Collared Owlet ( Glaucidium brodiei brodiei)- the smallest owl of Asia measuring only about 15cms (6 inches) was the cause of terror among the birds while I was birding in the Lava-Algarah Road of West Bengal hills. This little owlet is extremely tenacious in the hunt and is known to bring down large birds like Bulbuls and Laughingthrushes.
18th May-2014 Canon 60D. I am thankful to the driver for showing me this tiny bird- that was well-camouflaged among the branches.
On 17th May I reached Lava after spending ten days in West Sikkim. The 7 hours long journey from Hilley to Lava via Jorthang-Kalimpong was very hectic.
I had no energy after entering the hotel at Lava, and i fell asleep at 8pm after having dinner.
Next day morning i woke up at 5am and peeped out of my room window. The whole Lava town was wrapped with a veil of mist. The Lava Monastery and hills of Neora Valley could be seen at a distance. I was disheartened as low light would hamper bird photography...but gradually the mist disappeared, and weather started to become clear.
Last night, I had already told a car to come at 6am near my hotel, and the driver came on time. Bird guide Joseph Lepcha- whom I hired for 3 days- arranged for the car, but he himself coudnt join that day, as he had some official works in the forest dept office.
I took my camera and my small birding bag, and got into the car. It was quite cold outside, but the warmth of the morning Sun could be felt.
I asked the driver to take the car to the Lava-algarah road-- where I planned to do birding till 10am. This road is perhaps the richest birding stretch near Lava. I got more than 20 species just within 2 hours and some of them like Golden Babblers, Grey-cheeked warblers, etc were Lifers for me. Strangely enough I didnt get many birds in this road during my previous two visits to Lava...and in October this road was literally barren.
It was 630am, and the birds were busy foraging inside the vegetation. There were birds in the trees and the bushes...but it was difficult to spot them due to their restless behaviour and very few of them came out of the dense foliage to give good photos. A pair of Golden Babblers played hide n seek with me for about an hour, and one of them obliged me with few shots. That was something which i didnt expect to happen. I have already shared one of them in this group.
I was walking along the Lava-Algarah road looking here n there for birds, when suddenly i noticed a commotion among the birds. They were trying to hide inside the thickets. Rufous Sibias and Fulvettas came out of the foliage and started to chatter loudly, as if some unknown intruder had entered their territory. I couldnt understand the reason behind such agitation. I was looking at the trees and trying to find the cause of this restlessness among the birds-- when the driver showed me something. I was astonished to see it was a tiny Collared Owlet-- the smallest of Indian Owls. I have heard its call in Dihing-Patkai Sanctuary of Assam last October...but never seen it.
This small owl is more common in the North-East and I didnt expect to get it on the Lava-Algarah road of my own state. I came to know later from my guide Joseph Lepcha- that he had occasionally heard the low hoots of this olwet...but had never seen it. I m extremely happy to get this lovely Lifer.
Shantanu.
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