The Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is located in the peninsula formed in joining of Idamalayar and Periyar rivers. The wild part of sanctuary called “Forest” by the staff contains three important parts: open water, foothills forest, and large-leaf forest in the rivers floodlands. There are no birds in water, probably because water is a bit. Or probably not a season. The foothills forest is very tall trees staying between rocks. Branches of trees up to 15 meter are almost absent. I was going in this forest and seeing and hearing nothing. Only very large Squirrel slowly moved from one tree to another, also it sounded the first calls which I heard here. By the way this sound is similar to the sound of Red Squirrel. I was going slowly in full silence because I was expecting to view or hear any of birds. But they were absent. But once the flock of medium-sied black birds very quickly and with sharp sounds moved from crown of one tree to another one. I of course nothing noticed. Moreover, it was [...... read more ]

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I was going to reach the known to me spot near airport by another road, also I was going to start my birding some earlier than in previously day. At 7am many people were going to the job, some of kids were going to school. There were mist in the open areas. In the mist I took the photo of Little Cormorant perching in banana tree. Banana is very nice background to the birds; any bird looks very nice on the banana leaf. Also in the morning road I found my first lifer, the Purple-rumped Sunbird. Three or four birds flew off from the tree crown and began to feed in tall grass. Firstly I tried to take photo of female bird, then male which was more calm model, and more beauty of course. I later photographed these Sunbirds in banana plantation too. Also during the road I twice flushed Parakeets but can't to take photo.In the little village located among the banana and coconut plantations there was the quite active birds movement. I didn't go deep to village because I didn't want to worry the [...... read more ]

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A lot of job, a bit of birding. Today I tried to reach the ponds near airport. Unsuccessfully. I didb't find the right road, but found some useful spots. Firstly I saw five or six White-cheeked Barbets loudly crying inside the trees. Now I know it's not rare bird here. Also I visited one pond without any birds bordered by dense forest. Here I found the Jungle Owlet. But unfortunately no more other birds. At evening time I visited the closest spot to me. And this birding was not rich too. Probably I was tired. Also I expected to view the same birds in same spots, but probably this season birds disperse all around, and don't stay a long time in one spot. For example I recorded Yellow-billed Babblers but didn't see this birds in same place last visits. Also I didn't see more Paradise Flycatcher. There are different birds in the same place in different days. May be a lot, but may be a bit. Not of all birds are in nesting time like the House Crows. But today I again noticed from a far the strange [...... read more ]

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I determined rules of my day: two hour morning birding, then working time until 4pm, and then 1 or 1,5 hour evening birding. Today my morning and evening birding were in the same spot, in the no man land near the residence where I live. At morning I went deep to land and found the pond with the flock of Lesser Whistling Ducks. First time Ducks didn't pay attention to me, then about half of them flushed and rounded above th pond some time. I turn my attention to the tree, in the shadow of leaf of which I noticed the birds activity. Firstly I saw White-cheeked Barbet (new bird for me), then Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie Robin and some Red-whiskered Bulbuls. All birds changed one to another in the same branches. I was need only to take photos. But it was some hot to stay in sun, and the birds moved from the “magic” tree, therefore I also change my observation point. I noticed bird in the top of acacia, it was the Brown Shrike, the rare bird which be visible outside shadow [...... read more ]

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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. [...... read more ]

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In morning I asked tuk-tuk driver to bring me to ponds near airport. He did it but not to the spot I saw yesterday. I didn't mind because new spot is pleasure to me. There are paddy fields bordered with coconut and banana plantations. I started from the plantations looked like forest for me. Firstly I recorded small group of Jungle Babblers and two Larger Racket-ailed Drongo, then two Greater Coucal perched in banana tree. I later heard sounds and moved to another part of grove where I found crying Shikra and Black-hooded Oriole. First one is common bird of my country, but the second one is lifer for me. So day is good! Then I noticed couple of Common Mynas, birds look same to our Mynas but with some more yellow around the eyes, in my opinion. The large raptor was visible between tree branches, I tried to take photo of them. It was Oriental Crested Buzzard well identified by dark eyes and necklace. I later watched it was chased by House Crows. In addition to birds I took photos of butterflies [...... read more ]

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Yesterday I have more than 6 hour free time in Indira Gandhi airport in New Delhi. I was going to have birding near airport, but had a problem with cash, because local ATMs and my credit card were not incompatible. So I had no cash to pay in baggage room and I had to be with baggage all the time. But I all the same left the airport building with my baggage and watched birds about half a hour near the parking building. I saw common House Sparrows, Common Mynas, House Crows, one soaring Black Kite, and couple of Red-vented Bulbuls in bush. Also I saw unidentified Prinias, very little and slightly contast-patterning, some of them were probably juveniles. Later when I was inside terminal, I saw some little birds in the crown of large tree, birds look like Leaf-Warblers, were flying up, catching insect and coming back to tree-crown. But unlike the Warblers these birds have long tails. May be Tailorbirds. Today I was deciding my problems with credit card and internet connection. It was not so [...... read more ]

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