Today is rainy. I tried to visit the Eravikulam National Park, I even enter to th bus to national Park, But I exited after 4 or 5 stands because I understood that rain became hard. I did't wait the back road bus but went in Munnar direction and watched birds. The first bird I noticed was Malabar Whistling Thrush, which is posed to me as comfortable as possible in the rainy morning. Then I quite a long time watched birds in the riverside trees, where I found Nilgiri Wood Pigeons and Square-tailed Bulbuls, both species are my lifers. Then I got the tea farm where I saw from the bus window the Swallows in wires. Unfortunately only three Swallows rested in wires, and one only of them I could to shoot. It is Hill Swallow, also the lifer to me. But I am not sure that all of rest Swallows were the Hill Swallow too.Then I noticed the quick red-brownish birds in bushes near the branch road. I wanted to wait them, but local man said me that it's privet property and I must to go only by the main public [...... read more ]

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Yesterday in arriving to Munnar I noticed from the bus window one large bird perching in the branch of tree in river side. After the check in lodge I immediately go to view this bird, unbelievable, it continue to perch in the same branch. But I was not so fast when I prepare my camera, bird flew away, and I didn't id it. I had a lunch and decided to walk along the river, because all the road I think about Malabar Whistling Thrush, which should be found in mountain rivers, of course if it behavior is similar to relative Blue Whistling Thrush. I found Malabar Whistling Thrush in the first 500 meters of my walking directly in Munnar. This Thrush sure should to be my first bird in the Western Ghats. In my opinion it's a reason why the large bird I saw from the bus car flew away when I prepare my camera. I found this bird in 15 minutes after Malabar Whistling Thrush in the opposite side of the river. It is Crested Serpent Eagle, the most popular raptor in Munnar. Today I was going to visit [...... read more ]

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Staff said me that many birdwatchers took good photos of birds in wild forest of Urallanthani not so far from Kothamangalam. I decided to visit new spot. Comparing Urallanatanni and Thattekaad, in latter there is service for tourists, but wild forest of Urallanatanni is just public road in forest. When I tried to deep this forest by the trails, all the time I find the large shit of Elephant and quickly back to the main road. Also should to say the trees in wild forest so tall and dense, that impossible to view birds in the top of them. The clearings are more comfortable to birding, and by the way to birds too. Today morning was very misty, but some of birds were identified by silhouettes. The crow-sized birds with broad wings, soaring like Bee-eaters and perching in large trees were recognized as Black Baza. I found position near large tree and was waiting Bazas, most of time Bazas were soaring behind the branches or perching inside dense leaves. But some times I had a chance to take [...... read more ]

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Yesterday I moved from Kottayam to Kothamangalam. Starting at 6am from the hotel in Kottayam I was in Kothamangalam at 12am, and immediately go to Thattekaad Bird Sanctuary. I understood I have only 2 or 3 hour of time to birding. I went directly to the spots where I saw most of all species in my last visits. In the road to the top of mountain I found birds activity and stayed some times. My first and most expecting record of the day was the pair of Heart-spotted Woodpeckers. Also I played with female Asian Fairy-Bluebird. I was replying to each whistle of this bird, after sixth or seventh reply bird came to me and give me a chance to take photo. Next time I noticed a medium-sized bird moved from one tree to another, I thought it's Fairy-Bluebird again, but it was Emerald Dove. Dove was shy but curious, it stayed in shadow of tree but all the time was looking to me, not fly away. When I finished my birding I ask the staff where I can to find Frogmouth? The staff answered it's impossible [...... read more ]

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When I was going to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary I notice the open area which are more likely paddy fields. This fields locating near the main road are not so large like the Puzhakkal ones, many people live in the sides of local channels, and the large lake Vembanad situated near these fields. In think due the latter reason I saw the flocks of flying birds, twice I saw the large flocks of Northern Pintails, once Lesser Whistling Ducks, once flock of Garganeys, once flock of Black-tailed Godwits, and once two flocks of Glossy Ibises. All of these birds were flying in the lake direction. I think that's locally movements from the places of night rest to the feeding spots. Some fields are covered by water and not look like a fields but like a ponds. Here I found two Bronze-winged Jacanas, some White-breasted Waterhens, all three species of Kingfishers, of course Egrets, Cormorants, and Darters. The trees near channels were observed by me too, but all the birds I found in trees are previously were [...... read more ]

