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At 6:30 am, it was still dark due to the cloud cover. I felt like a real early bird. Saw an Indian Robin as soon as I alighted from the car. The early bird did get the proverbial worm...
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The sun peeped from behind the hovering clouds...
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A Painted Stork was spotted close by. It soon caught a small fry...
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After taking the small snack it continued its pursuit showing off its painted plumes...
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The droplets from the overnight rain gave some good bokeh photography opportunity...
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It was nice to see a Jacobin Cuckoo. It is partially migratory and in India, it has been considered a harbinger of the monsoon rains due to the timing of its arrival...
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Jacobin Cuckoo has been associated with a bird in Indian mythology and poetry, known as the chataka represented as a bird with a beak on its head that waits for rains to quench its thirst...
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A Red-wattled Lapwing was alert to sense any remote threat and was ready to scream out its loud 'pity to do it' calls...
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The sun was still playing hide & seek behind the clouds...
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Hide & seek seemed to be the favorite game of the birds too. I saw one Red-whiskered Bulbul hiding behind some sharp thorns...
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I waited for the bulbul to come out in the open...
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The male Baya weavers were starting the nest building activities so that they are ready to attract females before the Monsoon rains arrive. The overnight rain was a wakeup call. They were seen making sorties frantically with nest building materials...
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Not a bad speed. After a few hours of work the nest looks like this...
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A Yellow-billed Babbler was seen foraging for insects that emerge after the rain...
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Again saw a Red-whiskered Bulbul, this time with a berry...
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It flew away showing its orange vent...
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A first time sighting of a Brahminy Starling here, thanks to a fellow birder K. This was the third variety of Starling, I saw in the last 3 outings. In the earlier trips, I had seen a Rosy Starling and a Chestnut-tailed Starling...
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Best possibility of buttering happens after a rain. I was lucky to see a Crimson Rose Butterfly animatedly fluttering around taking nectar...
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Another first time sighting of a Whiskered Tern here. It was very swift in its curvy flight. It was frustrating to track the bird because of its flight pattern of awkward angles. I clicked some 50 shots and managed only a handful of hardly presentable pics...
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Hello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and photos. The birds are all beautiful sights, lovely captures of the butterflies. I love the shots of the sun poking through the clouds. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day! Happy Weekend! PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
Hello. So wonderfully colorful and beautiful birds! Photos are amazing. I love your post.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Always, ALWAYS such a delight visiting your blog!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking time this week to share this post with us birders at IRBB. Very much appreciated!
DeleteFantastic series. I particularly like the Bulbul, but also the butterfly...
ReplyDeleteAll the best!
A great gallery of pictures. The only time I have ever been to India was a brief visit to Kalkata airport en route to Bhutan, but I have birded in other parts of Asia where many of these species are found, so I really enjoyed the memories evoked by some of the images.
ReplyDeleteOnce it gets hot we'll be forced to plan some early morning hikes. I love the Painted Storks so much!
ReplyDeleteThe colors on those birds are just unbelievable. You take fabulous photos. I hope you are not affected by the terrible surge in covid taking place in India this week.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Yes, there’s a surge in covid here. I am safe so far. Wearing mask, maintaining social distancing and keeping my fingers crossed.
DeleteYou haven’t posted for a while, and I’m worried that you have been infected during your horror show of the pandemic. I wish you and your family a safe time in this terrifying era, and hope you’ll be able to get back to your fabulous photography.
Deletebest... mae
You really know your local critters! Really amazing photos. Mine really are pathetic most days! Hooray for reading glasses...
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my post. Amazing looking at all the photos of your outing, most birds I have never heard of before. The painted stork caught my eye, and after looking through your previous post, I didn't realize birds of this type were capable of eating such large fish. The beauty of your area is amazing.
ReplyDelete...the rain brought out the beauty in these fabulous images. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible set of images. All wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful images you captured.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, wonderful photos each and every one. The butterfly is superb and the sun shots are outstanding, I can never get the settings right! I was fascinated by the black robin. European Robin, American Robin and the Cape Robin in Africa all have red breasts of some sort.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day, Diane
The male Indian Robin is black in color with a chestnut vent. The females are brown. Yes, not very attractive when compared to other robins.
DeleteMarvelous captures all!
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting tale about the Jacobin Cuckoo. Seems like it may be true for this post. The light did improve for you because the photos of the Red-whiskered Bulbul are tremendous in picking out its colours. We always managed to avoid the monsoons - always went to Goa in January.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! The Painted Stork is particularly interesting. Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of photos of the different birds.
ReplyDeleteMany of these do not occur at all in the Netherlands.
So I always enjoy seeing species that you really never see here.
Greetings Irma
What a fantastic blog you have over there, , so many of them. I love so many.
ReplyDeletelove all your sightings and photos - you captures are wonderful
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird pictures!
