Upallapadu Bird Sanctuary.
Upallapadu Bird Sanctuary is about ten kilometers east of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh along the old Guntur Road. I caught the local bus from platform 31 at the Guntur Bus Stand. I got off the bus and walked up the road past the tanks.
Asian Pied Starling (Sturnus contra)
The tanks here are kept in very good order unlike some of the ones I have seen full of plastic and rubbish. First off I spotted and old friend, the Asian Pied Starling. I think the last time I saw this bird was in southern Laos at Four Thousand Islands. Or is it One thousand? I forget. doh! Asian Pied Starling is just in range from the distribution map from my book.
Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
I found the proper sanctuary and there were lots of birds. Mainly Painted Storks and Asian Openbills. I saw a lot of young birds from these two.
Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)
These pelicans breed later in the year as far as I can tell.
black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
I thought this was a Black-crowned Night-heron but there are not any in India as far as I know. Edit: It was a Black-crowned Night-heron after all and they are all over the world. doh! I need to trust my judgement more.
Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)
My only new bird for the day. They look more like a moorhen to me, especially with that forehead patch.
Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)
Another shot side on. They have the huge legs of the jacanas, moorhens etc.
This is a really young bird.
Quite a large colony on the side of this tank.
This Ashy Prinia stood up quite proudly posing for me. His eyes make him look a bit crazy.
To sum up, there are lots of birds here and it is very worthwhile if you have not seen Painted Storks, Openbills, Spot-billed Pelicans or Spot-billed Ducks.
Uppalapadu bird list.
Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)
Asian Pied Starling (Sturnus contra)
Black-headed Ibis
Ashy Prinia (Prinia socialis)
Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
Spot-billed Pelican
White-breasted Waterhen
Painted Stork
Asian Openbill
Common Coot
Common Moorhen
Purple Swamphen
black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Indian Pond Heron
Cattle Egret
Purple Heron
Black-winged Stilt
Little Cormorant
Shikra
Black Drongo
House Crow
Common Myna
Spotted Dove
Red-vented Bulbul
Rose-ringed Parakeet
White-throated Kingfisher