After an excellent walk at Jakkur our next walk was at Rachenahalli on the 9th June 2019 as part of the Citizen Science and Lakes initiative. About 25 people joined us for the walk of which 15 were children. Aswathy led the walk and started with the tree we were standing under, The Jamican Cherry tree also called Singapore cherry or Kaskase tree. She spoke about how the small birds love the berries of this tree and that the red berries are very sweet and can be consumed by humans too.
Under the Singapore Cherry tree
Further we came across Black Babul tree or the Karijali tree
Black Babul or the Karijali tree
and the Sacred fig tree.
Sacred fig or The People Tree
Fig fruit
For more information on the ficus and the Black Babul tree please refer to our Biodiversity walk at Jakkur lake
As we moved towards the Wetlands area children got to observe the behaviour of Purple moorhen which was hopping on the wetland reeds. Purple moorhens nest and roost in the wetlands.
Children observing purple moorhen in the wetland
Purple moorhen
As we were observing the moorhens a plant in front of us had these strange leaves. These are leaf gall an abnormal growth of the leaves caused by insects. Different insect creates different shaped galls. These are not harmful to the plants/trees
Galls on the leaves
Children were fascinated to observe Indian Shag or Indian Cormorant. It diving into the water to catch fish and then surfacing out, sitting on a nearby stump and drying its wings.
Indian Cormorant drying its wings
The walk ended at the gazebo with children seeing some pictures of butterflies. They tried to identify the butterflies that they have seen.
@green walkers on lake bunds. Very good awareness prog. I suggest that each one of us can contribute info about our own street flora and fauna census. Group to walk across their own street, identify the species of trees, note down if there is a rain water percolation pit around them, birds/other species that inhabit those trees and also potholes/ absence of footpath etc., and create a data base so be posted to BBMP for such action as may be deemed fit in the interest of public service.
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