6th July 10 - where has the Indian Spotted Eagle gone?

Pair of Woolly-necked Storks - partially made nest, Delhi Canal, Sonepat.

Today, I saw at least 4 Oriental Honey Buzzards.

Cloudy weather, some drizzling, went for 2 hours birding along the canal.
Birds included Oriental Honey Buzzards, nesting pair of Woolly-necked Storks, Golden Oriole, Streak-throated Swallows, 2 species of shrikes, Chestnut-shouldered Petronias, Baya Weavers,
5 Spoonbills, Black and Black-headed Ibises, prinias, Black Drongos and other commoner species.

But sadly, Indian Spotted Eagle was not sighted. Last year's both nesting sites were scanned: no trace of the first nest, second nest was intact but abandoned.

Bhindawas Lake Bird Sanctuary on 17 Nov 09

Nomad tribals passing through the sanctuary.

Purple Swamphens and Common Coots.

Great Cormorants and Black-headed Ibises nesting.

Crested Serpent-Eagle waiting for some slithing snake.

Oriental Honey-buzzard on a brick wall, on way to the sanctuary.

With my son Gaggu, I spent some hours at Bhindawas Lake on 17 Nov 09, Tuesday. Morning was foggy, but it cleared by noon. Wintering waterfowl has still not reached. Water hyacinth is a big menace. Dirt track around the lake is a shambles., lot of gullies. Staff is not interested, only two persons posted and they too were sitting in the rest house, no one bothers about the maintenance of the sanctuary.

Great Cormorants were looking after their babies in the nests, about a dozen of White-headed Ibises also on nests. A lonely Marsh Harrier, 2 aquila Eagles (possibly Imperial) in over head fight, Honey Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Shikra. Indian Eagle Owl, Spotted Owlet.

A disappointing visit.

Mohamedabad Pond - Storks on 8th September 09

Three Painted Storks came from the south, circle around for a while losing altitude and landed.

A Sind Sparrow picked something from the grass and flew to an Acacia nilotica tree nearby, could not photograph, but two of pied beauty were there - Black-winged Stilts.

Pond, trees, grass and birds - fill my heart with a mystic fragrance.

Pied Cuckoo - in fact there were two of them, silently inspecting something underneath.

Plenty of water this morning. 36 Painted Storks, one was making noise by clapping his mandibles.

Such a delight to watch them, resting without any disturbance.

Oriental Honey Buzzard was circling overhead.

Black-necked Stork after a long time made its presence.

Common Greenshank silently feeding.