Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

Home to Green Avadavat Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary has much to offer birders who make it up to the “Abode of Gods”. This is part of the most pleasant times of the year. Greenery all around flowing streams and great weather lift the spirits of those who explore the jungle paths. It's that time of year when migratory birds head this way, including raptors, wild ducks and a few other endemic species. The Pied Cuckoo is journeying back to its content during this period. Enjoy the bird I photographed in November.

Large-billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchos

A congress of long-billed crows

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - Male

Indian Yellow Tit - Machlolophus aplonotus

Blue Rock-Thrush - Monticola solitarius is not uncommon

Yellow-throated Sparrow - Gymnoris xanthocollis

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita winter visitor common

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius guzuratus

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis sinensis

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis ferrugeiceps

Greenish Warbler winter /passage migrant

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides winter/passage migrant common

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea cinerea winter visitor

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea cinerea

Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei

Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus

ndian Silverbill Euodice malabarica resident common

Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata sindiana - dispute

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus rufinus winter visitor

Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis andamanensis

Shaheen Falcon - Falco peregrinus peregrinator

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus asiaticus

Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus indicus

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda vagabunda

Shikra Accipiter badius

Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis winter visitor

White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa

White-eyed Buzzard - being mobbed by Jungle Crow

White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa - being mobbed by Jungle Crow

White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa

White-spotted Fantail-Flycatcher Resident. Common.

White-spotted Fantail-Flycatcher Rhipidura albogularis: Resident. Common.

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense hypoleucum

Birds of Mount Abu September to October 2016

The monsoon season begins to peter off by mid-September. Days are clearer and birding here is pleasant. October is one of the best months in Mt Abu. The place is beautiful and green and the weather is pleasant. At this time of year, the migratory bird shows their appearance. I’m posting photographs of birds taken in the course of these two months. Enjoy the birds of Abu.

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba - In flight from below

Alpine Swift:

Butler (1875) noted this species arriving in “large numbers”, at about the beginning of September, and remaining in the “cold weather”, This is the first time I have recorded 8 to 10 here in Abu. They must be birds on passage.

Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis stewarti

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - Male

Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata fasciata - Adult in flight from below

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus - In flight

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius varius

Eurasian Sparrow-hawk Accipiter nisus - In flight from below

Green Avadavat Amandava formosa - Adult

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis ferrugeiceps - Adult

Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii hodgsonii - Adult non-breeding

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea cinerea

Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus - Male

Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica - Courtship

Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica - Adult

Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica - In flight

Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus - Adult

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis andamanensis - Female

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis andamanensis - Male

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus -Adult

Recorded history of Peregrine Falcon

Rather uncommon / rare. Butler (1875)“shot a fine specimen (female) at Mount Aboo on the 10th April 1875,” of the latter, “and met with it on one or two occasions at the same place”. The Shaheen is known to breed at Mount Abu (Editors 1948).

I have been observing and recording the Peregrine Falco for the last 3 years. A pair has become a resident of this place.