Unexpected Encounters at Hoskote Lake

The past few weeks have felt like one long, hectic blur. Between work deadlines and the endless headaches of dealing with property changes, I was completely drained.  

All I craved was a breath of fresh air and a chance to reconnect with nature's wild side. Thankfully, Hoskote Lake, a haven for birds right outside Bangalore, offered the perfect escape. 

Here are the pics.

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I aimed to be at Hoskote Lake for the exact sunrise time of 6:15 am.  However, by the time I fumbled with my camera, the sun had already risen a cheeky few yards.

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Even a sliver of the moon lingered in the dawn sky.

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Swallows darted across the sky in a flurry of activity.

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A large group of rosy starlings had claimed the ground for their breakfast buffet.

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A solitary white-browed wagtail, danced along the water's edge as it hunted for its breakfast.

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A cattle egret shared a perch on a tree with a glossy ibis. 

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The pre-dawn light was tricky, but I was happy to spot this common hawk cuckoo.

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I spotted a Blyth's reed warbler next.

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A wedge of ibises.

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An interesting interaction unfolded between a white-cheeked barbet and a coppersmith barbet. Both birds displayed focus on the same nest hole. First, the white-cheeked barbet arrived with food for the nestlings inside. Shortly after, the coppersmith barbet entered the same hole. Their behavior towards each other was quite animated, leaving me curious about their connection to this particular nest. Could they be a breeding pair exhibiting cooperative breeding behavior, or perhaps competing for the same nesting site?

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A pied bushchat perched nearby, its posture piquing my curiosity. 

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Exhausted from their aerial ballet, barn swallows lined the wires. 

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A rosy starling materialized for a mere moment.

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The tiny zitting cisticola proved to be quite the challenge. I settled in quietly, and after some focused observation, the little bird finally emerged from its hiding spot.

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A group of cattle egrets had claimed a nearby tree as their breakfast perch, scattered amongst the branches like white flowers.

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A Grey-bellied Cuckoo! The sighting sent a thrill through me.

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 I spotted a paddyfield pipit next.

 

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A Western Yellow Wagtail busily searched for breakfast.

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A black-winged stilt balanced on spindly legs, wading through the shallows.

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 A shy wood sandpiper peeked out.

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A Baya weaver flitted between the lakeside reeds and a nearby cornfield. It enjoyed a meal of readily available corn kernels.

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Sharing the opportunistic spirit was a rose-ringed parakeet. It perched confidently on a nearby cornstalk, enjoying a snack of ripe corn kernels.

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A Brahminy Kite feasted on a large tilapia fish.  

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The Asian Green Bee-eater provided a fitting farewell to Hoskote Lake.

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I hope you liked the post. Let me know what you think in the comments!