Beyond the Usual

I’d taken enough photos of flamingos over the past four months, but I still headed to Hoskote Lake to see them one last time. They were gone. Thankfully, a few other interesting sightings made their departure a little easier to take.

Here’s the photo story.

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I went straight to the spot where the flamingos had been seen last. They were nowhere to be found. Instead, a pair of Black-winged Stilts was quietly working the shallows, making for a rather nice consolation prize.

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I managed to capture a little of their morning routine on video too.

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Further along, I found a pair of Little Grebes keeping close company.

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A Purple-rumped Sunbird mistook its reflection in a bike’s mirror for a rival, leading to a rather amusing standoff.

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A lone Black-winged Stilt stood quietly in the shallows.

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A Glossy Ibis flew past, its dark plumage revealing flashes of gloss as it caught the morning light.

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A Black-winged Kite perched quietly on a post.

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An Indian Roller suddenly took off from the fence, flashing its brilliant blue wings.

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A female Pied Bushchat perched on a mound, quietly watching the activity around the lake.

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The Black Drongos were putting on quite a show, chasing each other through the branches and taking turns in the air.

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The Red-wattled Lapwings were hard to miss, with a few taking off while others stood watch nearby.

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A Zitting Cisticola perched neatly on a dried stalk, giving me a chance to appreciate one of the lake’s smaller residents.

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A couple of Paddyfield Pipits were busy on the ground, picking their way through the grass and mud.

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A pair of Red-rumped Swallows caught my attention, resting on the wire between quick flights around the lake.

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An Asian Green Bee-eater paused on a thorny branch.

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The most endearing sighting of the day was an Indian Nightjar, beautifully camouflaged and quietly revealed along the trail.

Some Nightjar facts:

• Spends much of the day resting quietly on the ground, blending into the leaf litter
• Large eyes are well adapted for seeing in low light.
• Mostly active at night, feeds mainly on flying insects.
• Lays its eggs directly on the ground.

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A little Asian Green Bee-eater perched quietly on a thorny branch, glowing softly against the blurred woodland.

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I waited for it to take flight, but it was busy preening. So I kept the camera rolling until it finally flew.

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Amid the blooms of Parthenium, a Baya Weaver paused with a tiny morsel in its beak before taking flight.

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A quiet moment followed between two Green Bee-eaters, one pausing to preen while the other watched patiently from the same thorny perch.

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I kept the video rolling until they finally flew off together.

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I paused for a moment to take in the vast blue sky stretching over Hoskote Lake.

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My last sighting of the day was this Oriental Skylark. Its crest kept changing with every movement, making for a wonderfully memorable final encounter.

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The flamingos may have been gone, but Hoskote Lake still had plenty of stories to tell. A rewarding morning of unexpected sightings and quiet moments.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.