Birds of India

Green bee eater with dragonfly [Flickr]

Umang Dutt — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:07:07 PST

Umang Dutt posted a photo:

Green Bee-eater , Merops orientalis

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Some images from my trip Bera in Rajasthan

From Bera - Rajasthan ( Leopards Lair)

Check out mmy other images here

Round the corner [Flickr]

Umang Dutt — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:44:18 PDT

Umang Dutt posted a photo:

How many corners ?

Monkey Bokeh [Flickr]

Umang Dutt — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:55:35 PDT

Umang Dutt posted a photo:

Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata) want some nuts ?

The Bonnet Macaque has a very wide range of gestures and behavior which can be easily differentiated. 'Lip smacking' is one of the most common and affiliative behavior, where one individual may open and close the mouth in rapid succession with tongue in between teeth and lips pressing against each other giving an audible sound. "Grimace" is the most common gesture of fear or submission in which a subordinate shows to a dominant individual during aggressive encounters. It consists of pulling back of the upper lip showing the upper teeth.

Sunrise at Thol [Flickr]

Umang Dutt — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:35:44 PDT

Umang Dutt posted a photo:

Explored at #357 on 5 Aug 2009

Awesome sunrise over Thol Lake. Love the hues and the way there were blue stripes surrounding the orange in the centre.
Almost like nature's huge search light had been turned on. The silhouette of the 2 birds just added to the image.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle [Flickr]

Umang Dutt — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:58:17 PDT

Umang Dutt posted a photo:

Explored at #54 on 1st Oct 2009

The Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle breeds in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to south east Asia and the Philippines. It is a forest bird which builds a stick nest in a tree near water and lays two to four eggs.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a largish stocky raptor at about 70-75cm in length. Adults have dark brown wings and back, a grey head and reddish brown breast. The lower belly, thighs and tail are white, the latter having a black terminal band.

Sexes are similar, but young birds have a pale buff head, underparts and underwing, all with darker streaking.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle, as its English and scientific names suggest, is a specialist fish eater which hunts over lakes, lagoons and large rivers.

Little Rann of Kutch - A Day Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:25:00 +0000

I had been planning to got to Thol on Sunday (9th November 2008) when Kunan Naik, an avid birder and photographer invited me to join him on a trip to the Little Rann. I had been planning to go there in December and hence jumped at the opportunity as Kunan had been there a couple of times and was familiar with the place.

The Rann of Kutch is a seasonally marshy region located in the Thar Desert biogeographic province in Gujarat state of northwestern India and the Sind province of Pakistan. The name "Rann" comes from the Hindi word ran meaning "salt marsh".I n India's summer monsoon, the flat desert of salty clay and mudflats, averaging 15 meters above sea level, fill with standing waters, interspersed with sandy islets of thorny scrub, breeding grounds for some of the largest flocks of Greater and Lesser flamingoes. At its greatest extent, the Gulf of Kutch on the west and the Gulf of Cambay on the east are both united during the monsoon.

This inhospitable salty lowland, rich in natural gas and a resting site for migratory Siberian birds, is part of India and Pakistan's ongoing border dispute concerning Sir Creek. The Rann is also famous for the Indian Wild Ass sanctuary, the Little Rann of Kutch, where the last of three species of Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur or khar), the only ones in Asia, still exists along with wolves, foxes, jackals, chinkara gazelles, nilgai antelope and blackbucks. The Rann of Kutch is also the only place in Pakistan and India which plays host to migrating flamingoes. There are 13 species of lark in the Rann of Kutch.

We left Ahmedabad at around 4:00 and the 110 Km journey to the Little Raan took us around 2 ½ hours in Kunan’s Gypsy, with a couple of breaks thrown in along the way. We reached the forest guest house around 6:30 and headed off straight into the Raan along with Udaybhai, (a forest officer) who was a friend of Kunan and a local guide.

We traveled into the Raan in a Maruti gypsy’s as its 4 wheel drive is best suited to marshy soil of the area. It is also advisable to hire the local guide as they are familiar with the area and know which parts of the Raan are approachable by vehicles.

The first thing that struck me during our outing was the difference between bird watchers and photographers is their approach. While a bird watcher / environmentalist is content to sight birds through a pair of binoculars / telescope a photographer pursues the birds like a trophy often with disregard for the bird and its habitat. Watching these 2 experienced birders was a great learning experience for me.

One of the first birds we spotted was the Common Krestal (falco tinnuunculus) which is a common, but very shy bird which flies of at the slightest of noise / disturbance. A little further into the bushes we spotted the Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) and the Desert Wheatear, Oenanthe deserti. Some other common birds like the White eared bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis), Green bee eater (Merops orientalis) and the Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata) were also spotted along the route.

Past the scrubs we came across a huge vast open piece of land where the parched earth was cracked and dry. At places the earth was stained with a white residue, salt, for the water that had long since dried up. Here we spotted the Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) which blends beautifully with the arid landscape and is hence very difficult to spot unless it moves. A little ahead we came across a heard of the famed Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) also called khur, which is a subspecies of wild asses native to southern Asia. While I was busy taking pictures of the wild asses Udaybhai called us over as he had spotted a Painted Francolin or Painted Partridge (Francolinus pictus). This one was pretty far of and I had a hard time photographing it.

It was almost 9:30 and we headed of towards the water bodies and marshes. There we spotted Black Stork (Ciconia nigra).There were a lot of birds including The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), The Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), The Common Spoonbill or Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and also some ducks like the Brahminy Duck (Tadorna ferruginea), a couple of Spot-billed Ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha), though Udaybhai was pretty upset that there were so few of them.

The Common Crane (Grus grus) were seen in large numbers. You can see hundreds of them all clustered together and when they decide to fly, it’s an amazing sight to watch. They are pretty clumsy during takeoff, but amazingly graceful in flight. We also spotted The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) and the Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis).

We decided to take another route back and there we were able to spot some Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ), Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) and a couple of the Least Sandpiper, Calidris or Erolia minutilla and a few Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) and some Common Redshank or Redshank (Tringa totanus). Here I was also lucky to get a couple of pictures of The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in flight.

There are a lot of Rock Pigeons (Columba livia), Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis), Long-tailed Shrike or the Rufous-backed Shrike (Lanius schach), Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus) and other common birds.

We also saw some Neelgai Antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus Pallas) near the boundary of the sanctuary.

We started back from the Little Raan at around 12:15 and on the way back alongside the road we spotted a number of Black-shouldered Kites (Elanus axillaris), White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Indian Rollers (Coracias benghalensis) and also a bird which looked like a Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), but was way too far to identify positively.

We reached back at around 14:30 and I was tired but happy to have had such a great experience of the Raan with two seasoned bird watchers and now appreciate their patience and thrill of being able to identify a bird correctly, which I now realize is pretty difficult given that a slight variation in colour, striation or a almost unnoticeable change is the shape of the tail could change the bird all together.

Panchgani - A travalogue

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:12:00 +0000

We travelled to Panchgani from the 26th to the 30th of October 2008. An overnight train from Ahmedabad to Pune, saw us reach Pune at around 5:00 AM on the 26th and after a short halt we were off to Panchgani which is around 100Kms from Pune.

