Saturday, December 31, 2016

Last treat of Year-Birding at Himayat Sagar Lake

 

Last birding of year 2016,great way to say bye and also to welcome the new one.We took extra interest to kept  our travel log busy in past year.So year last exploration decided at HIMAYAT SAGAR LAKE with company of birding enthusiast friends along with family. Every time clicking sunrise has become rituals for camera test to kick start birding.

 sunrise

Sunrise-blend of Orange and Pink

 

Start of birding

Our Avians friends waiting for us to get clicked…

 

It was frosty morning ,sun waked us from half sleep and first treat of the morning was Great Flamingos…

Flock of flamingos

Sight of Flamingos after zooming…

flamingos

Little closer look…Wish light would have been sufficient.

After sight of greater flamingos,we were already motivated to explore more on high notes……Here goes photo treat of the day.

Babbler

Jungle Babbler

 

booted warbler cofirm

Booted Warbler

 

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

 

Beattles

Beatles

Cormorant n Egret

Flock of Cormorant and Egret

 

Grey breasted Prinia

Another Booted warbler

 

Jungle babbler

Jungle babbler

Lotus leaves

Lotus Leaves

 

Painted stork

Painted Stork

 

Peacock

Peacock-4 were there

 

Pied Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Purple Sunbird

Purple Sunbird

 

Plain Prinia

Plain Prinia

 

Red vented Bulbul

Red vented Bulbul

 

Rose ringed parakeet

Rose Ringed Parakeet

 

swallow and starling

Barn swallow,Pied Starling,Kingfisher

 

Spotted Owl

Catch of the day Owl hiding under branches.

 

In addition to Himayat Sagar Lake birding ,we continued our fun for day at MRUGAVANI NATIONAL PARK…Safari

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Tailor bird

Tailor bird

 

Deer feeding

Deers

Differenr butterflies

Different types of Butterflies

 

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Painting at Mrugavani National Park.

 

Mrugavani National park is average Safari where kids can enjoy peacock, deer and Samba,place where one can plan picnic of half day.

So once again great outing birding plus Safari,I'm glad we wind up everything in half day to utilize our rest of day to prepare for New Year eve celebrations.

Good Bye to all viewer and friends,May everyone have prosperous new year.

Start of New year,more birding…..More exploration!!

 

Cheers

Ashu 

Monday, December 26, 2016

Christmas Birding-Ananthagiri Hills

 

Christmas festive season of happiness, joy and celebrations. Gifting is integral part of Christmas, I guess bring feeling of sharing and expressing love. With extended weekend for kids ,thought to celebrate festival amidst of NATURE ,best gift given to us by Almighty. So here we go for nature exploration, birding and driving.

This time impromptu place chosen -ANATHAGIRI HILLS in Telangana situated at distance of 70 +kms from Hyderabad, drive of close to one hour.Although we took little more since we had three stoppage on the way.

 

First stoppage was Sunflower field, bright yellow flower attracted us too much made our morning special.Earlier in Bangalore, seen these vibrant sunflower ,my blog cover picture with my daughter. At this point clicked lot of pictures, breathed fresh pollution free air. My kids were cheerful and super excited on watching this wonderful sight, they reviewed it closely in joy.

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Memories of Sunflower Garden.

 

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Second stoppage was near a Lake, in hope to catch some aquatic birds. Although whole place was so serene and quite, but no birds were to be seen except few Coots. Nevertheless we moved toward the destination, relishing our journey each minute each second.

Lake

Lake View

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Me and my Binocular in hope of some winter migrants

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Finally we set to reach the destination-Ananthagiri hills.I must like to mentioned that road from Hyderbad to Ananthagiri hills is absolutely wonderful,well maintained and of course very traffic free,so overall very relaxed travel. As a final point after two and half hour of travel(we reached at 8.30 because of giving three stoppage) ,we reached destination.

 

We were welcomed by big Statue of Hanumanji idol and regional God with wings,my son called it god with butterflies on body,see kids have their own cute imagination and connecting different things.While we were parking the car,biggest surprise of day was waiting for us on branch of tree-A Grey Hornbill. At that time my Camera was all inside bag,by the time I unpacked it,Hornbill was about to fly ,so got very dark picture. I was in no mood to let this opportunity go,so finally whole family chased it and

VOILA!!!

Hornbill at best

 

We reached the place after following Grey hornbill, I saw around 10 Grey Hornbill(probably a nesting site-A guess),best birding I ever had.We spend around half and hour at same place and already gratified heart.Clicking it was challenge because it was using camouflage effect and hiding between brown branches.To my good luck, could click some good shots…..

Grey Hornbill1Hiding in treeHornbill feeding anotherHornbill mouth openIMG_7782IMG_7797

A whole series of Hornbill clicks –With one pic of two in one frame.

 

I did not knew it is just starting, and whole bundle of Surprises waiting for us….from hornbill point,saw rufous Treepie couple cozying in branch ,followed by view of plum parakeet and then following following…..….birding continues with some great time and clicking some birds first time.

 

Rufus Treepie

Rufous Treepie

 

Sulpher bellied Warbler

Sulphur bellied Warbler

Golden Oriole Juvenile

Golden Oriole Immature

 

Long Cuckoo Shirke

Long Cuckoo Shirke

 

Plum headed Parakeet

Plum headed Parakeet

 

Small Minivet

Small Minivet

 

White bellied Drongo

White bellied Drongo(Initially i searched for bird with white ring around neck in birds books,but realised its a branch in front of neck)

 

Ashy Minivet

Small Minivet(Female)

 

Coppersmith Barbet

Coppersmith Barbet

 

Parakeet 1

Rose ringed Parakeet

 

Pipit

Pipit

 

Purple rumped Sunbird

Purple rumped Sunbird

 

Red vented Bulbul

Red vented Bulbul

 

Bee eater

Green Bee eater

 

Jungle Babbler

Jungle Babbler

 

Kids in Jungle

In addition to birding ,kids had wonderful time playing in thick jungle with woods,leaves and twigs ,and self exploring the Nature with their own creative ideas.

 

We did not realise that so much time gone in birding , Nature exploration and Breathe the nature…it was already 1’o clock,we decided to lunch at place opposite to the Temple at Anathagiri hills.

Last wing travel includes driving to nearby place where it was quite as pin drop silence,no signs of human life ,could hear rustling leaves and some chirps, even at 2’oclock.

View Point

View from Ananthagiri Hills view point.

 

Finally time to say bye to beautiful and quite place where one can connects with Nature,birding and family time.I think it is definitely cherished gift on Christmas.

Cheers

Ashu

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