Sarus Cranes in Sonepat

Sarus Cranes in flight.

Common Ravens and its races in our region

Village Pond, Fatehpur (Sonepat) on 3rd Oct 09

A walk on the earthen bund produced lot of birds. Quite dense spread of the flowering water lilies, presence of ducks, herons, cormorants, a pair of Sarus Cranes, 3 species of storks, small waders, moorhens made the pond very attractice. Lot of chattering, chirping, squqwking, trilling and cheeping calls. Scaly-breasted Munias still nesting - football like nest, I saw three birds near it; while one entered the hole, the otherone came close and peeped into it.
On the electricity transmission line passing over the nearby Delhi Canal (a sub-branch of Western Yamuna Canal) produced lot of birds. A pair of Crested Kingfishers (male is to the left with two breast bands, while the female is to the right with one breast band) were perched, lot of Streak-throated Swallws. I also saw a few Barn Swallows.

Out of the three resident species of kingfishers in my area, the Common Kingfisher is the least common and a jewel. I saw it today.

I saw Indian Silverbills, Scaly-breasted Munias, Red Avadavats and this one "Black-headed Munia" which the least common.

Behaviour of Painted Storks indicates that they are about to nest.

Panipat Refinery on 28 Sep 09

The wetland of Panipar Refinery attract remarkable concetration of waterfowl during winter. Today, I saw 14 species of raptors here including Eurasian Hobby; Booted and Indian Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagles, White-eyed Buzzard, Oriental Honey Buzzards, Osprey, Black-shouldred, Black and Brahminy Kites, Egyptian Vultures, Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel and Shikras.

My village pond on 27 Sep 09

Water Lily flower, Pond Heron, Golden Oriole.

I do not know the name of the insect who made this. But this looks wonderful, gluing the thorns around.

A village boy collecting Water Lily flowers on the request of Dr Sudhir Oswal who wants to plant them in the water pond of his farm house near Badkhal Lake, Faridabad.

Moustached Warbler

This Moustached Warbler was chased by the nesting Streaked Weaver, but it managed to re-appear quite close to the nest.
This warbler is a shy and elusive bird, but obliged us with extended decent view.

At Mohamedabad fish pond, while watching birds with Nitu and Sudhir Oswal, I heard its call from the typha reed and quickly we spotted the warbler. After a few movements here and there in the reeds, the bird became restive and started preening its feathers with apparent pleasure.

A Streaked Weaver was nesting nearby in the reed and did not like the warbler's presence within 1 meter of its nest. The warbler was chased away, but it again turned up and began to inspect the weaver's nest from close quarters.

Lily Pond and birds

House Sparrow (hen) collecting meals on a cow dung heap.
Not sure, looks like an African Geranium, growing along the canal banks.

Lily Pond - the best physician for a sick soul.

Indian Grey Hornbill - there was a pair on this Acacia nilotica tree, along the countryside road.

An Indian Roller to the left and an Indian Grey Hornbill to the right.

Openbill Stork, Brahminy Starling, European Roller, Eurasian Ring Dove and an Indian Pond Heron (probably electrocuted).

Spent morning hours looking for birds at my regular lily pond. Loverly white flowers, half a dozen Openbill Storks vigorously feeding by probing deep in the mud. A Shikra trying to chase away a noisy Rufous Treepie, two Red-rumped and several Streak-throated Swallows in the sky, a pair of Ring Dove peacefully sunning on a bush surrounded by water, grating call of a Blyth's Reed Warbler in the thorny trees, Spot-billed Ducks, two Shovelers, Indian Moorhens, White-breasted Waterhen crossing the dirt track, a pair of Grey Hornbills sharing a perch with an Indian Roller on a tree, 4 Brahminy Starlings + one Indian Robin + one female House Sparrow + one Pied Starling feeding on a cow duck heap near the village. Heard a Golden Oriole in the neem tree. European Roller obliged me with a long and close view.