Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Birding in December — Mount Abu (December 31, 2025

Birds in the first week of December

The Cold Moon photographed from Mt Abu.

On the last day of the year—December 31, 2025—I walked the familiar trails of Mount Abu, camera in hand, and let the hills close the year with the soft music of wings. The Aravali rang with cheerful calls, and for a few golden hours, I watched, listened, and felt the world slow down.

Let the echoes of “tweet-tweet” ring out as the year ends. From rocky ridges to shady tamarind groves, “Happy New Year” seemed to come not only from friends and family but from the birds themselves — a small, hopeful chorus rising above the hill station.

Beyond the joy of sightings, my genuine wish for the coming year remains the same: more peace across the globe, and urgent action to soften the blows of climate change on the places and creatures we love. May the beauty we find in nature inspire each of us to protect it and to live more gently on this shared planet.

I’ve put together a small collection of Mount Abu birds photographed in the first week of December 2025 — a handpicked gallery from December of this year. Enjoy the images, and may each morning of 2026 begin with a tweet and a smile.

Wishing you a 2026 filled with:

Peace and clarity as steady as the Aravali hills

New adventures and doors opening.

Joy, good health, and many gentle mornings with birdsong.

I’ll be back in the New Year with more stories and a few new species added to our Aravali list. Until then, keep your binoculars ready and your heart tuned to the small, insistent songs of the wild.

Bird of the week

Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus winter visitor

Eurasian Sparrowhawk winter visitor Mount Abu Dec 2025.m4v

Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus

Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus Mount Abu Dec 2025.mp4

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo winter visitor

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Eurasian Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

Great Egret - Ardea alba

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus basking in the winter sun

Hume's Warbler - Phylloscopus humei winter visitor

Indian Pond-Heron - Ardeola grayii

Indian Yellow Tit Mount Abu Dec 2025.m4v

Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus and Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo territorial dispute, winter visitor

Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus and Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo territorial dispute winter visitor

Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Ficedula parva

Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

Red-whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus

Shikra - Accipiter badius

Spotted Owlet - Athene brama

Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)

Friday, December 26, 2025

Birding in November 2025.

Greetings from the Abode of the Gods!

May the spirit of Mount Abu be with you. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season.

The Last Week of November in Mount Abu.

The last week of November 2025 unfolded, offering welcome relief after the bitter cold spell that gripped the hill station earlier in the month. The overcast skies and cool weather created the ideal setting for peaceful fieldwork.

As always, I kept to my daily birding routine, revisiting familiar trails and forest edges, watching Abu’s avian life go about its winter business. The birds of Mount Abu never disappoint; even on subdued days, there is movement, sound, and subtle beauty for those willing to slow down and observe. Each outing added another layer to my ongoing records, helping me keep my observations of Abu’s birds current and meaningful.

This small collection from the last days of November reflects those peaceful moments—unhurried walks, watchful pauses, and the simple joy of being outdoors in a landscape that continues to inspire.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in these sightings. Once again, I wish all my readers and fellow nature lovers a warm, peaceful, and pleasant holiday season.

Bird of the week.