Hoskote trip to attend Friends Wedding

One of my close friends wedding was at Hoskote this weekend. Since the wedding was at 11:30AM I decided to visit the Hoskote lake first and then head towards the function hall.

I read there were lot of waders in the Hoskote lake which was true. I could see lot of birds near the lake but could not photograph much. But somehow managed to get some shots. There were lot of Ducks of which I'm not sure of the ID.

Birds seen at the lake.

1. Indian Roller
2. Spotted Dove
3. Grey Francolin
4. Pied Bushchat
5. Indian Robin
6. Grey Tit
7. Purple Rumped Sunbird
8. Red Wattled Lapwing
9. Scaly Breasted Munia
10. Silver bill
11. Green Bea Eater
12. Wood Sandpiper
13. Black Headed Ibis
14. Pond Heron
15. Grey Heron
16. Purple Heron
17. Purple Moorehen
18. Plain Prinia
19. Black Kite

                                                                  Wood Sandpiper

                                                                       Grey Heron

                                                                         Spotted Dove

                                                                              Pied Bushchat

                                                             Silverbills & Bushchat

                                                                            Grey Tit

                                                            My Life Partner(Swetha)

                                                                        Indian Roller

                                                                              ID?

 

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

                                                                          Common Jay?

                                                                  Humans and Birds Conflict

?

                                                     ID of the duck behind Spot billed duck?

                                                                    Grey Heron

                                                                   Great Coromorant

                                                                      Keelback?

                                                                    Spot Billed Pelican

                                                                  Common Kingfisher

                                                                Median Egret

                                                                    Painted Stork

                                                                   Brahminy Kite

                                                                      Little Egret

                                                                  Common Sandpiper

                                                                   Yellow Wagtail

                                                                 Plain Tiger

Birding at TG Halli

Last weekend I thought of going to Savandurga but because of some reasons had to abandon it. Instead I went to checkout the TG Halli lake again.

The drive was very pleasant. This time there was only a single boat in the lake. Not many people around. Even the waterbirds were very less. All I saw was few Egrets, One painted stork, few sandpipers and Little ringed plover. But the best thing was there were lot of swallows. I got to get some good shots of the swallows. They look like red rumped swallow.

Also I saw another sandpiper which i'm not sure of the ID. Any help with the ID will be greatly appreciated. It looks like Terek Sandpiper though but not sure.

And I got to see my first Male Kestrel here. But could not get good photographs him. Same case with Yellow wagtails, they flew away before I could lift my camera. I took too much time in getting their details correct.

When walking through the thick Eucalyptus vegetation one bird flew away which looked like Grey Francoling but I'm not sure of it though.

All in all a good outing in the morning.

                                                                    Plain Prinia

                                                                        Brahminy Kite

                                                                      Paddyfield Pippit

                                                                       Common Kestrel(Male)

                                                                      Swallow Family

                                                                  Terek Sandpipers?

                                                                     Little Ringed Plovers

                                                                  Common Sandpiper

                                             This temple gets submerged during rainy season

                                                                  Grey Breasted Prinia

Birding at Hesarghatta

After lot of deliberation I decided to visit Hesrghatta lake for birding. Have been planning to go in December but decided to visit it this weekend on suggestion from one of IMW members.

I was told there was a sighting of a European roller and I was told it wont stay for long. So I decided to give a visit. I had already visited this place once but never photographed any raptors.

Woke up at around 4:30 and started at around 5AM from my house. The place is around 50+ kms from my house. It was lot of driving hence started a little early than normal. Drove non stop till I reached the lake bed. On reaching the light was still bad. I parked my bike near a small pond which had good water. While walking along the edge of the lake a Sandpiper flew right across me and landed at the far end of the pond. After a while a second sandpiper joined. But they did not stay there for long since people started coming. They were Common Sandpipers.

I saw few cars started going inside the lakebed. I had never gone deep into the lakebed. I followed them. On the way I spotted the European Roller. My first sighting of this bird which has been categorised as "Vulnerable" now. It was beautiful. I kept my distance and took few shots. They were not good but I did not want to get close and scare away the bird. I saw the bird coming to the ground couple of times to catch something. I moved on from there.

After driving a little deep I saw few cars chasing couple of birds. I did not know what they were chasing. I parked my bike and started walking. By the time I reaced there the raptors were gone except for a Common Kestrel. This guy was amazing and posing for us. I got few good shots of the bird. After this all the cars moved on. I was still around trying to photograph Oriental lark and Cisticola.

When I turned around I saw couple of birds at a distance. On my first look at one of the birds I knew it was a Egyptian Vulture and the other one was a Juvenile. It was my first sighting. I was so happy to see this one. I always wanted to see a Egyptian vulture. I could not beleive my luck, European roller and Egyptian Vulture on the same day Amazing. I wanted to take some pictures of the vultures and started walking very slowly towards the birds. I started crawling on the ground very slowly without revealing myself. When I got close enough I tried to take some photographs when 5 cars came zipping by and got too close to the bird. It flew away.

I don't know what make these people to get so close to these birds in their cars. They are kind of destroying the Hesarghatta Habitat. You can see car tracks everywhere. These people they dont use the proper road instead they drive through the grass. Its really sad. There were atleast 10 cars going around the lake trying to find these elusive raptors. Apart from Kestrel other raptors looked uneasy.

For my luck there were a group of people who were photographing a European roller. I joined them to get some good shots. We stood behind the car and took some shots without disturbing the bird.

I also got a chance to get some good photographs of Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark and some other birds which I could not ID. I also photographed a Pied Cuckoo. Was happy to see this bird.

Co-Ordinates to the location : 13.159809,77.48889

List of Bird's seed during the outing.

1. Sandpiper (2)
2. Black Kite
3. Brahminy Kite
4. Black Shouldered Kite
5. Common Kestrel
6. Indian Roller
7. European Roller(Only one bird)
8. Pond Heron
9. Red Wattled Lapwing
10. Egyptian Vulture(Female and Juvenile)
11. Black Drongo
12. Pied Cuckoo
13. Large Grey Babbler
14. Yellow Billed Babbler
15. Zitting Cisticola
16. Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark
17. Oriental Skylark
18. Paddyfield Pippit
19. Common Myna
20. Common crow
21. Bay Backed Shrike
22. Long tailed Shrike
23. Baya Weaver
24. Indian Robin
25. Pied Bushchat
26. House Swift
27. Red Rumped Swallow
28. Silver bill
29. Purple Rumped Sunbird
30. Green Bea Eater
31. Ashy Prinia
32. Plain Prinia
33. Cattle Egret

                                                                 Baya Weaver(Male)

                                                                   Oriental Lark

                                                                   Common Kestrel

                                                                 Egyptian Vulture(Juvenile)

                                                                 Egyptian Vulture(Adult)

                                                                   Zitting Cisticola?

                                                                   Oritental Skylark

                                                          Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark

                                                                    Oriental Skylark

                                                    Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark(Female)

                                         Cars Crowding birds to take photograph of European Roller

                                                                       Black Drongo

                                                          High key shot of Kestrel

                                                                        Pied Cuckoo

                                                                   Baybacked Shirke

                                                                Siberian Stonechat(Female)

                                                                    European Roller

                                                                   Common Kestrel

                                                                                Siberian Stonechat(Male)