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.

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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.

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

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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.

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

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Then the light decided to steal the spotlight.

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

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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A White-cheeked Barbet made an appearance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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

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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.

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