Season birding commence : Winter 23 (Part I)

  Well, the winters are here, along with our amazing visitors friends in the beautiful grasslands of Banni with its hidden lakes, seasonal wetlands and marshes (to read in detail about Banni and its lakes and marshes, read my earlier post here).

   The wetlands of Banni keep shifting their location every season, and this time a lake has come up just next to the national highway with sizeable number of birds in it and rather close to Bhuj. Got an update of the presence of birds from a birder friend and set course for it on a weekend morning. We set course from the house about 1/2 an hour before sunrise and the pic details reveal that we had started clicking pics 05 mins before sunrise, so it was just a 25 min ride from home.

   A Great Egret (old world Great White Egret) with its

- long, black legs and feet

- long thin neck with characteristic S shape (more angular and pronounced kink)

- and long, all-yellow bill

A Great Egret

ID: Great Egret

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 8000
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

    Three is a crowd; these Painted Stork definitely believe so as they squabbled for feeding territory. The Painted Stork are classified as Near Threatened and found only in the Indian subcontinent and the Indochina region. Interestingly, the Indus forms the western boundary of their range. To know more interesting facts about the Painted Storks, read my previous post here. 

Three's a crowd : Painted Storks squabbling over feeding territory 

ID: Painted Storks

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 8000
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Saw a wedge of ibises flying past us. The Black-headed Ibis is also known as the Indian White Ibis. The species is suspected to be in moderately rapid decline owing to hunting, egg collecting, disturbance at breeding colonies, drainage and agricultural conversion, and is thus categorized as Near Threatened.

A wedge of Near Threatened Indian White Ibises flying past

ID: Indian White Ibis

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 8000
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   An Indian Spot-billed Duck. Its endemic to the Indian subcontinent and the Indochina region. To know more and see more pics of the Indian Spot-billed Duck, read my previous post here.

An Indian Spot-billed Duck

ID: Indian Spot-billed Duck

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 5000
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   A couple of Grey-headed Swamphen. Earlier called the Purple Swamphen, it has now been split into six separate species.

A pair of Grey-Headed Swamphen

ID: Grey-Headed Swamphen

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 5600
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   The Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), or Common Spoonbill, is a wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family. The genus name Platalea is from Latin and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill, and leucorodia is from Ancient Greek leukerodios "spoonbill", itself derived from leukos, "white" and erodios "heron". It is called as the 'Chamcha' in Hindi and 'ચમચો' (Chamcho), which transliterates into Spoon.

   It has a crest in the breeding season. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched. They are mostly silent. Even at their breeding colonies the main sounds are bill snapping, occasional deep grunting and occasional trumpeting noises.

An Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage showing off its crest

ID: Eurasian Spoonbill

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 2800
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Eurasian spoonbills show a preference for extensive, shallow wetlands; including marshes, rivers, large waterbodies and flooded areas. Those that forage in salt or brackish water appear to feed almost entirely on shrimps and small fish.

   Species forages in small flocks, less often alone; wades methodically in shallow water, sweeping bill from side to side. They use sideways sweeps of their beaks to filter out the tiny fish and shrimps. Significance of the shape of the bill is controversial with conflicting hypotheses that it serves to minimize drag and turbulence during sweeping, hence not alarming potential prey and that it generates suction effects.

Eurasian Spoonbills foraging frantically in wetlands of Banni, Kutch

      A Great White Pelican with the rising sun.

Great White Pelican in sunrise

ID: Great White Pelican

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 270mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, ISO 1100
DoP: Oct 23
Loc: Banni Grasslands, Bhuj Khavda Road, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   The great white pelican is a huge bird - the wingspan measures 226 to 360 cm (7 ft 5 in to 11 ft 10 in), the latter measurement being the highest among extant flying animals outside of the great albatross.

Greater Flamingos foraging

in wetlands of Banni Grasslands, Kutch

   In soft substrates, Greater Flamingos will employ a stamping or pit foraging behavior, turning in a circle around their bill to create a pit. 

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part XIV: Swallows: Wire-tailed and Barn

 Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर), II, III, IV & animals). This post contains pics of Swallows, namely Wire-tailed Swallows and Barn Swallows.

