Showing posts with label #Green Avadavat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Green Avadavat. Show all posts

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Birding in July 2025: Mist, Monsoon, and Juvenile Delights.

  Mount Abu Birding: Last Two Weeks of July.


 The last fortnight of July 2025 has breezed past in a flurry of misty mornings, cool breezes, and brooding grey skies. This monsoon season, the weather gods have smiled upon our beloved hill station. All our reservoirs are brimming to the top, the waterfalls are in full spate, and the forest canopy wears a lush emerald coat. Here’s the good news. The water table has risen, offering much-needed relief after previous years of parched summers.

 For birders, this time of year is a mixed bag. The dense mist and intermittent rain make photography a challenge, but not an impossibility. When the skies clear, there’s magic to be found. These brief windows of light are enough to capture some of the season’s most heartening sights: fledglings taking their first flights, juvenile birds learning the ways of the wild, and the occasional surprise visitor making a short monsoon stopover.

 It’s also a time for quiet observation—of parent birds still tending to their young, of new calls and uncertain wingbeats. Monsoon birding in Mount Abu is less about ticking off rare species and more about celebrating life in its tender, growing stages.

 Enjoy this small selection I’ve put together from my recent outings. These images are not just about birds—they’re about the mood of Mount Abu in July, the atmosphere that makes this place so special during the rains.
Bird of the fortnight.
Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Black-rumped Flameback - Dinopium benghalense

Brahminy Starling - Sturnia pagodarum


Brahminy Starling Mount Abu July 2025.m4v

Brown-headed Barbet - Psilopogon zeylanicus

Brown-headed Barbet - Psilopogon zeylanicus

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristi

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristi

Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica


Eastern Red-rumped Swallow Mount Abu July 2025.m4v

Green Avadavat - Sporaeginthus formosus

Green Avadavat - Sporaeginthus formosus

Indian Pond-Heron - Ardeola grayii

Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus

Indian Silverbill - Euodice malabarica

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata

Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata


Oriental Magpie-Robin  Mount ABu July 2025.m4v

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

Red-whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus

Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata

Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata

Short-toed Snake-Eagle - Circaetus gallicus

Short-toed Snake-Eagle - Circaetus gallicus

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca 

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis




Saturday, July 26, 2025

Birding in June 2025: From Overcast Skies to Misty Hills

Mount Abu Birding–The Last Two Weeks of June.


At the end of June 2025, Mount Abu transitioned into a monsoon environment, characterised by cloudy skies, mist over the hills, and rain, followed by brief, golden light. The weather during the second half of the month was unpredictable, with thunder echoing in the valleys sometimes.

Birding during this time was both challenging and rewarding. Due to the cloudy weather and damp conditions, extra care was required to protect fragile camera equipment from the persistent dampness. For any birder or wildlife photographer, the monsoon isn’t just about the birds; it’s about patience, preparedness, and the occasional dance with nature’s moods.

 Despite the hurdles, I photographed a vibrant selection of species, many of them juveniles and sub-adults. This is the season when the forest comes alive with new life — fledglings taking their first flights, young birds testing their calls, and parents foraging under dripping canopies.

 Here’s a curated selection of my sightings from this lush and elusive window of time. I hope these images capture the essence of June in Mount Abu — moody, misty, and full of monsoon magic.

As for what lies ahead, birding from July through September usually slows down. The rains often dictate the pace, and many trails become inaccessible. But for those who don’t mind the rain and the fog, there’s always something special waiting to be discovered.

 Stay tuned, and happy birding — rain or shine!

Bird of the fortnight.
Green Avadavat - Sporaeginthus formosus 

Green Avadavat - Sporaeginthus formosus JUNE 2025 MT ABU

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca

Brown-headed Barbet - Psilopogon zeylanicus

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Dusky Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne concolor

Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis

Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus

Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus Mount Abu June 2025

Laughing Dove - Streptopelia senegalensis

Little Swift - Apus affinis

Oriental Honey-buzzard - Pernis ptilorhynchus  Mobbed by Shikra


Oriental Honey-buzzard MOBBED BHY SHIKRA Mt Abu  June 2025.m4v

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Shikra - Accipiter badius

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis

Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis

Yellow-eyed Babbler - Chrysomma sinense 


 

Birds of August 2025–Mount Abu

 August Birding in Mount Abu: A Tale of Skies, Rain, and Wings.  The third week of August in Mount Abu felt like stepping into a blast from ...