Third Sunday Nature Trail-15th January 2012

Pic by Arun Ramu                                        

Hi Friends!!

Like the previous year, this year too I wasn't expecting many people to turn up for the Third Sunday Trail because  it was also the day of  HSBC Bird Race...hence it was really nice to see so many friends joining us for the trail to Hulimangala. The day was foggy with hardly much to spot when it started ,however slowly opening up as the sun rose. It was exciting to see the Mottled Wood Owl taking its place in the list for the first time for Third Sunday Nature Trail, so was white-eyed buzzard ..No No I am NOT claiming that it wasn't there earlier, just that it was spotted for the first time during any Third Sunday Trails so far..:-)

Pic by Arun Ramu

As far as I am concerned, it was an amazing day indeed as I was taking part in the event for the first time. Bumping onto friends , spending a whole day birding lazily. ( Yes, lazily as we also managed to catch up with some sleep on the way..:-) apart from eating a hearty meal at Ramakrishna Mission school.Best part of the whole exercise for me was to meet up with friends and seniors in the evening and relishing the good food.

Pic by Arun Ramu

Congratulations to all the teams and lets carry on birding & bird watching which will add to the fun n joy as well as help in compiling data for the benefit of the Grey Celled Birders.

Bangalore birders rock..and lets keep rocking!!

Cheers,

Geetanjali

Bird List compiled by Sudhir Naik

1 Little Cormorant
2 Little Egret
3 Cattle Egret
4 Grey Heron
5 Purple Heron
6 Indian Pond-Heron
7 Woolly-necked Stork
8 Oriental Honey-Buzzard
9 Black-shouldered Kite
10 Black Kite
11 Brahminy Kite
12 Western Marsh-Harrier
13 Shikra
14 Booted Eagle
15 Grey Francolin
16 Purple Swamphen
17 Red-wattled Lapwing
18 Wood Sandpiper
19 Green Sandpiper
20 Common Sandpiper
21 Blue Rock Pigeon
22 Laughing Dove
23 Spotted Dove
24 Rose-ringed Parakeet
25 Asian Koel
26 Greater Coucal
27 Barn Owl
28 Mottled Wood-Owl
29 Spotted Owlet
30 Common Kingfisher
31 White-throated Kingfisher
32 Little Green Bee-eater
33 Indian Roller
34 Common Hoopoe
35 White-cheeked Barbet
36 Coppersmith Barbet
37 Black-rumped Flameback
38 House Swift
39 Barn Swallow
40 Red-rumped Swallow
41 White-browed Wagtail
42 Grey Wagtail
43 Paddyfield Pipit
44 Tree Pipit
45 Red-whiskered Bulbul
46 Brown Shrike
47 Oriental Magpie-Robin
48 Ashy Prinia
49 Blyth's Reed-Warbler
50 Clamorous Reed-Warbler
51 Booted Warbler
52 Greenish Warbler
53 Pale-billed Flowerpecker
54 Purple-rumped Sunbird
55 Purple Sunbird
56 Rosy Starling
57 Common Myna
58 Jungle Myna
59 Indian Golden Oriole
60 Black Drongo
61 Ashy Drongo
62 House Crow
63 Indian Jungle Crow

If I have missed anything here, pl add up to the list. Thanks


Here is the link to the few new and old photos of the Third Sunday Trails

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1239761032820.2037694.1193123621&type=3&l=fafed8af97

Jayanta's beautiful pictures of the day can be seen in this link

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3143232698880.166017.1206858108&type=3

Third Sunday Nature Trail-September 2011-Shivanahalli

As expected the turnout for the Third Sunday Trail around Shivanahalli forests was 60+. Morning weather was good with clear sky throughout the trail.Tea served by the Ramakrishna Mission School pepped us all for the long trail inside the forest. Many of us got scattered into small groups.The trail passed through different terrains and we got to experience the real forest so close to the city. Of course few of us lost our way and were literally rescued .For many in the group the highlight of the day was spotting Grey-breasted Prinia and couple of raptors,one of which is still to be id.ed and of course Eurasian Eagle Owl spotted by few in the group.

It was nice to see many youngsters taking part in the trail.It was also nice to see MBK joining us. Its always very enriching to spend time with experts like him, as even on a brief meeting one can learn so much.

Someone in the group had also spotted a woodpecker and had the picture for the same.Its a request to pl. confirm that id .

I am ever thankful to Swami Vishnumayanadanji for letting us all enjoy the beautiful forest he has created around the mission school and beyond and also thank him for his hospitality as almost all of us could relish the hot cup of tea, lovely breakfast and few of us could even enjoy the tasty lunch.

List of birds spotted : ( Names as per the field guide ,Birds of India by Krys Kazmierczak)

Little Cormorant
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
Short-toed Snake Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle ( Saw it while on our way back at Kaleshwari)
Red-wattled Lapwing
Rock Pigeon
Spotted Dove
Laughing Dove
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Blue-faced Malkoha
Greater Coucal
Eurasian Eagle Owl
White-throated Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
White-cheeked Barbet
Coppersmith Barbet
Common Iora
Black-hooded Oriole
Rufous-tailed Lark
Black Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
Bay-backed Shrike
Common Myna
Rufous Treepie
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Asian Koel
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Small Minivet
Red-vented Bulbul
Jungle Babbler
Yellow-billed Babbler
Grey-breasted Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Plain Prinia
Common Tailorbird
Oriental Magpie Robin
Indian Robin
Pied Bushchat
White-browed Wagtail
Oriental White-eye
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Loten's Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Scaly-breasted Munia
Black-headed Munia
House Sparrow
Baya Weaver

Sumeet Moghe's link for the photographs are here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciphertux/sets/72157627705334598/

And here is the link to few awesome pictures by Vaibhav
http://bangalorecaptured.com/2011/09/19/rama-krishna-mission-birding-at-back/

Thomas's photographs can be found in this link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71936641@N00/sets/72157627718010106/

Bhavita Toliyas link for some of the photographs are at
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150316407668774.363291.672768773&type=1

Ajit's link
https://picasaweb.google.com/100394483534785559733/ShivanahalliTrail?authuser=0&feat=directlink