Pulikat Lake, 15.8.2011

We had to do something today . . . We'd been planning since sooooo long . . . .

And after a big discussion over Adtar Estuary vs Pulikat Lake, the latter came up trumps.
So Pulikat Lake it was! And what could be a better way to spend Independence Day!!!

So we (Bhavin, Saikia and me) left on our cycles at 5.30 reaching Thiruvanmiyur station and then plying forward to Chennai Central. We had planned a forty minute journey from Central - but it ended up being a two-hour trip! A complete miscalculation on my part!

Anyway, we reached Sullurpet (one of millions of pets in Chennai :P) at 9.30, and left immediately for the lake by auto. We raced away to the waters and took off on foot thereafter. . . After all, it was a bird-watching trip . . .

It was amazing - the scenery, the birds, the coolth of the lake - everything! The sun was beating harshly down on us, but we kept ploughing forward, looking for the odd heron to dash ahead of us. The first bird we spotted - and not unexpectedly - was the Paddyfield Pipit. A shy customer, it took off the  moment it noticed us - but not before I got a click from behind.

We went ahead, Saikia and me enjoying and absorbing the atmosphere. Bhavin sat down near a bush and watched as Painted Storks danced over the lakefront. The odd Little Egret flew over. Saikia and me went ahead to investigate some rattling motion in one of the shrubs only to find an Oriental Lizard hanging by a twig. . . I almost expected to catch a snake  :)

We then walked by the lake and we spotted a plethora of Egrets, Herons and Ibises. First of them all, a Little Egret stuttered clumsily near the water ahead of us. We skulked slowly and got a great view. Soon to follow was its eldest cousin - the Great Egret. The majestic bird waded gracefully through the lough, its slender yellow beak shining in the afternoon sun.

We then took a little break, the others a bit exhausted after the long journey and the bird-watching. So we huddled together and clicked a few photographs, some of us, some of the scenery and some of the birds far in the horizon. . .

Satisfied by the little recess, we carried on bird-watching. A bunch of bee-eaters perched on top of a wire glared down at us as we watched closely. First they looked like Blue-Tailed Bee-Eaters, but on closer scrutiny ended up being the common Little Green Bee-Eaters.

We trudged back to the main road. The main road was as beautiful as the lake spreading across it. On both sides of the road was damp marsh covered with that slight layer of saline water - just the perfect shallow fish-feeding habitat for waterbirds. So we decided to carry on bird-watching via the main road, rather than prodding along some arbit untrodden path with the sun burning our skin. . .

A great idea it turned out to be - probably the birds are just used to tourists. Just as we began moving along the road, we spotted a pair of Greater Flamingos - something I wanted to see for a really very long time! What a pleasant scene it was, their S-shaped necks swerving through the air slicing the scene into two. . .

We stopped and watched for five minutes - they were flamingos!!!

We than carried on as we spotted Egrets, Herons and Red-Wattled Lapwings. A large group of Purple Moorhens and Common Coots loomed in sight. We stopped just short of them - enough to get a close enough look at the flock. There was that odd Painted Stork grazing in the middle of a few Coots. Even a Black-Headed Ibis joined the flock in the grazing craze. . .

It was an awesome sight - so many birds - so many species - all together in one lough. . . It was truly exhilerating! We moved ahead and reached a tiny herd of five Common Redshanks. They were drilling into the rocks below while wading in the shallow marsh. I was befogged at first, but then I realized they were Common Redshanks - after seeing their typical drilling exercise. . .

Saikia, quite simultaneously, pointed out to a group of Grey Pelicans swooping down into a small pond adjoining the road on the other side. Our focus shifted entirely as we went and watched the Pelicans flap around and paddle away in the water. But the driver made a sound (which he claimed would get the Pelicans closer) but the plan backfired and the entire flock took flight again. We glared at the driver but said nothing - he just smiled sheepishly . . .

The trip was slowly coming to an end, and last but not least - we spotted a group of Ruddy Shelducks and Gadwall fluttering in the waters just while we were leaving the last parts of the lake. And a Sparrowhawk swooped down close to us just to add to the little cadenza. . .