   The Wire-tailed Swallow though is named after its wire like tail, but surprisingly other swallows too have similar looking wire like tail and also not all wire-tailed swallow have a wired tail ! So, a better distinguishing feature in addition to the wired tail of a Wire-tailed Swallow is its rufous-chestnut crown with white chin. But still the wire tail remains its rather distinct feature and its no wonder that its called the તારપૂંછ (Tārapūn̄cha meaning 'wire tailed') and in तारवाली भिंगरी (Tārawāli Bhingri meaning 'small bird with wire') in Gujarati and Marathi, respectively.

A Wire-tailed Swallow displaying its wire tail on a wire

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 160

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Swallow dipping itself in the waters of seasonal lake of Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   The Barn Swallow are the most widely distributed and abundant swallow in the world, however in the Indian Subcontinent except the Himalayas, you can't see one other than in winters. And therefore rightly so its called as the શિયાળુ તારોડિયું (Śiyāḷu tārōḍiyuṁ meaning the 'Winter small bird') in Gujarati.

   In flight, they are distinguishable from other swallows by the white spots on their tail feathers creating a broken band, as can be seen in next three pics.

A Barn Swallow dipping in the seasonal lake of Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Barn Swallow displaying its characteristic in flight white spotted tail band

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Barn Swallow probably checking out its makeup !

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part XIII: Sandgrouse and Animals

    Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर), II, III & IV). The Banni grasslands are also home to animals like the jackal and wild boar etc. This post contains pics of the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and couple of animals

    The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is a species of sandgrouse. The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is a bird of barren, semi-deserts. It is heavily reliant on water, despite living in hot, arid climates and is known to travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometres) in a day to search for water. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse are selective feeders which primarily subsist on seeds.

A male (lower) and female Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse couple

in flight at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   When grounded, the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse appear as very short-legged birds, with a small head. They will stretch out their long necks when wary.

A wary Chestnut-belied Sandgrouse female, with its long neck stretched out

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   The Golden Jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Central Asia, Western Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia.

   Genetic studies indicate that the golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago, towards the end of the last Ice Age.

A Golden Jackal at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 800

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Wild Boar is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world. The Central Asian Boar (Sus scrofa davidi) is a small long maned subspecies of wild boar indigenous to Southeastern Iran, Pakistan and Northwest India. It is scientific name is in honour of an Indian zoologist, Padmashri Rueben David, a bene Israeli Jew from Ahmedabad.

Obelix's prized meal at Chhari Dhand, habitat shot of a Wild Boar

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Below is the screenshot of geographic range of Wild Boars as per IUCN, as you can see, it well deserves the tag of being 'one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world'.

   However and interestingly, as per IUCN's geographic range, wild boars are not present where I spotted them. Below is a closer screen shot of our area of interest.

  A still more zoomed in view, with our sighting marked with a green star.

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part XII: Birds IV: Isabelline Shrike and Montagu's Harrier

   Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर), II, III). This post contains pics of Isabelline Shrike and Montagu's Harrier.

    The Isabelline Shrikes who winters in N India and Pakistan breeds in W, NC, WC China and Inner Mongolia.

 

An Isabelline Shrike perched handsomely

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 280

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Isabelline Shrike in Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 480mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 160

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Montagu's Harrier is a long distance migrant. Birds from Eurasia spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa, while those from the eastern part of the range migrate to the Indian subcontinent.

Montagu's Harrier in Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 100

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

    The windmills though eco friendly and all, do disturb the air currents and drafts which significantly affect bird activity.

Montagu's Harrier in Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 125

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part XI: Birds III: Crested Lark and Yellow Wagtail

   Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर), II). This post contains pics of Crested Larks and Yellow Wagtails.

Crested Lark:

"The Crested Lark has a conspicuous crest, typically streaked and sandy brown with a short tail and rust-tinged underwings that are obvious in flight. It is a common species and found throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe. The Crested Lark encompasses a large complex with dozens of subspecies that display much variation in plumage coloration that match local soil types." (Quoted text courtesy Birds of the World )

 

Crested Lark displaying its Crest at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 280

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Crested Lark searching for insects in the dung of Banni Buffalos

at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 450mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 500

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Crested Lark flying away from its perch on a thorny Banni bush showing off its rust-tinged underwings

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 450mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 280

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

    Yellow Wagtail:   The Yellow Wagtail is classified into two species; eastern and western. Further, the Western Yellow Wagtail is sub-classified into many confusing sub-species. The subspecies thunbergi (Motacilla flava thunbergi), commonly called as dark-headed wagtail or grey-headed wagtail winters in Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and eastern Africa while it breeds in central and northern Scandinavia east to north-west Siberia.

