Thursday, January 25, 2024

Birding in January: Mount Abu 2024

 Discover the Fascinating Avian Migrations in Mount Abu Winged Wonders in January's Third week.

Continuation:

As I embarked on the delightful trek to Mount Abu’s tranquil Duck Pond, I couldn’t help but experience a wave of enthusiasm as the number of aqua-feathered migrants had grown since my previous visit. Nature had given us a lovely display, revealing the many avian wonders that had chosen our peaceful sanctuary as their winter home.
The vivid colours of the Indian roller, an elegant migratory bird perched on a cable at the pond’s entrance, highlighted our arrival. Soon later, the uncommon Taiga flycatcher appeared, adding an element of rarity to our birding experience.
As we engrossed ourselves in the calmness of the surroundings, the Duck Pond came alive with bustle. The graceful Green-winged Teals, the vivid Common Pochards, the notable Northern Shovelers, the exquisite Northern Pintails, the lively Gadwals, the hungry Coots, the amusing Little Grebes, and the secretive Moorhens were all engaged in a lovely symphony of feeding and fluttering.

Capturing these lovely moments on January 17th, 2024, I urge you to experience the beauty of our winter migrants via the lens of my camera. Each photograph shows the vivid tapestry of life that surrounds this Duck Pond, a refuge where nature unveils its marvellous palette for everyone who seeks comfort in the embrace of Mount Abu’s natural treasures. Join me and marvel at the avian wonders who make this lovely dwelling home during the peaceful days of winter.

17 Jan 2024.
"Elegant male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), a winter visitor, showcasing its typical plumage in small Duck pond of  Mount Abu"
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta Male winter visitor

"Graceful Female Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), a winter visitor, showcasing its characteristic plumage in the placid Duck pond of Mount Abu.”
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta Female winter visitor


Northern Pintail - Anas acuta MT Abu Jan 2024.mp4

“Common Pochard - Aythya ferina  winter visitor Male typical, with dark rusty head, pale gray body contrasting with black breast, and broad pale bluish band on bill. Gracing the still waters of the Duck pond of Mount Abu.”
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina  winter visitor

"Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra winter visitor, It is largely black except for the white bill and frontal shield, gliding gracefully in the placid Duck Pond of Mount Abu."
Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra winter visitor

"A small flock of Gadwall - Mareca strepera, feeding of grub in the Mount Abu Duck pond."
Gadwall - Mareca strepera winter visitor

"Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca, winter visitors are the first to arrive in small batches to the Mount Abu duck pond."
Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca

"Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis, resident very lively and active little Dab chick. Found at all water bodies."
Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis resident common

“Classy Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) showcasing its distinctive tufted crest, stylishly gliding across the calm water surface the Duck pond of Mount Abu.”
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula 

"Not commonly seen rare the Gray Heron - Ardea cinerea, vagrant rare for this place. Gracing the blue sky of Mount Abu."
Gray Heron - Ardea cinerea 

"The first to arrive here in Mount Abu the Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea, winter visitor. In this snap seen with its tail pointing up and its head down ready to take off."
Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

"Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea winter visitor in flight with its wings spread out."
Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

"Indian Roller - Coracias benghalensis, not commonly seen here winter visitor perched on a cable."
Indian Roller - Coracias benghalensis

"Indian Roller - Coracias benghalensis, perched on a cable looking down into the camera."
Indian Roller - Coracias benghalensis

"Close up of the Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach, perched on a cable overlooking the Duck pond."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

"Gracing the blue sky above the Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinu, a winter visitor ."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinu

"Perched on a branch the Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinu with its back exposed to the camera snap."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinu

"A picture collage ot front view of the Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus MT Abu Jan 2024.jpg"
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus MT Abu Jan 2024.jpg

"Perched on a rock at the fringe of the Duck pond is the Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus."
Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus

"Perched on a rock at the fringe of the Duck pond is the Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus."
Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus

"Taiga Flycatcher - Ficedula albicilla, winter visitor rare perched on a stump by the side of the Duck pond."
Taiga Flycatcher - Ficedula albicilla

"Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca, winter visitor common perched in a babul bush."
Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

"Perched hight above on an eucalyptus tree with a bee in its beak ,the Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeusis a winter visitor."
Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
18 Jan 2024.


"Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros  winter visitor common sitting on the garden floor in a crouched position."
Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros 

" Standing on the garden floor,looking into my lens is the Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros ."
Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros 

"In the snap the Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodarum, is sitting in a crouched position on an electric cable."
Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodarum

"Sitting on the garden wall looking very elegant is the Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus"
Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus

"Perched on a cbale with its back to the camera is the Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

"The Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus, came a visiting late in the evening."
Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

"Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis), perched on a cable."
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)

19 Jan 2024.
"Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodaru  perched on a branch with the wind ruffling its feathers."
Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodaru 

"Soparing upwards to the blue sky is the Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus, winter visitor."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus

" Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus, craning its neck to scan for prey from above."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus

"Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach, perched atop a bamboo shoot."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

"Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis) resident sitting on a bare mulberry branch."
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)

20 Jan 2024.
"Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops, uncommon visitor perched on a cable."
Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops

"Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops, perched onable overlookin its shoulder."
Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops

"Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus, winter visitor zooming through the Abu sky.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus

"Perched on a cable looking elegant is the Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea."
Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

"Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis, sitting on a rock looking elegant with its flaming red eyes and black and brown  feathers."
Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis

"From the snap it would seem like the Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis was posing for a snap. "
Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis

"Staring into my lens with its pearcing blue eyes enhanced with its red beak hanginging down is the Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri."
Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri

21 Jan 2024.
"Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodarum, potrait shot."
Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodarum

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

"ready to take off thr Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea."
Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

"Perched on a rusty barbed wire the Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus."
Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus

" Bracing the winter cold the Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach, perched on a cable."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

"With out stretched wings searching for prey is the Shikra - Accipiter badius ."
Shikra - Accipiter badius 

"Resident soaring through the sky looking for prey."
Shikra - Accipiter badius 

"Perched on a branch the Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)  displaying the yellow spot on its throat."
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis) 




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