Showing posts with label #Eurasian Crag-Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Eurasian Crag-Martin. Show all posts

Thursday, December 11, 2025

Birding in November 2025:Mount Abu.

 Raptors, Warblers, and an Unexpected Lifer.

The unseasonal spell of rain that swept across Mount Abu in the last days of October lingered well into the first week of November. Overcast skies hung low, and each morning carried a faint threat of more rain. But in those brief windows when the weather cleared, I made the most of every opportunity to step out and observe Abu’s birds.
 As the nights grew cooler and the days turned pleasant, our winter migrants and passage visitors arrived in full swing. November has always been a rewarding month for birdwatching in Mount Abu, but this week felt especially vibrant.
 I’ve put together a small collection of the birds I spotted and photographed during this period—and what a satisfying week it turned out to be. The biggest highlight was a lifer: the Himalayan Buzzard, a brand-new addition to my Mount Abu checklist and a thrilling encounter I hadn’t expected.
 Alongside this special sighting came a steady parade of raptors—



  Booted Eagle, and

  Eurasian Sparrowhawk—each offering memorable moments in the field.

 The skies and forest were alive with a mix of winter and passage migrants: Barn Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, and the ever-charming Sulphur-bellied Warbler. Two more delightful additions to the week’s list were the elegant Eurasian Crag-Martin and the Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher.

 November 2025 reminded me once again why Mount Abu remains such a rewarding birding destination—even when the weather plays its own games.

 My next blog will feature the birds of Abu Road, so keep coming back for more avian beauties from our corner of the Aravalli hills.
Bird of the Week.
Himalayan Buzzard - Buteo refectus A lifer for me


Himalayan Buzzard  November 2025 Mount Abu.m4v

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica winter visitor

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica Nov 2025 Mt Abu

Black Eagle - Ictinaetus malaiensis


Black Eagle November 2025 Mount Abu.m4v

Booted Eagle - Hieraaetus pennatus 

Booted Eagle - Hieraaetus pennatus 

Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita


Common Chiffchaff November 2025 Mount Abu.m4v

Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius

Eurasian Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne rupestris winter visitor

Eurasian Crag-Martin - November 2025 Mt Abu

Gray Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea winter visitor


Gray Wagtail - November 2025 Mount Abu.m4v

Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis

Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis

Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis

Greenish Warbler - Phylloscopus trochiloides

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus 

Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus 

Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis

Sulphur-bellied Warbler - Phylloscopus griseolus


Sulphur-bellied Warbler November 2025 Mt Abu.m4v


My personal Mount Abu checklist compiled over the years.

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Exploring Avian Delights:Birding in December in Mount Abu

Birding Adventures in the third week of December at Mount Abu


 Winter Wings Unveiled: Narratives of Birding in Mount Abu's December Delight

The bird residents and winter migrants take the front stage in a spectacular exhibition as December unveils its frigid curtains in the tranquil refuge of Mount Abu. Join me on an adventure during the third week of December—an episode in the aerial extravaganza that graces the sky with wonder-filled wings.

The end of the week delivered a bleak prediction, but the winter frost remained elusive, with nighttime temperatures hovering around zero. On December 15, 2023, I went to the Duck Pond with my niece, Crescentia, and trusted companion, Mohan, restless to capture the season's spirit.

The sandpipers, those striking migrants, had yet to make their appearance, and even the lively wagtails were absent. Perhaps the impending mid-January water level drop, as farmers prepare to irrigate their crops, will reveal fresh bird arrivals, giving captivating close-quarter shooting prospects.

The desire to catch these untamed treasures in their native surroundings grows as I travel the beauty of Mount Abu with my camera in hand. The feathered tapestry that emerges against Mount Abu's calm backdrop provides a visual feast for birding enthusiasts.

Join me in celebrating the avian moments I've collected, a glimpse of the exciting third week of December—an introduction to the enthralling experiences that await as winter tightens its grip on our scenic hill station. Winter wings are in full flight, and the avian extravaganza is still unfolding, promising stories etched in feathers and sky adorned with the beauty of December's bird joy.