An Indian Roller glowed brilliantly as if it was radiating an aura and attracted all our attention suddenly. Then a White-Breasted Kingfisher took over as it screeched violently near the Indian Roller making it take off. But we were not in a great mood to watch White-Breasted Kingfishers . . .

We were quite dehydrated by the time we reached the outskirts of the lake and decided to call it a day. It was more of a travelling experience rather than a bird-watching one - 6 hours travelling vs 2 hours bird-watching. . . That sums up the day for us!!!

But nevertheless - it was a wonderful day! It was awesome to have two of my friends from IIT come along with, making this an indelible experience. Maybe not the best bird-watching day (not the right season) but definitely one of the top outings of the year - thanks to the timely wisecracks of Bhavin and the Assam-related stories of Saikia - it all made up and was a great day . . .

A quick recap of the species seen at Lake Pulikat:

Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Black-Headed Ibis, Little Cormorant, Little Ringed Plover, Little Green Bee-Eater, Indian Roller, Paddyfield Pipit, House Crow, Thick-Billed Crow, White-Breasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Little Blue Kingfisher, Laughing Dove, Spotted Dove, House Sparrow, Sparrowhawk, White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Painted Stork, Spoonbill Stork, Grey Pelican, Purple Moorhen, Common Coot, Garganey, Gadwall, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Redshank, Little Egret, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Blue Rock Dove, Spot-Billed Duck, Red-Wattled Lapwing

The Best Independence Day Ever!!!

Chatushringi Hill, 8.6.2011

Its not common to find a bird-watcher on top of the Chatushringi Hill. Its a rather untrodden area, a small protected forest atop the hill, with not much to offer.

But we decided to give the hill the test. This time I picked up my brother and two cousins for the quick excursion. Four binocs and a camera, we reached the spot in my Dad's burnished Honda. So, it was around 6 am and the birds had just about woken up. A good time to catch them surprised. . .

And so we began ascending the long flight of stairs and then the hill itself. On the way up I found a couple of Lesser Whitethroats playing merrily in a shrub. My brothers didn't seem too amused especially since I had promised them Kestrels and Hornbills. But there wasn't a sign of a single Kestrel or a Hornbill. It was almost as if they had known my plan . .

But the first interesting bird for my brothers was a solitary Spotted Owlet. A regular on the Pune University Grounds, and a usually nocturnal species, it was probably just winding up that day. But the owlet screeched and flew off before I could even focus on it. That would have been my first owlet pic. . .

We saw many tiny birds like Prinias and White-eyes but they wanted to see the majestic Hornbills. There was a White-Breasted Kingfisher whining away near a shallow pond to the edge of the hill. Even that sparked just that minute amount of interest. That was a rather banal sighting for me, though I still wowed at the sight.

It was then that a big Black Kite switled into the air and swooped down the end of the hill. Not a Kestrel, but awesome enough to bring back life into us. We followed it and reached a point where there was a small wall upon which the Kite stood. It pointed its hooked beak towards us and rose up again, hovered around and then swooped out of sight. I was too busy looking at its leviathan presence, I forgot to capture the raptor on cam.

Then there was the incident my brother will always remember. . . We were watching the Kite with rapt attention while an Indian Ratsnake crept up behind us. I did hear a hissing but dismissed it as some silly insect. But it started getting more exigent and irksome when I whirled around to see the slithering serpent swerve towards us. I alerted everyone and the snake made a beeline for my brother. Only then did I realize that he was standing directly atop a large hole, probably one the Ratsnake didn't want to share!! My brother freaked out and dashed out of the path and the Ratsnake unnoticingly circled around the hole twice before disappearing inside. I did manage to get a quick pic, albeit slightly late, but enough to give the impression of a menacing 6-foot serpent.

Startled by the sudden twist in events, my younger cousins started having second thoughts of ploughing forward. So I decided to give everyone a break and we returned to the safer section of the hill. We looked through the binocs at some of the more plebeian birds, even Bulbuls and Sunbirds. Then we spotted a Barn Owl flying across us. It swooped down onto a treetop not too far from me, but I was with the binocs this time, so a pic was not on the cards. I was surprised at the wingspan of the owl as compared to its tinier structure. Owls . . . They will always remain a mysterious category . . .

