Bangalore… a city that outshines others Indian cities

Bangalore… a city that outshines others Indian cities

Is Bangalore just an IT city? For many of us it’s just a city with many job opportunities for everyone. I came to Bangalore with the same perception. But gradually, as time passed, I realised what this city offers to one and all. This city is a mix of cultures and traditions. Bangalore has not lost its charm even after the development of IT sector. People like us, with hectic weekdays, find peace in some of the places that are within the vicinity of Bangalore.

Bird watching and photography is our passion. Many of us are aware about the famous birding spots in Bangalore. It is difficult to find such nice birding areas in other commercial cities. Thus people staying in Bangalore are keen to spend their weekend in the lap of nature. The birding spots found here can be marshy grasslands, mountains, dense forests, lakes etc. So, most of the birds can be spotted here. I leave my home at dawn with the hope of finding birds in their natural habitat. But still it seems to be a very small list of places where I have been and there is much more to see and enjoy. One of my favourite birding area is Hoskote lake. Hoskote is near to where I stay. Hoskote has different habitats for different birds. That is why it is an amazing place for all bird fanatics.

The wet grasslands in Hoskote are suitable for a variety of birds like Munia. Many winter migrants can be seen here. A large variety of Kingfishers are near the lakeside to catch a prey.

Tricoloured Munia (also called Black Headed Munia)

Common Kingfisher

Jacobin Cuckoo

Marsh Harrier

Indian Silverbill or White-Throated Munia

Siberian Stonechat (female)
          It is a Winter Migrant.

I have given one of many reasons to love Bangalore. There are many such things that I wish to write. I am still trying to unravel the other side of Bangalore that is picturesque. My upcoming journeys would cover more of Bangalore city and places near to it. Stay tuned!

Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary

Trip ends with a beautiful sighting of Indian Jackal and Wild Boar.

Indian Jackal

Wild Boar

Grizzled giant squirrel

This is my trip report of Cauvery Wildlife or Cauvery River. Before reaching to the place, we got a very happening river. All sorts of action was around the river. A pond heron with a fish bigger than his mouth, a flying Lesser whistling duck, common coot with his full family, 2 brahminy kites on attack to the cooti-kid, a rat snake also with the attacking mood.  Here I will post some of the pictures around that lake, please don’t ask me which lake, what lake, these are not existing on map. Sometimes, fortune becomes experience. I wished I would be that lady who was cleaning clothes from 1 hr on that lake.

Tawny Eagle

European Bee-eater

Indian Roller

Pond Heron with its prey

Pond Heron after gulping the fish

Common Coot Juv

Waited for 10 min for his hunt, finally the prey under feet

The sad common coot family. Mother still feeding the child

Lesser Whistling Duck

Lesser Whistling Duck in flight

Common Moorhen Juv

Bronze winged Jacana

White breasted kingfisher in flight for hunt

Moving forward, it was an exciting view of Tawny eagle getting chased by kites. Even being a strong contender, I have always seen Eagle getting chased by kites, crows, drongos. Finally, we reached to the place which was our actual search place.  A group of more than 50-60 or may be 100 European bee-eaters enjoying the sunlight on our human-made wires. We were against the sunlight and hence, the color of the bird didn’t came out as prominent as it is. Obviously its all about watching and enjoying. photography also comes on level-2 for me.  These bee-eaters belongs to the list of strong migratory birds. And happy to see them around Bangalore. May be the observed dull color is because of long migration.

Brahminy Starling

Common Kite chasing Tawny Eagle

Indian grey heron

Black winged stilt

Large pied Wagtail

Jungle Owlet

Black hooded Oriole

Soon, we have seen some of our wished creatures like grizzled giant squirrel and jungle owlet. I also got a small view of Brown-fish owl. Only bird of my wish, which I was not able to see was Lesser Fish Eagle. I have still not seen this beauty in Karnataka.

Bidadi Lake – Winter kicked off

It was a delighted trip to Bidadi, Karnataka (near Bangalore). Enjoyed seeing river and whiskered terns and some of the migratory birds. Please help with some of the ID’s.

