Monday, November 5, 2018

Purple Sunbird Birds of Mount Abu October 2018 .

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

3 October 2018.

Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus - Adult Female

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus asiaticus - Male

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus - Eclipse male

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus asiaticus - Female feeding young

The Purple Sunbird (Hindi फुलचूही ) is a familiar bird in many parts of the world, and one of the most common of all wild birds.

These tiny little birds are a fascination to watch. I have observed them over the years. They seldom hover over flowers like other honeysuckles, They usually perch to forage nectar. I've seen quite a few behaving like flycatchers especially when insects are in abundance.

They are resident birds in most parts of their range and do not move large distances. The primary breeding season is before the Monsoons. The nest is built almost entirely by the female. The male is a lucky "sucker"! I once recorded the entire episode of the female building her nest. Click the link to have a Deekoo!

Sunbird in my Garden.

Birds of Mount Abu (October 2018 .)

Rufous Treepie

2 October 2018

Rufous Treepie / Indian Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda - Adul

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda Raiding the dog's bowl.

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda behni
Raiding the dog's bowl.

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda behni

The Indian tree pie, (Hindi - महालत) resident of Mount Abu. I recall this bird as being very bold. In 1981, we named him the "Makhhan chor". This individual would invade butter that was left to soften in the December sun on the windowsill. I've seen him swipe a bone from the dog's dish and the dog giving chase.

Rufous Treepie has an inventory of calls, mating calls warning calls and some really shrill ko-tree calls. He's an omnivore feeder, and lives of the tree insects and other land animals and birds.

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Birds of mount Abu [ September 2018 ] mountabubirds.blogspot.com

Birding in Mount Abu September 2018.

The Mini Bharatpur pond of Mount Abu.

The rain gods deserted the month of September. Hawan's offer to the deities did not appease the gods living in the Abode. Even though the monsoon could not fill our reservoirs, it left this abode clad in beautiful hues of green. Photographing birds in this lovely lap of nature is a boon. I’m no professional photographer. I’m sure you will take delight in watching my handiwork. Click on any photograph to see the expanded view. Happy viewing.

Birds September 2018 Mt.Abu

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

The history of the Bonelli's Eagle. Not recorded by Butler, but Hume observed it twice, “soaring over the upper plateau of Mount Aboo” (Butler 1875)

I have been documenting this Eagle for several years They come in the winter months.

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

Brown-Headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica

Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Gymnoris xanthocollis

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis orientalis - Adult with prey

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea

Indian Robin - Saxicoloides fulicatus - Female

Indian Silverbill or White-throated Munia - Lonchura malabarica

Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus

Jungle Crow - Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos intermedius

Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - Adult

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus - in flight from below

The recording of this Harrier is a lifer for me. There has been no record of this bird in Mount Abu. The only Harrier recorded was the Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus: Not recorded by Butler but one specimen was “got” by Dr. King at “the lake (Nakki)” (Butler 1875).