It was nearing 7.30 am and it was time for us to leave the hill to itself. It is great fun to have my cousins along for such trips but is a slight handicap to the art of bird-watching. A compromise has to be struck. . . So we trudged down the declivity of Chatushringi, reached the stairs where I took some pics of an Oriental Magpie Robin over a streetlight. And then we continued our way to the car. It was a short and variety-less bird-watching trip, but exciting due to the presence of my cousins. . .

So that was Chatushringi Hill if anybody wants to explore that area for birds. A quick note of the species spotted:

Lesser Whitethroat, Oriental Magpie Robin, Jungle Babbler, Common Myna, Jungle Myna, House Sparrow, House Crow, Thick-Billed Crow, Plains Prinia, Ashy Prinia, Asian Koel, Oriental White-eye, Common Tailorbird, Black Kite, Spotted Owlet, Barn Owl, Green Bee-eater, Oriental Magpie Robin, Indian Robin, Red-Whiskered Bulbul, Red-Vented Bulbul, Crimson-Backed Sunbird, Purple Sunbird, Purple-Rumped Sunbird, White-Breasted Kingfisher, Cliff Swallow, Wire-Tailed Swallow, Black Drongo, Spotted Dove, Laughing Dove

A long list, but a long list of common birds except for the two owl species. Thats why it isn't a favourite spot for bird-watchers. Maybe a trip to the hill behind MIT might yield a few interesting species. Probably even the majestic Grey Hornbill . . .  :)

Tata Lake, 1.6.2011

My last Bird-Watching trip before going to the US! I was to leave on the 5th. . .

So the destination was the famous Tata Lake, just opposite Tata Motors in the midst of the Industrial MIDC area of Bhosari. Never thought I would be going to an Industrial Estate for Bird-Watching! But, with Tata, you never know!

So I got permission (you need it to even enter) from a Rotarian friend of my Dad's and I made my way through to the gates of Tata Lake at the break of dawn. As usual, I was alone and the guards were quite surprised I was there for Bird Photography. They showed me some wild peacocks immediately, but they were more domesticated, I'd say, with the staff there feeding them every morning. But they still stood a pretty site and surely deserved a pic! I got a pic of a group of peahens straying by the entrance.

Good start, which I normally have, but I hoped this luck would continue. I had only about an hour's time on the lake before work. So I commenced my walk to the lake after parking the car by the nearest road. The moment I reached the lake, a large flock of Lesser Adjutants flew past me scaring away even a Painted Stork in their path. Wow!!!! The lake was amazing! It was the most beautiful sight as yet! And all in the midst of the corrosive atmosphere of Bhosari industrial Estate!!!

I gripped the camera tightly and began capturing the Utopian scenes of Tata Lake wildly. Lesser Adjutants, Painted Storks, Little Blue Kingfishers, White-Breasted Kingfishers, Common Moorhen, Purple Moorhen, Egrets, Cormorants all living together harmoniously - what a wonderful sight!!!

 I captured a Painted Stork observing its eggs wide-eyed, preventing them from any possible prey. A bunch of lesser Adjutant Storks were flying around playfully in and around the lake.  

I kept clicking away at all the birds on the lake. There were atleast forty Lesser Adjutant Storks and nearly twenty Painted Storks standing out over the lake. A couple of Kingfishers were screaming noisily and nose-diving in their favourite fashion into the lake for fish. A Grey Heron rose out of the background and across the lake before settling onto a rough patch of dried leaves. It was nature at its best!!!

I had only an hour and there was so much to see! Much against my will, I decided to explore the rest of the lake. I soon realized there was not just one - but two lakes separated by some sort of a dam over which i perched myself. Here I got the best of both the lakes although I  wasn't hidden from sight completely. I waited patient;y before I spotted a Black-Crowned Night Heron hovering above the lake and then perching itself onto a branch nearby. I clicked and it posed! Brilliant!!!

It was amazing with the lake water shining brilliantly against the morning sun. But the Night Heron had other plans in mind and flew off rather hurriedly. . .

I was enthused and trudged further on the dam. I hoped I'd get a decent pic of a Common Moorhen, but the elusive bird remained out of sight for the entire hour. Instead I walked ahead surreptitiously, and peeked over into an alcove near the dam. There was another little paradise there! And there was a sight I'll never forget. A Little Cormorant, a Little Egret and a Purple Moorhen, in the same frame, at the same time. The camera clicked itself and I stared in amazement at the rare sight!!!

