The last week of August in Mount Abu is the very heart of the monsoon—steady showers, cool breezes, and a thick veil of mist and fog that make this place live up to its name as the “Abode of the Gods.” But times are changing. With shifting weather patterns, the rains now seem to arrive later, often stretching into September. I’ll share more on that in my early-September update.
Through it all, I continued my daily birding. Even in this misty, grey monsoon backdrop, the birds never fail to bring colour, sound, and joy to Abu. This post documents the species in my hometown on an annual basis.
Bird of the week.
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Oriental Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia orientalis
Oriental Turtle Dove – Quiet and graceful, often seen perched on large trees or feeding near damp fields.
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Oriental Turtle-Dove Aug 2025 Mt Abu.m4v
August’s Bird Collection
The path, groves, and thickets presented a new sound, colour, or call with every step. The last week of August was unforgettable because of these birds:
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| Black Kite - Milvus migrans |
Black Kite mobbed by Large-billed Crow Aug 2025 Mt. Abu.m4v.
Black Kite – Not welcomed in this town, mobbed by Large-billed Crow.
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| Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca |
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| Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca |
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| Brown-headed Barbet - Psilopogon zeylanicus |
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| Dusky Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne concolor |
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| Dusky Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne concolor |
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| Eastern Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica – sweeping low across the hillsides, chasing insects stirred by the rains, feed their young. |
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow Aug 2025 Mt Abu..m4v
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Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea – Fresh migrant arrivals, dancing along the streams and puddles.
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| Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea |
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| Grey-breasted Prinia - Prinia hodgsonii |
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| Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus |
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| Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus |
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| Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus – A cheerful burst of yellow and black, flitting busily through the monsoon-green trees. |
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| Jungle Bush-Quail - Perdicula asiatica – A family party darting across the trail, vanishing quickly into the dripping undergrowth. |
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| Jungle Bush-Quail - Perdicula asiatica |
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| Jungle Bush-Quail - Perdicula asiatica |
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| Oriental Magpie-Robin - Copsychus saularis perched atop a stump with its tail like an antenna. |
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| Oriental Magpie-Robin - Copsychus saularis |
%20Falco%20peregrinus%20%200F4A6832.jpg "Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus") |
| Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus, an ace hunter with remains of prey atop the radio tower. |
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| Red Spurfowl - Galloperdix spadicea |
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Red Spurfowl - Galloperdix spadicea – Skulking through the undergrowth, their calls echoing through the damp hillside.
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| Red-whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus |
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| Rufous Treepie - Dendrocitta vagabunda |
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Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata – Small flocks busy foraging and building nests, their soft chatter carrying through the drizzle.
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| Spotted Owlet - Athene brama |
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| Spotted Owlet - Athene brama |
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| Spotted Owlet - Athene brama |
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| Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis, a rare observation for Mount Abu. |
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| Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis |
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| Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis |
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| White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens |
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| White-bellied Drongo - Dicrurus caerulescens |
%200F4A6781.jpg "Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)") |
| Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis) |
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| Help in identifying this bird? |
August may feel muted under endless rains and fog, but the birds remind us that life carries on in the most beautiful ways. Each sighting adds to Abu’s timeless story of resilience and natural wonder.
I’ll return soon with updates on September’s weather and birding highlights—where the monsoon often reveals a new rhythm of life
%20Falco%20peregrinus%20%200F4A6832.jpg "Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus")
%200F4A6781.jpg "Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)")