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

"Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros Mt Abu Dec 2023, Picture colage."
Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros Mt Abu Dec 2023

"Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus,perched on dry bhang tree ,sleek bird with red eyes and forked tail."
Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus

"Acolage of the Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus Mt Abu  Dec 2023,winter visitor."
Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus Mt Abu  Dec 2023

"Image of a Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus), a graceful raptor with predominantly white plumage and striking black wingtips, hovering against a clear sky."
Black-winged Kite - Elanus caeruleus

"A flock of 10 birds heading for the neaqrest water body , In Mount Abu."
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus

"Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo, winter visitor ,soaring overhead."
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo 

"A winter visitor,Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo ,uncommon for his area."
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo 

"winter visitors,Common Pochard - Aythya ferina ,a collage of the birds gracing Mount Abu Duck Pond."
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina Mt Abu Dec

"Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Medium-sized waterbirds with dark plumage and distinctive white frontal shield. Gracefully navigating the water of Mount Abu Duck Pond."
Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra winter visitor.

"Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris, A large, compact, and powerful martin, gray-brown above, with contrasting dark "armpits."winter visitor to Mount Abu."
Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris winter visitor 

"Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris, A large, compact, and powerful martin, gray-brown above, with contrasting dark "armpits."winter visitor to Mount Abu."
Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris winter visitor

"Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris, A large, compact, and powerful martin, gray-brown above, with contrasting dark "armpits."winter visitor to Mount Abu."
Eurasian Crag-Martin- Ptyonoprogne rupestris winter visitor

"Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus,resident not common, swimming in the Duck Pond enroute Achalgarh."
Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus

"Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus,resident not common, swimming in the Duck Pond enroute Achalgarh."
Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus

"Gadwall - Mareca strepera, a pair winter visitor to Mount Abu gracing the Duck Pond enroute to Achalgrh."
Gadwall - Mareca strepera 

"Gadwall - Mareca strepera, male,winter visitor to Mount Abu gracing the Duck Pond enroute to Achalgrh."
Gadwall - Mareca strepera 

"Common Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus, found throughout Mount Abu, resident, sitting on garden fence."
Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus 

"Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata feeding sub-adult,resident common."
Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata feeding sub-adult

Little Cormorant - Microcarbo niger flying above the duck pond, in front of the mahdev ashram."
Little Cormorant - Microcarbo niger flying 

"The Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger) is a beautiful black waterbird with a thin neck and beak that sits on rock at the water's edge. In this natural setting, its gleaming plumage adds to its beauty."
Little Cormorant - Microcarbo niger  Mt Abu Dec 

"Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus, winter visitor, scanning for prey from above."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus 

"Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus, winter visitor scanning for prey from above."
Long-legged Buzzard - Buteo rufinus 

"Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach, a close up snap of this sharp eyed ground and aerial  preditor."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

"Majestic Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) perched on the garden ground, displaying its distinctive black mask and long, elegant tail, with a background of the garden patch."
Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach


"Graceful Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) in Mount Abu Duck Pond, a slender and elegant duck with a distinctively long tail, floating on calm water surrounded by wetland weeds."
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta 

"Graceful Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) in Mount Abu Duck Pond, a slender and elegant duck with a distinctively long tail, floating on calm water surrounded by wetland weeds."
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta 

"An agile and swift preditor Shikra - Accipiter badius, resident scanning for prey."
Shikra - Accipiter badius

"Rare, very few recordings for Mount Abu, Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus ."
Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus 

"Rare, very few recordings for Mount Abu, Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus ."
Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopaceus 

"ommon resident, scanning for prey in the stream below, White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis.."
White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis.

"Front facing view, Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis), common Mount Abu resident."
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)

"Back view of the Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis), common resident perched on a cable."
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)
 
As the holiday season approaches, I extend my warmest greetings for a wonderful and Merry Christmas to all of my fans and supporters. Best wishes for a joyful holiday season!From the Abode of the Gods!Cheers.To Life Cheers!






Mount Abu Birding Diary: First Week of May 2026

 A Collection of May’s Avian Wonders from the Hills of Rajasthan. The first week of May in Mount Abu has always carried an air of unpredicta...