K B Srinivas: First Birding trip to Hebbal Lake

So this time I decided to go to Hebbal lake with the "bngbirds" group to Hebbal Lake. The usual schedule of the group is

1'st Sunday of the month to "Hebbal Lake"
2'nd Sunday of the month to "Lalbagh"
3'rd Sunday of the month to "Areas around Bannerghatta"
4'th Sunday of the month to "Sarjapur"

I have gone with this group to Bannerghatta few time and have came across this group lot of times when visiting the Lalbagh. There are lot of Experts who help the beginners in understanding our Avians a lot better. It's really a great place to learn with so many experts around in the group.

For this outing Subbu sir was leading the group. It was a privileage to meet him.

The bird walk is held near the Hebbal park area. It's a very nice park with lot of beautiful birds. People do come here for morning walks. And some people knowingly/unknowingly disturb the birds daily routine. One such scenario happened right in front of us. A morning jogger had crossed a gate onto the concrete structure where he was trying to exercise. Subbu sir was explaining us how that place is used by birds regularly to perch. He said usually they see Kingfisher there. Subbu sir asked the gentlemen to leave and he left after a while. After sometime we saw a "Common Kingfisher" which settled nicely at the same place where the gentlemen was walking. This was my first sighting of a "Common Kingfisher". I was really happy to see this fellow. Got couple of good shots before he flew away.

There were a group of around 30-40 kids in the park who had come for a nature trail I guess. Subbu sir helped the kids in identifying different birds and how we can classify.

Meanwhile I got my queries cleared regarding the classification of Indian Coromorant and Indian Coromorant from Arun sir.

You get learn new things about the nature everytime from this group. It's amazing that this group has been continuing this bird walks for more than 25 years now. Amazing.

Next to the park there is tank which is used to dump the Ganesha Idols. We saw some of the idols had been dumped into the lake too.

In this tank we found a Yellow Wagtail. Amazing!!! Ended the day in a Happy note.

List of Birds seen during the trip.

1. Common Myna
2. Purple Rumped Sunbird
3. Rose Ringed Parakeet
4. Koel(male and female)
5. Grey Tit
6. Yellow Wagtail
7. Common Kingfisher
8. White Throated Kingfisher
9. Pond Heron
10. Grey Heron
11. Spot Billed Pelican
12. Painted Storks
13. Black Headed Ibis
14. Spot Billed Duck
15. Little Cormorant
16. Great Cormorant
17. Little Egret
18. Median Egret
19. Red Wattled Lapwing
20. Common Sandpiper
21. Tickell's Flowerpecker
22. Tickell's Blue flycatcher
23. Red Vented Bulbul
24. Ashy Wood Swallow Lark
25. Purple Moorehen
26. Black kite
27. Brahminy Kite
28. Ashy Prinia