#quick avifauna

[artboomboom]

Ink Tuesday... A quick drawing for my "Birder" friends out there who are alert to the traits of their avifauna. Aware and attuned.

[factsaboutshimla]

Facts about Shimla

Shimla, which offers stunning vistas of the peaks of the mountain range, alpine forests, and a blatant colonial charm, is unquestionably the Queen of the Himalayas. Despite having breath-taking views of mountains and valleys, the bustling Himalayan town of Shimla is the perfect example of order in a situation of turbulence. Every season depicts a different scene, from the warm, golden sunshine of the summers to the lovely, white wonderland of the winters. 

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Points of interest along the road from Delhi to Shimla

Explore the memorial and museum that are connected to the prominent Panipat battlefield.     

You may visit the serene Brahma Sarovar and Mahabharat sites in Kurukshetra.

If you happen to have time, you can take a quick tour of Chandigarh, the most adequately planned and picturesque city in all of India, to view its famous landmarks.     

Another well-liked location to visit in Kalka to learn about the local avifauna and other animals is the Sukhna Animals Sanctuary.

Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and the single-gauge railway between Kalka and Shimla are famous.

Parwanoo — A town well-known for its fruit growing, Parwanoo is surrounded by orchards where you can stop for fresh fruit and other treats made with fruit.

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Manali - Travel Blog

The Gilbert Trail in Kasauli is a well-known nature trail for strolls and seeing the hills shortly after sunset.

What sets Shimla apart?

The town is renowned for its lovely hillsides, which are encircled by woods of oak and pine. Shimla, the state's capital, is noted for having the Mall, Ridge, and Toy Train. The town's colonial-style structures and artifacts from the past give it a unique appearance.

Also, visit my other blog Healthy Diet

What should we eat there?

Mash Daal: Split black lentils or ma ki daal are used to make mash daal or kali daal. The soothing mash daal is made by soaking it the night before, pressure cooking it, and then simmering it with very finely chopped onions, ginger, and garlic as well as other flavors that have been shallow fried in warm mustard oil.

Babru: Similar to a Himachali version of the well-known kachoris, babru. It is produced by stuffing kneaded dough patties with ground black gram daal paste that has been both soaked and pulverised. After being rolled and deep-fried, these patties are then served with tamarind chutney.

Thukpa: Thukpa is a Tibetan noodle soup that can be made both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Fresh vegetables like tomato, onions, string beans, carrots, and chopped cabbage can be added to the noodles with or without meat or chicken. Chili, ginger-garlic paste, and other condiments of the customer's choice are used to make this hot cuisine.

[postmodern-nostalgia]

Pets rule the internet: a critique and comparison of Felipa Cheng’s Ode to Kring-Kring and Brian David Gilbert’s we like watching birds

With the constant rise of technological improvements and their growing relevance in our lives, new media art continues to thrive in both realms of art creation and appreciation. Not only are we provided with easy-to-access platforms to enjoy them; we are also given many opportunities to make our own at our fingertips. Look no further than the video sharing website Tiktok, where an average of 1 million videos are viewed daily (Mohsin, 2022).

Back in the day, short-form video content were not as appreciated as their full-feature counterparts. Full-length movies were always deemed to be the more difficult one to make–rightfully so because of their length. Quick video clips on the other hand, were considered only for gags, as in the case of the late 80s show America’s Funniest Home Videos, one of the earliest programs that gave these types of films a platform. It was not until internet access became more widespread that short viral videos became popular.

