A Monsoon Misadventure

The monsoon has settled in for the long haul, painting the sky a dreary watercolor of grey. Sunday morning found me and a friend at Kannamangala Lake. Low light made clear shots a challenge. But then, a flash of color made the frustrations melt away. See what I managed to capture!

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As I approached, my excitement dimmed along with the light.  The road, unfortunately, pointed straight towards the low-hanging monsoon clouds.  With the sun hidden behind the thick blanket of grey,  I wrestled with the camera settings, trying to salvage the day (or at least, salvage some decent photos!)

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A White-throated Kingfisher darted between perches, its blue feathers bright against the grey. With a sharp eye on the water below, it hunted for its breakfast fish.

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Three Aylesbury ducks waddled across the ground like a real-life, conjoined triplet! Their beaks dipped and probed the ground in perfect sync as they searched for breakfast.

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There, perched on a branch, a Common Kingfisher held my attention. I grabbed a seat nearby, battling the low light for the next half hour to capture some decent shots of the kingfisher.

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A bright red beak sliced through the water - a Common Moorhen swam by.

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Another bright beak appeared - a Common Coot in the low light.

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A Little Egret effortlessly snatched fish from the water.

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An Indian Spot-billed Duck dipped and dabbled in the water as it chased after fish.

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Unsure if my kingfisher photos turned out in the dim light, I returned for a video. Luckily, the kingfisher became the star of the show, diving and emerging with a fish in its beak!

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Believe it or not, even at 8 am, the light was terrible! My friend and I exchanged a knowing look – it was time to call it a day. With a sigh, we packed up our gear, a sense of mystery hanging in the air about whether we'd captured anything at all.

Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the monsoon! Let me know in the comments below - what captured your eye the most?

Resident Stars of Saul Kere

The migratory birds have all gone back to their homes. We are left with the resident birds and some who are making an extended stay here. Here are some pics from my recent birdwatching trip to Saul Kere.

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Recent rains have left the sky a soft, milky gray all day, perfect for a leisurely morning of birdwatching without the sun's usual glare.

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At the rookery, a single young cormorant clung to its nest. Could this straggler be the last one to take the leap?

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Other Great Cormorants stayed close to the chick, watching over it. Maybe they were trying to give it courage to fly.

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The little bird flapped its small wings, trying its best to fly.

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I saw a heron trying to catch a fish. It struck but missed. In the end, it caught a small fish.

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Next, I spotted a Little Egret with its reflection perfectly mirrored in the water.

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With a powerful burst of wings, a Brahminy Kite launched itself on a fishing expedition.

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Three Red-wattled Lapwings, looking a bit stranded on a tiny island, were actually just being super protective parents of their nearby nest. 

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A female Asian Koel alighted on a distant branch, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.

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A red-vented bulbul puffed its feathers up to stay warm in the cool morning air.

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Common Mynas busily furnished their nest holes with various materials like green leaves and feathers.

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A purple-rumped sunbird was out when the light improved a bit.

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A Red-whiskered bulbul added to the morning activity.

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Despite the Cinereous Tit perched on a faraway tree, its allure was irresistible. I couldn't resist a click, even knowing it might not turn out well!

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A White-throated Kingfisher joined the vibrant scene.

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A White-cheeked Barbet rounded out the morning's bird sightings.

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Thanks for reading about my birdwatching trip! Feel free to leave a comment below.

Hoskote Lake Jewels

The house move is done! Need I say how hard and messy the whole process was? I'm so glad it's all over and we're almost settled in our new cozy place.

This post takes a break from unpacking to share a trip I took with a friend to Hoskote Lake earlier this month. It had just rained overnight, so I was prepared for the little insects that come out then. The sightings were exciting, and you wouldn't believe how excited I've been all these days, anticipating how good the pictures would look once I downloaded them to my laptop.

Apologies for neglecting your blogs lately. Now that I'm settled in, I'll definitely catch up on my visits. Here are some pictures from the trip!

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The predawn scene unfolded dramatically. Pelicans soared against the overcast backdrop, their silhouettes stark against the canvas of grey. The sun strained to pierce the veil of clouds, casting faint hues that hinted at the coming dawn.

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An Asian bee-eater perched expectantly, ready for an early morning bee meal.

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I spotted a giant ladybug lumbering across a bamboo leaf. These beetles are specialist predators of bamboo-infesting woolly aphids. By feasting on these pests, they also help to rid farm crops of woolly bugs, making them a farmer's best bug buddy!

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The aptly named Difficult White-footed Ant proved anything but difficult for a hungry Physiphora fly, becoming an easy meal.

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Ants discovered the rain-kissed leaves and flocked to drink.

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The Scarab beetle was a lovely sight. A beetle shimmering with colors that rival a jewel. This dazzling metallic effect isn't from pigment, but from the amazing physics of a scarab beetle's shell!The scarab beetle's colors come from its shell's many thin layers acting like tiny prisms, reflecting specific colors of light.

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A juvenile pied bush chat, its plumage still developing, perched on a nearby branch.

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I trained my macro lens on a Harefoot mushroom, its delicate details begging to be captured.

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The Asian pintail dragonfly had striking colors.

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A tobacco grasshopper suddenly hopped into view.

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I managed to capture an extreme close-up of a common darter dragonfly.

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After a bit of a chase, I managed to get a close-up photo of a Common Picturewing dragonfly.

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I spotted another Physiphora fly.

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A Small Transverse Ladybird Beetle.

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Hidden amongst the greenery, a tiny dark grass blue butterfly was spotted next.

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I captured the Paddyfield pipit at eye level.

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The red-vented bulbul was a bit shy, but, at least the sky cooperated.

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A common kingfisher perched in the distance, ready to dive for its prey.

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With a full belly, a brahminy kite sat regally on a branch.

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Next up were the Little Terns! These birds were zipping around the pond catching fish so fast, it was hard to get a good picture. See the video to see how quick they are! I took lots of pictures, and finally got a few that look okay. 

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While I was wrangling the terns into focus, a cheeky common kingfisher decided to steal the spotlight! 

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As I retraced my steps, a group of scaly-breasted munias caught my eye. Huddled together and chirping animatedly, they resembled a neighborhood gossip group in full swing.

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The morning sky promised a bright and crisp day.

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Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my day! Let me know what you think in the comments.