This weekend, my wife and I decided to unwind at Hoskote Lake, eager for a morning of birdwatching. As we arrived, the vibrant flower farms captivated us, momentarily pulling us away from our quest for feathered friends. However, we were thrilled to spot a lifer: the Long-toed Stint. Join us as we recount our delightful morning of unexpected discoveries in this beautiful corner of Bangalore!
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I took the first shot of the day with my phone—a beautiful lake surrounded by lush greenery. The clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds contrasted perfectly with the tranquil water.
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Our first sighting was a charming White-browed Wagtail, busily carrying what looked like nesting material—tiny twigs and bits of grass.
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Next, we spotted a Pied Bushchat perched on a nearby shrub.
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The morning sky was a stunning backdrop, dotted with white, puffy clouds against a brilliant blue expanse. A Leafless tree stood tall, its branches adorned with bustling mynas, flitting about and chattering animatedly.
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As we continued our stroll, we noticed another birder aiming his camera at something in the bushes. Curious, we approached, and he pointed out a Brown Shrike cleverly hidden in the foliage.
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Next, we spotted a solitary Black-winged Stilt in the shallow water, striking a yoga pose and stretching its neck.
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Migratory birds have begun settling here, and we spotted a Common Redshank at the water's edge.
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Three Black-winged Stilts moved in tandem in the shallow water, their long legs synchronizing beautifully as they foraged together.
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We walked through the bamboo habitat, scanning for signs of bird movements. The breathtaking sky above, painted in vibrant hues, added to the tranquility of the moment.
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Another Brown Shrike appeared in the open, perched confidently on a nearby branch.
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We were massively distracted from our birding by a stunning patch in the chrysanthemum farm, bursting with vibrant violet, pink, and white flowers. The colorful blooms created a captivating spectacle, drawing us in as we admired their beauty.
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After the distraction, we spotted a Purple Sunbird in eclipse plumage. Its muted colors were a striking contrast to the vibrant flowers around it, yet its delicate features still shone through. Eclipse plumage is a temporary change that occurs after the breeding season, during which male birds lose their bright colors for a more subdued appearance.
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We were thrilled to get a lifer sighting of a Long-toed Stint, a first-ever record for our state! This small wader is often elusive, and it’s likely that it has visited before but simply went unnoticed due to its tiny size. Although it was quite far, spotting it was still a significant moment for all of us, marking an exciting addition to our birding experiences!
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After the chrysanthemum patch, we came across a vibrant marigold patch, providing my wife with an interesting backdrop for pictures. The bright orange blooms created a stunning contrast against the lush greenery, and she happily posed amidst the flowers.
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As if inspired by us, an Ashy Prinia landed on some canna flowers, striking a pose of its own.
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However, a Red-vented Bulbul showed no interest in posing, staying hidden among the branches.
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A Blyth's Pipit marked its presence.
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A Common Myna strutted nearby.
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As we returned to our car, we spotted a heart-shaped cloud drifting in the sky.
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The clouds in the blue sky were fascinating, so we decided to take a selfie with the unique cloud backdrop. It perfectly captured the joy of our birding adventure!
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That was our delightful outing at Hoskote! We hope you enjoyed sharing in our experiences. We’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to leave your comments below!
Hello Shiju,
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful series of photos.
I think the Brown Shrike is very beautiful, but the photos of the flowers are also beautiful, also nice photos where your wife is standing between the flowers.
You are a beautiful couple.
I wish you a beautiful Thursday.
Greetings Irma
Such pretty pictures of your wife amid the flowers and the heart cloud is pretty amazing … as rare as the Long-toed Stint that hasn't a clue how bird lovers regard it. :)
ReplyDeleteThe first shot really sets the scene for us. What a beautiful spot and you are able to visit regularly. We are all envious!
ReplyDeleteHi, excellent blog, nice birds, I think you saw our black winged stilts, here they are left. I like very much the beatiful flowers. Beautiful photo of you both. Have a nice weekend !
ReplyDeleteYou have feast for our eyes, flowers, birds, a lake and your beautiful bride. I love how you celebrate your world.
