Last Sunday at Hoskote

 Last Sunday morning, I had been for a brief birding trip to Hoskote. Here are my observations...

...

I missed the sunrise but the sky still had some drama when I reached Hoskote...

...

A Pied Bushchat woke up and was contemplating her next move...

...

A Pied Cuckoo (Jacobin Cuckoo). Always seen around this time of the year, this bird heralds the onset of the monsoon (rainy) season in India...

...

A Pioneer butterfly could only be glimpsed through leaves...

...

I walked past a Black kite sitting on an electric pole, displaying its typical posture...

...

An Ashy Prinia was flitting around restlessly...

...

I watched a few juvenile Mynas learning to fly...

...

...

...

...

A Jerdon's Bushlark showed up next with a typical lark's lurk...

...

A female Chalky Percher dragonfly was seen next...

...

So many bugs became active as the sun gathered strength. An Eristalinus hoverfly was seen next...

...

An Orange-tip butterfly...

...

And a Jewel bug showed his metallic gleam...

...

A male Chalky Percher dragonfly...

...

As I was admiring the dragonflies, a White-browed Wagtail arrived biting a dragonfly...

...

A Paddyfield Pipit was seen in a picturesque setup...

...

Here's a closer shot...

...

A Red-wattled Lapwing flew towards me screaming its neurotic alarm call...

...

Quite contrasting were the peacefully swimming raft of Eurasian Coots...

...

Then I was treated with the flight spectacle of Indian Spot-billed Duck...

...

...

A Red-vented Bulbul was singing its beautiful song...

...

...

An uncommonly pretty Common Iora was seen next...

...

...

...

A Plain Prinia...

...

A male Baya Weaver...

...

A White-throated Kingfisher...

...

Spotted Dove...

...

Female Baya Weaver...

...

...

An Indian Roller...

...

Last sighting of the day was a Greater Coucal with his meal...

...

That's it for this week. Hope you liked the post. Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section below...

Bagful of birds from Saul Kere

This week's visit to Saul Kere was to sight the Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, again, before these northern breeders from south China, leave for their homes. I saw some other birds too. Here are the pics...

...

A couple of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas could be easily spotted flying around...

...

They were actively foraging in the floating vegetation...

...

...

...

...

...

I walked further to see a skulking Intermediate Egret...

...

An Indian Pond-Heron could catch a fish after a long session of skulking...

...

Its excitement after gulping the fish...

...

Another prolonged skulker, the Grey Heron was rewarded for his patience...

...

...

There were unusually large number of herons. Here's a Purple heron...

...

A Grey heron...

...

...

An Indian Pond Heron...

...

After watching the skulkers, I walked further to sight some dabblers. A solitary Indian spot-billed duck was dabbling peacefully...

...

...

...

...

...

Another dabbler was a juvenile Eurasian Moorhen...

...

...

And an adult Eurasian Moorhen was seen unsuccessfully hiding from me...

...

I walked further to see a Eurasian Coot mingling with Spot-billed Pelicans...

...

Next I sighted a White-throated Kingfisher justifying his name...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Next I spotted a Spotted Dove...

...

A Black drongo...

...

And the last sighting of the day was this Rose-ringed Parakeet...

...

...

...

Saul kere never disappoints. I returned with a satisfying haul. Hope you liked the post. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below...