Exploring more of my birding patch
Ever since I started birding at the Hawskbay Budhnai nalla, I have been getting a good variety of birds. In the summers, the lard hard core songs of the Clamarous reed warbler can be heard from quite a distance. I once tried replicating the call when there was no one by the stretch of the nalla.
The male which was obviously claiming its territory stopped singing as soon as it realized that there was some one else with the call. I pretended to be a possible invader of its territory. It came down from the top of the highest reed clump and was clearly closing near me, completely oblivious of my presence. The bird came at the distance of only 2 metres when it saw me and immediately went back into the reeds.
In the summers, Streaked weavers visit to build their intricate nests along side the reed thickets. It is quite fun to watch them work. If one is really lucky, one may find the elusive Pied cuckoo too. Egrets and herons are a common sight. Red wattled lapwings can be heard all day long, even at midnight!
Among prinias, most common and numerous is the Plain prinia. While the graceful prinia rarely wanders on this side of the nalla. The yellow bellied prinia is a uncommon resident but a rather beautiful singer. It is most often heard than seen. In winter evenings, Shikras are sighted almost every day circling above the nalla. Siberian Chiffchaffs, Bluethroats and Lesser white throats are common visotrs in Winter. Common, Green and Wood sandpipers can be easily found. Temminick's stints are quite common in December and January. Whiskered terns can be easily seen acrobatic moves above the water.
My favorite, the White browed fantail lives in the Prospis Juliforia clumps along the nalla and often ventures into the reeds. Their duets are just wonderful...the fight is rarely violent and usually the dominant male sings as he fights.
Barn swallows are a common sight year round though they do not breed.Sand martins and Little swifts old occur as visitors.
The Streaked weavers are quite uncommon along the nalla and are sometimes joined by the Bayas. So far I have not been able to record any breeding of Bayas here.
Common moorhens are quite numerous too. White breasted waterhens though in lesser numbers, also live alongside. Green bee eaters are common residents too and are joined by the Passage migrants, Blue cheeked bee eaters in Autumn which rarely perch and are constantly on the move.
Other inhabitants of the nalla side include ruddy skimmer dragon flies, diving beetles, 2-3 species of Mantises, around 6-7 species of butterflies, 4 species of snakes and 2 species of mongooses. It was here where I found my first Grey mongooses. It is quite interesting to note how both species living so close to each other rarely intermingle.
A Grey mongoose,
Among prinias, most common and numerous is the Plain prinia. While the graceful prinia rarely wanders on this side of the nalla. The yellow bellied prinia is a uncommon resident but a rather beautiful singer. It is most often heard than seen. In winter evenings, Shikras are sighted almost every day circling above the nalla. Siberian Chiffchaffs, Bluethroats and Lesser white throats are common visotrs in Winter. Common, Green and Wood sandpipers can be easily found. Temminick's stints are quite common in December and January. Whiskered terns can be easily seen acrobatic moves above the water.
Barn swallows are a common sight year round though they do not breed.Sand martins and Little swifts old occur as visitors.
The Streaked weavers are quite uncommon along the nalla and are sometimes joined by the Bayas. So far I have not been able to record any breeding of Bayas here.
Common moorhens are quite numerous too. White breasted waterhens though in lesser numbers, also live alongside. Green bee eaters are common residents too and are joined by the Passage migrants, Blue cheeked bee eaters in Autumn which rarely perch and are constantly on the move.
Other inhabitants of the nalla side include ruddy skimmer dragon flies, diving beetles, 2-3 species of Mantises, around 6-7 species of butterflies, 4 species of snakes and 2 species of mongooses. It was here where I found my first Grey mongooses. It is quite interesting to note how both species living so close to each other rarely intermingle.
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