In search of ODKF

Monsoon rejuvenates life in this part of the country after a hot, humid and sultry summer season. It initiates breeding season for many bird species that are mostly resident.

The ODKF , which may not be resident, makes the most of this season from finding a partner to mate, building its nest, waiting for the eggs to hatch, indulging in a frenzy to feed its hatchling for 14 days till the hatchlings become adult and fly away to unknown destination hoping to return during the next monsoon season to repeat the same process.

During this time the bird photographers in this part of the country obsessively stake out this bird for a Wah Wha photo session . This bug caught on to me too and finally I got my chance, albeit bit late in the season. I made quite a few attempt but none of them were very fruitful. Ultimately came across a place near Karnala and ventured out recently on a rainy day to fulfill my wish.

The guide who was managing it, told me to come to a spot few miles after the national park entrance gate. Then took me through the slush and mud on a half an hour trek , crossing a small stream couple of times to his spot. There he had constructed his green hide to facilitate crazy bird photographers to quench their thirst for Wah Wha photos. His makeshift hide accommodated about five persons. All of them looking out eagerly for that elusive bird.

The bird did not disappoint us. It gave me a darshan 30 minutes after  I sat down with my  equipment and gear. It had come quietly and sat on a perch in front of the hide with a skink in its beak while I was watching crabs on the forest floor. The camera rattle from other photographers diverted my focus from crabs to this star attraction of the day enabling me to click a photograph which is shown second in this blog.

The ODKF had built its nest further away from our hide. The nest was basically a hole into the steep bank near a stream in a forest understorey. The male and female birds would come separately but regularly in a frequency of 20 to 30 minutes. The male would directly fly to the nest, discharge its cargo into the eager beak of its hatchlings and fly back without perching any where in this whole process.

But the female on her way to the nest would land on the perch for a minute or so probably to catch breath and then fly over to the nest to discharge the cargo and then fly out non stop. This activity goes on for several hours.These birds, whose size probably smaller than our palm, would fly low , zip across very fast, often carrying a prey quite big for their size in their beak.

I observed that each time these birds bring something for their hatchlings without fail. I saw it bringing skink, crab, spider, frog etc. It seems that its hatchlings have a voracious appetite and gorge. It is said that the ODKF hatchlings grow very fast due to this feeding frenzy very fast and leave the nest after 14 days .

So far I have not come across its sighting in this part of the country after the end of monsoon season till the end of summer. As a result I guess it is migrating to some far off place.

The Oriental Magpie Robin and Gecko

During my childhood in an apartment building in Mumbai suburb, I have very often seen Sparrows, Feral Pigeons and House Crows in my building compound but do not remember having seen any other species of birds. 

 

But during the last eight to nine months, I found an Oriental Magpie Robin very often inside my building compound. It seems to have taken up residence in an Indian Almond Tree (Terminalia catappa) that has grown inside the compound of one of the buildings in our neighbourhood.

This bird renders a delightful and melodiously varied song. Early in the morning it would perch itself on the tallest available structure and merrily sing its heart out.

Today morning I found this bird out side my residence window trying to pick up some thing lying on the concreted floor inside the compound. I thought it must be picking up some grains or insect or nesting material. 

But on closer scrutiny I found that it had caught a House Lizard/Gecko. The Gecko had dropped off its tail to distract the bird and save its life. The bird did get confused. Some times it took up the tail and some times the Gecko. Eventually it chose to take up the Gecko instead of its tail and flew away.

I tried to track the bird and found it perched on a wire overlooking a hallow in that Indian Almond Tree. An Oriental Magpie Robin female too was perched near it.

So I guess that the pair may be building a nest in that hollow of the tree as summer is generally the breeding season for most of the residential birds such as Oriental Magpie Robin in India.

So far I thought that the diet of Oriental Magpie Robin includes mainly insects and other invertebrates. Therefore House Lizard too forms its diet is a learning for me

50) RED-WHISKERED BULBUL (Pycnonotus jocosus)

At Havelock

50) Red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) #bulbul

I noticed Red-whiskered bulbul for the first time at Havelock , Andaman. Thereafter at Pachmarhi.

At Havelock

I have not noticed it in Bhopal where I reside currently. I noticed it at Bhandup Pumping Station, Mumbai too. 

At Havelock

At   Bhandup Pumping Station one can see Red Vented Bulbul, Red-whiskered bulbul as well as White-eared (yellow vented) Bulbul. 

At Pachmarhi

The red-whiskered bulbul has a brown back with a tall crest on a black crown. It has a white cheek, red ear tuft and vent.

