My favourite Western Ghats endemic, apart form perhaps the Rufous Babblers. These have to be one of the most interesting species I have ever come across and I am glad that a little patch of vegetation a ten minute walk away from my hostel holds a good population.
Almost impossible to see in the dense foliage that covers the area in the monsoon months, they are now seen in flocks of 6-7 birds regularly and if one is patient enough, it is surprising to note that they do not quite live up to the "skulker" reputation that they have. Atleast not when in dense forests. In Manipal, these guys regularly perch in one spot, not necessarily inside vegetation but on open perches, like this one - where I just kept wishing I had a better camera, and as of today, I had my first sighting of one on a wire next to the main road that goes through the area!
The area I bird in is degraded forest type and cultivation and you are never far away from man and every 20 meters, there is one house. Thus I am always intrigued at seeing these beautiful birds which I'd thought, before coming here, were denizens of the densest of the forests in the Ghats especially since Manipal is barely 100m above sea level and still very much part of the "Coastal Plains".
I have been seeing 4 groups of these birds in flocks ranging from 4 to 8 in number which always become active at a certain period of time in the morning. These group are exceptionally vocal and they are seen in mixed flocks too with Red-whiskered Bulbuls, and mostly White-browed Bulbuls. Although today, they were happy to be foraging without the company of the other birds, apart from the odd Iora which seemed to join in at random.
Here is a pair of these birds which just came to the top of a bush and watched me for a good 2-3 mins before moving on. This was when the sun had only just come and the morning fog still enveloped me.
In Manipal, Karnataka, INDIA on 08 December 2010.
Camera: Canon SX10 IS.
- Ramit Singal
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If all the insects on earth disappeared, within 50 years all life on earth would disappear. If all humans disappeared, within 50 years all species would flourish as never before. - Jonas Salk
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