European Bee-eaters at Mayasandra

A friend messaged me saying that a birding group had reported European Bee-eaters at Mayasandra Lake. She followed it up by checking with birders who had already been there and gathered all the necessary details. A plan was made for the very next morning to try our luck with these colourful passage migrants.

Google Maps, being Google Maps, decided to add a small adventure of its own by sending us on a brief detour. But eventually we reached the lake and were instantly rewarded. What followed was a joyful session of watching them perch in neat rows, stretch their wings, preen themselves and launch into short insect hunting sorties. And of course, there were a few other birds that decided to pose for the cameras too.

Here are some frames from that beautiful morning at Mayasandra Lake.

~~~
Despite the detour, we reached just before sunrise, and the crescent moon was still holding on to that beautiful pastel hue before slowly giving way to daylight.

~~~
Soon after, we found the tree with the European Bee-eaters perched silently in the dim morning light, their colours still waiting for the sun to wake them up.

~~~
With the sun rising above the trees, the light changed completely, and so did the mood of the morning.

~~~
Once the light improved, the Bee-eaters became more active. Flights became frequent, perches kept changing and the tree slowly turned into a busy hub of morning activity.

~~~
The lake was still wrapped in morning mist, offering these beautiful mirror-like reflections.

~~~
The groupings were interesting, with some birds huddled close together while others preferred a little personal space.

~~~
Some of the tightest groupings were a joy to watch. Fluffed up, pressed together and perfectly aligned, they looked ready for a group portrait.

~~~
While the Bee-eaters stole the spotlight, this Brown Shrike waited patiently on the sidelines.

~~~
This Booted Warbler gave me a lovely backlit moment, with the early sunlight outlining every feather.

~~~
The young Little Grebes were already becoming independent, swimming around confidently on their own.

~~~
The Grey-headed Swamphen looked in a hurry, while the Spot-billed Duck seemed happy to take it slow.

~~~
A quick dive and a calm return. The White-throated Kingfisher gave us a neat little action sequence.

~~~
And the Bee-eaters continued to pose, preen and shuffle around, giving us many more moments to enjoy.

~~~
Amid all the colour and activity, this quiet Common Sandpiper added a calm shoreline moment.

~~~
A pair of Wood Sandpipers feeding quietly in the shallow water close by.

~~~
This Blyth’s Reed Warbler popped out briefly before disappearing back into the tangle.

~~~
Probably my favourite moment of the day. A Little Grebe family gliding past us like they owned the pond.

~~~
A Coppersmith Barbet perched quietly, adding another burst of colour to the morning.

~~~
From the nearby temple pond, a few water lilies were in full bloom.

~~~
With the light improving, we headed back to the European Bee-eaters. The harsh early glow had softened into warm gold, and the colours finally came alive.

~~~
In between all the colour and chaos, the Indian Robin added a calm little moment to the morning.

~~~
As the sun climbed higher, the European Bee-eater flock moved to a different tree that was bathed in better light. It was a small change in location but a big change in atmosphere. The warm glow brought out every shade in their feathers.

~~~
A juvenile Brahminy Kite stole some attention.

~~~
Not long after, an adult Brahminy Kite cruised past.

~~~
The final frame of the morning belonged to a Blue-tailed Bee-eater. A quiet perch, gentle light and a perfect full stop to a memorable session.

~~~
The European Bee-eaters were the reason we came, and they gave us far more than we expected. Hope you liked the post. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Winter Birds at Nandi Hills

 It started with a timely message from a friend. “Nandi Hills birding this month on a weekday would be good. It’s already warming up and weekends there are crazy.” That was reason enough to plan an early morning escape.

We reached Nandi Hills at sunrise, cameras ready and expectations quietly high. What followed was a gentle reality check. Being a hill station, the birds clearly preferred a slower start to the day. Activity was minimal in the morning and patience was tested as we waited things out. Peak movement only kicked in closer to noon and built up around 1 PM. Not exactly how most sunrise birding stories begin.