ReplyDeleteWow, congratulations. First in state is quite an accomplishment! The chrysanthemum farm is vibrant and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove all the colorful chrysanthemums - a colorful buffet to feast on.
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect way to start your day!
ReplyDeleteThe flowers/mums are incredible. I haven't seen them with so many colors.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
So beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteWonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt's remarkable that you found a lifer in a location where you go birding so often! Your bird photos are great, and the flower farm photos and pictures of you and your wife are a pleasant addition this week.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Wonderful pictures again, oh, the critters, the flowers and so nice to meet you two "in Person" :-) Have a great Saturday!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of the sky, I love the heart shaped cloud. Pretty photos of the flowers and your wife.
The birds are all beautifully captured. I love them all! A great post! Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post. Take care, have a great weekend.
The photos of your wife in amongst the flowers are lovely! Surrounded by beautiful flowers, under a wonderful sky, seeing a "lifer" along with the other joyful birds, all shared with your wife makes for a perfect outing! Thank You for taking us along with you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and colorful surroundings for this birdwatch! Love the yoga poses of the Black-winged Stilt. And the heart-shaped cloud!
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the two of you! And of course your wife looks very beautiful among the fields of colorful flowers! It's special to see the heart cloud and of course the bird you've never seen before. What a fabulous day!
ReplyDelete...unwinding at Hoskote Lake sure looks great to me. The beautiful flowers captured my attention. Be well my friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautful place and fantastic photography of nature's gems ~ including the heart shaped cloud and you and your beautiful wife ~ thanks, namaste ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The birds, the colourful flowers and the stunning location are all amazing to see. Thank you and have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, especially of the flowers (and your lovely wife). I love that adorable pied bushchat!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful place and I enjoyed the flowers along with the birds. Nice to see your lovely wife among the flowers. Thank you for linking up and have a great week.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos as always lovely colours too and the birds :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a tanfastictastic week 👍
Shiju - congratulations on adding a new bird to your lifetime list! I enjoyed all of the photos, especially the ones with the mums and your wife! And a heart-shaped cloud! How appropriate is that????
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment!
Thank you very much to both of you for inviting us along. Aloha!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictuires, wonderful colours! A joy to see.
ReplyDeleteyou are a wonderful couple! Your photos are sensational!
ReplyDeleteSuperb photos. You are a beautiful couple.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful experience shared with us. I like your beautiful images
ReplyDeleteand all the smiles!
Happy WW and a fine week, with new experiences.
Beautiful! I really like the chrysanthemums, such bright colors. At the same time, I like the minimal black of the Pied Buschat and muted colors of the other birds.
ReplyDeleteHappy WW!
I really enjoyed your post, Shiju. It’s so varied and delightful. Of course, I’m drawn to that adorable photo of the bird standing on one leg—it's just too cute! But I also love the flowers and the pictures of you two together; those are such precious moments. My husband and I feel the same way when we do things together; those experiences are truly valuable. The heart-shaped cloud with her, pointing at it, is an amazing shot! Thanks for sharing! ❤️☁️
ReplyDeleteAritha
How amazing to see the long toed stint for the first time! The flowers are stunning and I love the photo of the three black-winged stilts walking together.
ReplyDeleteI'm replying late this week, it was turbulent after our trip. The coming days will be easier again...
ReplyDelete...lovely pictures of your nice woman, and of you both together.
I'm very happy about the contribution to MosaicMonday again, thank you for that. Kind regards from Heidrun
Such beautiful blue skies - Thank you for sharing your snapshots with #MySundaySnapshot.
ReplyDeleteDear Shiju, I've now managed to look at this great blog post, too - you and your wife have treated yourself to a wonderful break: a multitude of interesting birds that you once again captured perfectly on camera. I'm very happy that you were able to discover and photograph a Long-toed Stint! And then your wife as a beautiful flower among other beautiful flowers - colorful and happy photos with glorious memories.
ReplyDeleteAll the best from Austria, Traude
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