Today, short-form videos are given more credit and is seen as a legitimate medium where anyone can share whatever they want. There are clips that provide useful tutorials, news bits, and even plain entertainment. Enter two short-form videos with qualities that do not fit in just one category: we like watching birds (stylized in lowercase) and Ode to Kring Kring. Despite their vague classification and cryptic writing, these two depict a clear image of the state of internet culture today.

 we like watching birds

Brian David Gilbert, also known as BDG, is an online content creator known for both short-form and hour-long videos on YouTube. BDG previously worked for Polygon, a media company that covers various areas of pop culture such as Japanese anime and video games. On his eponymous YouTube channel, however, he has created a following with his brief, witty short-form content. These films are often about random, mundane topics such as caterpillars in this song is not a metaphor and playing darts in it’s time to get good at darts. we like watching birds is not an exception. The video immediately starts with a catchy song performed and composed by Gilbert himself, but this time with the vocal accompaniment of his partner Karen Han. It is, as stated in the title, about watching birds, and is constantly reiterated in the video by directly mentioning it and naming different species of avifauna–that is, until the happy melody devolved into a chorus about praising a one-eyed horrifying bird god.

A healthy number of Gilbert’s videos follow a similar sequence; they start off with a calm and cheery atmosphere and then, at an unexpected point in the video, begin to shift to a psychological genre. we like watching birds is initially presented as a shallow melody about bird-watching, but almost halfway through the video an unexpected, absurd lore was presented. The mood shifts back to a cheerful one before the video ends, albeit now mixed with a feeling of unease, especially in the line “we like watching birds, which is good, ‘cause we have no choice”, implying the singers’ newfound fear of the bird god after their occult-like worship.

Gilbert’s body of work can be described as postmodern absurdist comedy, described by Stockwell (2016) as a type of comedy that relies on the use of absurdity, non-sequiturs, and irrational or illogical elements to create a sense of surprise and confusion in the audience. Surrealist humor often aims to challenge the audience’s preconceptions and question the way they see the world. This type of humor is also postmodern in the sense that it “rejects grand narratives and universal truths” (Lyotard, 1997).

 Ode to Kring-Kring

Felipa Cheng is a communication arts student from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cheng produced several pieces of short-form videos dedicated to her friends. Her creations included faux album covers depicting what kind of recording artist her friends would be and what songs they would produce.

Ode to Kring-Kring, one of the clips from Cheng’s project, is a ‘hypothetical’ song that would be produced by one of her friends who owns a plump orange cat named Kring-Kring. The video was in a 1:1 aspect ratio, with a length of exactly one minute–a format which is perfectly made to be sent on the internet, be it a social media platform such as Instagram or a messaging app like Telegram. Cheng used digital software to render handdrawn animatics of a cat which, as mentioned in the song, is “sleeping on [its owner’s] face”.

The video also creates a calm and comforting atmosphere while also being humorous. Alexander (2022) mentions that a conducted by the University of Texas showed that even people who identify as ‘dog persons’ prefer cat-related memes on the internet. The psychological explanation to this phenomenon suggests that internet users that enjoy cat memes project themselves on the personality traits of cats, which include aloofness, independence, and unpredictability. Such qualities of the feline make them a suitable subject for irony and sarcastic humor. In turn, these traits of the cat meme create a sense of comfort.

 While the two short-form videos have high contrasts in their content, they have a significant common denominator, and that is their absurdity. Both cater to surrealist humor which has been the online community’s form of escape especially during the rise of multiple world crises (Matsakis, 2017). The growing acceptance of weird content on the internet, combined with the unstoppable growth of short-form content and the diminishing attention span of viewers, will not be going anywhere, and it will continue providing the solace that is much needed in this era of information overload.

 References:

Alexander, L. (2022, January 4). Why the internet chose cats. Thought Catalog. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://thoughtcatalog.com/leigh-alexander/2011/01/why-the-internet-chose-cats/

Cheng, F. (2021). Ode to Kring-Kring.

Gilbert, B. D. (2021, May 10). We like watching birds. YouTube. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml7bK1jg69I&t=39s

Lyotard, J. F. (1997). The postmodern condition. University of Minnesota.