Western Yellow Wagtail (dark-headed / grey-headed; M.f. thunbergi) at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 460mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 200

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

A Western Yellow Wagtail shaking clean its cloak

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 480mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 100

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part X : Birds II

   Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर)). This post contains pics of few such birds.

    Tawny Pipit, a large pipit, is a migrant moving in winter to the NW Indian Subcontinent.

Tawny Pipit in Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 450mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 220

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Common Babbler is a small, slim babbler with a long tail. It usually forages in noisy fighting groups usually of 6–7 individuals with successive polygynous males. Its range is restricted to the Indian subcontinent and southern parts of Iran and Iraq.

Common Babbler in Chhari Dhand

Range: Indian subcontinent and southern parts of Iran and Iraq

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 420mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 100

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Siberian Stonechat in a desert grassland

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 720

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

That's all in this post folks, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part IX: Birds I : तीतर (Teetar), बटेर (Bater) and more

  Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter including Pheasants and Partridges (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter and Painted Stork). This post contains pics of few such birds.

Grey Francolin (तीतर)

    Grey Francolin:   Francolins are plump game birds with rounded tails and wings. The Grey Francolin is a species of francolin found in the plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran. They are normally found foraging on bare or low grass covered ground in scrub and open country. They are rarely found above an altitude of 500 m above sea level in India.

   Gray francolins, however, are able to survive for long periods of time without drinking free-flowing water; they rely heavily on dew and moisture obtained from consumption of succulent vegetation and insects.

   Their Hindi name of 'teetar' is based on their calls, a loud and repeated 'Ka-tee-tar...tee-tar' which is produced by one or more birds. The term 'teetar' also refer to other partridges; quails and pheasants.

   During the breeding season calling males attract challengers, and decoys were used to trap these birds especially for fighting. The species has long been domesticated in areas of northern Indian subcontinent where it was used for fighting. They were hunted using low nets and easily caught using calling decoy birds. these francolins were introduced for recreational hunting to several U.S. states during the 1950s and 1960s.

   They are weak fliers and fly short distances, escaping into undergrowth after a few spurts of flight. They prefer to run for cover rather than to fly !!!

'Teetar ke do aagey teetar'

(Refers to a Hindi tongue twisting riddle made famous by a Bollywood song)

Range: Endemic to Indian Sub-continent and southern Iran coast.

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 480mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   An extremely interesting poetry by Sridhar Pathak, an Indian Poet, which very aptly describes the Grey Francolin. The line by line transliteration for the benefit of non-hindi readers is by yours truly.

लड़को, इस झाड़ी के भीतर,                   Boys, inside this bush,

छिपा हुआ है जोड़ा तीतर।                      is hidden a pair of Teetar;

फिरते थे यह अभी यहीं पर,                    roaming were they here right now,

चारा चुगते हुए जमीं पर।                        feeding on seeds on the ground;

एक तीतरी है इक तीतर,                        There's a Teetari (female) and a Teetar,

हमें देखकर भागे भीतर।                        Seeing us they ran inside;

आओ, इनको जरा डराकर,                    Come, lets scare them a little,

ढेला मार निकालें बाहर।                        and flush them out by throwing a stone;

यह देखो, वह दोनों भागे,                        Look here, they both are running, 
खड़े रहो चुप, बढ़ो न आगे।                     Keep standing silently, do not move ahead;

अब सुन लो इनकी गिटकारी,                  Now listen to their tweeting,
एक अनोखे ढंग की प्यारी।                     Lovely in an unique way;

तीइत्तड़-तीइत्तड़-तीइत्तड़-तीइत्तड़,           Tee ee Tar(d) - Tee ee Tar(d) - Tee ee Tar(d) - Tee ee Tar(d)
नाम इसी से इनका तीतर।                      Named that's why they are Teetar.

