Nandur Madhyameshwar Bird Sanctuary

Nandur Madhyameshwar is a wetland sanctuary in Nashik district that Dr Salim Ali called the Bharatpur of Maharashtra. Its reservoir, along with 23 lakes and smaller ponds, supports a rich mix of life: records list 265 bird species, 536 kinds of aquatic and land plants, 24 freshwater fish, 41 butterflies and eight mammals.

It is an important stopover, breeding and wintering site for birds such as the white stork, the common crane and common pochard, glossy ibis and Eurasian spoonbill. Threatened species seen here include the eastern imperial eagle and bristled grassbird, the woolly-necked stork, and both Egyptian and white-rumped vultures. The waters shelter fish of conservation concern, among them the Deolali minnow, butter catfish, slender rasbora and the Shalini barb. Leopard, barking deer and wild boar live nearby, and boat trips on the reservoir are the usual way to watch the birds.