The route to Panchgani is a very scenic one with a lot of greenery and the flowers along the road were a sight to behold. A 2 hour drive and we were all ready to check-in to the “Blue Country Resort”, where we had booked our stay through ‘Club Mahindra Holidays’. Blue Country is a Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) property where ‘Club Mahindra’ have some rooms booked on a permanent basis. There are some horror stories about the resort floating around the net, but our stay there was quite pleasant and uneventful. Though the restaurant as reported is pretty small and so it gets full really fast and you need to be early to be able to get a seat for breakfast or lunch. Dinner is usually served outside on the lawns and so it’s a much better experience. Any yeah the room service, especially if you order something just before lunch or dinner time sucks . . .
Okay so having got all that out of the way, the property itself is quite beautiful with a Dolphin embossed Swimming Pool, a room for table tennis and carom and a small children’s park to keep them happy.

Legend has it that Panchgani is named after the five hills that surround it. These were settlements of the natives and hence the town came to be called Panchgani, panch meaning five and gani meaning settlement. The town was founded by John Chesson in 1854, who developed it with a grant from the Governor of Bombay. Soon it came to be the home of a number of Christians and Parsis, and a getaway from the heat of the plains.
Panchgani is at an altitude of 1334 m, it is just 38 m below Mahabaleshwar. These 38 m translate themselves into a breathtaking 18 km approach, that swoops around and bends with abandon, offering splendid views of the river Krishna on one side, and the coastal plains, on the other. Panchgani is the quintessential hill station. It can be seen in the architecture of the old British buildings, the Parsi houses, and the boarding schools that have been around for a century or more.

The five hills surrounding Panchgani are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus, alternatively known as "table land", are a part of the Deccan Plateau and they were raised by pressure between the earth plates. The area has high seismic activity, with an epicenter near Koynānagar where the Koynanagar Dam and a hydroelectric power plant have been built. Another place you must visit is Mahableshwar which is just 20Kms from Panchgani and a well known hill station

There are many tourist points in and around Panchgani, most of them offering breathtaking views of the valley below. There are various sightseeing hill destinations points in Panchgani such as Sydney point, Table land, Parsi point, devil's kichen, Dhoom dam, the lingmala falls and Rajapuri caves. The Sydney point is placed on small hillock facing the Krishna valley. We can see the glittering waters of the Dhom Dam and Pandavgad and Mandhardeo from here. Table land is situated around 60 mts high and second largest natural mountains in Asia. From here we can easily see devil's kitchen. Parsi point is a windy road situated on the Mahabaleshwar way overlooks the Krishna valley and the blue mirror like waters of the Dhom Dam. Doom dam is a beautiful boating spot, which is situated 21 kms from the panchgani. Scooter boats and Speed boats one can enjoy here. Rajapuri caves is placed about 10 kms from the town. It has a religious importance as there is a temple of Lord Karthikeya, (Lord Shiva's son).

When in Panchgani don’t miss Sherbaug (http://www.sherbaug.com/). This is an amazing theme park and you can easily spend over half a day here strolling through the amazing gardnen, eating a traditional Maharashtrian meal or just lazing around on the many swings and beds scattered around the place. Sherbaug also boasts of a beautiful fossil and semi-precious stone collection and some dinosaur eggs.

A genteel place, Panchgani doesn't really pander to commercial tastes, as does Mahabaleshwar. Here, holiday pastimes include walking, riding on one of the numerous ponies that canter around town, or simply unwinding at home in the cool of the veranda or drinking tea on the lawns. And if you feel energetic, amble down to the bazaar to shop for very reasonably priced shoes and slippers, preserves and squashes made from fresh strawberries and raspberries. You can also visit the MAPRO outlets and stuff yourself with all the free samples that they give. Note: After a few, they all taste the same and you will be as confused as ever 

Panchgani has some amazing flora and fauna and I had a great time taking photographs there.

So after 4 pleasant days and our bags full with a variety of syrups, jams and pickles we headed back to Pune on the 30th to catch our train back to Ahmedabad.

Rufous-backed Shrike (Lanius schach) -erythronotus race

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Rufous-backed Shrike (Lanius schach) -erythronotus race
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

Taken @ Thol wildlife sanctuary near Mehsana, Gujarat, India

The Long-tailed Shrike or the Rufous-backed Shrike (Lanius schach) is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes. The eastern or Himalayan race, L. s. tricolor, is sometimes called the Black-headed Shrike.
It is a common resident breeder throughout the Indomalayan ecozone from Kazakhstan, through Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indian peninsula except eastern states , to New Guinea, found on bushes in scrubby areas and cultivation. Winter visitor to southern areas such as southeast India and Sri Lanka.

It has some resemblances to the grey shrikes, such as the Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis, sharing the pearl grey head and mantle and black mask extending from the forehead, through the eye, to the ear coverts. An eastern race found in Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh, sometimes called the Himalayan L. s. tricolor, has a black head extending from the eye mask to the whole crown and nape.
It is small for a grey shrike, but has a very long tail with rufous edges. The underparts are white, but with rufous flanks. The bill and legs are nearly black.

This bird has a characteristic upright "shrike" attitude perched on a bush, from which it sallies after lizards, large insects, small birds and rodents.

Prey may be impaled upon a sharp point, such as a thorn. Thus secured they can be ripped with the strong hooked bill, but its feet are not suited for tearing.

Its flight is undulating, but its dash is straight and determined.

This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe on the strength of a single accepted British record on South Uist in November 2000. It has also occurred as a vagrant to Japan, Oman, Israel, Hungary and Turkey.

Monkey - Black-footed Gray Langur (Semnopithecus hypoleucos)

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:22:00 +0000

Saw this little money sitting on a bed of flower lost in thought as it happily chewed on a twig.

The gray langurs are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the genus Semnopithecus.

Gray langurs are large and fairly terrestrial, inhabiting open wooded habitats and urban areas on the Indian subcontinent. Until recently they were considered one species, Semnopithecus entellus; now seven distinct species are recognized.When only one species was recognized, it was also called the Hanuman Langur (named after the Hindu vanara divinity Hanuman), the Common Langur and the Entellus Langur. In Sri Lanka, it is natively known as the Wandura.
They are largely gray, with a black face. In Indian mythology, this is because Hanuman, a monkey warrior, burnt his hands and face trying to rescue Lord Rama's wife. Males are up to 75 cm long, and females 65 cm. Langurs from the southern part of their range are smaller than those from the north.
Gray langurs feed on leaves, fruit, buds and flowers. Their diet, however, is highly seasonable, with mature leaves being eaten only as a fall-back food during the winter months. In the summer, especially before the monsoon season, they are highly frugivorous. They also supplement their diet with insects (up to 25% in some months), tree bark and gum.
Though they sleep in trees, they spend more time on the ground than any other known colobine species. They are diurnal and usually walk on all fours.

They live in medium to large groups, usually with one dominant male. Males do not hold the dominant position for long in a group, with the average being about 18 months. Adolescent males who are expelled from the group sometimes form 'bachelor' packs. These packs, after a time, start to harass the group that expelled them, and challenge the alpha for leadership of the pack. If an attack by a bachelor pack is successful and they are able to kill the alpha, they will engage in a power struggle, where first all of the infants fathered by the previous alpha are killed, and then the bachelors fight among themselves, killing each other until only one remains, who then becomes the leader of the pack.
An interesting relationship has been observed between herds of Chital deer and troops of the Northern Plains Gray Langur (S. entellus), a widespread leaf-eating monkey of South Asia. Chital apparently benefit from the langurs' good eyesight and ability to post a lookout in a treetop, helping to raise the alarm when a predator approaches. For the langurs' part, the Chital's superior sense of smell would seem to assist in early predator warning, and it is common to see langurs foraging on the ground in the presence of Chital. The Chital also benefit from fruits dropped by the langurs from trees such as Terminalia bellerica. Alarm calls of either species can be indicative of the presence of a predator such as the Bengal Tiger.

