With the beginning of migration of birds we expected to see a lot more bird activity everywhere.
So with this in mind I and Ritesh decided to make a quick trip to Uran area mainly around Jasai.
We started at around 6:30am from Deonar and reached Uran at around 7:15am. Light was just to come up.
Just to the left before the toll after Jasai village there is a waterbody. Here we saw lot of waders mainly redshanks and godwits and terns flying around mainly the whiskered, gull billed and Caspian tern.
On the other side of the road on the wires there were plenty of blue tailed beeeaters, around 20+
Before the toll naka we went off road to search for grassland birds and others.
There were the regulars, ashy and plain prinia calling around.
2 weeks back when I had visited I had seen many long tailed shrikes, a single siberian stonechat and a single pied bushchat. They were also not very active compared to the shrikes.
But this time there was lot of activity of both these birds and we spotted atleast 3+ pairs of both of them.
Other bird with lot of activity was the zitting cisticola.
As we got down to take some shots of this bird and look around a bit we saw a Pied crested cuckoo sitting on a small bush nearby.
As we approached it to take some pics a second pied crested cuckoo came behind it and positioned itself on another bush nearby.
Both gave some good shots and then flew away to a bush further.
Little ahead was a big colony of baya weavers not very near the road but they were coming on the grass very near and we waited patiently in the car to get some glimpses and a few shots.
During this time we also saw red munias and a pair of Rufous tailed larks.
Also got some insects and butterflies.
Blue Pansy
Solomon Arab
Dragonfly
I got my lifer a little ahead in the form of a European Roller.
We saw the flash of blue settling of a big tree far away. As we started towards the spot where it had landed it flew and settled on a bush nearer to us.
It was the sighting of the day for me.
We also sighted Paddyfields pipits on and off.
Near the big container yard next to the water body we saw a big raptor circling.
It was a wonder Greater Spotted Eagle. The upper wing pattern were prominently visible.
In the waterbody got good view of Grey Heron, a lone common greenshank and atleast 20+ Pacific golden plovers.
The Siberian Stonechat male gave some wonderful views.
It was just 9:30 am and still it was feeling like 11am and the light had become very harsh till now.
The white throated kingfisher was sitting nearby and searching for food.
Also sighted the seasons first Eurasian Marsh Harrier.
In the large waterbody there were many whiskered terns hunting very nearby and we tried our best to get flight photographs.
Till then it had become too hot abd we decided to start moving back.
Just as we were about the touch the main road we saw 2 Open Billed Storks sitting symmetrically on both sides of the road.
Quiet a way to end the trip.
So with this in mind I and Ritesh decided to make a quick trip to Uran area mainly around Jasai.
We started at around 6:30am from Deonar and reached Uran at around 7:15am. Light was just to come up.
Just to the left before the toll after Jasai village there is a waterbody. Here we saw lot of waders mainly redshanks and godwits and terns flying around mainly the whiskered, gull billed and Caspian tern.
On the other side of the road on the wires there were plenty of blue tailed beeeaters, around 20+
Before the toll naka we went off road to search for grassland birds and others.
There were the regulars, ashy and plain prinia calling around.
2 weeks back when I had visited I had seen many long tailed shrikes, a single siberian stonechat and a single pied bushchat. They were also not very active compared to the shrikes.
But this time there was lot of activity of both these birds and we spotted atleast 3+ pairs of both of them.
Other bird with lot of activity was the zitting cisticola.
As we got down to take some shots of this bird and look around a bit we saw a Pied crested cuckoo sitting on a small bush nearby.
Both gave some good shots and then flew away to a bush further.
Little ahead was a big colony of baya weavers not very near the road but they were coming on the grass very near and we waited patiently in the car to get some glimpses and a few shots.
During this time we also saw red munias and a pair of Rufous tailed larks.
Blue Pansy
Solomon Arab
Dragonfly
I got my lifer a little ahead in the form of a European Roller.
We saw the flash of blue settling of a big tree far away. As we started towards the spot where it had landed it flew and settled on a bush nearer to us.
It was the sighting of the day for me.
We also sighted Paddyfields pipits on and off.
Near the big container yard next to the water body we saw a big raptor circling.
It was a wonder Greater Spotted Eagle. The upper wing pattern were prominently visible.
In the waterbody got good view of Grey Heron, a lone common greenshank and atleast 20+ Pacific golden plovers.
The Siberian Stonechat male gave some wonderful views.
It was just 9:30 am and still it was feeling like 11am and the light had become very harsh till now.
The white throated kingfisher was sitting nearby and searching for food.
Also sighted the seasons first Eurasian Marsh Harrier.
In the large waterbody there were many whiskered terns hunting very nearby and we tried our best to get flight photographs.
Till then it had become too hot abd we decided to start moving back.
Just as we were about the touch the main road we saw 2 Open Billed Storks sitting symmetrically on both sides of the road.
Quiet a way to end the trip.