ReplyDeleteWow - just wow!!
ReplyDeletewow, you really have a great plaace for birding. And even a beautiful butterfly. You are so lucky. I wish I had even something close to this. Take care of it!
ReplyDeleteThese are simply remarkable. Not only wee you so fortunate to see such an array of birds but the photo quality is fabulous. I'm especially fond of the stork and the flight photos, which are so hard for me to do. The bulbul,especially, makes me smile. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteAside from your beautiful birds in the gallery, your close ups of the bulbul and the red whiskered bird, the butterfly, and the tern are all stunning!Many thanks for sharing this rewarding trip with all these beautiful birds with All Seasons. Have a great week, Jesh
ReplyDeleteSo much beauty in our world.
ReplyDeleteIt is worthwhile to wake up early to catch the early worms, I mean the variety of beautiful birds. A fruitful start to a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastisc Post.
ReplyDeleteThe weather? Indeed, we have April with Rain, snow and Cold temperatures.
Thank you for sharing this pictures and your description.
Have a good week.
Such a fabulous array of birds! The photo of the bulbul with the berry in its mouth is fantastic and I liked seeing the painted stork up close. You live in a beautiful paradise!
ReplyDeletethe birds and butterflies are so exceptionally beautiful, none of which i see here. i am looking at the common kingfisher, and thinking there is nothing common about that bird!! all images of the red-whiskered bulbul, a bird i have never seen, are exceptional
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful and colorful species of birds but my favorite shots are the butterflies.
ReplyDeleteWow! stunningphotos and so clear too :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a tweettastic week 👍
Alaways amazed how many different birds exist. And all have their place and purpose. A miracle.
ReplyDeleteThe painted stork and the baya weavers are especially pretty, although all of your photos are stunning.
ReplyDeleteThank you for much for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/04/cape-hatteras-lighthouse.html
Superb catches, as always.
ReplyDeleteThat 3rd picture of the painted stork is something! The beauty of those feathers and the way you composed it makes it such a pleasant sight. I can imagine that one enlarged and framed, and I think it would make a great wall piece.
I loved these and I liked knowing that you too (as I know I have in the past) take many photos with the hope of something coming good. This post - many came good!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your post for Life This Week. I am always appreciative of the blogging community and you are one of those people in my blogging life. Next week, the optional prompt is Taking Stock. The new set of prompts is on my home page should you want to follow. Looking forward to see you again next week hopefully too. Denyse
The "early bird" Shiju Sugunan took wonderful, breathtaking photos of other birds (some of which I have never seen before).
ReplyDeleteAll the best from Austria,
Traude
Oh Shiju, your photos are so elegant, absolutely stunning in their beauty! I laughed at your words about the rain waking up the male weaver bird. I can almost hear him thinking “time to get to work!” ... thank you for sharing your talent.
ReplyDeleteWow - so exquisite! Your photos are magnificent!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteI dropped in for a moment and ended up staying, mesmerized by both the magnificent photography and the birds I've never before seen. Thank you for the visual feast.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCan't say anything else your photos are absolutely beautiful !!
ReplyDeleteSuch amazing and colorful birds. Most of the birds I see are LBBs (little brown birds). Love the stork. Our Wood storks need to take some fashion cues from your Painted Storks.
ReplyDeletepainted stork and Red-whiskered Bulbul look so beautiful....
ReplyDeletegreat shots
Great shots. Never knew hosakote lake hosts variety of bird species
ReplyDeleteTerrific shots.
ReplyDeleteWater birds have such a unique beauty!
ReplyDeleteSuch stunning photographs 💙
ReplyDeleteYou take some phenomenal photos and I enjoy visiting each time. I also appreciate you sharing them and linking up.
ReplyDeleteAmazing photography. I really love the stork shots and the sun in the clouds.
ReplyDeleteA great selection of birds (and butterflies!). Reminds me of my trips to India.
ReplyDeleteI hope are are able to stay well in these difficult times. Stewart M - Melbourne
Hi, beautiful serie birds and butterflies. Very colourfull. You have beautiful birds in your country. Greetings Caroline
ReplyDeleteBeautifully shot! I see red whiskered bulbuls almost everyday. They are playful, energetic and quick, unlike the Lapwings, which are loud, alert and watchful. It's only now, like for a month or two Lapwings will be visible in North India as it is time for migratory birds' arrival.
ReplyDeleteWow, wow and wow! What a jaw-dropping, stunning show of feathers!
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday, Shiju!
I am so deeply sorry to learn you and your family were ill with Covid. I'm very glad you are recovered and hope you have no after-effects.
ReplyDeleteAs for the photos, they are simply stunning. These should be on the cover of a magazine, not only because the birds are so unusually beautiful (and new to me here in the US) but because your quality of photography is exquisite. Bravo.