House Crow (Corvus splendens)

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:31:00 +0000

A crow is a crow, until you observe it closely, then its actually a pretty amazing bird.

The true crows are large passerine birds that comprise the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-sized jackdaws (Eurasian and Daurian) to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents (except South America) and several offshore and oceanic islands (including Hawaii).

The crow genus makes up a third of the species in the corvid family. Other corvids include rooks and jays. Crows appear to have evolved in Asia from the corvid stock, which had evolved in Australasia. A group of crows is called a "murder."

Crows make a wide variety of calls or vocalizations. Whether the crows' system of communication constitutes a language is a topic of debate and study. Crows have also been observed to respond to calls of other species; this behavior is presumably learned because it varies regionally. Crows' vocalizations are complex and poorly understood. Some of the many vocalizations that crows make are a "caw", usually echoed back and forth between birds, a series of "caws" in discrete units, counting out numbers, a long caw followed by a series of short caws (usually made when a bird takes off from a perch), an echo-like "eh-aw" sound, and more. These vocalizations vary by species, and within each species vary regionally. In many species, the pattern and number of the numerical vocalizations have been observed to change in response to events in the surroundings (i.e. arrival or departure of crows). Crows can hear sound frequencies lower than those that humans can hear, which complicates the study of their vocalizations.

Loud, throaty "caw-aw-ah"'s are usually used to indicate hunger or to mark territory. When defending a nest site or food, crows will usually enlarge their crest feathers and hunch their shoulders to increase their size. Softer, gurgling sounds have also been observed as a sort of beckoning call, or a call of affection. These noises are emitted from within the throat of the bird, much like a cat's purring.

The House Crow (Corvus splendens), also known as the Colombo Crow is a common Asian bird of the Crow family. It is between the Jackdaw and the Carrion Crow in size (40 cm in length) but is relatively slimmer than either. The forehead, crown, throat and upper breast are a richly glossed black, whilst the neck and breast are a lighter grey-brown in colour. The wings, tail and legs are black. There are regional variations in the thickness of the bill and the depth of colour in areas of the plumage.

It has a widespread distribution in southern Asia, being native to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Laccadive Islands, South West Thailand and coastal southern Iran. It has been introduced to East Africa around Zanzibar (around 1897) and Port Sudan, and arrived in Australia via ship but has up to now been exterminated. Recently it has made its arrival in Europe, and has been breeding in the Hook of Holland since 1998. It is associated with human settlements in all of its range, from small villages to large cities.

Due to a human population explosion in the areas it inhabits, this species has also proportionately multiplied. Being an omnivorous scavenger has enabled it to thrive in such circumstances.

The invasive potential for the species is great all over the tropics. It has as yet not established in the New World. This species is able to make use of resources with great flexibility and appears to be associated with humans and no populations are known to exist independently of humans

At least some trees in the local environment seem to be necessary for its successful breeding. It lays 3-6 eggs in a typical stick nest, and occasionally there are several nests in the same tree. In South Asia they are parasitized by the Asian Koel.

Spotted owl - Athene brama

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:34:00 +0000

The Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) is an owl which breeds in tropical Asia from India to Southeast Asia. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.
Spotted Owlet is a common resident bird in open habitats including farmland and human habitation. It nests in a hole in a tree or building, laying 3-5 eggs.
The Spotted Owlet is small (21cm) and stocky. The upperparts are grey-brown, heavily spotted with white. The underparts are white, streaked with brown. The facial disc is pale and the eyes are yellow. There is a white neckband. Sexes are similar. The flight is deeply undulating.
This species is nocturnal but is sometimes seen in the day. It can often be located by the small birds that mob it while it is perched in a tree. It hunts a variety of insects and small vertebrates. The call is a harsh chirurr-chirurr-chirurr.

Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense) - Adult Male

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:17:00 +0000

Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense) - Adult Male
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

Side profile

The Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker, is a woodpecker which is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of South Asia.

This flameback is a species associated with open forest and cultivation. It nests in a tree hole, laying three white eggs.

Like other woodpeckers, this species has a straight pointed bill, a stiff tail to provide support against tree trunks, and zygodactyl or “yoked" feet, with two toes pointing forward, and two backward. The long tongue can be darted forward to capture insects.

The Black-rumped Flameback is a large species at 26-29 cm in length. It is a typical woodpecker shape, and has a golden yellow back, with paler wings. The rump and tail are black. The underparts are white with dark chevron markings. The black throat immediately separates it from other golden backed woodpeckers in the Indian region. The head is whitish with a black nape and throat, and there is a greyish eye patch. Unlike Greater Flameback, Chrysocolaptes lucidus, it has no dark moustache stripe.

The adult male Black-rumped Flameback has a red crown. Females have a dark forecrown, with red only on the rear half. Young birds are like the female, but duller.

The Sri Lankan subspecies D. b. psarodes has a crimson back and all the dark markings are blacker and more extensive. It is sometimes considered a separate species from the nominate Indian form.

Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense) - Adult Male

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:44:00 +0000

Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense) - Adult Male
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Black-rumped Flameback, (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker, is a woodpecker which is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of South Asia.

This flameback is a species associated with open forest and cultivation. It nests in a tree hole, laying three white eggs.

Like other woodpeckers, this species has a straight pointed bill, a stiff tail to provide support against tree trunks, and zygodactyl or “yoked" feet, with two toes pointing forward, and two backward. The long tongue can be darted forward to capture insects.

The Black-rumped Flameback is a large species at 26-29 cm in length. It is a typical woodpecker shape, and has a golden yellow back, with paler wings. The rump and tail are black. The underparts are white with dark chevron markings. The black throat immediately separates it from other golden backed woodpeckers in the Indian region. The head is whitish with a black nape and throat, and there is a greyish eye patch. Unlike Greater Flameback, Chrysocolaptes lucidus, it has no dark moustache stripe.

The adult male Black-rumped Flameback has a red crown. Females have a dark forecrown, with red only on the rear half. Young birds are like the female, but duller.

