Red Breasted Merganser

Today, I had gone to see a special bird with my friend and fellow birder. She had informed me about this bird called 'Red Breasted Merganser' a beautiful diving duck that has come from very far away up north. Red Breasted Merganser is a fastest duck (flies about 100 mph ) and found in colder regions and in large lakes, rivers and oceans. It prefers salty water. It feeds itself by diving under water and catching fish, insects, tadpoles. 

With the help of a local birder who frequented to the Vasai East lakes area, we were able to catch glimpses of this beauty. It was a female Red Breasted Merganser and all by herself. This bird is seen for the first time in India, and not a common migratory to Indian region,  She must have lost her way. While it was great opportunity to see her for a long time, diving in water and feeding herself and also preening and flying. I felt so sad that she is all alone from her flock and far away from her home land in a region totally unknown to her. Hope she finds her way back home, reunites with her flock and gets back to home safe!

Little Egret, Purple Rumped Sunbird, Barbet and Warbler

Today morning while walking on the road of the birding spot, I heard the familiar puk-puk-puk sound of the Coppersmith Barbet. Tried to spot him, and he was just on the branch at the top of my head. 

I observed an interesting behavior of Barbet. He was doing that 'puk-puk-puk' sound and his entire little body was shaking with that sound. Then he stopped for some time and stared again. Was this call for a partner? don't know. Both Male and Female Barbets make the same sound. After making that sound for few more time, he suddenly flew to the tree on my left hand side. I could not see properly but there was another Barbet there. And they flew frantically, almost as if they were fighting and our guy flew back to where he was again. Was that other guy also Male Barbet? Don't have a clew. Our guy was back to the tree on my right side(where he perched on the branch earlier) and he did frantic movements of neck (मान वेळावून इकडेतिकडे बघत होता) and then rested for a while and again flew. But now he went far away beyond my sight.

Spotted a few Warblers, but they are so shy and always keep jumping from one bush to other that its almost impossible to get a photograph of them. Still tried a got some photos of a distant Warbler.

Blyth's Reed Warbler


One more Warbler
 

There was one nearby, but as soon as I tried to capture him, he went deep into the bushes never to be seen again.  

Sighted a Purple Rumped Sunbird Male and Purple Sunbird Female at a far distance. 

While coming back, sighted a resident Little Egret which stays nearby the small pond and finds food by fishing in the pond. I have seen him many times before from the window of the home, But today I caught a sight of him nearby.

Indian Grey Hornbill

Today, could not go out as I was not well. But I could hear a distinct call of Indian Grey Hornbill so went near the window. There was a pair of Grey Hornbills which one by one flew from Mangrove tree to a far away tree on the hill side. One sat on the branch while the other vanished in trees beyond it. This Grey Hornbill I could immediately spot with binoculars. Tried to click his photo but it was not very clear picture. Also, as it always happen the crows gather around Hornbills and gang him up and shoo him off the place. This time also, they were sitting closer to Hornbill and watching him and crowing until finally the Hornbill flew away and joined his partner deep in the bushes towards the hills. 

Grey Hornbill

Grey Hornbill and the Crows ganging up on him

Grey Hornbill got irritated by the crows and flew away

Unidentified bird looks like Shikra

Today morning, spotted, two red whiskered bulbuls and one Red Vented Bulbul.

On the left : Red Vented Bulbul , On the right two of them are Red Whiskered Bulbul

Also spotted 'Spotted Dove'. 

Spotted Dove

Around 11 am, this unidentified bird few in pair. Both of them vanished in the deep woods quickly. They made sounds which I checked on Xeno Canto (A sight having bird sounds), the sounds they made resembled Shikra bird. Shikra is a fierce killer bird(bird of prey).

Shikra in flight

Coppersmith Barbet Day

Today morning, caught sight of Coppersmith Barbet from a closer angle. Although he was camouflaged in the green leaves, it was still possible to observe him closely.