 The Cormorant and Egret soon flew off in quick succession but the majestic Purple Moorhen posed imperiously on the little ledge. Who wants a Common Moorhen when a Purple Moorhen is posing like that!!!???!!!

It was almost like the world was paused and life was on mute. This was phenomenal!!! The bird posed for nearly wo minutes before realizing I was crouching too close for comfort and scampered away in typical Moorhen style. I caught it still peeping at me through the corner of my eye behind a bushy patch wondering what species I was!

Overjoyed by the fact I had probably taken my best Purple Moorhen pic ever, I groped even further into the bushes. There was a Grey Heron in the far corner and a Common Moorhen which scurried away the moment I spotted it. I saw a bunch of Spot-Billed Duck savouring the morning sunshine and captured them as they bathed in the rays of the sun. The Spot-Billed Ducks were an intrepid lot and didn't budge until I really got too close. They made a funny whirr and flew off into the midst of the lake to paddle alongside a few Common Coots and some Little Grebes. . .

What an experience this was turning out to be!!! It was a beautiful blend of life and nature and the splendid waterfowl were graceful as ever. . .

One hour - too less for this place! A must for all bird-wachers! Not just that, its a bird-watcher's paradise!

Can't say enough about Tata Lake, but its a place even non-bird-watchers would enjoy!!!

A quick recount of the species spotted at Tata Lake :

Little Grebe, Little Cormorant, Common Coot, Spot-Billed Duck, Asian Koel, Greater Coucal, House Crow, Large-Billed Crow, Pied Kingfisher, White-Breasted kingfisher, Little Blue Kingfisher, Common Moorhen, Purple Moorhen, Purple Sunbird, Purple-Rumped Sunbird, Common Tailorbird, Painted Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Pond Heron, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Garganey, Indian Robin, Crimson-Backed Sunbird, Spotted Munia, House Sparrow, Common Myna, Jungle Myna, Jungle Babbler, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, Rose-Ringed Parakeet, Red Munia, Ashy Prinia, Plains Prinia

That's probably the longest list of sightings I've listed down for a single birdwatching trip. That's incredible for a one-hour birding trip. So that just gives an idea about the density and variety of the birds at Tata Lake. Hope you all enjoy it too!!! :) :) :)

Pashan Lake, 26.5.2011

This time I ain't alone. . .

I got hold of my school pal Shaishav and we decided to go to Pashan Lake famous for its waterfowl.
Our main aim - Pheasant-tailed Jacana.

As usual, we were off in the light blue Honda City no later than 5 am on a cool morning, streaking dangerously through the early morning traffic before eventually landing up at 6, just next to the lake. We parked ourselves, I took my camera into position and handed over the binocs to Shaishav. and birding began... :)

As soon as we got close to the lake, a bunch of Pond Herons screamed and fluttered away noisily, also scaring a Red-Wattled Lapwing in their wake. Hmmm. . . . not bad. . . Actually, it was at this point that I really thought I was lucky to be born and brought up in Pune - such beautiful areas it had under its ugly face!

But no Jacana! Not a big deal, we ploughed ahead through deep slude and dead hyacinth. I even lost my shoe to the quicksand-like surface of the lake side. Thankfully, I had someone with to help me then! This was towards the right side of the lake. Not a great area, all the more because there was no hard ground to stand on. Shaishav was least amused by the mushy surroundings, so we decided to try the left side.

What a relief!!! I seriously recommend the left side of the lake to any bird-watcher out there at Pashan Lake. This area was slightly at a height and we could clearly see the entire lake. Its beauty spread out before us, and the early sun was still dawning.

The first bird I caught on camera was a hardy Asian Koel to the left of the track. Surprisingly, not near the lake. But it was the clearest pic of the bird so far. Brilliant yellow curved bill and flaring red eyes. . . and that lovely tune it plays. . . Love this bird. I wish its body was a more pleasant colour. But a good sight nevertheless.

