A birding trip to Saul Kere

A short drive from home brings me to Saul Kere lake in Bangalore. Truly marvelous variety of birds can be seen these days. Here's a photo tour... 

It was quite foggy at 7:30 am and I started losing hope. I was delighted to sight a Rose-ringed Parakeet. Its colors resolving from the mist...

A Glossy Ibis stood in the mist without the gloss. I hoped to return to it later when the mist clears to capture its glossy wings...

And an Ashy Prinia looked drenched in the mist...

An Intermediate Egret looked elegant though even in the bad light condition...

A baby Eurasian Coot was learning some fishing tricks from the mother coot... 

As the light improved, I could see a Brown Shrike settling on a tree...

The sun light revealed the true colors of the colorful Grey-headed Swamphen...

A Black Drongo appeared...

A White-cheeked Barbet also made an appearance...

A male Asian Koel tried to hide, but his bright red eyes could not help him conceal...

A whistling call of an Oriental Magpie-Robin sitting far away on a tree grabbed my attention...

A Rose-ringed Parakeet added beautiful green spots by flying from one branch to another...

Glossy Ibis also did a flypast...

Saw another Eurasian Coot in better light...

A Clamorous Reed Warbler darted around making it quite frustrating to focus...

Ashy Prinia now appeared normal. The sun helped in drying the morning mist...

Sun made the sunbirds active. I saw many Purple-rumped Sunbirds busily hopping around taking the insect breakfast... 

A female Pied Bushchat came and sat pretty close to where I was standing...

A male Pied Bushchat followed the female...

A White-throated Kingfisher is ready with its sharp beak for you know what...

Show stopper for the day was a Cinereous Tit. Its sighting made me really happy...

Finally, I returned to the place where I saw Glossy Ibis and captured one with its glossy plumes...

That brings us to the end of the post. Thank you for visiting. I would love to receive your thoughts in the comments section below...

Unexpected delight!

 This was my third consecutive visit to Hoskote lake after the long Covid break. This time I saw a new bird, which I had never seen before in this location. Read on to see pictures of the bird and few others...

A Black-winged Stilt was in the quest for a meal...

I could sight a White-browed Wagtail hopping around restlessly...

An immature Black Drongo was seen swooping from tree branch to ground level vegetation...

And a Gray-headed Swamphen foraged quietly in the grass...

Then came the moment of surprise. My attention drew to a bright yellow spot in the thick foliage of tree. A Common Iora it was. At an angle of 80°, I struggled with the focus. Luckily got this shot, he had a worm in its beak...

It flew away after gulping the meal...

A Jerdon's Bushlark pulled me along its path. I just kept on clicking it in various poses...

Then a Blyth's Reed Warbler showed up...

A Green Bee-eater trilled its song...

A White-browed Bulbul drew my attention with its raucous babbling...

As the sunset approached, Spot-billed Pelicans gave a beautiful flypast...

A Red-vented Bulbul was the last sighting of the day...

After watching the sun set, I returned home, quite happy with the evening birding...

Hope you liked the post. Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section below...

Evening birding at Hoskote

I usually visit Hoskote lake early in the morning. Last Sunday, due to some morning engagements, I visited the lake in the evening around 4:30 PM. It was a satisfying one hour of bird watching. Here are some pics...

I was lucky to spot a Pied kingfisher trying to spot a fish and make a dash...

The sky was starting to get dramatic...

It started drizzling causing a bit of anxiety to a Rock pigeon...

A Jerdon's Bushlark was happily sitting and enjoying the weather change...

So was a Paddyfield pipit...

A squirrel got something to nibble...

Then came the male Red Avadavat sporting its non-breeding plumage of dull red colors. It will change into bright red in the breeding season...

Mrs. Avadavat was seen foraging on the ground...

An Indian Pond heron...

Intermediate Egret...

A female Indian Robin was the last bird of the day. Her eyes glistening in the evening sunshine...

The sky became even more dramatic as the sun was setting. I took a shot of the silhouette of bamboo leaves and distant coconut palm trees...

I headed back home after the enjoyable one hour of exploration. Hope you liked the post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below...