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

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

Indian Pond-Heron - Ardeola grayii

Indian Robin - Copsychus fulicatus

Indian Silverbill - Euodice malabarica

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Jungle Babbler - Turdoides striata

Oriental Magpie-Robin Mount ABu July 2025.m4v

Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen) Falco peregrinus

Red-whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus

Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata

Short-toed Snake-Eagle - Circaetus gallicus

Spot-breasted Fantail - Rhipidura albogularis

Brown Rock Chat - Oenanthe fusca

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis

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.