Then Shaishav(!) spotted a Little Blue Kingfisher from the corner of his eye, quietly resting on a projecting twig, probably brooding about the lack of fish :) But it was beautiful. This was my first sighting of the Little Blue Kingfisher. It was a bit too far to photograph but I still managed to get it in the dimming morning light.

The cutest of all Kingfishers, I'd say. . .

We then walked ahead and reached a swamp-like area where there were around fifty egrets and herons grazing like wild cattle on a paddyfield! We went and perched ourselves at a safe distance from them so as not to alert them (and to prevent anymore quicksand scenarios). But we got the whole view. Cattle Egrets, Pond Herons, Purple Moorhen, Little Egrets and Common Coots were grazing together like a joint family feeding at night. They were clustered so close together, it was difficult to distinguish one bird from the other. A must for all Bird-Lovers! And there was this majestic Purple Heron seated imperiously in the middle of the lake on a mound just projecting out of the lake surface. What a beauty!

I was just surveying the muddle of birds on the swamo, when I spotted a long curved black tail wavering in the background of a grazing Pond Heron. Slightly towards the left, and I saw the Pheasant-Tailed Jacana. It was there! Much more majestic than any of the herons, with a brilliant splash of colours and a nice slender body. . . It was a bit far - had to be watched through the binoculars. I did take few pics, but the bird was almost camouflaged in the mess of green. . .

We watched it in turns through the binocs and the camera zoom . . . Even Shaishav was in a state of consternation! I watched it for about fifteen minutes till finally took flight and skimmed over the lake to the other end. It was magnificent!!! And for the first time, I had spotted the bird I had sought!

 

We then saw many other common birds, and I tried my cam on a group of Jungle Babblers who unknowingly wandered a bit too close. I also caught a Common Myna and House Sparrow against the rising sun near the marshes. A White-Breasted Kingfisher perched on a tree took off just as I spotted it and showed Shaishav, and a Little Cormorant was fishing in the rear end of the lake. I showed him the Purple Sunbirds, Martins and Lapwings with great pride as if they were my prized possessions . . . :) It was after a long time I was birding with a pal. . . (apart from my cousins)

We then headed out on our way back since I had to return in time to go to office. On our way out we spotted a grey wagtail burrowing into a pile of gravel and a couple of cool apathetic Wire-Tailed Swallows hanging out on their favourite wire. :) A male Purple Sunbird also ran across us on the way to another flower and we could clearly see its purple plumage!

Not a bad day birding at all! Just one and a half hours and the bird turnout was amazing.

A quick recap of the birds I spotted at Pashan lake:

House Sparrow, Wire-Tailed Swallow, Dusky Crag Martin, Purple Sunbird, Purple-Rumped Sunbird, Common Coot, Spot-Billed Duck, Little Cormorant, Asian Koel, Red-Wattled Lapwing, Greater Coucal, Grey Wagtail, House Crow, Large-Billed Crow, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Moorhen, Pied Kingfisher, Little Blue Kingfisher, White-Breasted Kingfisher, Pond Heron, Pheasant-Tailed Jacana, Purple Heron, Oriental Magpie Robin, Indian Robin, Crimson-Backed Sunbird, Jungle Babbler, Common Myna, Jungle Myna, Brahminy Myna, Little Grebe

Whoa! Either Shaishav was a lucky mascot or I was getting better at bird-spotting! I'd prefer to believe the latter :) But a definite recommend for all bird-lovers. . .

Khadakvasla - Panshet Lakes, 22.5.2011

Bird photography requires a lot of patience. . . And I've learnt that the hard way.

The agenda was Khadakvasla Lake, then Panshet Lake and then back home because my parents hadn't allowed me to venture into the Sinhagad valley forests on my own. I left at a characteristic 4:30 am in my Dad's Honda City and reached Khadakvasla lake by 7 am thanks to a few wrong turns on the way!

Down to business, at Khadakvasla Lake. First thing that I realised - this would be a different sort of experience. It was waterbirds and they were going to be completely new to me as I was quite used to Forest and Shrub Birds. Egrets, Ducks and Waterfowl was the general plan in mind. Always ready to tackle a new challenge . . .