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Staying a long time in one place make some additional advantages. One of them is opportunity to try to repeat yesterday events. Sometimes it possible. Of course when I understand that I take photos of Black-naped Monarch I again go to Kumarakom. But today I immediately went to the point I saw Monarch, and today I planned to be not more that 3 hour in Sanctuary. About one hour from 8am to 9am birds were not active. The first bird I noticed in the point was the white morph male Paradise Flycatcher which I saw yesterday. I was impressed how Flycatcher good use its too long tail when maneuver flying for insects. By the way, white morph bird is less visible in forest, than red morph one. Red color is still flushed, even in the jungle. Then three Orange-headed Thrushes came to watch to me. Then I noticed red female of Paradise Flycatcher, and then Monarch gave me a chance to make photo. Short time session, of about ten photos only one is more or less good. But this result is best I can to do. [...... read more ]

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I knew that Kumarakom is sanctuary specialized in water birds, such as Cormorants, Herons, etc. But I wanted to view mostly the birds of forest, perhaps because last two weeks I watched birds in open areas. I want the tropical forest. So I have that I want. Yes it's true, but I want the large number of birds inside the tropical forest. Today birds were a bit. I think I was the first visitor of the day. Staff told me about off season. Why off season? Three weeks ago in Thattekaad staff told me about start of season, it's really true, the season of birds activity in Thattekaad is December-February. But in Kumarakom main season is summer. So today I have the number and diversity of birds that I can to have in off season. I saw about two tens of species during 5 hours. Most numerous bird was the Indian Paradise Flycatcher which I view always near channels. Totally I view six Paradise Flycatchers, including one female and one male of white morph. The last one is so beauty, I never seen the white [...... read more ]

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When I arrived to Thrissur I immediately see the flock of Cormorants in the sky, directly in the city railway station. I thought – Wow, it's great! Perhaps, there is pond near station. But the next day I didn't attempt to find the pond near station but visited Vadakkechira Waterfront park which I found in the map of Kerala birding spots. I went to park in early morning and took some photos of birds from the outer side of border because park was closed. By the way, during the next two weeks park was closed all the time. But the flock of about 30 Lesser Whistling Ducks and about 50 Cattle Egrets always be good observed from the street. Almost every visit I saw here Little Cormorants and soared Oriental Darters. I thought: probably these Cormorants I saw near railway station. Of other birds which I saw here the pair fo White-browed Wagtails and Asian Brown Flycatcher have be noted. Due to short time birding in waterpark I attempted to watch birds in city attractions looking like parks. Firstly [...... read more ]

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Today is my last visit of paddy fields. Yesterday I was looking to map and thinking about main point of watching. My decision was the wet meadow, where I saw Red Munias, with the purpose to take photos of better than last visit quality. During the road I noticed some birds which confirmed the principle of inevitable second record of the once seen birds. Yesterday I saw Barbet, today Indian Golden Oriole. But today I noticed two very little birds sitting in wires, but they flew away as quickly so I couldn't neither to watch not to take photo. I should to expect these birds in future.Marsh is the good habitat. If you stay motionless and soundless, you can notice the movement of birds. Today I found Common Snipe and Pacific Golden Plover. When I understood that no more new movements, I go to the wet meadow, the main purpose of the day. In the meadow the grass is tall, almost man-height. Birds are more hearable than visible. Very rare birds are perching in top of grass, mostly inside of tussock. [...... read more ]

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Last visit I saw the fields without water. Today I was going to walk along the river and to reach this green fields. There is mist near river when I came here. In the mist I heard the unknown to me calls of birds in the top of trees. I thought I couldn't to find them and was going to continue my trip. But this moment the large Stork-billed Kingfisher perched to branch and joined to call of other birds. O my God! The Stork-billed Kingfishers call in mist! I took photos of Kingfisher perching near my, and later of two other birds. All of three birds were very calm, though usually they are quite shy. Day started very good. When I later got the village I see two more Stork-billed Kingfishers perched in wires. Five Stork-billed Kingfishers in one day! Near the village I some deepen to forest, and some time stayed motionless and soundless. After a short time birds began to occur. I saw Golden Orioles, Paradise Flycatcher, 2 Black-rumped Flamebacks (couple?), and 2 White-cheeked Barbets. Some [...... read more ]

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