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Echoes of Hoskote

Last weekend, I visited Hoskote Lake and had a fantastic time birdwatching. I was lucky to spot some amazing birds, including the vibrant Indian Paradise Flycatcher, the elusive Blue-faced Malkoha, and many more. Here are the pics.



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The morning was foggy and still. A lone Pied Bushchat perched on a pole, its dark form silhouetted against the misty backdrop.



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The mist began to lift, and the sun emerged from behind the clouds, casting a warm, golden glow over the landscape.



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A Common Cuckoo perched gracefully on a power line, silhouetted against the bright morning sky.



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A young female Baya Weaver perched delicately on a thin branch, her bright yellow beak contrasting with her muted brown plumage. The soft morning light illuminated her, making her look even more adorable.



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This mischievous Blue-faced Malkoha, with its beady blue eyes, seemed to be playing hide-and-seek among the leaves.



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I waited stealthily and was rewarded with fleeting glimpses of the elusive bird.







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A sleek Jungle Myna, looking freshly bathed and well-groomed, perched atop a weathered tree trunk.



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A majestic Grey Heron, with its long legs and sharp beak, stood tall on a branch, surveying the surrounding wetlands.



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A Jungle babbler perched on a ivy gourd vine-covered fence.




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The delicate white petals of the Deccan Hemp flower, with a vibrant red center, stood out against the lush green foliage.



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It's always a delight to spot the charming White-browed Bulbul.



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A Purple Sunbird male in eclipse plumage made a brief appearance.



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A colorful White-throated Kingfisher perched on a wire.



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A pair of Large Grey Babblers, engaged in a tender moment.



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An Asian Green Bee-eater, ready to swoop down and catch its prey.



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Then I saw the Bay-backed Shrike take flight.













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A large flock of egrets and ibises filled the sky, creating a beautiful, swirling pattern.




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A curious Cattle Egret perches atop a cow, taking advantage of the insect-rich environment created by the grazing animal. Below, a flock of Cattle Egrets follows the cow, eagerly picking off insects disturbed by its movements.



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A Bay-backed Shrike perched on a thorny branch, ready to pounce.




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The Purple-rumped Sunbird is always ready to steal the show!




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The third Bay-backed Shrike I spotted today.



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I couldn’t believe what I saw next. A female Indian Paradise Flycatcher! I followed its swooping flight from branch to branch, tree to tree, mesmerized by its elegance and grace.











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Another surprise sighting was the Eurasian Hoopoe, with its distinctive crown and long, curved beak, perched elegantly on a branch. 



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It was nice to see the dog using the vast open space to do aimless running. The grass was wet, making it all soggy, but the dog didn't seem to mind. It was having so much fun!





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Again saw a male Purple Sunbird in intermediate morph. Whether it was clinging to the branch or taking flight, its elegance was captivating.






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A White-browed Wagtail was the last bird I spotted on this incredible day.



I hope you liked the post! Please feel free to leave your comments below.

Please note that the header image used in this post is a modified version of the iconic Pink Floyd back catalogue poster from 1997. The original poster was created to promote the re-release of the band's back catalogue and featured nude models with album covers painted on their backs. The poster was photographed by Tony May and the album covers were painted by Phyllis Cohen. I retrofitted the poster with bird photographs from my trip to Hoskote Lake.



39 comments:

  1. Hello Shiju,
    What a great series of photos of the different birds.
    So many species that we never see here in the Netherlands, not even in a zoo.
    I enjoyed it.
    Greetings Irma

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  2. Amazing series of photos.
    Happy Diwali Greetings.

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  3. Great visit. Great series of birds and happy memories for me of visits to Southeast Asia. You cannot wait stealthily, however. Stealth implies surreptitious or careful, measured movement, as in a predator stalking prey, for example. To remain stationary is not to be stealthy!

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    1. Thanks for sharing! I think of waiting stealthily as staying still but alert—like quietly blending in without being noticed.

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    2. You may think that, but it’s still an incorrect use of the word!

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    3. You got me, David! I was probably a bit more 'subtly fidgeting' than ‘stealthily lurking.’ I’ll remember to save ‘stealthy’ for my next true stalking mission! I appreciate the lesson—language is such a fun yet tricky bird to catch!

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  4. A marvellous set of bird photos. The shrikes I recognise from here in Sweden but a sky full of egretts and ibis I can only dream of,, ))

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  5. I have only seen dark bird eyes before today. The blue eyes are amazing.

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  6. Wonderful bird photos but the header photo steals the show. Brilliant idea!

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  7. Very clever manipulation of the Pink Floyd poster using your nird photos--all of which are wonderful!