Barn swallow

white throated kingfisher

Tricoloured Munia

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Spotted Dove

Spot Billed Duck

Spot Billed Duck

Short Toed Snake Eagle

Shikra Male

Juv River Tern

Adult and Juv River Tern

River terns

little ringed plover

red wattled lapwing

red napped IBIS

Looked Richard Pipit to me, ID confirmation required

I am surprised why black patch at back – Pipit ID ?

purple-moorhen

Red Munia – Male

red napped IBIS’s

Pied Wagtail

Spot Billed Pelican

Painted Stork

Open-Bill Stork

Oriental Honey Buzzard

nest of streaked weaver – Loved the composition

Little Cormorant

Camouflaged Insect

Interested to know why black patch comes in migration – Pipit ?

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

common sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

grey heron

pied bushchat-male

Pied Bushchat – Female

ashy crowned sparrow-lark

A visit to Kanwar Lake – Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake

Its always fun to search those place for which maps, wikis won’t help. My last trip to Bihar, I decided to find out those bird sanctuary which are their in map but there is no feedback, no wiki, no information. I visited Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake – Kanwar Lake (Kanwar Bird Sanctuary) . I added whatever i knew about the place. Please visit the wiki of Kanwar lake as well.

I can just tell this is one of the must visit places if you are around Bihar for any reason and have interest in bird life.  What is as clear as purified water, its huge, its drastic in view. Though a good part of it has been captured by local farmer and slum but they are helpful if you want to do boating or want to have fish curry :P.

I did some dramatic mistake in my camera setting, so pictures are not up to mark but still enjoy :).

A beautiful sunrise. Time when I reached to Kanwar Lake.

Some Olive backed Pipit

Yellow throated Sparrow – also called as Salim Ali’s bird.

Small Green Bee-eater – Pair

Ferruginous Duck – I reached quite earlier than the period when I can see the migrants but still some ..

Ferruginous Ducks

Ferruginous Duck – in flight

Greater spotted eagle chased by Black Drongo

Greater spotted eagle view

Little Cormorant in flight

Lesser Whistling Ducks ?

Red Napped IBIS

A close view of Red-napped IBIS

Red Napped IBIS – Juv

A view of grass land and Indian Roller 🙂

Pond Heron

Indian Spotted Eagle

Common coots in flight

White throated Kingfisher – You can see a bit different if you consider with the same species in south India

Crow chase to Greater spotted Eagle

Crow chase to Greater spotted Eagle

Cattle Egret

Greater Spotted Eagle

Yellow Throated Sparrow

Indian Roller

Common Myna

Ashy Drongo

Common Kestrel

Black Eagle

Siberian Stone Chat

Common Crow

Ashy Drongo

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Black Shouldered Kite

White Lotus

Common Tiger

Siberian Stone Chat

Brown Shrike

Pair of white eyed buzzard

White eyed buzzard

Mottled Wood Owl – Hulimangala

Mottled Wood Owl- the resident of Hulimangala. Don’t know for how long we are going to see that. In the last update by Geetanjali, they are planned to cut those tree. some of those trees are more than 100 yr old.

Mottled Wood Owl

This is one more view of this bird, I got long back in Valley School.

Mottled Wood Owl at Valley School

 

The bird list of last week[thanks for Vidhya who made the list], it was not so promising. Surprised to know that, that place didn’t have rain whereas Bangalore(10 Km) far is full of rain.

1)Mottled Wood Owl
2)Spotted Owlet
3)Common Iora
4)White Browed Bulbul
5)Red Vented Bulbul
6)Pied Bushchat
7)Purple Rumped Sunbird
8)Green Bea eater
9)White Breasted Kingfisher
10)Tricolour Munia
11)Scaly Breasted Munia
12)Red Avadavat
13)Red Wattled Lapwing
14)Indian Pond Heron
15)Cormorant
16)Silverbill
17)Ashy Prinia
18)Southern Coucal
19)Baya Weaver
20)Oriental White eye
21)Laughing Dove
22)Spotted Dove
23)Common Pigeon
24)Rose Ringed Parakeet
25)Black Kite
26)Spot billed Duck
27)Swallow
28)House Crow
29)Jungle Crow
30)Common Myna
31)Jungle Myna
32)Yellow Billed Babbler
33) Black Drongo
34)White Cheeked Barbet( Call)
35)Asian Koel(Call)

Thippagondanahalli Reservoir – Down water level

T G Halli – Water level is going more down with time and there is no sign of rain in Bangalore. Most of the lakes are completely changed into grassland.

