A few lakes in Bangalore and its surroundings are privileged to play host to these lovely birds and they in turn, obligingly grant delightful ‘darshans’ (views) to those who come seeking them. Since they hang around or should I say Perch around only for a short duration of a few weeks in winter, it is a good idea to quickly make your way to this lake as soon as abundant sightings are reported.
So come with me on this trip to Mayasandra lake which lies in the town of Anekal in the Bangalore Urban district of Karnataka, India and join me in gazing at these bejewelled branches in all their glory!
(Please be aware that there is another Mayasandra lake in the Tumakuru district around 100 km away from Bangalore, which could create confusion while invoking Google maps).
Mayasandra Lake –
Spread over a modest 25 acres or so, this lake lies in the South East part of Bangalore and towards the Tamil Nadu border.
Located amidst farmlands and fields, this waterbody is said to play host to nearly 200 species of birds which include both water birds and arboreal. It also has the distinction of offering a seasonal home to some migratory visitors, of which the European Bee-eaters are a notable example.
The lake is not developed with a paved walking path but there is a walkable dirt track along the periphery which facilitates the movement of visitors, most of whom seem to be birding enthusiasts.
At the far end, there is also a pretty pond (or maybe the lake extension) with water lilies and an adjacent small building from which there was rather loud music emanating.
European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) –
The European bee-eater is a small and flamboyantly colored bird with striking blue, yellow and chestnut plumage. As vivid as its body are its striking red eyes which are inset in a black mask like streak on the side of its head.
They live in highly social colonies and are aerial hunters, catching bees and other flying insects adroitly in mid-air. They are also smart enough to safely neutralize stinging prey like bees and wasps by beating them against branches to remove the venom.
They breed in southern Europe and migrate to certain tropical regions of the world for the winter.
A short video glimpse –
Coming soon
Birds of Mayasandra lake –
Birds of several species are said to have been spotted at this lake but since we had visited with the purpose of feasting our eyes and lenses on the European Bee-eaters, our focus was mainly on these gems of nature. However, once satiated (not really but still …) we did turn our attention to the other species that were perched or flying or swimming around.
A fidgety Common Kingfisher who was vying for attention among his colorful bee-eater rivals, a Coppersmith barbet, the ever present Red whiskered bulbuls, a beady eyed Pied kingfisher, flocks of hyperactive swallows, a lone Greater spotted eagle, a vociferous Red-wattled lapwing and the usual bunches of cormorants and other common waterbirds made up the rest of our catch for the day.
Gossip was rife among the photographers, about a Ruddy-breasted Crake that was seen skulking in the marsh somewhere in our vicinity. However, this specimen chose to stay hidden from me, although there were a couple of fortunate people who claimed to have spotted it.
Getting there –
As mentioned earlier, there is another Mayasandra lake in the Tumakuru district around 100 km away from Bangalore, so be careful not to be misled by Google maps. I recommend searching for ‘Mayasandra lake, Anekal’ to locate the correct lake.
While we were on track for almost all the way, the route towards the end was rather baffling due to Google not being updated about what looked like a newly laid stretch of highway which had resulted in a minor but sufficiently confusing change of road topography! However, with a little bit of exploring, we managed to eventually find our way to the lake. The confusion also arose because there are 2 ways to access the actual lake, one of which is via a dirt track that diverts to the right of the highway and another spot to the left of the highway that takes you under an elevated part of the road (I know you are perplexed already!) But though it was a rather complex hunt when we visited, the hope is that Google is finally in the know now, considering that quite a few months have hence passed.
Both accesses have enough space to park cars.
Where to eat –
You can imagine how all that adventuring would have whetted our appetites 😎 and hence our next quest was for food. Being in a rather isolated spot, there was no eatery in the vicinity of the lake. However, a bit of online hunting led us to a decent place called Srinidhi Upachar Pure Veg at Neraluru, around 8 km (20 minutes) from the lake. This locality also seemed to have a few more options for dining.
Please Note –
This was a personal trip and my narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my personal experiences.
For more pictures see My Facebook – Mayasandra Lake, Bangalore (coming soon)
Also catch me on My Facebook, My Facebook page, My Twitter and My Instagram
Before venturing, please check what birds have been recently sighted. There are a few websites like eBird which provide regional and current statistics.
I would really appreciate your feedback and comments in the comment box below.
Jan 18th, 2026