 

Coppersmith Barbet

Day in Paradise

Today was the day in Paradise. Caught glimpse of a very beautiful bird 'Paradise Flycather'. This is one of the most beautiful birds seen in India. Male are of two types. One is white and other one is Rufous, like the one in the below photo. Its difficult to identify Male female in Rufous Type because they almost look the same, and the Rufous colour is faint in Female. I think the one in the photograph is a Male. It was difficult to photograph him because he was aware of my presence and once I pointed camera towards him, he flew immediately. And kept flying from one branch to other. Although I was lucky enough atleast to sight him today. Not a very common sight!

 

Asian Koel-Greater coucal-Bulbul and Ashy Prinia

Today morning, spotted Asian Koel Male(कोकीळ) and Greater Coucal/Crow Pheasant (भारद्वाज). Also spotted Red Whiskered Bulbul (नारद बुलबुल/शेंडीवाला बुलबुल). 
That little puppy was adopted my a lady nearby. Happy for the puppy..!

Greater Coucal

 

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Birds seen from my window

Today morning, a small puppy was seen near the place I go to explore the birds and felt concerned about that puppy that almost forgot to look for birds.After feeding him some milk that the locals gave, and ensured that the puppy was okay..left the place. So no birds sighted. But clicked some photos of birds that can be seen directly from my window of the house. 

Rose Ringed Parakeet Female (left) and Male (right)

Rose Ringed Parakeet Female

House Sparrow Male

Common Myna

Grey Herons

Grey Heron

Rose ringed parakeet and many more

While walking towards my birding spot, I pass through a Drumstick Tree (शेवग्याचंझाड /मालवणी भाषेतील शेगलाचं झाड) or Moringa Oleifera. On this tree, there were three Rose Ringed Parakeets. Two were a couple (Male and Female) and third one(Male, कबाबमें  हड्डी, दोघात तिसरा :))  

It was interesting to observe them eating the flowers of Drumstick tree. This drumstick tree is favorite of many birds. Even Purple rumped sunbird is frequent visitor to this tree to drink nectar of the flowers.

The area around this tree was active with birds today. Spotted following birds. All in all, it was a good day!

Rose Ringed Parakeet Male female and one more parakeet guy

 

Grey Heron

 

Red Vented Bulbul

Little Egret

Asian Koel Female

Asian Koel Female

Purple Rumped Sunbird Male

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

Hidden treasures and lost files

Today was a 'no luck' day. I kept looking for birds but no one came in sight. All were hiding in the bushes. Few such 'hidden treasures' were 'Ashy Prinia' and 'Common tailorbird'. After a long time, Ashy Prinia showed his face but its a bird with such a quick movement and mostly seen in dense bushes, that it was almost impossible to capture his photo. Still I could get few photos of Ashy Prinia and another one of purple rumped sunbird female. The photos were not very good. Also, a black drongo came after a very long time and sat on the branch just above my head. Could not capture him either.

To make it sound perfectly 'No luck day' , while I was transferring the photos to PC, I did Ctrl+x , Ctrl +c . And somehow the PC was shutdown. The photos got wiped off from the camera card and also could not get copied properly to the PC and I lost all files except one. Which is 'Purple rumped sunbird female' photo.(In this photo, no identifiable features of purple rumped sunbird female can be matched but I could identify her because of the sound she was making.

Lesson learned : Never cut paste.

Looks like Purple Rumped Sunbird female

Purple Sunbird and Scarlet Morning Glory

Purple Sunbird on the 'Scarlet Morning Glory' creeper

Today, I saw this beautiful purple sunbird (Male) on the creeper called 'Scarlet morning glory'. There was no female nearby as normally seen with other sunbirds like 'Purple rumped sunbird'. He wanders alone. I had spotted him earlier also, and knew that he is a frequent visitor to this creeper and likes the nectar of this flower. I did not spot any other sunbird coming to this flower for nectar. Only purple sunbird so far. Purple sunbird is quite friendly and did not mind me taking his photographs.