The Sri Lankan subspecies D. b. psarodes has a crimson back and all the dark markings are blacker and more extensive. It is sometimes considered a separate species from the nominate Indian form

The Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor)

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:40:00 +0000

Another lizard pic - the last (for now)
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It has also been introduced in many parts other parts. It is an insectivore and the male gets a bright red throat in the breeding season leading to a common incorrect name of Bloodsucker.
Two small groups of spines, perfectly separated from each other, above each tympanum. Dorsal crest moderately elevated on the neck and anterior part of the trunk, extending on to the root of the tail in large individuals, and gradually disappearing on the middle of the trunk in younger ones. No fold in front of the shoulder, but the scales behind the lower jaw are much smaller than the others; gular sac not developed. From thirty-nine to forty-three series of scales round the middle of the trunk. The hind foot (measured from the heel to the extremity of the fourth toe) is not much longer than the head in the adult, whilst it is considerably longer in the young. The coloration is very variable, sometimes uniform brownish or greyish-olive or yellowish. Generally broad brown bands across the back, interrupted by a yellowish lateral band. Black streaks radiate from the eye, and some of them are continued over the throat, running obliquely backwards, belly frequently with greyish longitudinal stripes, one along the median line being the most distinct; young and half-grown specimens have a dark, black-edged band across the inter-orbital region. The ground-colour is generally a light brownish olive, but the lizard can change it to bright red, to black, and to a mixture of both. This change is sometimes confined to the head, at other times diffused over the whole body and tail. A common state in which it may be seen is, seated on a hedge or bush, with the tail and limbs black, head and neck yellow picked out with red, and the rest of the body red. Jerdon and Blyth agree that these bright, changeable colours are peculiar to the male during the breeding-season, which falls in the months of May and June. Mouhot has collected in Siam one of those fine variations of colours, which, however, appear to be infinite. It has the usual cross streaks between the eyes and the radiating lines continent of India to China; it is very common in Ceylon, not extending into the temperate zone of the Himalayas. Ceylonese specimens are generally somewhat larger; one of them measured 16 inches, the tail taking 11 inches. It is found in hedges and trees; it is known in Ceylon under the name of "Bloodsucker", a designation the origin of which cannot be satisfactorily traced; in the opinion of Kelaart, the name was given to it from the occasional reddish hue of the throat and neck. The female lays from five to sixteen soft oval eggs, about 5/8ths of an inch long, in hollows of trees, or in holes in the soil which they have burrowed, afterwards covering them up. The young appear in about eight or nine weeks. In a hot sunny day a solitary Bloodsucker may be seen on a twig or on a wall, basking in the sun, with mouth wide open. After a shower of rain numbers of them arc seen to come down on the ground and pick up the larva and small insects which fall from the trees during the showers

White-throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:03:00 +0000

White-throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

Cute . . .I waited a looong time for the 2nd one to come... finally i got lucky

The White-throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis, also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in south Asia from Turkey east to the Philippines. This kingfisher is essentially resident over much of its range, apart from seasonal movements.
The first of the alternative English names is to be preferred because the geographical name is too restrictive for this widespread bird, and the easternmost race lacks a white breast.

This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white.

There are four races differing mainly in plumage shades, but H. s. gularis of the Philippines has only the neck and throat white. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. The large bill and legs are bright red.

In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult. The call of this noisy kingfisher is a chuckling chake-ake-ake-ake-ake.

White-throated Kingfisher is a common species of a variety of habitats with some trees, and its range is expanding. It perches conspicuously on wires or other exposed perches within its territory, and is a frequent sight in south Asia. This species mainly hunts large insects, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. It is reputed to eat tired migratory passerine birds like Chiffchaffs where the opportunity arises.

White-throated Kingfisher has a striking display in which the wings are spread to show the white patches. The nest is a 50cm tunnel in an earth bank. A single clutch of 4-7 round white eggs is typical

Umaid Bhawan Palace

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:19:00 +0000

Umaid Bhawan Palace
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

3 image panorama of the magnificent Umaid Bhawan Palace. Unfortunately I did not have a tripod, so the 3 images were shot hand held.
Note to self : Always carry a tripod :)

Umaid Bhawan Palace, located at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the world's largest private residences. A part of the palace is managed by Taj Hotels. Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present Maharaja of Jodhpur, this monument has 347 rooms and serves as the principal residence of the Jodhpur royal family.

Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to its location on Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. Ground for the foundations of the building was broken on 18 November 1929 by Maharaja Umaid Singh and was construction work was completed on 1943.

Built on the Chittar Hill in southeastern area of the Jodhpur, construction employed more than 5000 men for fifteen years. The building does not use mortar or cement to bind stones together; all of its pieces are carved stones joined together by a system of carved interlocking of positive and negative pieces. A specially constructed train line was used to transport these large blocks of stone. Umaid bhavan is designed in such a manner that it always maintains the temperature at approximately 23 degrees Celsius.
The palace grounds cover 26 acres (10.5 ha), out of which the constructed area covers 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) while 15 acres (6.1 ha) are devoted to the lawns.

Designed by renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester, the palace is a blend of eastern and western architectural influences. The building's prominent central dome, a majestic 105-foot (32 m) high cupola, is influenced by the Renaissance, while the towers draw inspiration from Rajput tradition. The project was to cost the Maharaja Rs 94,51,565. The resident engineer for this project was Hiranand U. Bhatia. The interiors for the palace were designed by Maples of London, however, in 1942 the ship transporting them was sunk by the Germans. As a result, the Maharaja employed the services of a Polish interior designer. The lavish interiors with gilt furniture and elegant artwork follow the Art Deco style, complemented by the exotic murals of the self-exiled Polish artist Stefan Norblin. The new Chittar Palace was a fitting tribute to its ancestor, the imposing and majestic Meherangarh Fort, which was built by Rao Jodha and never invested by force of arms.

Adorable darling

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Adorable darling
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) also known as Three-Striped Palm Squirrel, is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is found in India and Sri Lanka.
Gestation period is 34 days. Litter size averages 2.75 (viviparous). Adult weight is 100 g. Little is known about their longevity, but one specimen lived 5.5 years in captivity.
The stripes on the Palm Squirrels back are explained by a Hindu legend. The legend has it that a squirrel helped in the construction of the Adi sethu (bridge) at Rameswaram. The bridge was being constructed by Lord Rama and the Vanara Sena, and the squirrel played its part by rolling in beach sand then running to the bridge to shake the sand from its back, all the time chanting Lord Rama's name. Lord Rama was pleased by the creature's dedication and, in stroking the squirrel's back, the mark of Rama's fingers was left on the squirrel ever since.
This association with Lord Rama explains why squirrels are considered sacred in India

Rajasthan - Jodhpur & Jaisalmer

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:12:00 +0000

We had been to Jodhpur and Jaisamler from the 4th to the 11th of July’08. With the weather forecast predicting rains and thunder showers we were a little apprehensive about the trip. Fortunately the week was full of sunshine and fun and thanks to the overcast skies we did not have to face the much talked about Rajasthan heat.
We reached Jodhpur by train on 5th morning and went straight to Hotel Ajit Bhavan Palace.
The Ajit Bhawan Hotel of Jodhpur stands as a retreat of warm Rajput charm and hospitality. Constructed exclusively for Maharaja Sir Ajit Singh of the former Jodhpur state, Ajit Bhawan is vividly alive with the hospitality extended by the family of late Maharaja who still stay here. One of the premium Heritage Hotels in Jodhpur, Ajit Bhavan Hotel in Jodhpur offers a blend of old world elegance with the contemporary comforts. Our room had been booked through RCI and was very warm and comfortable.

Some travel sites had mentioned that the place was rat infested etc, which really had me worried, but either those remarks have been put up by some competitors or there has been some dramatic change since the people went there.

The next morning at around 10:00 we were off to see the sights of the city. The first place we went was Jaswant Thada. It lies to the left of the Mehrangarh Fort complex. It is a 19th century royal cenotaph built in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, the 33rd Rathore ruler of Jodhpur. The son of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, Maharaja Sardar Singh, in the memory of his father, built the Jaswant Thada. The cenotaph has two more tombs within it. Near to this are the royal crematorium and three other cenotaphs.