First I spotted a few lazy Jungle Mynas idling by the lake. A cattle egret flew away as soon as it spotted me - unfortunately that happened before I could spot it. But I was determined and trudged into the marshes to the other side of the lake. I soon realized I was too common a location as random couples strolled onto the lakeside. So I went back to my car and drove to the other side of the lake.

So - I wasn't at the romantic end of the lake. Nor was I at the NDA end of the lake. Birds never wander where humans hang out. So I made my way to the back end of the lake, slightly off the road to Panshet Lake. And the sight was amazing!

This rear end of the lake was teeming with life. A Plains Prinia chirped merrily on a thorny twig and an Ashy-Wren Warbler sang gleefully into the winds. A whole bunch of Spot-Billed Duck were quacking away into the morning sunshine and a Red-Wattled Lapwing grazed happily next to the Ducks. A cattle Egret was trudging in the shallower areas of the lake not too far away from an Intermediate Egret. I looked on stunned and my camera was clicking automatically. This was what paradise had to be!

This was what nature had made the world to be - so beautiful and flowing with life - Prinias, Egrets, Lapwings, Herons, Warblers, Robins, Ducks, Coots, Cormorants - the list was too long!

I was soon joined by another common visitor to this part of the lake - another bird-watcher. The guy turned out to be from Mumbai and was on his way to do some bird-watching at Sinhagad Valley :(  He joined me with a menacing looking lens for his SLR camera and that easily overshadowed my modest Nikkon.

He took a few pics of the Spot-Billed Duck (which I could hardly see) and left gleaming. . .

Competition Everywhere!!! Wasn't IIT enough?!?

I spent almost an hour watching the birds at their best - a pair of White-Breasted Kingfishers nose-diving into the lake, Egrets dishing out little fish from the shallow marsh, Coots basking on a solitary rock jutting out in the midst of the lake and about a hundred Spot-Billed Duck generally flapping about happily.

This is serious birding!!!

I got back into the car and proceeded to the next spot - a deserted marshy area between Khadakvasla and Panshet Lakes. Just tailor-made for bird-watchers! And the first sight itself made me watch in awe . . .

The awesome Pied Kingfisher! And to treble the delectation - a pair of White-Breasted Kingfishers glaring down at me, perched on a sagging wire!

Beautiful Birds - Kingfishers are truly built like bird models :P Their long beaks and brilliant colouring just sets them apart from other birds.

The two Kingfisher species from this close had taken the limelight completely. Awesome!!!!

I spent almost another hour chasing the kingfishers and watching them nose-dive into the lakes through my binoculars. They were simply amazing and their acrobatics were equally mind-boggling. How had I lived nineteen years in Pune without knowing such an awesome place existed!!

There was no need to go to Panshet Lake now. The prime agenda was Egrets and Ducks and other Waterbirds, but the Kingfishers were a surprise package. An awesome experience, to say the least. Surely one birding outing to remember!!!

And, as usual, a few reptiles, too, on the way back home :)

A quick recap of the species of the morning :

Ashy Wren-Warbler, Oriental Magpie Robin, Plains Prinia, Jungle Babbler, Red-vented Bulbul, Red-Wattled Lapwing, Common Coot, Spot-Billed Duck, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Pond Heron, Intermediate Egret, Spot-Billed Duck, Little Grebe, Little Cormorant, House Sparrow, Greater Coucal, White-spotted Fantail, Purple Sunbird, Purple-Rumped Sunbird, Pied Kingfisher, White-Breasted Kingfisher, Common Myna, Jungle Myna, Brahminy Myna, House Crow, Black Kite. . .

Great Birding!!!

Bhimashankar, 19.5.2011

Brilliant new day for Bird-Watching. And Bhimashankar is just the perfect place to go in such a mood on such a day. It was my second major "Bird-watching trip" and I was off at 6 in the morning. Reached there by around 8. The entire Bhimashankar area was shrouded in clouds and the entire area echoed with the inviting tweets of thrushes. There was an aura of mist encircling the entire hill and the scene was really gripping. . .

Managed to spot some sort of a pathway and just as I began to enter the place, awhirring orange flew across me on to the branch to my left. What a way to be greeted! An orange-headed thrush squatted on the branch next to me and tweeted with anxiety. It was unbelievably beautiful and I was awestruck at the sight of the pretty bird. I forgot I even had a camera then, the sight was so befogging. . . It flew away and I was enthused the moment I entered. It had to be a great day for bird-watching!!!