Some pictures to just enjoy birding.

Male Kestrel with its habitat

Oriental white ibis

Indian Spotted Eagle – A very different morph

Indian Roller

Male Kestrel

Ashy Crowned Sparrowlark – Female

Siberian Stonechat

Hoskote Lake – marvelous grassland

Hoskote Lake was a bit in discussion. So, we decide to have a 4-5 hours of Sunday birding. This is one of the marvelous grassland, i have seen around Bangalore. For those who want to do birding, please go in group. I heard a lot of community problem. This place is THE land of stork, ibis, sandpiper, snipe, raptors and worth to watch their habitats. I tried to put all the pictures here, so that we can see the habitat as well for the birds.

white stork – Family

Oriental Honey Buzzard

northern shoveler – Flocks at flight

northern shoveler

northern shoveler

northern shoveler – float show

I guess combination of some more ducks

Blyth Reed Warbler

Blyth Reed Warbler

Green Sandpiper – Pair

Flock of Garganey at fight

Glossy ibis

Flock of Sandpiper and Little Stint

Flock of Sandpiper and Little Stint

Glossy ibis with Purple Heron

Common Kestrel

Common Hawk Cuckoo

Marsh Harrier get attacked by Eagle

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier

Short toed Snake Eagle

Indian Spotted Eagle – I believe

Indian Spotted Eagle – I believe

Kannan – Down for shot

ID required

Barn Swallow Family

Yellow Wagtail

Black eared Kite

Oriental White IBIS – Family

Brahminy Kite

Flock of Baya Weaver

Flock of Baya Weaver

Clamorous Reed Warbler

Clamorous Reed Warbler

ID required

Sykes Lark

Spot Billed Duck

White eye buzzard

Short toed Snake Eagle

Skyes Lark

Poornima with camouflage to the grassland

Common Snipe – Sorry for the quality

Wooly Necked Stork

Marsh Harrier attack to the flock of garganery

A bit of extra birding…

HSBC 2013 – Bird Race. Ya most people ask me this only – What do you mean by bird race. Actually, its nothing but spending a whole day with nature and birds.

Enjoy pictures….

 

T G Halli – Yet another grassland around Bangalore

T G Halli is a huge grassland with almost no water. Good for raptors and water birds. Enjoy pictures.

 

Flight of River Tern

Common Sandpiper

Gray Wagtail

Juv. Brahminy Kite

Spot Billed Duck

Greenish Warbler

Greenish Warbler

Pale Billed Flowerpecker

Little Ringed Plover

Skyes Lark

Ashy Crowned SparrowLark- Male

Ashy Crowned SparrowLark

Ashy Crowned SparrowLark

Barn Swallow

Black winged Stilt

Black winged Stilt

Common Sandpiper + Little Stint

Common Sandpiper + Little Stint

Indian Lark

Green Sandpiper

Black Shouldered Kite

Tawny Eagle

Skyes Lark

Openbill stroke in flight

Openbill stroke in flight

Montagu Harrier – Male

Montagu Harrier – male

Montagu Harrier – Female

Citrine Wagtail

Brahminy Kites enjoying fish

Common Kestrel – Male

Oriental Honey Buzzard

A battle of human and bird to get fish. Brahminy Juv. attack.

folk of pintail with female in center

Sarjapur – One more grassland of Bangalore

For Location, please see the place section. It was again one of the fun day.  Birding in Bangalore is still enjoyable.

Deepu and Appu collecting the features and associating with birds. They make the day easy and cool

Coordinates: 12o51’40”N 77o46’15”E

 

Western Reef Erget

Wood Sandpiper

Grey Heron

Pied Kingfisher

Western Reef Erget

Don’t know what they all were watching. A combo of Grey Heron, Egrets and many more

Western Reef Erget

Common Sandpiper

Wooly-necked stroke

Honey Buzzard

Booted Eagle

Open-bill Stroke

Common Sandpiper

Brahminy Kite chasing Peregrine Falcon. Not a cool shot but loved to see Falcon

And the most lovely scene – All painted Stroke sitting together

Small Blue Kingfisher

Booted Eagle

Dead Fish

Chestnut Starling

Scaly Breasted Munia