Matsakis, L. (2017, July 1). Surreal memes are the last escape the internet has. VICE. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwz833/surreal-memes-are-the-last-escape-the-internet-has

Mohsin, M. (2022, December 31). 10 tiktok statistics you need to know in 2022 [new data]. Oberlo. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.oberlo.com/blog/tiktok-statistics

Stockwell, P. (2016). The Language of Surrealism. p. 177. Bloombury Publishing.

[mellow-em]

Avifauna (Sam Drake)

Chapter 2: Trail Of Thieves

Iris Lee was a monarch when it came to treasure hunting. But in regards to her most valued search yet, she had fallen short to the sneaky hands of two fellow treasure hunters who were to embark on a journey to the same treasure; the treasure belonging to Henry Avery.

( DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters or the storyline of Uncharted, all rights belong to ND! )

Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 3

____________________________________

After following the trail of clouds that sifted from the other plane, I managed to sneak around the bend to land not too far from them. I had to be sure that they were rid of any suspicions they would have of the aircraft, knowing it belonged to Shoreline.

I didn't know where the two hunters could be, but I had a pretty good notion as to where they would end up. I've had experiences with King's bay in the past, but for a trail of expeditions unlike this one. 

It was meant to be a cleanse from my life before at the time, but it ended in me engulfing myself into the intoxicating business of treasure hunting. 

I safely exited the helicopter at the top of a mountain not too far from the town. Immediately after opening the latch to the outside, the sudden urge to throw my winter clothes off swarmed me.

 I threw my jacket and the rest of my layers off, immediately feeling relief wash over me. I was left in my fitting cargo pants that were tucked into my mountain boots, and my thin grey tank that stuck to my body like glue from sweat.

I tossed my clothes into my bag that hung on my shoulders, and began walking down the hills caked with sand, and rocks.

I didn't bother to find a place to gather myself just yet, as I was too restless to sleep or stick to one place at that moment. So I stuck to finding the location of the two individuals I had seen in Scotland.

The town was fairly large so I had figured it would be a long night of searching, though I immediately recognized the plane that sat by a dock a little ways away from where I stood. My eyes widened, as I noticed a man on the dock, talking frantically on the phone with his back towards me.

 "Definitely in the right area now," I said, rubbing my hands together nervously. I quickly turn my back towards the sight, walking into the busy streets.

 If I so much as make eye contact with any of them right now, I would be exposed immediately. I couldn't risk that happening, at least not until I have them cornered. 

From the distance, I could see them walking over to a nearby motel area. I took a mental note to follow that direction in due time, to eliminate being seen. In the meantime, I took in the sights of the town people, and architecture. 

I walked through the side alleys, all the way to the markets.Just as I stepped foot near the location of one, my stomach grumbled in hunger, causing me to let out a sigh. 

I had money for hospitality and transportation, but left nothing to spare for food. I mentally slap myself because of my idiocy, knowing damn well what I needed to do next. 

I gotta steal some shit.

I noticed a small barrel of apples next to a smaller venue, and it sparked my attention. I made sure no one was looking towards my direction, and slid my hand into the barrel.

 I grasped the light, chartreuse fruit as I had my back facing opposite to the street. I then casually walk away from the market, leading me towards the direction of the motel.

 As I went through a side street to avoid being noticed, I felt a brush of warmth hit my hand and I turned around to see a figure.

 He was most certainly taller than me by a foot at max. His hair was fully brushed back, and he wore a denim button up rolled on the sleeves.

"You need to work on your technique." he states as he strolls back towards me with his hands behind his back, "One slip up can end badly for you," his voice was rough, yet it flooded out of his mouth like smooth honey.

 He could probably lure someone in with the snap of his fingers if he really tried. 

"I'm sure you're so much better, hun,"I said, putting my hand on my hip.

 "Well princess, if you say so," He tosses me my apple and I stand in front of him, baffled. He winks at me and snickers to himself. 

But I had an idea in mind,"Can I ask you a quick question?" 

I smirk, he gives me a questionable smirk in return, but nods, "do you always follow girls into alleyways to lure em' in? If so, I don't think I'm the only one that needs to work on their techniques."