It is an example of architectural brilliance in India. It is a white marble memorial, built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. The carving shows the genius of the sculptors. These stones are extremely thin and polished. As a result, the outside surface of the monument emits a warm glow when the sunrays fall on its surface. There is also beautiful marble jali work on the cenotaph. You can have some nice views from the terrace in front of the cenotaph. The cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh displays portraits of the rulers and Maharajas of Jodhpur. The main memorial has been built like a temple. To visit the Thada you have to go through the rocky hills. This also lends a mystic aura to the whole visit.

From there we moved on to the Mehrangarh fort, which is one of the largest forts in India. It is also the most magnificent fort in Jodhpur. The beauty and the grandeur of numerous places in the fort narrate a saga of hard sandstones yielding to the chisels of skilled Jodhpur sculptures. Mehrangarh literally means "Majestic Fort". The fort is amongst the popular tourist places in India. It is situated on a 150 m high hill. It was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459. The Mehrangarh Fort can be reached from the city 5 Kms below, through a circular road
The fort is situated at an altitude of about 125 metres and is spread over an area of 5 sq km, with seven gates. These seven gates have to be crossed to reach the fort. The gates still bear the marks of the various battles fought in the bygone era. Its second gate still stands witness to canon ball hits by attacking armies of Jaipur during wars. One of the gates is Jayapol, meaning victory. It was built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Another gate, Fattehpol, again meaning victory, was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh ad a celebration for the defeating the Mughals.

Other attractions of Mehrangarh Fort, Rajasthan include several palaces inside the fort, with their sprawling and huge courtyards. One of the fort's palaces, The Moti Mahal or the Pearl Palace, has the royal throne of Jodhpur, the Sringar Chowki. The fort also has galleries, temples, etc. To the left of the Mehrangarh Fort is the Chhatri of a soldier, Kirat Singh Soda. It is the spot where he fell while defending the fort against the armies of Amber.

The palaces in this fort were built in an informal pattern over several centuries. They have their own peculiar style, with narrow staircases, serving as the only means of access to the royal residences within. A collection of musical instruments, palanquins, furniture and cannons on the fort's ramparts are well - preserved.
The Mehrangarh Fort, with its beauty, is the living proof of the hard work and skill of the Jodhpuri sculptors.

There is a lot of walking to be done inside the fort and a lot of things to see. An audio guide is available but if you could find a good local guide there is nothing like it. Also carry a lot of water; cause all the walking around is bound to make you thirsty.

We then had a light lunch and headed off to the Clock Tower and Sadar Marketa prime attraction of the city. These colorful markets with tiny shops dotting the narrow lanes are situated in the heart of city and popular for a wide range of handicrafts making then the favorite haunt of shoppers.

Inspite of what your guide or guide book may tell you, it’s best if you are accompanied by a local or you know what you are looking for and are prepared to bargain like crazy. There are some very quaint little shops there, but . . . be prepared to spend a lot of time and bargain to get what you want.

Our next stop was the magnificent Umed Bavan Palace. This immense palace is also known as Chittar Palace because of the local chittar sandstone used. It is the only palace built in 20th century during the famine. It was built as a famine relief project which employment to people for 16 years.

It has its own theatre, eight dining rooms, and a banquet hall which seats three hundred people. A Ball Room had been built, catering to the Westernized royal lifestyle. Much of the interior of the palace is in the art deco style. In fact, it is said to be one of the finest surviving examples of art deco in the world. Deep within the palace is an indoor swimming pool, with a mosaic of zodiac symbols. The palace now runs as a hotel, though, a part of it has been retained as a museum and part as royal residence.

We spent the next 2 days relaxing in the pool and exploring the grounds of the Ajit Bhavan Palace. There are some wonderful vintage cars on display and you can even get to ride in one of them (at a cost of course), but its good fun just spending time on the lawns or lazing around in the pool. They also have a Health Club, Swimming Pool Fitness Centre and a Massage Parlor, which you may like to explore.

The next morning, i.e. 8th July at around 09:30, we left for Jaisalmer by car. Jaisalmer is situated in the western most part of the state of Rajasthan, the heart of the great Thar Desert. Its neighboring Pakistan on its western side. The city Jaisalmer was founded by Bhatti Rajput Rawal Jaisal in 1156. The city used to be a major trade center as it was the trade center as it was the trade route of the western countries to India. The succession of Maharajas of Jaisalmer trace their lineage back to the ruler of Bhatti Rajput Clan Jailasimha. The hilltop offered the safest fort location, dominating and surveying the desert for miles. The Lunar clan of Bhattis is Krishna's descendant, valiant and most feared of the dessert marauders, perennially locked in territorial skirmishes with Jodhpur and Bikaner. One Bhatti scion-Gaj Singh had founded the city of Ghazni in Afghanistan but ultimately lost it to forces from Khorasan. One of his grandsons reclaimed Ghazni, embraced Islam, and came to be called Chagattas (Mughals). They later plundered the land of their ancestors between 1000 and 1025 A.D. Again, led by Babar they came to found the Mughal Empire in India.

Today, tourism will soon rival military bases as the pillar of the city's economy. The military bases hardly impinge at all on the life of the old city and only the occasional sound of war planes landing or taking off in the distance ever disturbs the tranquillity of this desert gem. It's not always been so peaceful, of course, since fortresses have rarely been constructed for aesthetic reasons and medieval desert chieftains were not known for their pacific temperaments. Chivarlic rivalry and ferocity between the various Rajput clans were the order of the day and the Bhatti Rajputs of Jaisalmer were regarded as a formidable force throughout the region. While Jaisalmer largely escaped direct conquest by the muslim rulers of Delhi, it did experience its share of sieges and sackings with the inevitable jauhar being declared in the face of inevitable defeat. There is perhaps no Rajasthani city in which you can more easily conjure up the spirit of those times.
We reached Jaisalmer at around 15:00 and checked into the Fort Rajwada hotel. After relaxing a bit we were off again to see the sand dunes and take a camel back ride into the desert. We went to a place called Sam Sand Dunes. This sandy place is famous for watching sunset and taking a camel ride. Riding on a camel through the desert was a great experience and we saw many rodents and interesting insects along the way. Unfortunately I could not get any pictures of them, as I was too busy trying to stay on the camel. Its gait is a little disconcerting at first, but after around 5 minutes you get used to it and then it is great fun.

We got back from the sand dunes, which were around 40 kms away at around 20:30 and after a scrumptious meal were totally knocked out. Early the next morning we checked out of the hotel and went sightseeing.

The first place we visited was the Gadisar Lake. The Gadsisar Lake is an artificial water body that stores rainwater – in the harsh desert landscape, it is a major attraction and a favorite picnic spot. The beautiful arched gateway across the road down to the tank is said to have been built by a prostitute.

The story goes that someone poisoned the king’s mind and told him that passing under the gateway would be like passing between the legs of a prostitute. The kind ordered the gateway to be broken down. The lady who built the arched gateway came to know of this and consulted some learned men, who advised her to install a statue of lord Krishna in one of the recesses in the gateway. She did so and the king could not demolish the gateway as he was a follower of Lord Krishna. However till this day, the royals do not use this gateway to approach the lake.

