Sunday Birding Report - Kirvati, North Karnataka.

A Birding trip was long over due, there was a longing to get back to that divine fragrance of the forest and it so happened that a meeting with Mr. Gurunath Desai in connection with the website for the NKBN led to a half day Birding trip being planned for Sunday to Kirvati, a wooded area about 59 km from Hubli and 9 km away from Kalghatgi. Kirvati is on the Hubli-Karwar Road. On the way back we planned to bird at Thampur Lake on the same highway.

To get directly to the complete list of the birds seen or heard during this trip please scroll to the end of this post.

A four member team comprising of Ms. Shailaja Yadwad, Mr. Gurunath Desai (GND), Mr. Ganesh Roa and your truly commenced the journey at 0700 hrs. .

On the way we had a lightning stop at Devikoppa Lake (DL), this lake boasts of a lodge for hunting Ducks built by the British. Though the IB is in dilapidated condition, the location of the IB and the Road leading to and away from the IB, impress the eye. Shailaja called out a purple heron on the far bank. Coot Teal, Purple Muren and Grebe were the other spoils at the lake. A mental note and a promise to return to this lake at a latter date are made and the journey towards Kirvati resumes.

On the way, GND pointed out the turn leading toward Icheenahalli Lake (IL). Great place for a day outing but almost no birding is how he chooses to put it. The exit to this lake is about half a Kilometer from the Satho Saheed Darga on the Hubli - Karwar Road

Kirvati is one of the largest timber yards in Karnataka. Reaching Kirvati we turned right and 2 km, a pea fowl and a couple of pea hens latter we reached Thatihala. We took a trail and were immediately ambushed by mosquitoes, black, big and hungry. A mental note to carry repellent, the next time around.

In the 45 minutes spent on this trail we spotted a good number of birds, the pair of Pygmy Woodpecker and the velvet fronted nuthatch getting the most sighs. We also spotted a Giant Squirrel keeping us company and a whistling Thrush provided the back ground score throughout.

Getting back from the trail post breakfast we continued on, GND was all Moses like when he lead us to a ficus tree promising us delights and we were not disappointed. A Crested serpent Eagle at close quarters set the tempo. The orange headed Thrush, Yellow eyed Babbler, Tickles Flycatcher added to the excitement. The fichus tree and the surrounding area were alive with calls. A promising spot requiring an extended stay. Enroute a pea fowl posing majestically on a tree stump left an image that will stay a while. Near the ficus Shailaja swears that she heard a pitta call here but a search returned a blank.

We turned back towards the highway and 2 km latter the magic began, the Shama pictured here played out a 15 min spell binding routine tantalizingly close to us. This guy was redefining the term playing to the gallery, latter a Minivert pair joined the act and kept us captivated.

A little further Ganesh Roa spotted a lizard, which was identified by GND as a Draco and educated us that it was very rare. The short video below will do more justice than words possibly can.

Back on the road, we drove on to check out the Lake, where a pair of Crested serpent Eagle is reported to be in permanent residence. The lake was picture perfect as promised by Mr. Desai and bare of birds but for Open bill Storks. We found the CSE pair along with a Juvenile CSE. The lake has a high bund to one side; on the other side of this bund is a wooded region from where several calls could be heard. A return to this lake is imminent.

We drove on to Thampur Lake and reached there at about 12, but the birding here was almost next to nothing. Some bronze winged Jacanas, purple Muren, coots and grebes were all that we could spot. The lack of birds could be because it was noon but we were disappointed none the less.

We returned to Hubli at about 1330, smiling, the senses sated but just for the moment. Many thanks to Shailaja for joining us. We hope you get that Pita sooner than latter. For Ganesh Roa, this was a first outing with members of the NKBN. Welcome Sir.

For Ganesh Roa and myself, the banter between Shailaja and GND was like Birding 101. Shailaja with her words painted up a magnificient canvas about the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat and Bhigwan, that made us want to run up there. Suddenly that wife's friends wedding in Gujarat looks so very interesting, Jasmine, should you be reading this, please get married in bird season.

A complete list of the birds spotted / heard during the session is given below. The abbreviations next to bird names indicate sightings of the species in different birding locations on the trip.

Devikoppa Lake - (DL)
Kirwati - Thatihala - (KWT)
Icheenahalli Lake - (IL)
Thambur Lake - (TL)

1. Purple Muren. (TL, IL)
2. Coot Teal. (TL, IL)
3. Purple Heron. (DL)
4. Magpie Robin. (KWT)
5. Brown Headed Barbet. (KWT)
6. Indian Peafowl (KWT)
7. Racket tailed Drango. (KWT)
8. Whishtiling Thrush. (KWT)
9. Plumheaded parakeet. (KWT)
10. Pigmy Woodpecker. (KWT)
11. Spotted Dove. (KWT)
12. Rufous Woodpecker. (KWT)
13. Velvet fronted Nuthatch. (KWT)
14. White breasted Drongo. (KWT)
15. Ashy Drongo. (KWT)
16. Black Headed Oriole. (KWT)
17. Shama. (KWT)
18. Crested serpent eagle. (KWT)
19. Tickle's Flycatcher. (KWT)
20. Orange headed Thrush. (KWT)
21. Yellow eyed Babbler. (KWT)
22. Black headed Munia. (KWT)
23. Indian Treepie. (KWT)
24. Scarlet Minivert. (KWT)
25. Oriental White eye. (KWT)
26. Bronze winged Jacana. (TL)
27. Asian Openbill Stork. (KWT)
28. Grebe. (TL)
29. White-breasted Kingfisher (TL).
30. Black Ibis. (IL)
31. Spotted Owlet. (TL, KWT).
32. Greater Coucal. (KWT).
33. Red-wattled Lapwing. (TL).
34. Pita (KWT)

Till next time....lets bird.