AK, CA and I had been looking forward to exploring a new birding location. Unfortunately, AK fell unwell, and neither of us felt right heading off without her. Rather than cancel the outing altogether, CA and I decided to keep things simple and visit a place much closer to home: Varthur Lake.
Even that plan came with a ticking clock. CA had signed up to donate blood later in the morning, so our birding window was already quite short. To make matters more interesting, a roadblock along the way slowed us down and ate into the little time we had.
Birding in a hurry is rarely the best recipe for finding lots of birds, and this morning was no exception.
Still, Varthur Lake offered enough moments to keep our cameras busy. A few obliging subjects, some interesting behaviour, and the ever present possibility of a surprise ensured that the outing remained enjoyable despite the limited time.
It was simply a couple of hours spent outdoors, enjoying whatever came by before it was time to head back and let CA keep his blood donation appointment.
Sometimes, that is more than enough.
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Our first sighting of the morning was a Scaly-breasted Munia, clinging acrobatically to a drooping grass stem as it searched for seeds.
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Not far away, a small group of Scaly-breasted Munias had gathered in a thorny bush.
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One bird launched itself from its perch.
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We also spotted a Black Kite, occupied with a fish breakfast and seemingly in no hurry to finish it.
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The sweet, melodious call of a male Pied Bushchat drew our attention to a nearby perch.
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Our presence mattered little to the male Pied Bushchat, who remained focused on singing his heart out in the hope of winning over a mate.
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And here was the reason for all that singing: a female Pied Bushchat who seemed completely unimpressed.
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A solitary Red-rumped Swallow paused on a bare perch, seemingly happy to pose for a few photographs.
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Rose-ringed Parakeets were busy around a tree-hole nest.
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One of the Parakeets took off with a loud screech.
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A cluster of trees overhanging the water hosted a busy Baya Weaver colony. The males were engrossed in nest construction, arriving with strands of grass, weaving them into their pendulous homes, and displaying their craftsmanship to nearby females.
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A small gathering of Spot-billed Ducks shared a quiet corner of the lake with a few egrets, all going about their morning routines.
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A pair of juvenile Black Kites kept us entertained with a brief but spirited dispute, complete with dramatic wing spreads and aerial manoeuvres.
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Hidden among the leaves, a male Asian Koel revealed itself with a flash of crimson eye.
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A bright red Red Cotton Stainer demanded attention as it made its way across the sandy track.
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A Purple Heron picked its way through the water hyacinth, ever watchful for an unsuspecting meal.
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An Asian Green Bee-eater paused on a perch, scanning the air for its next meal.
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Asian Green Bee-eaters rarely come down to earth for long. Maybe this one was in the mood for a snail instead of its usual flying fare.
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A pair of Baya Weavers shared the same perch, the breeding male glowing yellow while a non-breeding companion kept watch from above.
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A flash of yellow marked our final sighting of the morning. By then it was 8:45 am, and despite wanting to stay longer, we had to call it a day and head back.
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Before leaving, I paused for one final frame. Beneath those sprawling skies, another rewarding birding outing came to an end.
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The clock may have been against us, but the birds did their best to make every minute count.
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