Monday Blues they say.
My Monday morning was an extension of my Sunday. After a refreshing 3 hour discussion with Sid, The first calls of the larks beckoned me. Birding after a long time, and I saw myself run.
Slowed down to see some a long-tailed shrike pass by. The seemly cloudy sky turned out to be a clear blue one - excellent for birding. The best sighting was of a couple of small minivets. Their small size and greyish colour are distinctive, separating them from their larger more flamboyant cousins. Their call is a high pitch shrill tweee- tweee that is almost mechanical. The bulbuls were up and about. The omnipresent red-whiskered gave way to the white-browed bulbul. The call of the latter is much more fluid than the former. ( A rule of thumb: Deeper, more intricate the call, more the likelihood of a rare bird) # white-bellied sea eagles whizzed by, one adult and the other 2 sub-adults. A couple of female orioles sat on the wire preening while a particularly daring pied crested cuckoo came very close, inspected me and flew away. A pair of doves waited till the Sun had risen to begin their ritualistic coo-ing. The ochre light had activated the small green bee-eaters that called energetically, a tell-tale reminder of the hyperactivity later in the day. A long tailed shrike juvenile, with brown buff replacing its grey innards frantically gave shrill warning calls at the sight of me. Only a couple of red-vented bulbuls took notice and that was it. A couple of boisterous drongos continued on their kite-like swoops as they dived to catch insects in flight. A coucal flew by. A langur called in the background. Magpie robins, Indian robins and Ashy Prinias took their positions in the open grassland calling out their rightful locations in full gusto. 3 white-cheeked barbets stood on the wire, contemplating the commencement of their ubiquitous kutroo-kutroo that is the last through till afternoon.
The slanting rays of the Sun now reached every nook and cranny of the bushes below. Barn swallows gathered in twenties, sitting on wires and sun-bathing. Cattle egrets proceeded inwards from their nighttime roosts while Brahminy and Black kites flew purposefully across the sky. A couple of black hooded orioles added colour to the whole scene. It was heavenly. A family of Jungle babblers was a pleasant sight. It was a little puzzling to see faint streaks across the chest but my fears were assuaged when I heard their characteristic raucous call.On my way back, a highly energetic white-throated kingfisher swooped through the thicket calling loudly and disturbing some nervous swallows.
The cherry on the top, notwithstanding the minivet was a greenish leafwarbler that popped up in the bushes. A winter migrant, it was heartening to see the fellow on campus. Will be closely following this species now.
A very satisfying day of birding indeed.
Checklist:
My Monday morning was an extension of my Sunday. After a refreshing 3 hour discussion with Sid, The first calls of the larks beckoned me. Birding after a long time, and I saw myself run.
Slowed down to see some a long-tailed shrike pass by. The seemly cloudy sky turned out to be a clear blue one - excellent for birding. The best sighting was of a couple of small minivets. Their small size and greyish colour are distinctive, separating them from their larger more flamboyant cousins. Their call is a high pitch shrill tweee- tweee that is almost mechanical. The bulbuls were up and about. The omnipresent red-whiskered gave way to the white-browed bulbul. The call of the latter is much more fluid than the former. ( A rule of thumb: Deeper, more intricate the call, more the likelihood of a rare bird) # white-bellied sea eagles whizzed by, one adult and the other 2 sub-adults. A couple of female orioles sat on the wire preening while a particularly daring pied crested cuckoo came very close, inspected me and flew away. A pair of doves waited till the Sun had risen to begin their ritualistic coo-ing. The ochre light had activated the small green bee-eaters that called energetically, a tell-tale reminder of the hyperactivity later in the day. A long tailed shrike juvenile, with brown buff replacing its grey innards frantically gave shrill warning calls at the sight of me. Only a couple of red-vented bulbuls took notice and that was it. A couple of boisterous drongos continued on their kite-like swoops as they dived to catch insects in flight. A coucal flew by. A langur called in the background. Magpie robins, Indian robins and Ashy Prinias took their positions in the open grassland calling out their rightful locations in full gusto. 3 white-cheeked barbets stood on the wire, contemplating the commencement of their ubiquitous kutroo-kutroo that is the last through till afternoon.
The slanting rays of the Sun now reached every nook and cranny of the bushes below. Barn swallows gathered in twenties, sitting on wires and sun-bathing. Cattle egrets proceeded inwards from their nighttime roosts while Brahminy and Black kites flew purposefully across the sky. A couple of black hooded orioles added colour to the whole scene. It was heavenly. A family of Jungle babblers was a pleasant sight. It was a little puzzling to see faint streaks across the chest but my fears were assuaged when I heard their characteristic raucous call.On my way back, a highly energetic white-throated kingfisher swooped through the thicket calling loudly and disturbing some nervous swallows.
The cherry on the top, notwithstanding the minivet was a greenish leafwarbler that popped up in the bushes. A winter migrant, it was heartening to see the fellow on campus. Will be closely following this species now.
A very satisfying day of birding indeed.
Checklist:
- White-throated kingfisher
- Hooded Oriole (male and female)
- Small Minivet
- Indian Robin
- Magpie Robin
- White-bellied Sea Eagle
- Pariah Kite
- Brahminy Kite
- Long-tailed Shrike
- House Swift
- Barn Swallow
- Ashy Prinia
- Greenish Leaf warbler
- Jungle Babbler
- Golden fronted Leafbird
- White-cheeked barbet
- Greater Coucal
- Large-billed Crow
- Common Myna
- Pied Crested Cuckoo
- Small Green bee eater
