Birds in the third week of August 2020.

Indian Robin

Abu in August's third week

Overcast skies and misty conditions in August in Mount Abu are dampening conditions for most birders. I love to do my daily spot of birding; I go birding when it’s misty, drizzling, or utterly foggy. I’ve done birding in many kinds of weather. It frustrates me to see birds as silhouettes, especially these days. Identifying birds in this light can be tricky. I had a surprising sighting a few days ago - what appeared to be an Oriental Darter in our area. It got me excited because it would be a lifer for me. I took quite a few snaps in the challenging light and it turned out to be a Darter. Another critical challenge posed here during this month is the overgrown foliage and branches. As I don’t use binoculars, I lift my camera to every movement I see, sometimes while identifying the bird, I end up not capturing the bird. If it’s a bird, I do not recognise I photograph it and later attempt to identify it. If you are a birder, follow your passion, enjoy your time in the field and be one with nature.