 His face falls immediately, and his face visibly reddens in embarrassment. Got you now, stranger.

I walk over to him, placing my hand on his arm, "You have a good night, now." I look him up and down before I take a bite from my apple and walk back to the direction I need to, leaving the man in question.

[thecreaturecodex]

Chronotyryn

Image by Raven Mimura, © Wizards of the Coast. Accessed at the Fiend Folio Art Gallery here

[Commissioned by @justicegundam82. Not a monster from the Fiend Folio I ever used, but not for lack of interest. The original had 12th level sorcerer casting on top of all of its other abilities, but in the interests of streamlining I dropped that and added a few more lower level spells to its SLAs.]

Chronotyryn CR 19 LE Magical Beast This creature resembles a bird twice the height of a man, with a pair of scaly arms growing from beneath its wings. Its feathers are a dusky gray and metallic, and it wears a strange harness.

A chronotyryn is a bird-like beast with adamantine feathers and strange abilities. A chronortyryn has two brains and two voice boxes, and they can carry on two conversations at once. They have spread across the planes in search of rare and powerful magic, especially that which controls or manipulates time. A chronotyryn’s personal timeline runs at a slightly faster rate than other creatures, and they often make lofty claims about being “masters of time”.

In combat, a chronotyryn uses this accelerated timeline to devastating effect, combining melee attacks, ranged attacks and magical abilities to create a withering barrage of fire. They can see magical auras, and carry a wide variety of magical devices on their characteristic silken harnesses. This allows them to tailor their tactics to the specific needs of the battlefield at a moment’s notice—and if they need more than a moment, they can stop time to give them an edge. Chronotyryns are especially fond of humiliating opponents, shredding their equipment and draining their brains, then letting them live as a warning to others. Few chronotyryns will hesitate to flee a losing battle.

Chronotyryns originated on the plane of Axis, perhaps a magical mutation of ordinary avifauna, perhaps as an experiment of the axiomites that escaped their control. They live in cavernous nests, often torn from the sides of cliff-faces or abandoned buildings. These nests are filled with books as much as any other treasure, as chronotyryns are as voracious in their hunger for knowledge as they are for meat. Sitting outside the hierarchy of inevitables, they are often seen as useful but dangerous by the forces of Law. A chronotyryn is usually canny enough to avoid conflict with the inevitables, but they hold no special loyalty to them.

A chronotyryn stands twelve feet tall. Although they weigh several tons, they can fly with ease.

Chronotyryn       CR 19 XP 204,800 LE Large magical beast (extraplanar) Init +14; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +41 Defense AC 33, touch 18, flat-footed 33 (-1 size, +8 Dex, +1 dodge, +15 natural); improved uncanny dodge hp 299 (26d10+156) Fort +21, Ref +23, Will +14 DR 15/adamantine and magic; Immune disease, poison, sonic; Resist acid 20, cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20; SR 30 Defensive Abilities freedom of movement Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 70 ft. (average) Melee 2 claws +33 (1d8+8), bite +33 (2d6+8) Ranged 4 feather missiles +33 (2d6+8) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks adamantine strikes, sonic screech Spell-like Abilities CL 19th, concentration +27 Constant—arcane sight, freedom of movement At will—blink, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, slow (DC 21) 3/day—quickened displacement, feeblemind (DC 23), haste, wall of iron 1/day—foresight, iron body, plane shift (DC 25), temporal stasis (DC 26), time stop Statistics Str 26, Dex 26, Con 22, Int 23, Wis 19, Cha 27 Base Atk +26; CMB +35 (+37 sunder); CMD 55 (56 vs. sunder) Feats Blind-fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Iron Will, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, Mobility, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quicken SLA (displacement) Skills Acrobatics +37, Fly +35, Knowledge (arcana) +39, Knowledge (planes) +39, Perception +41, Sense Motive +33, Spellcraft +35, Use Magic Device +40; Racial Modifiers +10 Knowledge (all), +8 Perception Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal SQ cunning initiative, knowledgeable, superior quickness Ecology Environment any land or underground (Axis) Organization solitary or clutch (2-4) Treasure double standard Special Abilities Adamantine Strikes (Ex) A chronotyryn’s natural weapons overcome damage reduction and hardness as if they were adamantine. Cunning Initiative (Ex) A chronotyryn adds its Intelligence modifier to all initiative checks. Feather Missiles (Ex) As a standard action, a chronotyryn can fire up to four razor sharp feathers from its wings. Treat this as a ranged attack with a range of 60 feet and no range increment. A creature struck by a feather takes 2d6+8 points of slashing damage. A chronotyryn can fire its feathers at multiple targets, but they must all be within 30 feet of each other. A chronotyryn can fire forty feathers a day before running out. Lost feathers regrow when the creature rests. Knowledgeable (Ex) A chronotyryn can make all Knowledge checks untrained. It gains a +10 racial bonus on all Knowledge checks. Sonic Screech (Su) As a standard action three times per day, a chronotyryn can screech, dealing 19d6 points of sonic damage to all creatures in a 20 foot radius (Fort DC 29 halves). A creature that fails this Fortitude save must succeed a DC 29 Will save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution based. Superior Quickness (Su) A chronotyryn can make an additional standard, move or swift action every round on its initiative count.