Next was the jaisalmer fort. The Jaisalmer fort was built in 1156 by the Rajput ruler Jaisala. Standing proud to a height of hundred meters over the city with its 99 bastions, the fort is splendid sight in the afternoon sun. Closer, the bastions show up more formidable, vast chunks of honey-coloured stone blocks carved to dovetail together. Within these bastions is a complete township that consists of a palace complex, the havelis of rich Jain merchants carved with an incredibly light touch, & Hindu temples. Placed strategically on the trade route along which ancient caravans passed, Jaisalmer soon became rich, so much so that the merchants, who also served as ministers in the royal courts, came to command more power than the rulers themselves. No wonder the large mansions of the merchants, built adjacent to each other in the nature of medieval desert cultures, are so profusely decorated that eh palace, in comparison, appears to pale. While the havelies & the palace, along with the temples, will warrant the mandatory visits, Jaisalmer is incredible for the experiment it brings alive of a medieval township caught in a time warp, as you move up its cobbled streets. Its incredible sculptors were Muslim craftsmen who were induced, on their journeys to the patrons in other parts of India, to stay. The result is an architectural purity that, because of Jaisalmer's incredible isolation, is not seen elsewhere.

Inside the fort there are many temples and amongst them the Jain Temple is very famous: Being the financers of the Rajputs, the rich and influential Jain community was given full religious liberty; and they built many temples in and around Jaisalmer. The Paraswanath temple is the oldest and the most beautiful of the Jain Temples. The walls of the sanctum are carved with animal and human figures and rising above is a tall Shikhar, which is crowned by an amalak and a waterpot containing a lotus flower.

The walk through the fort is around 2 kms, but this being one of the few “public” forts in India, is totally worth it. As of today around 5000 people live inside the walls of the fort.

Hidden deep within a labyrinth of narrow old world lanes with shops, houses and hotels is the Main Chowk (square). This is a great place to shop for silver jewelry, bags and shoes made of camel hide and small gift articles and mementoes.

From Manek Chowk, one can walk into the lanes where the famous carved havelis are to be found. There are also 3 famous havelis here.

Nathmalji ki Haveli: The late 19th century Haveli with intricate architecture a display of sheer craftsmanship. The left and right wings of the mansion were carved by two brothers are not identical but very similar and balanced in design. The interior walls are ornate with splendid iniature paintings.

Patwon ki Haveli: The most elaborate and magnificent of the Jaisalmer havelis. It has exquisitely carved pillars and extensive corridors and chambers. One of the apartments of this five story high Haveli is painted with beautiful murals.

Salim Singh ki Haveli: This 300 years old haveli of Jaisalmer's Prime Minister to Maharaja Rawal Gaj Singh - Salim Singh, has a beautiful blue cupola roof with superbly carved brackets in the form of peacocks. The extraordinary mansion in yellow stone is covered with intricate carvings and has an elaborate projecting balcony on the top storey. The mansion is one of the most notable of the array of havelies.

We headed back for Jodhpur in the afternoon. Just before we reached Jodhpur our driver told us about a massive lake on the outskirts of Jodhpur which provided water to the city. It is interesting to know that Jodhpur receives water from the Himalayas through pipes. The lake was very beautiful with lots of lotus and a variety of birds enjoying themselves in the water.

On the 10th we went on a “Village Safari”, which was a 80 odd Km, drive through the villages around Jodhpur. The highlight of this safari was a glimpse into the life of the Bishnoi tribe who over the centuries made a unique blend of ecological sense and religious sensibility their faiths cornerstone.

The Thar desert in India is full of ironies—one of them being the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan. Here, peace is maintained with aggression and robust health rubs shoulders with regular famine. Here penniless women flaunt heavy gold jewelery and wild animals leave the supposed security of jungles to stroll around village huts and farmlands. Not to mention the fact that the Bishnois worship nature in all its manifestations. Not the ripe, yielding nature of ancient pagan societies, but the ruthless and demanding desert where a desolate horizon meets a blazing sky. Here, women suckle motherless deer, die to save trees, go hungry to provide food for animals and live a strictly sattivc life advaocated by their guru Jambaji.
Jambaji, or Jambeshwar Bhagavan, born in 1451 in one of the warrior sects of Rajasthan, was soon disillusioned by communal riots between Muslim invaders and the native Hindus. However, instead of wallowing in despair, he went ahead to form a religion of peace based on 29 (bish: twenty, noi: nine) principles that included compassion for all living beings, cleanliness, devotion, vegetarian diet and truthfulness. Thus, the Bishnois came into being.

What surprises you as you approach a Bishnoi village is the sheer freedom with which spotted deer, blue bulls, and black bucks race along the roadside or frolic in the open fields. In fact, during our approximately 50 minutes drive from Jodhpur to Guda, we must have seen hundreds of deer and antelopes, roaming around in the fields around us. Living amidst the barren wastelands interspersed with khejri and babool trees, the Bishnois are a proud race. Our guide told us a story about Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman who, along with more than 366 other Bishnois, died saving trees. "About 200 years back, Maharaja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur required wood for his palace. So he sent his soldiers to cut trees. Amrita Devi and other villagers hugged the branches while the soldiers chopped them down with the trees. This is still remembered as the great Khejarli sacrifice."

We were also lucky to witness an opium ceremony, of the Bishnoi tribe, a ritual where elders and guests are traditionally welcomed with a mild opium drink. We watched as one of the elders concocted an opium drink by mixing dried opium flowers and jaggery. When ready, each guest was offered a few tablespoons of the drink in right palm to sip.

We also visited the houses of a potter, a woman who earned her living by making bed sheets and table cloth using the block printing technique with natural vegetable dyes.

We ended the safari with a visit to a ‘weavers village’ where they still made durries (carpets) with intricate designs in the traditional way, using cotton and camel hair.

They also served us with an amazing lunch of ‘Bhakri-kadi’ and some vegetable (which I was unable to identify)

After lunch it was time to head back to the hotel and pack for our return to Ahmadabad.

I am BACK

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:04:00 +0000

I have been very busy and also had been out of town lately .. but now things are back on track and i should be able to update this blog more often. Keep checking back and thanks for all the appreciation and comments ...

Love the background in this one

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:01:00 +0000

Love the background in this one
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

Jungle babbler (Turdoides striata)

The Jungle Babbler, Turdoides striata, is an Old World babbler. The Old World babblers are a large family of Old World passerine birds characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in southeast Asia.
The Jungle Babbler is a resident breeding bird in India and Pakistan. In the past, the Orange-billed Babbler, Turdoides rufescens, of Sri Lanka was considered to be a race of this babbler, but is now normally given full species status.

The Jungle Babbler's habitat is forest and cultivation. This species, like most babblers, is not migratory, and has short rounded wings and a weak flight.

It is quite common in Indian forests It builds its nest in a tree, concealed in dense masses of foliage. The normal clutch is two to six deep greenish blue eggs.

These birds are grey brown below, with some mottling on the throat and breast. The upperparts are a slightly darker shade. The head is grey, and the bill is yellow. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharastra has an orange tail and dark primary flight feathers.

The Jungle Babbler lives in flocks of seven to ten or more. It is a noisy bird, and the presence of a flock may generally be known at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking and chirping produced by its members. It feeds mainly on insects, but also eats nectar and berries.

