Munnar. Photo Day.

Yesterday was rainy, and no power in lodge almost all day. Some hours I was in the room with candle. Today morning is rainy too, the chance to repeat yesterday staying in the room is very large. But I don't want to stay in lodge without power, so I decide to go anywhere by bus despite to rain and late morning. In the beginning I wanted to visit Matupaddy Dam but I waited the bus to this destination too much long time, then I moved to another bus stand and went in destination of Eravikulam National Park. When I got the Park rain become easy, and I went on foot back to Munnar. No new birds, but I took some nice photos of familiar birds, so I am happy.

After lunch in Munnar I found no flying Dusky Crag Martins. Every day I watch flying Dusky Crag Martins and Red-rumped Swallows, and all the time I want to view these birds in the wires. But Crag Martins seems never perched in wires. Today I found them in the building again.

Then I went to Matupatti Dam and reservoir (1700 m altitude, Munnar is in 1550 m altitude), which is very beauty but not interesting as birding spot. Directly in tea plantations near reservoir I found some Long-tailed Shrikes, probably plantations are the main winter habitat of these Shrikes.

Today I really happy because my expectation was so bad so I think I should just wait the next day. But day was very nice.

1. Blue-Capped Rock Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)

2. Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)

3. Palani Laughing-Thrush (Montecincla fairbanki)

4. Unknown to me Butterfly

5. Oriental White-Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)

6. White-Cheeked Barbet (Psilopogon viridis)

7. Nilgiri Wood Pigeon (Columba elphinstonii)

8. Long-Tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

9. White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

10. Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)

11. Matupaddy reservoir

12. Everyday in Munnar I watch this Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)