Last year, we went on a vacation to Coorg. It was one of my most memorable trips. We stayed in Siddapur, in the middle of coffee country, undisturbed and very tastefully done. Every morning, I would wake up very early to soak in the peace and quiet of the surrounding jungles. The whole scenery was... Continue Reading →
Common Myna: Big Stepper with Underground Methods
We live in a post-Myna world. It took me a long time to realize it, and now I cannot unsee it. An incident occurred early yesterday morning, a telling sign of how much Mynas have imprinted themselves into our urban scenery. I was sitting in my study, casting about in my mind for a bird... Continue Reading →
Loten’s Sunbird: Please read the offer document carefully.
The Jacaranda tree around the corner of the next block fizzed furiously with grape soda petals exploding in a million tiny floral bubbles. It is my favorite tree, and when it decides to bloom, I cannot walk past it without a stupid grin on my face. One day, it is an unobtrusive tree, a lone... Continue Reading →
Rose-ringed Parakeets: From India with Love
Rose-ringed parakeets do not know how to make a subtle entrance. On evenings, when the dusty Bangalore sky finally ruptures and oozes cadmium red, shrill squawks rend the air. Crimson-nosed emerald torpedoes on wings scud into view, banking and weaving through trees and buildings at ridiculous speeds and with disdainful dexterity. As they come closer,... Continue Reading →
The Asian Green Bee-eater – Avian Extravagance and Human Tepidity
The Asian Green Bee-eater was perched on the tip of a low-hanging branch of the drumstick tree outside my house. It had warmed itself up sufficiently from the overnight chill and looked to be out to hunt. With quick sallies from the perch and purposeful, acrobatic twists and turns, it returns back to its roost... Continue Reading →
White-Cheeked Barbets: Ruling The Local Lane
White-cheeked barbets make me truly happy. But first, let us get the visuals right. White-cheeked barbets have a bright green back. Their beaks are thick, sharp, and long, almost like the kingfisher family. Their beaks are orange mixed with pink. A brown head and a brownish chest complete the ensemble. You can spot the white... Continue Reading →
The Greater Coucal: Orange Is Not The New Black
We've had the best bird sightings on Sunday mornings. Today, we saw a flock of rose-ringed parakeets weaving furiously between canopies. These candy-colored fliers are no dandies. They seem to rocket through the leafy lanes with speed, precision, and power. We heard a few white-cheeked barbets before we spotted them hopping around in extra thick... Continue Reading →
Purple-Rumped Sunbirds: Jewel Thieves
The Purple-Rumped sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica), along with the Asian Green Bee-Eater (Merops orientalis), is one of the most colorful birds I encounter at home. When the pomegranate plant that grows on my balcony or the shampoo ginger (pine cone ginger) flowers, these sunbirds arrive early to beat the usual queue. Up close, the Purple-Rumped sunbird... Continue Reading →
Black Drongo: Dragon Warrior
I was very worried about the Black Drongo that I saw perched on the telephone line two nights in a row in the same place. The Black Drongo was one of those rare common bird that I could identify from when I was a kid. Its Tamil name, Rettai Vaal Kuruvi, also helps aid recollection... Continue Reading →
The BulBuls of 198
For some days now, I have been reading Tim Birkhead's excellent book Birds and Us, A 12,000 Year History, from Cave Art to Conservation. I picked it up in Kinokuniya in Bangkok (at the Central World outlet). Sometime this year, I started taking a fledgling interest in the birds visiting my Bangalore home, chiefly the... Continue Reading →
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