[doomedandstoned]

ROADBURN

~A Festival Scrapbook~

It was Doomed & Stoned's first official year at The Big Dance, though we've previously had team members attend Roadburn Festival, the now decades-long underground heavy music fest in The Netherlands. Famous for its collection of avant garde, doom, sludge, black, and death metal each year, I was pleasantly surprised when Sally Townsend told me she wanted to document it all for Doomed & Stoned this year. So for the 2019 edition of Roadburn Festival, Sally was dispatched to Tilburg, a city that traces its roots back to at least the Middle Ages, becoming a major producer or and trading post for wool.

"The challenge with Roadburn, as compared to say Psycho Las Vegas," Sally tells us, "is there is six stages so it's impossible to capture everything, you need to make some tough decisions! There's clashes and one venue is a 10 minute walk from the other, and the small rooms fill up quick so if there was someone I wanted to shoot on a smaller stage I'd need to line up about half hour before the set started to make sure I could be in the front to get shots. Only two stages have a photo pit. This is why I only got 4/5 bands a day. That being said, know that I know this it'll be easier to plan my days next year definitely hoping we can make this and annual thing!"

Following are the sights of Roadburn Festival 2019, as witnessed by Sally's always insightful lens.

Day I

HEILUNG

Ofnir by Heilung

 Futha by Heilung

LINGUA IGNOTA

All Bitches Die by LINGUA IGNOTA

 LET THE EVIL OF HIS OWN LIPS COVER HIM by LINGUA IGNOTA

MOLASSES

Earth Air Spirit Water Fire by Selim Lemouchi And His Enemies (Ván Records)

