May-June 13- A trip

Here is my first attempt to write a Trip report.

It was a home run again after three long months, due to ligament injury to my knee, I wasn’t out in the field for almost two months, didn’t even clicked during this period.


On the journey day ie 29th May, I almost missed my train time due to heavy traffic en-route tostation, I dashed to station and to my surprise the train was late by an hour and half.


Next day morning, I got down at Ratnagiri at 8.45; both my kids were at station to welcome me. I was seeing them after a month. I reached home, had some refreshment, an hour’s rest, and then immediately went out to our backyard to see my flying beauties. It was bitdiscouraging to see the up rooted house of cooper smith, which I was regularly seeing for last two years. Its house was bored by termites, the bird un-seen. I got few others to fill my hunger for the day.

Next day morning again I went out, this time; I enjoyed as usual and manage some beauties. In all, within the range of sixty odd meter periphery of our backyard I saw as much as 18/20 different species of birds, chirping, flying merrily.

The list of birds I saw is

1 Indian Pitta
2 Indian Spur Fowl
3 Tree pie
4 Collared Dove (Albino)
5 Green Bee Eater
6 Black napped monarch
7 Crimson Sunbird
8 Purple rumped sunbird
9 white browed fantail
10 Magpie Robin
11 Red wateled Lapwing
12 Jungle Babler
13 Pond Heron
14 Ground Thrush
15 Greater Cockoo
16 Common Iora
17 Petronica
18 House Sparrow
19 Common Crow
20 Plain Prenia
21 Tailor Bird

On third day, I went to my village, in the hope to see the spotted big cat, but the traffic rush carrying sand from my village, ruined the entire idea. The regular sight of CHE was missing though the nest was in place. I saw him only once, sitting on the coconut tree. It has grown huge, I guess, can easily lift 6-7 Kgs. I want to know, does this bird has habit of building 2-3 nests in different locations to mark his territory?

Here I saw beautiful birds, white rumped shama for the first time, crimson sun birds were very casually flying, Indian pita was hopping here n there, Copper smiths were enjoying the figs. Pied munia resting, Emerald Doves pairing, Eurasian black birds nesting, Orange headed thrushes sweeping the dry leaves on the ground for the search of food, Puff throated babblers jumping on the compound stones without even seeing me, Woodpeckers Knocking the trunks, Kingfishers tittering, I observed some unusual thing in these birds case, probably they are changing their food pattern due to lack of water bodies & their favourite food fish, To fulfil their protein need they are eating garden skink. Experts please comment.

Well, I breathe fresh air all the way and enjoyed every bit of my stay.

When I was heading back to Surat, It already started raining, a beautiful golden oriole almost missed the bonnet of my car, probably want to say me Good-bye and then a Imperial green pigeon dashed across. I headed back to my routine with heavy heart and memories just enough to survive for another three/ four months.

Sorry to hear about the ligament injury, but its good that now you back in the field :). Lovely photograph of the sunbird. The colours, details and sharpness is great. Nice to know you have so many birds in your backyard, surely a great place for birding :). Look forward to more photographs. Thanks for sharing.

Prasad Bhai,
We are very happy that you have recovered from ligament injury and you would get back full flexibility and strength after sometime. An element of sadness creeps into our mind when we have to leave home, true, but it is more in your case because you love the beautiful environs of your village home so much and so deep.
You have presented us with a lovely photograph and it announces your arrival at IndiaWilds.
Kind regards,
SaktiWild

Nice to hear that you are now in good health. I am sure your journey to the village and interaction with your beautiful feathered friends would have given you renewed vigour.

I think 6-7kgs would be on the higher side for the changeable hawk eagle to lift and carry longer distances. I had seen one changeable hawk eagle eating a monitor lizard in a low branch. Then it tried to fly away but dropped it from midflight. We quickly moved away fearing that we were disturbing it.

It is good to see the list of birds in your area. It serves as a record as you have mentioned the date as well. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Thanks every one for kind concern. It was really tiring mentally, that I could not go out.
Here is the record Image of CHE. Full frame. The only I could manage in split seconds. A full frame. It is just an attempt to show the size of the bird. Any Inputs about Its habit of marking the territory??
Thanks again