TG Halli and Savandurga

Since there was good number of rains in last couple of months we thought we would visit TG Halli and see if there are any good number of water birds. We decided to start very early on Sunday and reach there by 6:30AM. Since most of our group members were busy and at the end it was just me, Raghu and his wife who made the trip.

For the first time I woke up late, infact if it was not for Raghus phone call I would have slept through the morning:-). I started at around 5:45 from my house and reached Raghu's house in 15 min. We started from Raghu's house after a nice cup of coffee.

It was a beautiful drive to TG Halli, weather was good with not much traffic. We spotted a Flameback woodpecker but before we took out our cameras he was gone. But still amazing sighting for the morning.

After reaching the backwater of TG Halli the first thing that hit me was the change that has happened from the last time that I was there. The water was more but the very bad thing to see was there was increase in the soil mining that has happened near the shore. I think all the Brick factories on the road get their mud from this place. It was really sad to see what was happening here. I hope someone takes action for whats happening there.

In terms of bird life we did not see lot of birds but enough of them to keep us interested:-) There were spot billed ducks, common coots in huge numbers, Grey herons were in good numbers too. Couple of Purple herons were seen too. But the biggest spotting of the day was "Citrine Wagtail". And seeing this fellow in summer was very surprising and it looked to be in breeding plumage too. Amazing amazing sighting. Another winter visitor seen in summer for a consecutive week. Last week we saw a Green Sandpiper in Muthanallur lake and this week a "Citrine Wagtail". And this is my first sighting of this species too:-) We could not believe our luck.

Then we saw couple of Indian Hoopoes which were very co-operating with us. Gave us some good photographs and left. Then came the time to see the bird which signals the onset of monsoons, the Pied Cuckoo:-) I was waiting to see this bird this summer. Last week Raghu had seen one when he visited chunchi falls. Again a good spotting for the day.

Lot of larks were seen along with Babblers and bulbuls. Saw a common kingfisher hovering to catch its morning breakfast. Few pied kingfishers were seen too. Had our breakfast which Raghu's wife had prepared and left from there towards Savandurga forest.

On the way in one of the lakes we saw a white-breasted waterhen and Bronze winged Jacanas. We did not see much activity while driving through Savandurga but still the drive was amazing. One sighting was of a Blue Faced Malkoha in the forest.

List of birds seen for the day.

1	Myna, Common
2	Myna, Jungle
3	Babbler, Yellow Billed
4	Babbler, Yellow Eyed
5	Babbler, Large Grey
6	Wagtail, White Browed
7	Wagtail, Citrine
8	Bulbul, Red Vented
9	Bulbul, Red Whiskered
10	Bulbul, White Browed
11	Egret, Little
12	Ibis, Black Headed
13	Heron, Pond(Breeding plumage)
14	Heron, Purple
15	Heron, Grey
16	Kingfisher, Common
17	Kingfisher, Pied
18	Kingfisher, White Throated
19	Roller, Indian
20	Hoopoe, Indian
21	Barbet, Coppersmith
22	Cuckoo, Pied
23	Koel, Asian
24	Plover, Little Ringed
25	Stork, Wooly Necked
26	Stork, Open Billed
27	Moorehen, Common
28	Moorehen, Purple
29	Jacana, Bronze Winged
30	Waterhen, White-breasted
31	Shikra
32	Buzzard, un-ided
33	Kite, Brahminy
34	Kite, Black
35	Eagle, Tawny
36	Lapwing, Red Wattled
37	Prinia, Ashy
38	Prinia, Grey Breasted
39	Lark, Un-ided
40	Lark, Ashy Crowned Sparrow
41	Pipit, Un-ided
42	Tailor Bird, common
43	Swallow, Red Rumped
44	Swallow, Barn
45	Woodpecker, Flameback
46	Dove, Laughing
47	Dove, Spotted
48	Pigeon, Rock
49	Duck, Spot Billed
50	Duck, Un-ided
51	Coot, Common
52	Sunbird, Purple Rumped
53	Sunbird, Purple
54	Silverbill, Indian
55	Weaver, Baya
56	Bushchat, Pied
57	Robin, Indian
58	Robin, Magpie
59	Shrike, Long Tailed
60	Malkoha, Blue Faced

Multiple places where the mud has been removed

Indian Roller

Pied Bushchat

Brahminy Kite

Grey Heron

Purple Heron

Citrine Wagtail

Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark

Sykes's Lark?

Plain Tiger

Sykes's Lark?

Indian Hoopoe

Pied Cuckoo

Pippit ID?

Red Wattled Lapwing

Common Kingfisher

Little Ringed Plover