Mr Owl comes calling at 3 AM

This morning at about 0300 hrs, my sleep was disturbed by a call that was unmistakable from an owl. I was instantly awake and realized that the call was from within my bedroom balcony. I tiptoed to the window and what do I see... a Barn Owl (Tyto alba) about 12 inches tall. But this was a special one, cause I was standing exactly three feet away. I could make out its facial features perfectly, the face was snowy white, the fine feathers blown-in on one part of its face by the wind.

It was a catch 22 situation, I make a move towards the camera and this fellow was a gonner, if i don't then its a sitter in my mind alone. After about 3 mins of peering at me with smart tilts of its head, it flew to an adjacent house about 45-50 feet away. I got my camera and tried all possible combination to make a shot but the lack of light and the distance ensured that all I got was worthless shots. one of them is below.

From this spot it flew on to my roof. The sight of it swooping down and then up to my roof was spell binding. I could hear its call a few more times and then it flew down to a vacant plot overgrown with weeds and never came again. I stayed awake till 5 AM armed with a torch, hoping that it would come back and let me take another shot at it, this time with the light. It never did come back.

On my return from the office, I was informed about an injured bird in a neighbouring house. It was a female Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata) (thanks to Adesh on INW for helping me with the ID), It seemed to be pretty comfortable where it was and the male was getting all worked up when i tried to get near it to see the damage. Decided to let it be and got a photo off.

Looking forward for some birding come Sunday morning. Can hardly wait.

Bird Humor

What do you call a very rude bird ?
A mockingbird !

Until next time...Lets bird.

My first Bird

In January 2010, the North Karnataka Birders Network (NKBN) had their meet at Bhadra Tiger Reserve. I joined NKBN for this meet which was a three day affair and became a member. I had carried the camera along and made this image during the first birding session. I would like to share it with you. This is my first Bird image.

Small Sunbird



The making of this image made me extremely happy. It also brought out the limitations of the my camera the Panasonic DMC FZ28.

Allabux has drilled it into me that the blog needs photographs. I plan to place them in the blog over the the weekend.

Till then, as the NKBNites would say.. let's bird....

Target

There are 1200 species of birds in India.

1200 X the joy of birding = Pure Bliss.

The target to see as many as possible. To photograph all that I can see.

A wrong turn leads to the right spot - Birding at Bird trail, Kulgi Nature Camp, Dandeli.

Sighting of the day: Malabar pied Hornbill.

The much delayed family outing with Ganesh Rao and family came to be on Sunday. The destination chosen was Sathodi falls. Incidentally, this was the second time this destination was chosen for an outing. The first time, the trip was canceled due to the ill health of a family member. This time around we had planned to start after lunch and leave sathodi falls after sunset.

Was it Robert Burns who wrote "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray". With all respect to Burns, with the way the trip turned out, the "go astray" part can well be "led astray".

We started out at about 14:45 and had an uneventful drive till the cross road that breaks up into Dandeli and Yellapur. It was at this point that Ganesh Rao decided to make his so called first wrong turn in all his driving. Apparently he was looking for an Sign Board in English that even the locals have not heard off. If anyone knows anything about this sign board plz drop a line and educate us.

The wrong turn lead us to Dandeli and since it was already about 1640 hrs, a couple of phone calls latter we decided that we will head to the Kulgi nature camp and go birding on the Kulgi bird trail. My suspicion of Ganesh's intentions that this trip should be a birding trip was getting stronger.

During the drive Ganesh Rao was praying Hornbill Dhikhade Bhagwan i.e GOD show me a Hornbill.

So we hit the bird trail at Kulgi Nature Camp. We were not able to complete the trail due to an uprooted tree blocking the trail. The birding was poor even though we could hear calls all around us. We spent sometime at the watch tower on the trail. As it was getting dark fast, we decided to turn back.

At that precise moment it happened..... A Malabar pied Hornbill chose to favor us with an appearance. It was a magnificent sight. It perched itself on a nearby tree giving us a clear view of its glory. We were gaping at it open mouthed forgetting that we had a camera in had, not even a record short was made. Then it leaped into the air, one flap of its wings and with out stretched wings it made soared in a semi circle over us and moved on to a tree about 25 meters away.

For almost a minute there was a stunned silence and then we were all speaking at once :) PURE JOY. At once, I could understand the joyous expression that covers a birders face on a sighting such as the one we had witnessed. After all had such an expression over our face.

So Ganesh Rao, got his wish after all. The turn he took towards Dandeli finally made sense. But i do not think that anyone will pass over the chance to pull his leg over the turn, which he still maintains was the right way to Sathodi Falls.

When we got back to the car, it was almost 1900. We started towards Hubli, with a prayer that we do not get caught in the rain. Our prayers were answered and we got back to Hubli at 2130.

What a day, good people, some laughter, lots of teasing, the smell of the forest at dusk , a wrong turn leads to the right spot hmmmm there is my Title.

Here is to more days such as this.

Rain Respite and birding at Neersagar

After two weeks of dry heat and two days of muggy weather, it rained here in Hubli yesterday. Rain turned my lane into a muck bath. The usual trouble of water logging, black soil sticking to your shoes, feet and everything else is back this year.

The trouble began last year, when the pipeline for 24 hrs water supply was laid. The contractors did not do a clean job of filling up the pit and that meant the black soil stayed on top and mixed with water its pure hell for pedestrians as well as motorist.

This year starting three weeks back, my lane underwent work for laying the sewage line. The pit dug up was 15 feet deep. The contractor once gain goofs up in filling up the pit. Lo and behold black soil on top and with the rain yesterday and today. Grrrrrrrrr.