At Pachmarhi

Its preferred habitat is lightly wooded areas, open country with bushes and shrubs, and farmland.

It feeds on fruits nectar and insects.

The Red-whiskered bulbul is at 50th place in my listing of birds that I have seen and photographed.

At Pachmarhi, the bird was drenching itself in water. I tried to do a picture movie of the same and hosted it on the Youtube under the following link :

 https://youtu.be/FQD_CvQe6AM

49) CHESTNUT-HEADED BEE-EATER (Merops leschenaulti)

Chestnut-headed bee-eater Andaman Dec 2014

49) Chestnut-headed bee-eater (Merops leschenaulti) #Chestnut-headed bee-eater #Andaman

The photographs of Chestnut-headed bee-eater were taken at Andamans in December 2014. It is a resident breeder in the Andamans and Western Ghat.

Chestnut-headed bee-eater Andaman Dec 2014

It is predominantly green.Its tail lacks spikes. The crown and mantle are chestnut coloured. Its throat above small chestnut patch is yellow in colour. It has a black eye stripe and a thin black curved bill.

Chestnut-headed bee-eater Andaman Dec 2014

It eats bees wasps and hornets, caught in the air by sorties from an open perch.

It was classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

In my listing of birds that I have seen and photographed, the Chestnut-headed bee-eater is at 49th place.

References: 

1) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

2) Birds of South Asia, The Ripley guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C Anderton

3) The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali

4) A Pictorial Field Guide to Birds of India by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar and Garima Bhatia

5) The Wikipedia

48) WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus)

Whimbrel Andaman Havelock Dec 2014

48) Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

In the month of December 2014, on a beach at Havelock Island, Andaman, saw Whimbrel. 

Whimbrel Andaman Havelock Dec 2014

It is a kind of wader and its beak is shorter than curlews. it is a migratory bird and a winter visitor. 

Whimbrel Andaman Havelock Dec 2014

Whimbrel Andaman Havelock Dec 2014

It  feeds by probing the soft mud for small invertebrates.

It was classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

In my listing of birds that I have seen and photographed, the Whimbrel is at 48th place.

References:

1) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

2) Birds of South Asia, The Ripley guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C Anderton

3) The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali

4) A Pictorial Field Guide to Birds of India by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar and Garima Bhatia


5) The Wikipedia

47) PACIFIC REEF HERON (Egretta sacra)

Pacific Reef Heron Havelock , Andamans Dec 14

47) Pacific reef heron (Egretta sacra) #heron #andamans

I saw the Pacific reef heron on a beach at Havelock Island, Andamans in the month of December 2014.

Pacific Reef Heron Havelock , Andamans Dec 14

Some Pacific reef heron have entirely white plumage whereas some birds have entirely dark grey plumage. 

It inhabits coastal regions like rocky shores and offshore islands.

Pacific Reef Heron Havelock , Andamans Dec 14

It is also observed on mangrove margins, tidal flats, beaches and tidal creeks.

It feeds mainly on fish, shrimp and molluscs.

It was classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Pacific Reef Heron Havelock , Andamans Dec 14

In my listing of birds that I have seen and photographed, the Pacific Reef Heron is at 47th place.

References:

1) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

2) Birds of South Asia, The Ripley guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C Anderton

3) The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali

4) A Pictorial Field Guide to Birds of India by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar and Garima Bhatia

5) The Wikipedia

46) EURASIAN WRYNECK (Jynx torquilla)

Eurasian Wryneck 1 Vanvihar 060916

46) Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla) #Eurasian #wryneck

The Eurasian Wryneck is at 46th place in my listing of birds that I have seen and photographed. I had sighted it at Vanvihar National Park, Bhopal during my early morning walk in the month of September. I could not identify it as I was seeing it for the first time. 

Eurasian Wryneck 2 Vanvihar 060916

Some experienced birders identified it as Eurasian Wryneck. It is a species of wryneck in the woodpecker family. A majority population of this species are migratory, wintering in southern Asia from Iran to the Indian Subcontinent. It preferred habitat is open countryside, woodlands, and orchards.

Eurasian Wryneck 3 Vanvihar 060916

I have not seen this bird thereafter so far. Probably, it seems to have migrated in advance. It preys on ants and other insects. It gets its English name from its ability to turn its head almost 180 degrees. 

It was classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

References: 

1) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp 

2) Birds of South Asia, The Ripley guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C Anderton 

3) The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali 

4) A Pictorial Field Guide to Birds of India by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar and Garima Bhatia 

5) The Wikipedia