From Hornbills to Flamingos

Back in April, CR and I made a memorable trip to the Blue-tailed Bee-eater sanctuary. It was a wonderful day in the field, but the relentless summer heat seemed to exact a heavy price. Soon after that outing, CR fell seriously ill. Whether the heat had anything to do with it, we'll never know, but recovery was painfully slow. Weekend after weekend passed with birding plans abandoned. For someone who lives for those nature outings, staying home was perhaps the hardest part.

Then, last Friday, my phone rang.

"So... any plans for the weekend?"

"Jyothipura," I replied.

That was all it took.

By Saturday morning, we were driving towards Jyothipura. Although she wasn't quite ready for long walks, simply being outdoors with a camera in hand felt like a victory. CR stayed close to the parked car, happily photographing whatever came within range, while I wandered deeper into the scrub in search of birds.

After I'd had my fill of the scrub, CR had one more suggestion.

"Why don't we try Hoskote Lake? Maybe the juvenile flamingos are still there."

The flamingos have now lingered at Hoskote for a record third month. I'd like to believe they had simply been waiting for CR to recover so she could finally come and meet them.

The juvenile flamingos were still there, and they posed... and posed... and posed... as if they had all the time in the world, and so did we.

Here are a few moments from our day at Jyothipura and Hoskote Lake.

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This was my second visit to Jyothipura. Naturally, my first stop was the towering tree that had hosted a family of Indian Grey Hornbills during my previous visit.

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As I neared the tree, two hornbills flew to a nearby tree and stayed hidden among the foliage. They seemed content to call from the shadows, making photography a challenge.

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After a short wait, the pair finally stepped out into the open, giving me a few frames before retreating into the canopy once again.

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I moved ahead and spotted a pair of Grey Francolins near a large termite mound. They were in no mood to pose and quickly hurried away into the scrub.

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Thankfully, not every bird was camera-shy. This Laughing Dove was happy to sit still, allowing me to make a relaxed portrait before I continued my walk.

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As I continued, an Asian Green Bee-eater used a low perch as a hunting post, patiently scanning the air for unsuspecting insects.

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One of the joys of photographing larks is getting down to their level. This Jerdon's Bush Lark was wonderfully tolerant, allowing me to spend several minutes making portraits while it calmly went about its business.

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One of the most rewarding sightings at Jyothipura was this Red-necked Falcon. It sat atop a transmission tower, keeping a watchful eye over the surrounding scrub.

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Just as I thought I had enough photographs, the Red-necked Falcon sprang into the air. I managed one final frame before it vanished beyond the trees.

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After the excitement of the Red-necked Falcon, it was back to more familiar faces. Even a Common Myna can look elegant in the golden light.

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Green against the muted evening sky, this Rose-ringed Parakeet made for a colourful portrait before flying off to rejoin its flock.

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The next visitor was a dazzling male Purple-rumped Sunbird. Never one to stay still for long, it offered just enough time to capture its metallic colours before darting off again.

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The White-browed Bulbul was in a vocal mood. Perched on the highest branch it could find, it serenaded the scrub while I quietly enjoyed the performance.

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The ever-present Spotted Dove was another obliging subject.

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Another Indian Grey Hornbill proved far less cooperative than the earlier birds. It stayed buried in the canopy, offering only fleeting glimpses through the leaves while constantly shifting from branch to branch.

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Patience paid off when it finally launched into flight, rewarding me with a clean take-off shot.

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A Crimson Rose butterfly fluttered by. A quick burst of shots was enough to catch it from different angles before it disappeared.

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The last birds at Jyothipura were a pair of Laughing Doves, perched on the sunlit earth and completely unhurried by my presence.

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With Jyothipura behind us, we headed to Hoskote Lake on CR's suggestion. Towering monsoon clouds hung over the lake as we arrived, providing a dramatic backdrop while we searched the water for flamingos.

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There they were—all three juvenile Greater Flamingos, exactly where we'd hoped they'd be.

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Having photographed these flamingos on my previous visits, I wanted to try something different this time. I lay flat on the lakeshore to shoot at eye level while CR documented the process with a behind-the-scenes photograph.

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The low-angle perspective gave these images a much more intimate feel, bringing the viewer almost to eye level with the birds.

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This visit was all about experimenting. Using my camera bag as support, I spent the next hour photographing the trio from their perspective.

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I waited quietly, and then it happened. One of the flamingos opened its wings, revealing the faintest blush of pink. These youngsters are slowly growing into the magnificent birds they will one day become.

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Here's a video of the flamingos. It was quite windy, so please excuse the shaky footage.

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While the flamingos stole the spotlight, this lively group of Black-winged Stilts was busy creating moments of their own.

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As the day came to an end, a Black Kite made sure my last bird sighting was one to remember, a perfect farewell from the skies.

Birding trips with CR always include one important decision—where to have breakfast. She's a foodie first and a birder second, so finding a great place to eat is part of every outing. This time, TAG was the winner, and my pick of fluffy puris with a rich, flavourful lamb curry was absolutely worth it. A hearty breakfast after a morning of chasing birds. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the outing.

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Thanks for coming along on another birding adventure. I hope you enjoyed the photographs and the stories behind them. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, so do leave a comment below.