Hello friends,
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and Happy Holidays to those who don’t.
Hope your preparations for the same are going well.
I made yet another trip to Hoskote lake. On this occasion, I didn’t go for any serious birding. It was just a lazy stroll to check the bird activity in the still inundated lake surroundings.
I saw a few interesting critters. Here are the pics…
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Since the usual birding area is flooded, the only options are to watch birds from the bund road or go down to the grassland on the other side…
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My attention was drawn to a solitary Indian Spot-billed Duck who seemed to enjoy swimming alone in one corner…
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I was able to observe many young ones. Two children of a Bronze-winged Jacana stood out…
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Hope this Grey-headed Swamphen chick grows up fast, because the juvenile phase looks a bit awkward…
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Here’s the better looking adolescent Grey-headed Swamphen…
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Two Juvenile Purple Herons looked hungry and were calling out loudly. Their parents were likely busy finding food for them…
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A male Baya Weaver flew in with some bug breakfast for his children…
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Female looked beautiful…
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I saw a couple of interesting odonates too. A Yellow Waxtail damselfly. It is fairly common here and can be seen in many places near water bodies…
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And another interesting odonate was a Long-legged marsh glider dragonfly…
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I managed to get a very brief glimpse of a Jungle Myna taking off from a tree…
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Large Grey Babblers with piercing yellow eyes were foraging in a flock…
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A Little egret dislodges loose fur by shivering itself while preening…
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A Grey Heron catches a huge Tilapia fish…
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It struggled a lot to swallow it…
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Final sighting of the day was this flypast by Great Cormorants with their outstretched necks…
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Thank you for the visit. Please do post a comment.
Wishing a season full of joy and laughter for you and yours!
Yellow Waxtail is so cute to look at! You got the fish eating scene too!
ReplyDeleteI would have said no possible way is that heron going to swallow that fish. Wow!!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, the grey heron eating the huge tilapia is amazing. Glad it didn't choke!!
ReplyDeleteGood.
ReplyDeleteExcellent pics. It has been long time since I stepped out exclusively for birding. Hope to find some time to do that
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful series of photos.
ReplyDeleteMany species are not found here in the Netherlands.
Only the heron, little egret and the cormorant can be found with us.
Greetings Irma
Grandiose Bilder von den herrlichen Vögeln.
ReplyDeleteViele kenne ich nicht, um so mehr freue ich mich sie bei dir kennen zu lernen.
My sky
The weaver birds' nests are wonderful. Thank you for sharing your photos and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteIf this is casually dropping in, then drop in often I say!
ReplyDeleteThe Jacana babies stole my heart. That tilapia looks painful! The little egret is so gorgeous and the myna is magnificent. What a photo!
ReplyDeleteRemarkable shots of such interesting birds!
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Beautiful photos
ReplyDeleteGreetings
Hello
ReplyDeleteWhat a great outing, I would enjoy seeing every one of these birds. All are beautifully captured. The Heron did swallow a mouthful, that fish was huge. Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to you! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend.
Your lazy stroll turned out beautifully. Just as beautiful as when you go on a serious outing. Wishing you Happy Holidays also.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiji, Your blog is like having a free subscription to National Geographic … with an emphasis on best of the birding photos! Congrats on a blog well done! John
ReplyDeleteHow many times did I tell you to chew your food before you swallow! heehee! Sure was a good day to be there looking around. Love the cute chick in the awkward stage!
ReplyDeleteThe young jacanas are very lovely. It seems that you are in an interesting time period of lots of young birds around combined with the parents' having still to feed them. It all makes for great photo opps. Happy Christmas to you and your family Shiju.
ReplyDeleteStunning photos of all the birds you sighted. That was definitely a nice casual stroll. :) Wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday season.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent photos of our feathered friends ~ always so professional ~ thank you.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative harbor)
You live in a fabulous area for bird life!! What incredible images. I admit that the heron swallowing the fish made me giggle. Great timing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post with us all and Happy Holidays!!
What a lovely duck the Spot-billed duck is, and your images of the dragonfly are amazing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful stunning photos as always :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a capturetastic week and Christmas 🎄🎄👍
WOW! Once again, I'm blown away by your incredible photography! đź‘Ťđź‘Ť
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday, Shiju!
Gorgeous captures as always!
ReplyDeleteFabulous pictures! Merry Christmas to you.
ReplyDeletelovely Indian Spot-billed Duck who..... great shots
ReplyDeleteIs it common for babies to fall out of those basket-like nests? With the hole at the bottom, it looks rather precarious!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2022/12/wishing-you-peace-on-earth-good-will.html
It has a bulbous egg chamber with a threshold lip that prevents the egg and fledglings from falling off.
DeleteThere are many young ones today - all beautiful. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Thank you for your blog visits this year. You are appreciated!
ReplyDeleteLove the color shades on the Grey-headed Swamphen. As always, beautiful photography.
ReplyDeleteVery nice pictures - including some birds I have seen. Hope all is well. SM
ReplyDeleteLoved your lazy stroll! Thanks as always for being part of the Wednesday’s Words and Pics group with your post this week. It’s been great to know this link up has people joining in and I am delighted to have you here as one valued blogger! The link up returns on Wednesday 4 January 2023. Warmest wishes and season’s greetings, Denyse.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.
ReplyDelete