A slightly frustrating start, yes. But persistence paid off. Once the forest finally woke up, the action made up for the slow beginning. By the end of the day, we walked back tired, satisfied and carrying a pretty decent haul.

Here are some frames from a day that began slow and ended on a very rewarding note.

~~~
As the mist hung over the valley, warbler calls echoed through the trees. We could hear them clearly, but spotting them was a completely different story.

~~~
Before the forest fully woke up, the moon gave us one last soft goodbye.

~~~
Soft morning light greeted us at the nursery area, a known winter migrant zone. Thankfully, the authorities have preserved this space really well. Only birdwatchers are allowed inside and the noisy tourist rush is kept away, which makes a huge difference. It easily stands out as one of the calmest and most bird friendly corners of Nandi Hills.

~~~
Our birding day finally kicked off with this Puff-throated Warbler, quietly working its way through the leaf litter.

~~~
Then the light decided to steal the spotlight.

~~~
A tempting pomelo that tested our self control more than the slow birding morning.

~~~
Soon after, this Red-throated Flycatcher walked right into our frame, instantly making the slow morning feel better.

~~~
By now the forest had fully woken up. Sunlight streamed through the canopy and the nursery area started feeling alive, both with sound and movement.

~~~
After all the moving shadows and leaves, this Hume’s Warbler finally sat still long enough for a proper frame.

~~~
Moss, fresh leaves and morning moisture turned every branch into a miniature forest.

~~~
By 11 AM, bird activity in the nursery area had still not kicked in and hunger had started making itself very noticeable. We decided to climb up to the top for breakfast, hoping to pick up a few birds along the way, and then return to the nursery area after giving it some time to warm up.

While climbing up, this tailorbird popped up along the trail, showing off multiple angles before finally letting us move on.

~~~
After breakfast, we walked around the Nehru Nilaya area and were greeted by this perched Black Drongo keeping watch over the gardens.

~~~
Among the soft purple flowers, this Purple-rumped Sunbird added its own splash of drama and colour.

~~~
Just as we were heading back down, this male Red-breasted Flycatcher decided to stop us in our tracks.

~~~
When we returned to the nursery area, bird activity had finally come alive. A male Indian Blue Robin walked past us on the trail, glowing in the soft forest light.

~~~
Not far away, a female appeared too, completing the scene beautifully.

~~~
And just when we thought things were settling down, a Blue-capped Rock Thrush turned up.

~~~
A White-cheeked Barbet made an appearance.

~~~
We also spotted a Grey Wagtail working the grassy patches nearby.

~~~
That Blue-capped Rock Thrush really decided to stay and pose.

~~~
The Verditer Flycatcher only offered a partial glimpse before disappearing into the foliage.

~~~
The female Red-breasted Flycatcher made a brief appearance, delicate and understated but equally charming.

~~~
A Grey-bellied Cuckoo appeared briefly, perching calmly on an open branch before disappearing into the canopy.

~~~
A Blue-capped Rock Thrush perched on a gnarled tree trunk, giving us a beautiful, unobstructed view.

~~~
And just when we thought the nursery had given all it could, an Orange-headed Thrush turned up, busy hunting, posing and posing again.

~~~
The Red-breasted Flycatcher clearly enjoyed the attention and continued to pose patiently, hopping between perches and giving us plenty of chances to frame those tiny details.

~~~
Seemed like a 'birds of a feather' moment again, this time with another blue and orange beauty, the Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.

~~~
Just when the flycatchers’ meet was getting interesting, the king made his grand entry, the male Indian Paradise Flycatcher.

~~~
A final frame of the Red-breasted Flycatcher, using the bench for a sense of scale.

~~~
Nandi Hills once again proved why patience matters so much in birding. Some days test you. Others surprise you. And once in a while, you get lucky enough to experience both on the same day.

Share your thoughts in the comments.