in the fitness of things, Pune became the natural next choice for increasing the initiative. A marathon that was taking place delayed the walk a little, but that in no way means it became less exciting.
Keeping up with the rituals, the walk started with a brief introduction about the participants, who, along with their identities, also told about their nature-based identities, such as what made them interested in birding or nature walks and what acted as their motivation to join us this Sunday morning. The reply that caught everyone’s attention was by a participant who said that he had been waiting for this opportunity to begin in Pune for a long time now, as he had heard a lot about Earth Walks when he was present at the Global Wildlife Fair last year and got glimpses of it in the workshops that were being held there. These conversations acted as the perfect base for the walk to begin, and then the participants headed towards an abandoned quarry.
The walk leader here explained that the quarry was the biggest example of urban biodiversity, as it was slowly transforming itself into an evolving wetland. He further discussed the geographic composition of the arena, which comprises volcanic basalt formations scattered all across the hills. He then told the group about the ecological importance of the place. Before further delving into the history of the place, the participant asked what the biggest hurdle affecting the growth of the wetland was, and the discussion on the construction around the area began. These had stalled the growth of the wetlands. While covering the wooded areas that existed as plantation remnants from the 1960s and 1970s and the patches of native grasslands in the region, the group came across the first sighting of the day, which was the Spotted owlet. One participant even mentioned that spotting one right in the beginning is a good sign, and as destiny would have it, the group spotted 3 of them throughout the walk. The next spotting became the Indian Silverbill, which was a subject of amazement even for the walk leader, as this was the first time he was spotting this species in Vetal Tekdi. Yet the best highlight was yet to come, it was the Black-winged Kite that was soaring high above in the sky.
This sighting stood out as this species had become uncommon in Pune, and its presence in the location clearly pointed towards one thing: the importance of protecting urban biodiversity spaces. The group also encountered an Indian Gray Mongoose and an Indian Hare. They had narrowly missed the Cinnamon Bittern, which had left the area just a few times before the group arrived. Overall, the first walk gained immense success, where the participants learnt about the tips on observing the wildlife and biodiversity around them, and understood the deeper aspects of human -nature interaction.
The walk ended by 10:30 pm, but the inputs gained by the participants in this are bound to stay with them forever. You can even be a part of these walks every Sunday and add something valuable to your skill set. Unlock the natural adventure that exists around you and get the premium access to a more mindful way of living. To be a part, click here https://asianadventures.info/p/af0725/
Bird List
- Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
- Eurasian Moorhen
- Red-wattled Lapwing
- Little Grebe
- Little Cormorant
- Little Egret
- Indian Pond-Heron
- Black-winged Kite
- Black Kite
- Spotted Owlet
- Asian Green Bee-eater
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Large-billed Crow
- Asian Tit
- Common Tailorbird
- Jungle Prinia
- Ashy Prinia
- Dusky Crag-Martin
- Red-vented Bulbul
- Indian White-eye
- Common Myna
- Indian Robin
- Purple Sunbird
- Indian Silverbill