I know I've had a long hiatus, but I am back and how. A lovely early morning trail to Tungareshar WLS in the perfect sort of weather. We started birding around 8:00 a.m., the sun playing peek-a-boo from behind silvery grey clouds and in the early morning it was cool in the shadows. Black hooded oriole greeted us just at the gate of the sanctuary and with many promising bird calls inviting us to explore further we started our day. Black drongos and Racket tailed drongos were the talk of the town, they flit among the tree branches with tails made of black lace while a small Minivet and its mate gave us unstinted views.The forest is in the midst of this great transformation, the greenery of rainy days is long gone, almost all the trees have as if prepared for the coming season in the way of fashionistas, "Oh green was so last season". Now they have put on reds, browns, orange and yellows, all the warm tones to welcome the coming summer. The Palash was up in flames and not to be outdone was the Indian Coral tree though they both would have to bow to the Kusum, her bright red leaves brightened up the drab landscape in bold splashes of color.
Most of the deciduous trees are now shedding, every old leaf fell to the forest floor with the grace of a bird flying, drawing our attention every single time. The Teak tree leaves are turned to lace and all the forest paths crackled under our feet as we walked. Though the trees were in full bloom and Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Ioras, and Leafbirds were seen taking full advantage of the summer bounty, there were no butterflies except for the spot tailed swordtail and a couple of striped tigers. Along a turn we gazed into the tangle of dried branches to see a dove, dark and spotted, with no way of telling for sure whether it was one the spotted or laughing until it flew straight at us and its emerald wings glimmered in the sun.
The main way leading towards the summit was covered with a layer of fine silky dust that billowed in the wake of motorbikes and noisy rickshaws that broke the silence and like a patron at an opera I would have liked to shush them. Though it does seem as if the birds have accepted this intrusion with disdain, they flew they sang along the paths with abandon, or is it because it is the season of love? Magpie Robins were singing their hearts out and the sunbirds flew everywhere in pairs like newlyweds showing off their love. Greenish warblers are still calling but soon their song will fade as they prepare for their journey northward. A Sulphur bellied warbler vanished in the undergrowth while ahead a tickells blue flycatcher and a black naped monarch paired up probably to catch flies. Speaking of flies today a lot of tiny houseflies troubled us all day long, their twitchy movements and buzzing continued all the way, perhaps attracted to the leftover food and garbage strewn from the recent Mahashivratri.
The larger raptors were absent, but a Shikra and a sighting of a juvenile Shikra both of which gave us long views on the way up more than made up for their absence. Thus we ended the day on a high note and returned with birdsong in our hearts and eyes full of the colours of summer.
Note 1: This is probably one of the best times to visit Tungareshwar, the summer is yet to come to full force, the weather is cloudy and the mornings are still a bit cool. The trees have shed leaves and the landscape is more open, you can sight birds easily and the winter migrants are yet to leave. Below is a complete list of birds sighted today
Note 2: Also seen were flocks of Ashy drongo in huge numbers. Perhaps theyy are preparing to migrate, i did not find any reference on the net reagrding this behaviour, except for a small note on this site
http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.in/2011_02_01_archive.html, does anyone have references for same?
1)
Cattle egret
2)
Black Kite
3)
Oriental honey buzzard
4)
Shikra
5)
Crested serpent eagle (call)
6)
Emerald dove
7)
Rose ringed parakeet
8)
Plum headed parakeet
9)
Greater coucal
10)
Jungle owlet
11)
Asian palm swift
12)
White throated kingfisher
13)
Brown headed barbet
14)
Hoopoe
15)
Common iora
16)
Golden fronted leafbird
17)
Blue winged leafbird
18)
Black Hooded Oriole
19)
Black naped oriole
20)
Indian oriole
21)
Black drongo
22)
Ashy drongo
23)
Bronzed drongo
24)
Racket tailed drongo
25)
Common woodshrike
26)
Common myna
27)
Rufous treepie
28)
House crow
29)
Large billed crow
30)
Small minivet
31)
Large cuckooshrike (call)
32)
Red-vented bulbul
33)
Red-whiskered bulbul
34)
Puff throated babbler (call)
35)
Red throated flycatcher
36)
Tickell’s blue flycatcher
37)
Asian paradise flycatcher (Female)
38)
Black naped blue monarch
39)
Grey-breasted Prinia
40)
Blyth’s reed warbler (call)
41)
Sulphur bellied warbler
42)
Common tailorbird
43)
Green warbler (P. nitidus)
44)
Greenish warbler
45)
Small sunbird
46)
Crimson sunbird
47)
Purple sunbird
48)
Thick billed flowerpecker
49)
Pale billed flowerpecker
50)
Chestnut shouldered Petronia
51)
Crested serpent eagle (call)
