Jati and Birding in Summer

I’ve always loved to travel and birding has given me the opportunity and motivation to visit many places in Pakistan that I might otherwise not have visited. In July 2018 I visited the area of Jati for the first time ever. It’s a locality of Sindh located at a drive of 3 hours from the city of Karachi and containing some water bodies which attract many species of birds that you might not see elsewhere. It was here, for example, that I photographed a Common Kingfisher for the first time. I find this bird is small and usually difficult to photograph but on this trip I was lucky enough to capture one at close range against a perfect background. I was hoping to capture some pictures of Green Bee-Eaters but I learned then that in summer their colors get sadly faded.

I also saw Weavers for the first time and true to their name I saw them right when they were in the middle of weaving their nests. Another exciting discovery was seeing a White Breasted Water Hen with its chick which we respectfully stayed away from.  Apart from that I also managed to photograph a few butterflies which was a pleasant addition.

However, in spite of the thrill of exploring this new place I must say it was a disappointment to learn that summers aren’t the best time to go birding in Sindh. In this desert province of ours the extreme heat drives the birds into hiding leaving us with not much variety to photograph and the extreme glare of the summer sun causes a background that is too bright. The extreme brightness also negatively impacts the clarity of the pictures.

Advice when going to Jati

I’m no seasoned traveler but a few pieces of advice I do consider essential. Since it is a long trip (3 hours one way) and there’s no reliable garage on the way to Jati I would advise any travelers to get their car checked before the trip and ensure there is enough fuel for the journey before starting off. Please don’t forget that Sindh is a desert area and it is EXTREMELY important to stay hydrated and to have some kind of protection from the sun in the form of both a hat and SPF.

Happy birding!