Exploring the Shrunken Shoreline of Hoskote Lake

I went back to the farm area near Hoskote Lake after a long time. My last visit had been in January this year due to the persistent flooding of the lake since November 2021, with no sign of water receding. Even though I had limited space for birdwatching, I saw some amazing birds during my two-hour visit, covering only a 100-meter area. Here are the pictures.

~~~
I got there just as the sun was rising, and the sky held a lot of promise.  I captured a few photos.

~~~
All through the night, it rained, and I collected these droplets as evidence.

~~~
While the light was dim, a Long-tailed shrike made a fleeting appearance and disappeared before I could enjoy a clear view.

~~~
A Red-vented bulbul arrived with its prey and struck a spectacular pose in flight.

~~~
The dim light continued to offer only fleeting glimpses, much like this Jacobin cuckoo.

~~~
And a Tricoloured munia.

~~~
An Oriental magpie-robin sang beautifully to capture my attention.

~~~
A White-browed wagtail, which looked almost identical, sang even more beautifully.

~~~
The Purple-rumped sunbird grew more active as the sun began to warm up.

~~~
I noticed a Common kingfisher diving into the water at a distance. Unfortunately, some branches decided to photobomb my shots. Here are the resulting blurry photos.

~~~

Another branch got in the way of a great shot of an Asian green bee-eater in flight.

 ~~~
I observed a Paddyfield pipit foraging.

 ~~~
In this picture, you can see the terrain left for birdwatching.

 ~~~
The ever-alert sentinel, the Red-wattled lapwing, kept a vigilant watch over the lake for any potential threats.

 ~~~
A Little egret spotted its prey and poised itself for a strike.

 It struck with such intensity that it sent water splashing high into the air.

 ~~~
It deftly snatched a fish.

 ~~~
Next, my eyes were drawn to a charming Zitting cisticola.

~~~
Next, I spotted a Plain Prinia.

 ~~~
A Zitting cisticola landed on a canna plant, appearing to carry some nesting material, I suppose.

~~~
On the same cluster of canna plants, an Ashy Prinia appeared with a bee in its beak.

~~~
I noticed birds at the canna blooms not sipping nectar, and I hoped a nectar-feeding bird would come. Just then, a Purple-rumped sunbird arrived and began sipping nectar.

~~~

It was fascinating to observe how it uses its unique beak to extract nectar.

~~~
My final sighting of the day was this Spotted dove.

~~~
Feel free to drop your comments below if you liked the post. I value your input.

Linked with Mosaic Monday

Kannamangala Lake's Avian Anglers

During the last weekend, I had a delightful time at Kannamangala Lake, where I crossed paths with a bunch of feathered fishermen. Some were nailing it without breaking a sweat, others were giving their all, and a few were putting on a show of sheer elegance. Check out these pics from my fun-filled bird-watching trip.

~~~
I snapped this photo to highlight the lake's captivating features – the bridge that bisects the water, the almost-bridge-level water for eye-level bird shots, the lush trees and grass enveloping the lake, the majestic banyan tree, and of course, the enchanting sky.

~~~
A common kingfisher perched itself on a signboard that humorously declared 'Fishing is prohibited.'

~~~
It appeared as though the kingfisher was carefully reading the text.

~~~
The kingfisher seemed to be heeding the message seriously, showing no signs of fishing intent. I attempted to capture some close-up shots while waiting in vain.

~~~
But an Indian pond heron defied the sign and was spotted proudly flying around with a freshly caught fish.

~~~
Meanwhile, a group of little egrets were busy fishing and fluttering about.

~~~
Adding to the signboard mockery, a great cormorant gulps a sizable tilapia fish.

~~~
A common kingfisher appeared to find the situation rather amusing.

~~~
Then, I saw another great cormorant taking off.

~~~
A shame plant flower. When I was a child, I used to delight in touching its leaves and watching them fold up.

~~~
I had my first Red-rumped swallow sighting of the season.

~~~
In the distance, a female Asian Koel was seen perched on a tree.

~~~
I sat by the lake's edge to capture birds at eye level. In the distance, a Eurasian coot was peacefully gliding on the surface.

~~~
Shortly after, little grebes made their appearance.

~~~
Another cormorant, another tilapia – nature's timeless story of predator and prey.

~~~
Then, I spotted an adorable puppy.

~~~
Seems like the Black-crowned night heron was feeling quite sleepy, possibly due to a night of tireless fishing.

~~~
After observing all these common fishermen, I decided to join the waiting game and capture the King of the lake. I found a cozy spot by the water's edge, patiently awaiting the common kingfisher to demonstrate its fishing abilities.

~~~
The kingfisher fixed its gaze on an unsuspecting prey from its perch, then swiftly darted down. The first attempt was a resounding success.

~~~
The tiny prey was gobbled up almost instantly.

~~~
The kingfisher wanted more and went for it. Another try, another win.

~~~
The kingfisher certainly enjoyed a king's breakfast. It went for few more attempts, and the third fish was caught. It's no surprise they call it the kingfisher!

~~~
The final sighting of the day was an Indian pond heron, gracefully performing its stealthy walk along a branch and taking to the sky with elegance.

~~~
I hope you enjoyed the post! Please don't forget to leave a comment.

Linked with Mosaic Monday