An harbinger of paradise, that's what the thrush was! A few steps ahead and I was greeted by another furry friend - it was the cynosure of Bhimashankar - The Malabar Red Squirrel, also called Shekru in the local tongue. I didn't let go of the opportunity and took a quick snap before it bounded away to the treetop furtively.



What a start! I ploughed on ever so clandestinely, taking every effort to ensure I didn't crack a twig or slide a pebble - anything to alert the callous birds of my presence. . . It is an effort, but its worth it!



Then I spotted a couple of common visitors - Red-whiskered Bulbuls. Not so common anymore in cities - at least not as common as the Red-vented Bulbuls - but still a pretty sight, with their black crest and beautiful call. This fellow was enjoying basking in the morning sun . . . Decent  spot . . .







Red-Whiskered Bulbul

It was time to move on. I soon realized the place was packed with Red-Whiskered Bulbuls and their beautiful euphony was slowly sounding more like clangour. I went along what I started to beleive was the "nature trail" . Dotted with small just visible pebbles and covered with a dusty coat of gravel. I trudged on camera in hand, ready to capture any sudden movement or whirring bird. Soon enough, I was rewarded. It wasn't a bird, but an adult changeable lizard me in the eye and then turned away as if it was throwing a tantrum! Yeah right - not so photogenic. But I clicked nevertheless.

On with the trail. Left behind the lizard and hoped for more birds. But it was getting hotter and the cacophony of tweets was slowly dwindling into oblivion. I spotted a couple of blossom-headed parakeets in the hedge below but it was just a cursory glance. Not sure, though. Could have been anything. But they seemed to be Blossom-headed parakeets as a first instinct. They disappeared into the heavy foliage. . .

An hour later, and with no luck I began to give up. Birding in the afternoon was never considered a great time for birding. There wasn't a single bird call anymore and even the raptors encircling me above had gone back to rest. So I shifted attention to reptiles and started looking for some snakes. Didn't find a real snake but spotted a Brahminy Skink sidling in a bunch of leaves. Cute fellow . . .





Brahminy Skink



It was sweltering hot - a great contrast as to what the early morning zephyrs had to offer. . . Even the Asian Water Buffaloes were feeling the heat and I walked into a little herd cooling off in a pit of water. . . Even the ever-jabbering Hanuman Langurs were sitting separately on the branch tops grooming themselves in an enervated state. And yeah - the Langur wasn't so glad to photographed!

It was time to leave as I had come close to the end of the trail. Hmmm. . . not as awesome as I had expected. Probably I spent too much of the afternoon on the trail - a rather unproductive time for bird-watching. It was an auspicious start which dwindled down to just a thirsty afternoon. But Bhimashankar had a farewell sight to offer - Green Bee-Eaters. At first sight they looked like Bulbuls, so I didn;t take a second look. But when the flash of green blew across me, I realized they were Bee-eaters and not just Bulbuls. And there was a Pied Bushchat sitting non-chalantly on a branch end next to the Bee-Eaters. A sight to rejoice, after a rather weary afternoon, so I took out my camera again and made a few useful clicks.

To wrap up the day . . . A quick recount of the birds I spotted at Bhimashankar:

Orange-Headed Thrush, Pied Bushchat, Common Tailorbird, Large Wagail, Grey Wagtail, Grey Francolin, Green Bee-Eater, Blossom-Headed Parakeet, Spotted Dove, Laughing Dove, Asian Koel, Red-Whiskered Bulbul, Red-Vented Bulbul, Little Blue Kingfisher, Jungle Babbler, Puff-Thraoted Babbler, House Crow, House Sparrow, Large-Billed Crow, Bkack Kite, Common Myna, Crested Serpent Eagle, Purple Sunbird and Purple-Rumped Sunbird.

And not to forget the Malabar Red Squirrel!!!

Hmmm. . . . That's a lot of common birds! Not expected from Bhimashankar. Maybe an evening trip would have proved more fruitful. . . Anyway - thats goodbye, Bhimashankar.

There are many off days in bird-watching, but the passion still burns within. . .