In Sreemoolanagaram, Kerala.

The weather report promised the rain but day was sunny. Thouh the morning was misty, but if I right understand, every morning is misty here. I didn't think a long time where I can watch birds, and go to yesterday spot near airport. Today my “forest” is rarer than yesterday because local men cut down most of banana trees. So my birding here was shorter than I planned. New birds I saw: Jungle Mynas (lifer), Booted Eagle, and Jungle Owlet, the first owl in this trip. Above the paddy fields I noticed Oriental Crested Buzzard, but not same bird I watched yesterday. Interesting to view young Barn Swallows with growing outer tail feathers, in my country we don't watch this process.

At 4pm I tried to reach the riverside which passes at about two kilometers from my residence. I was need to find small road between houses, so I turned left when see the water. But it was not river but pond with large company (flock?) of Brahminy Kites. Most of Kites are adults, but two or three were juveniles. Latter look very similar to Black Kite with rounded, not cut tail. Only after looking to birds guide I understand that they were not Black Kites. But need to say that adult Brahminy Kites are very beauty birds. Also in this pond I watched Oriental Darter and unidentified white Egret.

After the ponds I decided to come back. Near the my residence I noticed the no man land with tall grass and birds moving. A short time I staying here I have the lifer – Yellow-billed babbler, and some other nice birds, such as two (couple?) Black-rumped Flamebacks (first Woodpeckers in this trip), flock of Red-wiskered Bulbuls, Tailorbirds, Drongos, and one strange Starling (probably moulting Brahminy Starling).

Good day, but many people all around, probably because weekend.

1. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

2. Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis)

3. Indian Pond-Heron (Ardeola grayii)

4. Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus) - lifer

5. My first Owl in Kerala - Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum)

6. Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus)

7. Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

8. Paddy filelds bordered by coconut plantaion

9. Kerala means Land of Coconuts

10. Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)

11. Juvenile Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

12. Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

13. Yellow-billed Babbler (Turdoides affinis) - lifer

14. Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)

15. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) catched insect by leg not bill

16. Indian Flying Fox

17. Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense)

18. House Crow (Corvus splendens) - commonest bird here

19. Byasa polyeuctes