 III: Tabula Rasa or Death and the Seven Pillars by The Devil´s Blood

CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX

Great Escape by Crippled Black Phoenix

 Horrific Honorifics by Crippled Black Phoenix

VILE CREATURE

Cast of Static and Smoke by Vile Creature

 A Pessimistic Doomsayer by Vile Creature

Day II

FAUNA

Avifauna by Fauna

 The Hunt by Fauna

GOLD

Why Aren't You Laughing? by GOLD

 Optimist by GOLD

EMMA RUTH RUNDLE & THOU

Electric Guitar One by Emma Ruth Rundle

 On Dark Horses by Emma Ruth Rundle

THROANE

Plus Une Main A Mordre by THROANE

 Derrière-Nous, La Lumière by THROANE

TRIPTYKON

Day III

SUMAC

Love In Shadow by SUMAC

 What One Becomes by SUMAC

BISMUTH

The slow dying of the Great Barrier Reef by Bismuth

 Unavailing by Bismuth

CAVE IN

Final Transmission by Cave In

 White Silence by Cave In

MORNE

To the Night Unknown by MORNE

 Shadows by MORNE

THOU: MISFITS SET

Magus by Thou

 Tyrant by Thou

Day IV

DAUGHTERS

You Won't Get What You Want by Daughters

 Canada Songs by Daughters

OLD MAN GLOOM

Seminar II: The Holy Rites Of Primitivism Regressionism by Old Man Gloom

 Seminar III: Zozobra by Old Man Gloom

SLEEP

The Clarity by Sleep

 Dopesmoker by Sleep

THOU

Rhea Sylvia by Thou

 Inconsolable by Thou

[gfjhg674vcxbvfv36t4-blog]

Flamingo

Flamingo

Ahh, could one not talk for hours and hours about one of the most beautiful bird’s on earth?

Basics:

Here’s some basic information: The flamingo is a wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae , There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World. In this picture you see the American flamingo , in latin: Phoenicopterus ruber. Like all flamingos, it lays a single chalky white egg on a mud mound, between May and August; incubation until hatching takes from 28 to 32 days; both parents brood the young for a period of up to 6 years when they reach sexual maturity. Their life expectancy of 40 years (!) is one of the longest in birds.

More info?

Mating? Yes, they do that!

And here are the details of their mating behavior: (I’ll admit, I’ve found it on the internet, but it’s a beautiful story)

Mating and bonding behaviors of "Phoenicopterus ruber" individuals have been extensively studied in captivity. The American flamingo is usually monogamous when selecting a nest site, incubating and raising young; however, extra-pair copulations are frequent. While males usually initiate courtship, females control the process. (just like humans) If there is mutual interest, a female will walk by the male, and if the male is receptive he will walk with her. Both parties will make synchronized movements until one member aborts this process. For low-intensity courtships, males and females will walk in unison with their heads raised. In high-intensity courtships, males and females will walk at a quick pace with their heads dropped in a false feeding posture. This high-intensity courtship will stop at any point if either bird turns and the other does not follow.

Mythology and religion ? There is much to find about the Flamingo in mythology , here are just two examples:

In the Americas, the Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature. They placed emphasis on animals and often depicted flamingos in their art.

In the Old World flamingos were considered by the Ancient Egyptians to be the living representation of the god Ra. And to be honest, I do’n’t think it’s so strange that people have seen this bird as the representation of God, I don’t know how you feel when you look at them, but I feel in another world.

Oldest? An 83-year-old greater flamingo, believed to be the oldest in the world, died at the Adelaide Zoo in Australia in January, 2014.

More? Yep, more pictures are coming.

Posted by STEHOUWER AND RECIO on 2016-09-18 14:42:21

Tagged: , flamingo , red , orange , beek , portrait , bird , vogel , animal , fauna , water , reflections , beautiful , lovely , head , eyes , neck , long , longneck , monogamous , wading , aquatic , aqua , waterbird , Phoenicopteridae , American , American flamingo , Phoenicopterus ruber , Phoenicopterus , Netherlands , Avifauna , Alphen , Alphen aan den Rijn , photo , photography , capture , image

The post Flamingo appeared first on Good Info.

[ottertrotterind-blog]

Top Picnic Spots Near Ahmedabad

Summer is here also the exams are getting over and what we have on our mind is, where to go for a day for Picnic or how to spend a weekend with family in leisure?

So Otter-Trotter has come up with the Top Picnic Spots near Ahmedabad to spend your day with fun and family.

1. Maniar’s Wonderland

Maniar’s Wonderland is a quick drive from Ahmedabad. It’s main attraction is it’s snow themed amusement park. Further, it’s divided into two parts – Wonderland and Snow Park. and can be full of fun and thrill for the young and the old alike. A perfect one-day Picnic stop for all ages.