Passer domesticus - Male

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:59:00 +0000

Passer domesticus - Male
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the Old World sparrow family Passeridae, and is, somewhat controversially, considered a relative of the Weaver Finch Family. It occurs naturally in most of Europe and much of Asia. It has also followed humans all over the world and has been intentionally or accidentally introduced to most of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand and Australia as well as urban areas in other parts of the world. It is now the most widely distributed wild bird on the planet.
In the United States it is also colloquially known as the English Sparrow to distinguish it from native species.

Wherever people build, House Sparrows sooner or later come to share their abodes. Though described as tame and semi-domestic, neither is strictly true; humans provide food and home, not companionship. The House Sparrow remains wary of man.
This 14 to 16 centimetre long bird is abundant in temperate climates, but not universally common; in many hilly districts it is scarce. In cities, towns and villages, even around isolated farms, it can be the most abundant bird.

The male House Sparrow has a grey crown, cheeks and underparts, black on the throat, upper breast and between the bill and eyes. The bill in summer is blue-black, and the legs are brown. In winter the plumage is dulled by pale edgings, and the bill is yellowish brown. The female has no black on head or throat, nor a grey crown; her upperparts are streaked with brown. The juveniles are deeper brown, and the white is replaced by buff; the beak is dull yellow. The House Sparrow is often confused with the smaller and slimmer Tree Sparrow, which, however, has a chestnut and not grey crown, two distinct wing bars, and a black patch on each cheek.

The House Sparrow is gregarious at all seasons in its nesting colonies, when feeding and in communal roosts.

Although the Sparrows' young are fed on the larvae of insects, often destructive species, this species eats seeds, including grain where it is available.

In spring, flowers — especially those with yellow colours — are often eaten; crocuses, primroses and aconites seem to attract the house sparrow most. The bird will also hunt butterflies.

The Sparrow's most common call is a short and incessant chirp. It also has a double call note phillip which originated the now obsolete name of "phillip sparrow". While the young are in their nests, the older birds utter a long churr. At least three broods are reared in the season.

Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:33:00 +0000

Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world ......

The Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, also called the Eurasian Collared-Dove or simply the Collared Dove, is one of the great colonisers of the avian world.
It breeds wherever there are trees for nesting, laying two white eggs in a stick nest. Incubation lasts 14-18 days, and young fledge after 15-19 days. It is not wary and is often found around human habitation.

This is a small dove, buff grey with a darker back and a blue-grey wing patch. The tail feathers are tipped white. It has a black half-collar on its nape from which it gets its name. The short legs are red and the bill is black. The iris is reddish brown, but from a distance the eyes appear to be black, as the pupil is relatively large and only a narrow rim of reddish-brown eye colour can be seen around the black pupil.

This is a gregarious species, and sizeable winter flocks will form where there are food supplies such as grain. The song is a coocoo, coo repeated many times. It is phonetically similar to the Greek decaocto ('eighteen'), to which the bird owes its name. Occasionally it also makes a harsh loud mechanical-sounding call lasting about 2 seconds, particularly when landing in the summer.

Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis )

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 11 May 2008 12:27:00 +0000

Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis )
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, family Muscicapidae. It is also known as Oriental Magpie Robin, Straits Robin and Magpie.

This magpie-robin is an insectivorous species which is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, south China and the Philippines.

The Oriental Magpie Robin is found in open woodland, cultivated areas and around human habitation. It nests in a hole, often in a wall, laying 3-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes.
This species is 19cm long, including the long cocked tail. It is similar in shape to the smaller European Robin, but is longer-tailed. The male has black upperparts, head and throat apart from a white shoulder patch. The underparts and the sides of the long tail are white. Females are grey above and greyish white. Young birds have scaly brown upperparts and head.

The Oriental Magpie Robin is a common and tame bird. It is terrestrial, hopping along the ground with cocked tail. The male sings loud melodic notes from the top of a perch during the breeding season
Magpie Robin is a common bird in Bangladesh. It is found all over the country. It's local name (in Bangla) is Doyel or Doel (Bengali: দোয়েল). This bird has been designated as the National Bird of Bangladesh. Picture of this bird appeares on different currency notes of Bangladesh. Doyel Chatwar (meaning: Doyel Square) named after this bird is a prominent landmark in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.

Purple-rumped Sunbird (female) - Leptocoma zeylonica

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:56:00 +0000

Purple-rumped Sunbird (female) - Leptocoma zeylonica
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Purple-rumped Sunbird, Leptocoma zeylonica (formerly placed in the genus Nectarinia), is a sunbird. The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. It can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perches to feed most of the time.

Purple-rumped Sunbird is a common resident breeder in tropical southern Asia in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Two to three eggs are laid in a suspended nest in a tree. This species is found in a variety of habitats with trees, including scrub and cultivation.

Purple-rumped Sunbirds are tiny at only 10 cm long. They have medium-length thin down-curved bills and brush-tipped tubular tongues, both adaptations to their nectar feeding.

The adult male has a maroon breast-band, sides of the head and back. The throat and rump are bright purple, and the underparts are yellow flanked with white. There is a bright green shoulder patch. The female and juvenile are duller with an olive-green back, brown wings and yellowish breast. Their call is ptsiee ptsit, ptsiee ptsswit

Love Triangle

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Love Triangle
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a natural rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world.

It is a stocky white bird which has buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Unlike most other herons, it feeds in relatively dry grassy habitats, often accompanying cattle or other large mammals, since it catches insects and vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the Cattle Egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.

The adult Cattle Egret has few predators, but birds or mammals may raid its nests, and chicks may be lost to starvation, calcium deficiency or disturbance from other large birds. This species removes ticks and flies from cattle, but it can be a safety hazard at airfields, and has been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases.

The Cattle Egret is a stocky heron, 46–56 centimetres (18–22 in) in length, with a 88–96 cm (35–38 in) wingspan. It weighs 270–512 grammes (9.5–18.1 oz).It has a relatively short thick neck, sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The non-breeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill and greyish-yellow legs. During the breeding season, adults of the nominate western subspecies develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast and crown, and the bill, legs and irises become bright red for a brief period prior to pairing.The sexes are similar, but the male is marginally larger and has slightly longer breeding plumes than the female; juvenile birds lack coloured plumes and have a black bill.

Milvus migrans lineatus

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Milvus migrans lineatus
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Black Kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers.

This kite is a widespread species throughout the temperate and tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia. Curiously, it is not found in the Indonesian archipelago between the South East Asian mainland and the Wallace Line. Vagrants, most likely of the Black-eared Kite, on occasion range far into the Pacific, out to the Hawaiian islands (AOU 2000).

European and central Asian birds (subspecies M. m. milvus and M. m. lineatus respectively) are migratory, moving to the tropics in winter, but races in warmer regions such as the Indian M. m. govinda (Pariah Kite) or the Australasian M. m. affinis (Fork-tailed Kite), are resident.

In the northern winter, it is therefore common to have a resident race and a distinguishable migrant form present together in these hotter areas.

In the United Kingdom, the Black Kite occurs only as a wanderer on migration. These birds are usually of the nominate race, but in November 2006 a juvenile of the eastern lineatus, not previously recorded in western Europe, was found in Lincolnshire.

