A Late Start, A Good Haul

Last Sunday, I woke up later than usual and headed to Muthanallur Lake, reaching well past the golden hour. Thankfully, it was an overcast morning, which made the walk a lot less tiring and the birding surprisingly rewarding. Sightings came steadily as I made my way around the lake. 

Here’s the haul from the morning.

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The first sighting of the morning was, for me, the prettiest of the day. A Tawny-bellied Babbler perched quietly among the thorny branches.

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The White-bellied Drongo made a couple of appearances.

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The male Indian Robin gave me some great looks, posing nicely on a couple of different perches.

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A White-rumped Munia perched quietly on a slender branch.

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A breeding male Streaked Weaver stood out with that bright yellow crown against the grey morning sky.

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It was my first time seeing a juvenile Oriental Magpie-Robin. Quite different from the familiar adults, and a lovely little surprise.

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The grass was full of Red Avadavats, quietly moving through the reeds. Getting them to sit still was another matter altogether.

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The Red Avadavats were easily among the most fun to watch. They kept disappearing into the grass and popping out again, making me work for every decent frame.

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A small flock of Great Cormorants flew overhead, looking especially dramatic against the heavy morning sky.

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A Baya Weaver perched quietly among the grass, looking rather different from the bright breeding males.

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The juveniles were giving me a tough time with the IDs. This one turned out to be a juvenile Indian Robin.

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A Small Salmon Arab was another nice find along the way, adding a bit of colour to the morning.

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A male Pied Bushchat perched quietly on a wire, making for a clean frame.

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A Common Tailorbird gave me a brief look as it moved through the foliage.

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A prized catch from the morning was this Yellow Bittern, perched rather unexpectedly on a tree branch.

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The next 15 minutes were spent trying to catch a Black Drongo in mid-flight as it chased insects. Not an easy target, but this one made the effort worthwhile.

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A pair of male Red Avadavats turned up again, perched together on a cattail.

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And then came a female Red Avadavat, perched beautifully on a grass stem. A much quieter pose than the males, but just as lovely.

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I ventured into the grass, and the colours alone made the walk worthwhile. Shades of green, gold and brown stretched all around, making for some lovely landscapes along the way.

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A Pale-billed Flowerpecker with a not-so-pale bill. Turns out, it was a chick.

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A male Baya Weaver was watching his nest intently from a distance.

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Then I understood why. A female had accepted his nest and was inspecting it closely, with the nest nearing completion before breeding.

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I came across a small pond choked with reeds and weeds, where a colony of Streaked Weavers had claimed the spot for nesting.

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Soon, a male Streaked Weaver arrived at a nest that was still very much a work in progress.

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There was a Blue Marsh Hawk perched nearby in the reeds.

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Now the sky opened up, with vivid blue stretching above the grassland and clouds rolling across the horizon.

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Then, tucked among the glossy green leaves, I came across a Common Gull, its yellow, black and white wings standing out beautifully against the deep green foliage.

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The final sighting of the day was a Paddyfield Pipit, quietly moving through the grass before I called it a day.

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Hope you enjoyed this late morning walk around Muthanallur Lake. Do share your thoughts!