This Sunday, 15-20 of us met at Okhla Bird Sanctuary to look out for summer visitors and the few migrants that still might be lingering around.
The walk started on a bright note...quite literally. 3 Golden Orioles were seen within minutes of my arrival. Their fluty calls rented the neem and peepal trees. The fields to our right were quite flooded, playing host to several Pond Herons, Purple Herons, Egrets and the like. A pair of Lesser Whistling Ducks sat in the wet fields some distance away, along with a pair of Wood Sandpipers. The reeds and trees harbored several Chiffchaffs and Blyth's Reed Warblers. Plenty of Koels flying around and perching on leafy trees.
A large dark spot in the fields turned out to be a Bronze Winged Jacana. A group of 5 Black headed Ibis flew overhead while pairs of Pied Starlings were busy with nest building. A Zitting Cisticola called from nearby. Greater Couclas, Ashy Prinias and Yellow bellied Prinias sent quivers up the towering reeds as hoards of Blyth's Reed Warblers thronged the bushes.
We soon saw a Striated Babbler on reed near the Banyan Tree, and a White Throated Kingfisher posed on another. We proceeded to move through the reeds, encountering groups of Striated Babblers and a Bluethroat, that very obligingly spent a minute on the trail. Some eyes turned when the Striated Grassbird began its song flight above some far off reeds. Also in that patch was a vocal Clamorous Reed Warbler. A Gull Billed Tern was seen flying over the river. And then the Whiskered Terns arrived! A pair of them gracefully patrolled up and down the water, hovering from time to time before diving into the water for fish, at very close range. This went on for several minutes. Groups of Streaked Weavers zipped by overhead like bullets while the ubiquitous Pied Bushchats dotted the tips of the reeds. But the White tailed Stonechats gave us a miss :(
A pair of Long Tailed Shrikes looked for unwary prey on the ground as we slowly began to head back. Once again plenty of Striated Babblers and Bushchats. A Streaked Weaver and a Yellow Bellied Prinia provided excellent views. As we headed back, some discussion was persued on what Okhla used to be like in its heydays. A pair of Green Bee Eaters marked the end to our morning as we made our way to a spread of sandwiches, fruit and cake.
A sunny morning well spent, with a tally of 60 species even in summer, including 5 lifers for me.
Thanks for reading,
Udiyaman
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