Key attractions: Amazing rides like the Aqua Roller, Aqua Ball, Traffic Island and Desert bikes in the Wonderland; Snowpark has a snow field that offers snowball fights and blast-from-the-past Ice Age experiences.

Distance from Ahmedabad: 10 Km

To get here: Drive from the Karnavati Club on the Sanand Highway

2. Akshardham, Gandhinagar

Located in the capital city of Gujarat.One of the greenest Cities in the world, Gandhinagar. Akshardham is an eye-catching pink sandstone monument dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. The laser shows in the evening and the temple itself make for a perfect picnic spot near Ahmedabad, away from the bustling city life.

Key attractions: The detailed exhibition halls with depictions of the life of Lord Swaminarayan, The lush green gardens covering the temple and the temple itself are the attractions to go for. The laser shows happening in the evening are worth watching.

Distance from Ahmedabad: 28 KM

To get here: Drive almost 31 Km from Ahmedabad Railway Station on NH 8C

3. Indroda Nature Park, Gandhinagar

Away from the bustling city of Ahmedabad, Part of Gandhinagar, This is amazingly designed Park makes great picnic spots near Ahmedabad for nature lovers and animal enthusiasts. It is considered to be the second largest hatchery of dinosaur eggs in the world and hence aptly called India’s Jurassic Park.

Key attractions: Various sections like Dinosaur and Fossil Section, Mammal Section, Avifauna Section, Walk-in aviary, Reptile Section, Earth Section, Marine Section, Plant Section and the  Botanical Garden.

Distance from Ahmedabad: 25 KM

To get here: Drive along NH 8C all the way to Dholakuva

4.Nal Sarovar

Nal Sarovar(Lake) is a heaven for Bird watchers, crowded by migratory birds throughout the winter. It’s a good place for a one day picnic for all the nature lovers during the winter season. Best time to visit is from November to January.

Key attractions: Different types of birds for birdwatchers, other than that there is boating, camping, angling and animal rides to choose from.

Distance from Ahmedabad: 61 KM

To get here: Drive down NH 947 and Sanand-Nalsarovar Road

5. Lothal

Lothal, one of the most prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization.It is an archeological site which is having a museum divided into three galleries. TheIt is closed on Fridays.

Key attractions:  Revisiting History & visiting museum galleries

Distance from Ahmedabad:  Around 76 KM

To get here: Drive down NH 47 towards Bagodara

6. Thol Bird Sanctuary

Thol Bird Sanctuary is a man-made wetland in the Mehsana district. This sanctuary also attracts a lot of migratory birds during winter seasons.  It’s again a place to be visited during the winter season. A popular picnic spot for Amdavadis.

Key attractions: Quaint corners for spending a nice time with family, rare birds to spot

Distance from Ahmedabad: 28 KM

To get here: Go on a road trip via the Ognaj- Vadsar Road

7.Tirupati Rushivan Adventure Park, Himmatnagar

Tirupati Rushivan adventure park is a well-planned theme park on the banks of Sabarmati River. An affordable picnic place for a full day visit with family. Plus point is that outside food is allowed; hence you can enjoy home-cooked food.

Being humid during summers, recommended during winters.

Key Attractions: water activities, pools, rides etc.

Distance from Ahmedabad: Around 77 Km

To get here: Take route via Gandhinagar towards Vijapur, it's around 7 KM from Vijapur.

8. Polo Forest

A scenic beauty during monsoon and winters mainly, Polo forest is one of the most popular weekend getaways near Ahmedabad. It’s in Vijaynagar is endowed with spellbinding natural beauty. It is surrounded by mountains and has the Harnav River running through it. The government of Gujarat organizes Polo Utsav every year.

Key attractions: The dam by the river, overnight camping in the forest, ancient temples

Distance from Ahmedabad: 106 KM

To get here: Go on a road trip via Gandhinagar and Himmatnagar, turn off to Vijaynagar to reach Polo Forest.