My village pond this morning

I spent about 2 hours this morning scanning my village pond at Fatehpur village. Water has subsided substantially, water lilies are at their obliging best. Was delighted to see 2 Black-necked Storks, 2 Painted, a few Woolly-necked also, but Openbill were absent. Cormorants were drying their wings, lot of herons. On the peepal tree, I did see a Siberian Chiffchaff, vociferous Clamourous Reed Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, a few Little Grebes enjoying their 'dive and show up' behaviour. Surprisingly, no tern. Flying Oriental Skylarks pouring melodies from the heavens.

Many weavers were making noise in the tall grasses. By the end of the months, their clouds will be very conspicuous, flying here and there feeding on the flowery heads of these grasses.

Water Lily, small lotus, was the dominant flower of the pond.

This Little Grebe was quite confiding and allowed me to take many a photograph.

Black-necked Stork, a local rarity - there were two of them.

Forgot the name of this butterfly - Peacock Pansy?

This Long-tailed Shrike was quite noisy.

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.