I have been running from pillar to post to do something about the state of the road, but to no avail.

Today:
Birding with Ganesh Rao at Neersagar lake.

Sighting:
Red-Whiskered Bulbul. Some great light enabled a leisurely viewing. one this outing the Bulbuls outnumbered any other species seen and Ganesh Rao was wondering if we should name neersagar, Bulbul Paradise.

White-browed Fantail Fantail-Flycatcher: My first sighting of this common bird (am i a novice or shat) A sweet melodious call compelled us to track down this bird. the delight was in finding it in its nest. The nest itself is a work of art, an almost perfect cup. The sweet call made us nutty with delight.

Shikra: A juvenile Shikra was harassing a squirrel and the squirrel was dishing out a run for its money. The daring squirrel seemed to be inviting the Shikra by venturing out onto the open branches. Looking back now, just wondering if it was trying to distract the Shikra from its young. Got a decent photo.

Yellow Wagtail: The wagtail was spotted on the way to neersagar at a small pond. In some great light, it ventured close to where we were. Ganesh Rao was elated at the have a close sighting.

Brahminy Starling: Having photographed this bird buring the last visit, i was able to id it only today. Never thought that, there existed a bird with a blue patch along the side of its beak.

We were back in Hubli by noon. Dropped of a dear friend at the station and rushed back home before the rains come visiting and render the road a nightmare.

Shikra and Brahminy kite Sighting

Today's sighting:- A pair of Shikras and a pair of Brahminy kite on Club Road.

Chose to go to the Railway grounds for my morning walk. Was pleasantly surprised to spot a pair of shikras on the perimeter of the ground. Spoke to one of the regulars and was informed that they are nesting there and that there is another pair about 50 meters away.

Link to Shikra-Male
Link to Shikra-Female

There is also a Brahminy Kite (pair) nesting in the adjacent tree. I found it kind of strange. I will check with the experts if thats a common occurrence and come back on that.

Link to Brahminy Kite -Male
Link to Brahminy Kite -Female

Since the binocular was with me I could get a good sighting.

Should I make the railway ground my regular morning walk venue. Naaaaaaaa its to far and I am too lazy.

Birding Equipment

Bird Sighting of the Day: Coppersmith Barbit on Gadag Road.

I am currently using a Olympus Binocular DPSI 10 x 50 (got a great deal from an online shop,) Initially I was apprehensive that the binocular would be too heavy and that i would be unable to handle the hand shake. A couple of weeks of using the binocular and it feels great. I was pleasantly surprised by the results in low light situations.

My field guide is Salim Ali's Book Of Indian Birds 13th Edition.

In a couple of months, I want to add Pocket Guide To The Birds Of The Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett , Carol Inskipp & Tim Inskipp and Field Guide To The Birds Of Southern India by Richard Grimmett & Tim Inskipp.

I also use a digital camera, the Panasonic DMC FZ-28 along with a Olympus tele converter, the TCON 17 for taking photographs. Using the camera on field has underlined the fact that super zoom/prosumer cameras are not fit for bird photography. The culprit being the small sensor on these cameras.

At best the images can be used for record shots. Having said that I have to submit that at times I have been pleasantly surprised by the results given good conditions i.e great light, birds at close range and a steady hand day.

I confess that I have ambitions of doing some great Bird photography. Hmmmm any wishing well known to grant wishes of Canon 50D and/or at least a Sigma 170-500mm F5-6.3. OK getting back to reality... What I need is a Guru for photography and then bird photography.

I also use the following two sites extensively for identification of birds.

http://indiabirds.com/
http://indianaturewatch.net/

A sincere thanks to Mr Vijay Cavale for granting permission to link to his site (http://indiabirds.com/) to enable easy identification of birds mentioned in this blog.

Until next time.....lets bird.

Neersagar birding on Easter Sunday

Commissioned in 1956, Neersagar Reservoir in Bedthi Valley (20 Kms from Hubli) is the source drinking water for Hubli and Kalghatgi.

The reservoir is one of the birding spots nearest to Hubli.

Although the spot has more than a fair share of birds. Sunday's birding apart from the common birds resulted only in a pair of Grey Frankolin, Purple Sunbirds and a Coppersmith Barbit.

The guard of the premises spoke about a flock of Peacocks that were seen after sunset. But on this day the peacocks were elusive.

Cheers until next time

Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday,

0700 hrs mass at the Infant Jesus Church, Shanti Nagar.

Lovely Biryani from leony. Ganesh Rao for company.

Post lunch there was a sudden urge to go birding.

So off we were to Neer Sagar lake in Kalghatgi. The lake is the source of drinking water to Hubli City and Kalghatgi.

Returned home to find BSNL broadband connection intermittent and its too late, so the birding report will be on tomorrow.

The begining.

Welcome and Wishing one and all a very happy Easter.

This blog will be about life in Hubli, a city in North Karnataka, India. Birding will figure prominently in it. So will nature and the importance of its conservation.

As a child, I was initiated into birding by my grandmother. Come feeding time,with me on her lap, she would point at bulbuls, house sparrow, crows, koels and woodpeckers that frequented the tree in my backyard, just to get me to eat (May the good LORD bless her soul). Lunch time at school and food got left on the ground for black kites to swoop down and carry it away.

As I grew and journeyed through life, the black kite remained an object of envy, for its gift of flight. New interests, the pain of school itself etc ensured that birds were a there but as a distant memory.

Last year the interest got kindled. A trip to Magadi Lake to see the bar headed geese and a meeting with Shri Gurunath Desai of the North Karnataka Birders Network (NKBN) did the trick.

This blog essentialy takes off from there and its a work in progress.

Your comments are welcome.