Common Quail (बटेर)

    Common Quail:    The common quail or Bater (in Hindi) is a small ground-nesting game bird of the pheasant family. It is mainly migratory, breeding in the Europe, Russia etc and wintering in Africa and southern India.

    Birds that winter in C & S India migrate through NW Pakistan, before dispersing throughout Indian Subcontinent. With its characteristic call of three repeated chirps (repeated in quick succession), this species of quail is more often heard than seen.

    It is notoriously difficult to see, keeping hidden in crops, and reluctant to fly, preferring to creep away instead. Even when flushed, it keeps low and soon drops back into cover. Often the only indication of its presence is the distinctive "wet-my-lips" repetitive song of the male.

    The below pic is of a female. The female is generally slightly heavier than the male.

Common Quail (Female), a bird more heard than seen, at Chhari Dhand

Range: Endemic to Indian Sub-continent and southern Iran coast.

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 450

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Hoopoe

   Hoopoe:   The species is highly distinctive, with its erectile crest which is fan shaped when erect, long gently curved thin tapering bill, black and white zebra markings on its back, wings and tail contrasting with its fawn colour. Surprisingly I have seen many an urban people in India, excitedly declaring it a Woodpecker!

   It has a tall erectile crest and spends most of the time on the ground probing for grubs and insects.  The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil.

   They were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt, and were "depicted on the walls of tombs and temples". The hoopoe also appears in the Quran and is known as the "Hudhud", which is its Hindi name too.

   

   In the Torah, hoopoes were listed among the animals that are detestable and should not be eaten. i.e. as not kosher, but however (or maybe therefore), the hoopoe was chosen as the national bird of Israel. Interestingly, the incubating and brooding female and the glands of nestlings as well, produce a foul-smelling liquid. These secretions are rubbed into the plumage. The secretion, which smells like rotting meat, is thought to help deter predators, as well as deter parasites and possibly act as an antibacterial agent. Its nest is also notorious for its filthiness besides the stench. 

   Did this foul smell like rotting meat land up the Hoopoe as 'not' Kosher ?!, 🤔

A Hoopoe in morning light at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 460mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec, ISO 1250

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Greater Short-toed (?) Lark

Greater Short-toed Lark:   This species is a fairly common wanderer to northern and western Europe in spring and autumn. All but some southernmost populations are migratory, wintering south to the southern edge of the Sahara and India. The subspecies which winters in South Asia mainly in the drier zone of north-western India, breeds in Ukraine, Mongolia and Manchuria. Reported as causing damage to cultivations of pearl millet on wintering grounds in NW India (Rajasthan). They visit parts of South Asia in large flocks during winter and are sometimes attracted to short grass areas along aerodromes and become a bird strike risk to aircraft.

A Lark (Greater Short-toed Lark ?) with incriminating evidence on its beak at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

That's all in this post folks, stay tuned for more...

Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part VIII : Painted Stork

 Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter, including the Painted Stork (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants and Oriental Darter).

   The Painted Stork is a large stork with a heavy yellow beak with a down-curved tip that gives it a resemblance to an Ibis. In fact it was formerly placed in the genus Ibis. 

   The head of the adult is bare and orange or reddish in colour. The long tertials tipped in bright pink and extending over the back and rump while at rest, give them their name.

   Although one of the most abundant of the Asian storks, this species is classified as Near Threatened since at least 2004, because it is thought to be undergoing a moderately rapid population decline, with an estimated total population of 25,000-35,000 individuals or 16,000-24,000 mature individuals.

   For some time in the past, it genus was Tantalus, based on Greek mythology where Tantalus was punished by having to stand in a pool of water, as in the pic below.

Painted Stork with all its characteristic features at Chhari Dhand

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 290mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Painted Stork on take off roll

Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia
Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 290mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 450
DoP: Nov 22
Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Painted Stork at lift-off

Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia
Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 290mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 560
DoP: Nov 22
Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Painted Stork on touchdown

Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia
Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 290mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400
DoP: Nov 22
Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

Painted Stork appears delighted to be finally airborne

Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia
Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200
DoP: Nov 22
Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Like all storks, they fly with their neck outstretched.

Painted Stork on aerial lookout

Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Range: Indian Sub-continent and SE Asia
Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR
Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200
DoP: Nov 22
Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India