Black Kites will take small live prey as well as fish, household refuse and carrion. They are attracted to fires and smoke where they seek escaping insect prey. They are well adapted to living in cities and are found even in densely populated areas. Large numbers may be seen soaring in thermals over cities. In some places they will readily swoop to take to food offered by humans, their habit of swooping to pick up dead rodents from roads often leads to them being hit by vehicles. They are also a major nuisance at some airports where they are considered important birdstrike hazards.

The Black Kite can be distinguished from the Red Kite by its slightly smaller size, less forked tail and generally dark plumage without any rufous.

The Black Kite nests in forest trees, often close to other kites. In winter, many kites will roost together.

Swan Goose -female (Anser cygnoides) - Endangered

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:57:00 +0000

Blue eyed babe
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Swan Goose Anser cygnoides is a large goose with a natural breeding range in Mongolia, northernmost China, and southeastern Russia. It is migratory and winters mainly in central and eastern China. The species has been domesticated, and introduced and feral populations occur elsewhere.

It is large for its genus, 81–94 cm long (the longest Anser goose) and weighing 2.8–3.5 kg (the second-heaviest, after Greylag Goose). It has a long neck, long, heavy black bill, brown cap and pale underparts apart from some belly streaking; the upperparts are brown and the legs are orange. The sexes are similar, although the male is larger, and juveniles are duller. The voice is a loud honking. It grazes on sedges, and rarely swims. It forms small flocks outside the breeding season.

It is a rare goose of steppes and mountain valleys, which breeds near marshes and other wetlands, laying 5–8 eggs in a ground nest. In the winter it grazes on steppes and stubble, sometimes far from water.
The Swan Goose is extensively kept as poultry. A large number of breeds have been selected in captivity, known as Chinese goose (another heavier breed is known as the African goose, differing from the wild birds in much larger size (up to 5-10 kg in males, 4-9 kg in females), and in having an often strongly developed basal knob on the upper side of the bill. Some domesticated, introduced, or feral populations may be completely white, while others retain a plumage pattern more like wild birds. The knob at the top of the beak is more prominent on males than females. By 6–8 weeks of age, the knob is already pronounced enough that it can be used for sexing. A female Chinese goose can lay 50–60 eggs over the course of the breeding season (February to June), although there are reports of Chinese geese laying up to 100 eggs during that time.

"The hybrids from the common and Chinese geese (A. cygnoides), species which are so different that they are generally ranked in distinct genera, have often bred in this country with either pure parent, and in one single instance they have bred inter se." Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, Penguin Classics

Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

The Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, also called the Eurasian Collared-Dove or simply the Collared Dove, is one of the great colonisers of the avian world. Its original range was warmer temperate regions from southeastern Europe to Japan. However, in the twentieth century it expanded across the rest of Europe, reaching as far west as Great Britain by 1953; breeding in Britain for the first time in 1956, and Ireland soon after. It also now breeds north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. It is not migratory.

It was introduced into the Bahamas in the 1970s and spread to Florida by 1982. Its stronghold in North America is still the Gulf Coast, but it is now found as far south as Veracruz, as far west as California, and as far north as British Columbia and the Great Lakes. Its impact on native species is as yet unknown; it appears to occupy an ecological niche between that of the Mourning Dove and Rock Pigeon; some have suggested that its spread represents exploitation of a niche made available by the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon.
It breeds wherever there are trees for nesting, laying two white eggs in a stick nest. Incubation lasts 14-18 days, and young fledge after 15-19 days. It is not wary and is often found around human habitation.

This is a small dove, buff grey with a darker back and a blue-grey wing patch. The tail feathers are tipped white. It has a black half-collar on its nape from which it gets its name. The short legs are red and the bill is black. The iris is reddish brown, but from a distance the eyes appear to be black, as the pupil is relatively large and only a narrow rim of reddish-brown eye colour can be seen around the black pupil.

This is a gregarious species, and sizeable winter flocks will form where there are food supplies such as grain. The song is a coocoo, coo repeated many times. It is phonetically similar to the Greek decaocto ('eighteen'), to which the bird owes its name. Occasionally it also makes a harsh loud mechanical-sounding call lasting about 2 seconds, particularly when landing in the summer.

Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus)

noreply@blogger.com (Umang) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus)
Originally uploaded by Umang Dutt

Not exactly a bird but . . .

think its the PTEROPUS GIGANTEUS or the Indian Flying Fox

These animals can be found in forests and swamps. Large groups of individuals roost in trees such as banyan, fig, and tamarind. Roosting trees are usually in the vicinity of a body of water.
The physical appearance of this species is similar to that of megachiropterans in general, with large eyes, simple ears, and no facial ornamentation. Dark brown, gray, or black body color with a contrasting yellowish mantle is typical of the genus Pteropus. Body mass ranges from 600 to 1600 g and males are generally larger than females. Wingspan may range from 1.2 to 1.5 m and body length averages 23 cm. Members of the genus Pteropus maintain body temperatures between 33 and 37 C, but must do this through constant activity
This species is polygynandrous, with no pair bonds occurring between males and females. Females are defended from intruding males by males that live in their roosting tree.
Pteropus giganteus breeds yearly, with mating occurring from July to October, and births occurring from February to May. To initiate copulation, a male will fan his wings toward a female, and persistently follow her until he is able to grip the scruff of her neck with his teeth and hold her with his thumbs. Copulation occurs for a duration of 30 to 40 seconds. The female usually vocalizes and physically resists the advances of the male during the encounter. After copulation, the male again follows the female while vocalizing loudly. Gestation period is typically 140 to 150 days, after which 1 to 2 young are born. Like other members of the genus Pteropus, the young are carried by the mother for the first few weeks of life. Sexual maturity for this species occurs at about 1.5 years of age.After birth, young are carried by the mother for the first three weeks of life. They begin to hang by themselves after this time period, but are still carried to feeding sites by the mother. Young learn to fly at about 11 weeks of age and are weaned at 5 months. Males do not participate in parental care.
The longest lifespan of an individual of this species in captivity was recorded at 31 years, 5 months. Little information is available regarding life expectancy in the wild.
Pteropus giganteus is a social species, with large groups of several hundred individuals living in the same tree. Males may maintain a vertical dominance hierarchy of resting spots in the tree, and may also defend the roost and associated females from intruders. During the day, these animals sleep, hanging upside down by their feet with their wings wrapped around themselves. They also fan themselves to aid in thermoregulation, move around in the roosting tree, and communicate with each other. As they are nocturnal, they leave the tree at sunset to feed, returning after several hours of finding food, feeding, digesting, and resting.
The roosting tree is the area in which Indian flying foxes spend the majority of the day. This species, as well as other large species of Pteropus, is reported to travel up to 15 km to find food.
Communication among individuals of this species is vocal. They chatter and squawk when threatened. Typical of megachiropterans, P. giganteus does not echolocate, and relies on sight rather than hearing for navigation. Because of their use of vision, there is probably communication involving body postures and positioning. Tactile communication is important during mating, as well as between mothers and their offspring.
Pteropus giganteus is frugivorous, as are other species of the Suborder Megachiroptera, otherwise known as the Old World fruit bats. This species has been reported to eat many different species of fruit, including guava, mango, and fig. An individual of the genus Pteropus squeezes out fruit juices from the pulp against the roof of its mouth, and then discards the dry material. Some Pteropus species also supplement their dietary protein by eating insects. Others, including P. giganteus, eat the blossoms and nectar of fruiting plants