Many migrant birds have arrived at Hoskote lake. But overnight rain inundated the pathway making most of the area inaccessible. I had to limit my bird watching activity to just about 100 meters of the lake shore. Here are the birds I saw...
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First sighting of the day was a Spot-billed Pelican floating with his inebriated reflection...
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A Grey-headed Swamphen (Purple Swamphen) was seen next...
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A little ahead, a Little Egret was happily fishing in the inundated side track. I could not go beyond this point...
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I stood there and waited for birds to come by. Soon a Blyth's Pipit arrived...
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I could see a Pied Cuckoo (Jacobin Cuckoo), but perched too far away...
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Also seen was a Red-wattled Lapwing, less agitated as he knows I could not cross the water and reach anywhere near him...
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The Blyth's Pipit returned...
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A White-throated Kingfisher caught a snail but it fell in the grass. He retrieved it immediately...
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Here's a beautiful migrant from north India. A Wire-tailed swallow. It migrates to south India during winter...
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A Common Cuckoo was seen savoring a caterpillar. Such a shame that all of these birds were too far for my lens range...
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Caught an Indian Pond-Heron's takeoff...
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Then saw a glimpse of a Common Kingfisher (Small Blue Kingfisher). It vanished instantly...
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The view of the lake and the hills in the background...
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A Pied Cuckoo (Jacobin Cuckoo) sort of posed on a perch...
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Then it tried to hide in the undergrowth...
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A Common Kingfisher was looking down in the water for an unwary fish...
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It made a dash and caught a fish...
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A female Indian Robin too caught a caterpillar...
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I re-focused on the Common Kingfisher which was ready for another meal. And soon caught a fish...
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Soon it was ready for its third meal. Both of us patiently waited for an unsuspecting fish to come by...
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In between we got distracted by a Pied Bushchat...
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Then focus resumed...
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Our patience paid...
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Saw a Long-tailed Shrike on my way back...
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Now I'll take you to my garden where I've been observing some critter activities...
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These insect eggs were laid two weeks back...
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Exactly after 12 days the eggs hatched, revealing these red bugs...
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The empty egg shells...
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In one day the red bugs transformed into these black bugs...
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Another set of eggs appeared a few days back. These are shiny and more interesting. Will keep track and see what comes out...
That's it for this week. Hope the water recedes soon and I can explore more visiting birds. Hope you liked the post. Do post your comment.
