The plan for this years bird race was to explore some new areas around Barvi Dam.
We started at 7am from thane and followed the Nashik highway.
A pipeline runs parallel to this highway and we decide to explore the other side of the pipeline.
Actually its 2 pipelines and a road runs within these 2 pipelines.
We drove on this road for some distance and then stopped near one opening and explored the left side of the road.
As soon we got down we heard a lot of bird activity from the bushes nearby and saw a flock of 10-15 tawny bellied babblers.
Here we saw lot of other birds namely
Purple sunbird
Purple rumped sunbird
Pale billed flowerpecker
Black Drongo
Greater Coucal
Chestnut Shouldered Petronia, etc.
After a good start we moved towards kalyan.
On the Ulhas River bridge in the the kalyan town we saw a lot of gulls and terns flying around and hence decided to stop near the river bank to check out the river.
Here we saw some waders, Black headed gulls, gull billed terns, heuglins gull, lapwings, spot billed ducks.
We took the Kalyan badlapur road, crossed Ulhasnagar and reached a pond just as we turn left on the murbad road near badlapur.
Its a very small pond with lot of lotus with big leaves.
This is a best place to observe Pheasant tailed Jacana, Bronzed winged Jacana, Common moorhen, Lesser whistling teal and Cotton pygmy goose from very close distance.
Here you could also see Ashy prinia, plain prina, jungle myna around.
Continuing further on this road you get to see a variety of habitat ranging from forest trees to dry grassland.
At a grassland we stopped to scan for larks. We found none but saw the regulars the Common Stonechat and Pied bushchat, along with Indian Roller, Black winged kite, oriental honey buzzard.
We were also lucky too see a Bluethroat.
A little ahead on the wire very near the road an adult White Eyed buzzard with a juvenile were sitting with the juvenile calling to the adult.
While watching them we caught a sight of a eagle soaring very high far away and slowly approaching us.
When it was almost on top of us we could spot the white headlights to id it as a booted eagle.
Just then something happened it suddenly dived nose first towards the ground. In just 5sec it was on the ground, picked up its kill and went and sat on a tree nearby.
It was mostly a lizard that it had killed and finshed it in 10min.
It gave us some fantastic views and it was a pleasure watching it dive at such a high speed.
Near barvi dam there was not much activity and we moved towards murbad on the same road.
The road climbs pretty high and the forest becomes thicker and thicker.
Its a fantastic forest there was lot of activity head along with sunbirds and flowerpecker were orinetal white eyes. Just then heard a very loud voice and we immediately recongnized it that of a racket tailed drongo. Here along with it was a rufous treepie and jungle babblers.
Behind was some more activity and we spotted a black hooded oriole.
It was already 12noon and started our journey back and at the grassland spotted a paddyfield pipit.
After having lunch at a hotel near Nilje we moved towards the Airoli mangroves behing the ganapati temple and saw a lot of waders.
Black tailed godwits
Common Redshank
Spotted redshank
Common Sandpiper
Little stints, etc
Moving towards the Airoli bridge we spotted again the familiar Black/Brown headed gulls and lesser flamingoes.
At bhandup it was quite silent except for the Yellow eyed babblers calling.
We also spotted a barn swallow, spotted dove, lauging dove, Green Beeaters, Spot billed ducks, black winged stilts and Gargeney duck, purple sunbird, red avadavats.
From here we moved to IIT at around 4:30pm and got the usual Purple swamphen, purple heron, Marsh harrier and palm swifts.
Overall a wonderful day spend exploring some new birding grounds with some wonderful sightings!!
We started at 7am from thane and followed the Nashik highway.
A pipeline runs parallel to this highway and we decide to explore the other side of the pipeline.
Actually its 2 pipelines and a road runs within these 2 pipelines.
We drove on this road for some distance and then stopped near one opening and explored the left side of the road.
As soon we got down we heard a lot of bird activity from the bushes nearby and saw a flock of 10-15 tawny bellied babblers.
Here we saw lot of other birds namely
Purple sunbird
Purple rumped sunbird
Pale billed flowerpecker
Black Drongo
Greater Coucal
Chestnut Shouldered Petronia, etc.
After a good start we moved towards kalyan.
On the Ulhas River bridge in the the kalyan town we saw a lot of gulls and terns flying around and hence decided to stop near the river bank to check out the river.
Here we saw some waders, Black headed gulls, gull billed terns, heuglins gull, lapwings, spot billed ducks.
We took the Kalyan badlapur road, crossed Ulhasnagar and reached a pond just as we turn left on the murbad road near badlapur.
Its a very small pond with lot of lotus with big leaves.
This is a best place to observe Pheasant tailed Jacana, Bronzed winged Jacana, Common moorhen, Lesser whistling teal and Cotton pygmy goose from very close distance.
Here you could also see Ashy prinia, plain prina, jungle myna around.
Continuing further on this road you get to see a variety of habitat ranging from forest trees to dry grassland.
At a grassland we stopped to scan for larks. We found none but saw the regulars the Common Stonechat and Pied bushchat, along with Indian Roller, Black winged kite, oriental honey buzzard.
We were also lucky too see a Bluethroat.
A little ahead on the wire very near the road an adult White Eyed buzzard with a juvenile were sitting with the juvenile calling to the adult.
While watching them we caught a sight of a eagle soaring very high far away and slowly approaching us.
When it was almost on top of us we could spot the white headlights to id it as a booted eagle.
Just then something happened it suddenly dived nose first towards the ground. In just 5sec it was on the ground, picked up its kill and went and sat on a tree nearby.
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It gave us some fantastic views and it was a pleasure watching it dive at such a high speed.
Near barvi dam there was not much activity and we moved towards murbad on the same road.
The road climbs pretty high and the forest becomes thicker and thicker.
Its a fantastic forest there was lot of activity head along with sunbirds and flowerpecker were orinetal white eyes. Just then heard a very loud voice and we immediately recongnized it that of a racket tailed drongo. Here along with it was a rufous treepie and jungle babblers.
Behind was some more activity and we spotted a black hooded oriole.
It was already 12noon and started our journey back and at the grassland spotted a paddyfield pipit.
After having lunch at a hotel near Nilje we moved towards the Airoli mangroves behing the ganapati temple and saw a lot of waders.
Black tailed godwits
Common Redshank
Spotted redshank
Common Sandpiper
Little stints, etc
Moving towards the Airoli bridge we spotted again the familiar Black/Brown headed gulls and lesser flamingoes.
At bhandup it was quite silent except for the Yellow eyed babblers calling.
We also spotted a barn swallow, spotted dove, lauging dove, Green Beeaters, Spot billed ducks, black winged stilts and Gargeney duck, purple sunbird, red avadavats.
From here we moved to IIT at around 4:30pm and got the usual Purple swamphen, purple heron, Marsh harrier and palm swifts.
Overall a wonderful day spend exploring some new birding grounds with some wonderful sightings!!
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