Saturday, October 26, 2024

Birds of Mount Abu in October 2024

 October birding: Migrating birds, raptors, and clear skies.

The third week of October brought delightful weather, making it a perfect time for birdwatchers and travellers alike. The hillsides of Mount Abu resounded with birds' melodious songs, and the air had a crisp feel to it.

Excitement filled the air as we happily received a variety of migratory birds, including the charming Greenish Warblers, vibrant Red-breasted Flycatchers, agile Tree Pipits, graceful Gray Wagtails, and the ever-elusive Lesser Whitethroats. Among these seasonal visitors, majestic raptors like the Common Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, and Sparrowhawk graced the skies, captivating birdwatchers with their aerial prowess. Seeing these seasonal visitors in their natural habitat is an indelible memory, highlighting the splendour of nature’s rhythms.

With the influx of tourists expected during Diwali, birders capture winter migrants at Mount Abu.
In honour of this energetic season, I have put together a compilation of bird pictures from the third week of October. Let’s indulge in the captivating beauty of Abu’s bird species together.

Bird of the week

Black-winged Kite - Elanus caeruleus

Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus

Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus

Black-winged Kite - Elanus caeruleus

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca 

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca Mt Abu  Oct 2024

Dusky Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne concolor 

Greenish Warbler - Phylloscopus trochiloides

Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus 

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Red-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus cafe

Red-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus cafe


Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata Mt Abu Oct 2024.mp4


Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis 

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis 

Western House-Martin Delichon urbicum

Western House-Martin Delichon urbicum

White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens

White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens Mt Abu Oct 2024

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis

Hunters Moon

 the full moon clicked from Mount Abu.


The Winter Bunting Count is Back! 


Join us for the 3rd edition of the Bunting Count, running from 1st October 2024 to 30th April 2025!

Here's how you can participate: 

* look for buntings and add them to your eBird lists while birding. 

* Share your complete lists of bunting sightings with eBird User ID: HKBWS Land-bird

* If you've birded between the 1st–23rd of October and spotted any buntings, you can still share those lists with the above User ID!

For more details, visit 👉 bird count.in/event/bunting-count



Hi everyone,

Here is the 2024 eBird taxonomy update! It includes new species splits, lumps and name changes that are important for birders in India.


Monday, October 14, 2024

Birding in October: A Mixed Bag of Clouds and Migrants Mount Abu.

 Birding in October: Migration, birds of prey, and cloudy skies.


The second week of October this year has been a bit of a letdown for me, with cloudy skies dominating most days. Despite the gloomy weather, the hills of Mount Abu are abuzz with activity, as the much-anticipated winter migrants have arrived. Among the new arrivals, the pipits, Tree Pipits, have turned up in record numbers this season, making it one of the most remarkable migrations I’ve witnessed in Abu. The winter stay has begun for warblers, wagtails, swallows, and martins as they settle in.

Raptors, too, have graced our skies, with sightings of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Bonelli’s Eagle, and several buzzards adding to the excitement.

I’ve selected a small collection of bird photographs captured in the second week of October. Despite a few shots not meeting the expected standards, it is important to note that it is not because of a lack of effort, but because of the challenging weather. I hope that despite this, you still find joy in this visual journey. It has been an exciting journey capturing these moments, and I hope they bring you as much joy as they brought me.

By December, the crescendo of migratory activity will reach its peak, with even more species expected to arrive. However, this natural spectacle will coincide with the influx of tourists as Diwali approaches in just 15 days. If you’re planning a birding trip to Abu during this time, I advise securing your accommodations early. The mad rush of visitors will make it impossible to enjoy a peaceful retreat amidst the hills, with the next fortnight sure to be choc-a-bloc with tourists.

Enjoy the beauty and sounds of birding in October, and maybe think about planning your next visit before the rush of the holidays!

Bird of the week.

"Spot-breasted Fantail (Rhipidura albogularis), a small and agile passerine bird. Features distinctive black and white plumage with a prominent spot on the breast. Perched on branch."
Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis


Copy and Past

https://www.canva.com/join/mwm-dgp-fhm

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis  Oct 2024 Mt Abu..mp4

"Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros perched on garden floor,displaying dark plumage with contrasting orange-red tail feathers. Winter common migrant to Mount Abu."
Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca 

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca 

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus

Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

Hume's Warbler - Phylloscopus humei

Hume's Warbler - Phylloscopus humei

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Large-billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchos

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Oriental Magpie-Robin - Copsychus saularis

Oriental Magpie-Robin - Copsychus saularis

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus 

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus 

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Ficedula parva

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Ficedula parva

Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis

Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis

Western House-Martin Delichon urbicum

White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens 

White-breasted Waterhen - Amaurornis phoenicurus

White-breasted Waterhen - Amaurornis phoenicurus

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis


A Birder’s Lens: Capturing the Beauty of Mount Abu’s Avian Wonders

 A Birder’s Lens: Capturing the Beauty of Mount Abu’s Avian Wonders. Introduction Mount Abu, a serene hill station in the Aravalli Range, is...