Got a veritable haul on my morning bird watching trip to Hoskote lake. Here are the pics...
The day started with a lucky sighting of a cormorant gulping a fish as I was alighting from the car...
A flock of spot-billed pelicans were making a synchronous flight...
Then the sun rose quietly watching the subtle activities around the lake...
The silhouette looked good...
A white-browed wagtail was active near the water...
A juvenile Bronze-winged jacana displayed a string of beads...
Saw a Glossy Ibis. Its glossy wings didn't come out clearly in the morning low light...
A Large-gray babbler foraging in the grass...
I took shots from ground level...
It was nice to watch its funny expressions...
A Yellow waxtail damselfly...
I switched to macro lens to get up close...
Then an Indian roller added a dash of blue...
A breeding male Purple sunbird was looking his best...
A Paddyfield pipit looked occupied in its foraging activity and didn't mind my presence...
A non-breeding male Red Avadavat showed up...
Again took shots from the ground level to see things from his perspective...
It was a cat and mouse game between us. Red avadavats are extremely sensitive to human presence. I hid behind a shrub and maintained a good distance...
But my luck ran dry pretty soon and the bird flew away...
The corn, millet and marigold farms form a food habitat for the birds...
A Pied Bushchat female...
Black drongo...
Jerdon's Bushlark with arrow-like spots on the breast...
A Long-tailed Shrike was in a mood to pose...
A painted stork too gave a good pose...
A large number of Barn swallows were seen crowding on a wire...
A wood sandpiper was seen standing on one leg. The function of standing on one leg is thermo-regulatory or relaxation of muscle fatigue in the retracted leg...
Further reading on the one legged act that helps the bird to conserve heat and energy:
Birds’ legs have an adaptation called “rete mirabile” that minimizes heat loss. The arteries that transport warm blood into the legs lie in contact with the veins that return colder blood to the bird’s heart. The arteries warm the veins. By standing on one leg, a bird reduces by half the amount of heat lost through unfeathered limbs.
Final sighting of the day was a juvenile Bronze-winged jacana...
Hope you liked the post. I look forward to your thoughts in the comment section below...
