Birds, Rain and Mud at Saul Kere

Last weekend, I ventured out to Saul Kere in the rain. Thankfully, the drizzle stayed kind enough not to ruin the outing or my camera. The lake was buzzing with activity, and I came back with a whole lot of photos and plenty of mud stuck to my shoes.

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I walked into Saul Kere to find a calm lake, grey skies, a light drizzle, and an unreasonable amount of green.

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Barely into the walk, the first bird showed up. A Cinereous Tit perched quietly among the thorny branches.

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A Purple Sunbird showed up at a pomegranate flower.

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A little further along, I found a Black Drongo and a White-throated Kingfisher sharing the same set of wires.

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The kingfisher suddenly spotted prey in the water and dashed off.

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And there it was. The kingfisher returned with its catch and settled back on the wire, looking rather pleased with itself.

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Egrets, herons, ibises, pelicans and cormorants were packed into the shallows, feeding and moving around like they all had places to be.

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The Spot-billed Pelicans worked the shallows with their big bills, while the Grey Herons took the slow and patient approach, standing perfectly still and waiting for an opportunity.

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Brahminy and Black Kites started swooping low over the lake. No patient waiting or careful stalking here.

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The Brahminy Kite dropped low, hit the water and came up with a fish while the Little Egret could only watch from the sidelines.

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The bougainvillea was putting on quite a show while the waterbirds carried on below.

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A small group of Indian Spot-billed Ducks came gliding through the shallows.

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A lone Glossy Ibis quietly worked the edge of the lake.

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Another Spot-billed Pelican, this time cruising through the shallows.

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Away from the open water, I found a Greenish Warbler tucked into the vegetation.

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Black Drongos, a shrike, barbets and bulbuls all shared the same perch, each seemingly waiting for the others to leave first.

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A White-throated Kingfisher and a Black-rumped Flameback shared the same bare tree, turning an otherwise quiet perch into a colourful little lookout.

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The Greater Coucal looked like it had found the coldest perch in the neighbourhood.

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An Oriental Honey Buzzard rested in the shadows, almost disappearing into the dark canopy.

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A Blue-faced Malkoha waited out the rain on a dripping branch, as if the downpour was all part of the plan.

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The final sighting of the morning was another Black-rumped Flameback, quietly working its way up a tree.

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Thus ended a wet, muddy morning, but one well worth it. How are the September rains in your part of the world? Do comment and tell me how they’ve been treating you.