The Hunt for the Blue Bearded Bee Eater

Muthanallur Lake greeted us early in the morning and I was back there with a friend for what was meant to be a quick walk that somehow turned into a full blown mission. We began at the regular side of the lake only to realise that the trail had turned into an obstacle course. It looked as if a water hyacinth excavator had ploughed straight through it and left the ground in a mood of its own. Every step felt like trying to balance on a badly made mattress.

Just then a fellow birder mentioned that the other side of the lake was buzzing with activity. A White-naped Woodpecker with chicks on a coconut palm. Too tempting to ignore. We took the location pin from him and headed straight across with the enthusiasm of two people convinced the bird would pose for us. Of course it did not.

But the trail had other surprises. Another birder informed us that he had just seen a Blue-bearded Bee-eater. Since that bird is as rare and dramatic as a celebrity stepping out for a morning walk, the mood shifted instantly. We turned into assassins on a mission and began treading that long trail in search of our elusive target.

More than ten thousand steps later we finally heard the puppy like bark that gives the bee eater away. And like seasoned assassins we got our shot. A satisfying end to a long and tiring chase.

Along the way we collected a few more moments that made the walk worth every step. Here are the photos from the day.

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The day began in hushed light, the sun barely brushing through the clouds.

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A Greater Coucal slipped through the branches while we made our way along the barely walkable trail.

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A Jacobin Cuckoo appeared next, proudly carrying its wriggling breakfast.

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The third bird we met was this Chestnut tailed Starling, looking effortlessly elegant.

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Another birder pointed us to the far side of the lake, home to a nesting White-naped Woodpecker. The woodpecker eluded us, but the trail opened up beautifully and the place felt promising.

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A pair of Grey-headed Swamphens doing a careful beam walk in the misty light.

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A Black Kite sat calmly on a sun bleached branch, watching the morning unfold.

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A Pied Bushchat sat with its tiny treat.

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We followed the trail that seemed to stretch for miles, hoping to find the migrant flycatchers hiding ahead. Partway through the walk a fellow birdwatcher mentioned a recent sighting of the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, and our focus shifted instantly to this new objective.

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The Blue tailed Bee eater posed with its catch, an unexpected rarity. Although rare, our hearts were set on the Blue bearded.

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The Golden Orb web Spider held its place in a sunlit web, adding a different kind of beauty to the walk.

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The kite had moved far away now, sharing a bare tree with a relaxed White throated Kingfisher.

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True to its name, the Asian Green Bee-eater paused with a bee it had just caught.

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The trail brightened for a moment as a Crimson Rose hovered over the flowers.

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By now hours had slipped away. We had started from home at 5:30 in the morning, and at 12:10 the trail at last echoed with the puppy like bark of the Blue-bearded Bee-eater. Listen to the call that changed everything for us.

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The bird showed itself for a moment and was gone before we could click. We stayed put for fifteen minutes. At 12:33 the assassins finally locked onto the target.

The assassins did what they came for. Shots were fired. Mission complete.

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By the time we wrapped up, it hit us that we had skipped breakfast, forgotten to carry water, and walked far more than we planned. But with the Blue-bearded Bee-eater finally in the bag, none of it mattered. The assassins had completed their mission — tired, thirsty, hungry, but absolutely satisfied.

Thanks for reading. If this little adventure made you smile, drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.