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  8. Beautiful photos, I marvel at your skill and knowledge in getting shots of these birds. I go out in the woods, I can hear them but I cannot see them in detail. Hats off to you my friend.

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  9. I love the Blue-faced Malkoha best, for its eye! Except, I love the dog photos better than best, and I love dogs!

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  10. Again beautiful birds that I have never heard of let alone seen. And the header is also beautiful and with all that ai stuff in today's photo programs accessible to more and more people. Thanks for showing all this to us.

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  11. I love the close up of the bird (Malkoha) with the odd eyes! Great photos as usual. I thought of you when I put the bird picture in my Canada post!

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  12. The Flycatcher really is a sight to behold as are the birds dining on insects that inhabit the placid cow.

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  13. Love that first pic.
    And do I miss fog. I used to stop on the way to work at a bridge with a field that was often foggy. Enjoyed the view and often took a pic of Charlotte´s empty web.
    The customer let my project go with the Diesel affair and that was that, 2018. In the city you near to never have fog.
    LOL, my friend and colleague has green eyes, unlike the beautiful Blue-faced Malkoha, but when we chat via teams and she is in the kitchen we play hide and seek, too (internet is bad in her kitchen).
    Great photos again!!!!
    A babbler??? I have an idea...
    Wow on the Sunbird, such a beauty. And the Kingfisher. Funny the cow does not mind?
    The Bay-backed Shrike looks like he´s up to something! Oh, you have so many beautiful birds there!
    Have a great Saturday.

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  14. Hello,
    Another great outing and beautiful bird sightings. Your photos are always amazing. I have so many favorites like the Blue-faced Malkoha, the Indian Paradise Flycatcher, the Purple Sunbird, the Kingfisher, the Bee-eater and the Shrike. Great capture of the Egret around and on the cow. They are all beautiful photos, a great post. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a wonderful weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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  15. ...the modified version of the iconic Pink Floyd back catalogue poster sure captured my attention!

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  16. Remarkable birds, and so unfamiliar to me. Almost every week you find a new species that I have no knowledge of. Your photos are stunning.
    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  17. What amazing photos close up shots of such lovely birds, each of them in their own element. The ladies with photos is quite an interesting piece too! You always share such beautiful photos thank you for sharing them.

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  18. I so enjoyed the awesome photographs of the Indian flycatcher. That dog was hilarious!

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  19. The Malkoha is stunning with that blue eye! Thank you for linking up.

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  20. Great collection of photos as always!

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  21. Very professional photography of our feathered friends and especially creative sky shots ~ thanks, love the dog photos too!

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  22. Such beautiful photos! I love the shot of the Pied Bushchat. We get so many myna birds here - they are an invasive species. The Eurasian hoopoe is our national bird.

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  23. Amazing collection of photos, well done!

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  24. Each photo is more fascinating than the one before! Lovely!
    Thanks so much for joining us at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-stroll-through-cemetery.html. I am always stunned by the diversity of wildlife you capture with your lens.

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  25. Love the header heheh gorgeous photos as always

    Have a birdtastic week and thanks for linking up 👍

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  26. yes, the eyes of Blue-faced Malkoha look so beautiful....

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  27. Love the Blue-faced Malkoha and gray heron, also the dog. That first image is startling.

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  28. A pleasant and fabulous game with birds and their special eyes!
    Thank you for the show!
    Happy WW and a fine week!

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  29. what wonderful details you captured in your pictures! the eyes of those birds are fascinating!
    wonderful frames, congratulations!

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  30. A simply amazing set of photos, the Malkoha's beady eyes are great! Thanks for sharing them with us.

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  31. Another wonderful contribution to MosaicMonday. Thank you very much for your participation.
    There is so much to discover every time and I like to read through the posts at my leisure to appreciate the pictures and text.
    Greetings from Heidurn

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  32. I love how you have captured the sun through the mist - it's stunning! Thank you for sharing and for participating with #MySundaySnapshot.

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  33. Dear Shiju, there are some more artistic photos that should be published in a book or at least in a calendar (or maybe on a record cover ;-) But unfortunately they have become very rare...) The Blue-faced Malkoha really has very unusual eyes! The Bay-backed Shrike in flight, sensational. The cow with all the Cattle Egrets, funny - as is the dog jumping around happily! The female Indian Paradise Flycatcher, a very fascinating sight. And I've just picked out a few of my favorites...
    All the best, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/11/weltreise-2024-8-station-new-york-new.html

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  34. Lovely as always - the body painting tho, that's next level! #NaturesNotes

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