Thursday, July 19, 2012

2012-07-15 Talawe

Visited this favorite birding destination after a gap of very long time.
Its a favorite destination because of the variety of habitat it has resulting in the variety of bird species it supports.

The water body was completed filled and hence not many birds were seen but at the entrance itself we started hearing Ashy and Plain prinias.

Ashy Prinia

Also saw wire tailed swallow flying overhead,
scaly breasted munias sitting on a bush and
a yellow eyed babbler calling from somewhere in the background.

Just then saw a bird flying in front of us. A myna sized bird with light brownish in color and surprisingly it turned out to be a chestnut tailed startling. Only a single individual.

As usual the cormorants were flying around.

Little Cormorant

Also a clamorous reed warbler was hopping on low bushes near the water border.

Clamorous Reed Warbler

A few caspian terns and gull billed terns were also seen flying.

Caspian Tern

Gull Billed Tern

Just then came the star of the day the Brahminy Kite with a prey in its claws feeding in flight.


Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite

In the waterbody on the left were 10-15 Redshanks and a few Greenshanks. So late in the season?

Moving ahead we encountered cattle egret, intermediate egret, red munias and pied startling.

Further ahead just around the corner we came across atleast 40-50 redshanks and again a few Greenshanks. At the same time the rain started to pour which was quite since the morning. But it did not last for long and then it subsided after 10min and did not come back again.

As usual at the small plateau just before the fields provided as usual the best viewing point for munias. We could observe at least 20-30 scaly breasted munias, 3 black headed munias, 5-10 red munias, a few pairs of baya weavers and green bee-eaters.

Red Munia

Scaly Breasted Munia

On reaching the sea shore we saw an osprey with a huge fish in its claws flying very elegantly.

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

The tide was very high and hence birds seen on the shore.

Ashy and plain prinias as usual were abundunt.

Ashy Prinia

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Other than birdlife started seeing some butterflies and caterpillars. The silver cocks comb was flowering every where.

Silver Coxcomb

The blue tiger, common grass yellow, common leopard, salomon arab, a dartlet and a picture wing.

Common Leopard
Senegal Golden Dartlet

While returning saw a brahminy kite sitting on a tree far away but its rusty brown coat with white head against the green background gave a beatiful view.

This concluded a wonderful bird walk at a favorite birding destination!!