Sunday, February 19, 2012

Birding @ Thattekad, Kerala

I spend a few amazing hours this morning at the wonderful Thattekkad bird sanctuary near Kochi in Kerala this morning with my sister, cousin and Vinod (local bird guide and resort owner)..

Here's a bunch of photos and a bird list from here ..










Sunrise @ Thattekkad
Malabar Woodshrike
Common Iora (Breeding male)
Malabar Woodshrike
Malabar Woodshrike
Female Orange Minivet
Malabar Woodshrike
Black-hooded Oriole
Black-crested Bulbul (Flame-throated Bulbul)
White-cheeked Barbet
Pompadour Green Pigeon
Pompadour Green Pigeon
Crimson-fronted Barbet
A superbly camouflaged Sri Lanka Frogmouth
Blue-winged Parakeet (Malabar Parakeet)
Malabar Grey Hornbill
Chestnut-tailed Starling (Malabar White-headed Starling)
Here's a few photos of a Female Sri Lanka Frogmouth
Southern Hill Myna - Gracula (religiosa) indica
Crimson-fronted Barbet
Orange Minivet - Male
Orange Minivet - Male
Orange Minivet - Pair
Orange Minivet- Male
Indian Roller
Cattle Egret
Black-rumped flameback
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Juvenile Brahminy Kite
Black-crested Bulbul (Flame-throated Bulbul)
Grey Wagtail
Dark-fronted Babbler
White-browed Wagtail
Black-rumped flameback
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Little Cormorant and Oriental Darter
White-browed Wagtail
Whiskered Terns
Heart-spotted woodpecker
Common Kingfisher, Little Cormorant and Cattle Egret




 Here's a complete bird list for the day (in no particular order):

1 Malabar Parakeet
2 Malabar Woodshrike
3 Ruby-throated Bulbul
4 Dark fronted Babbler
5 Malabar Grey Hornbill
6 Indian Swiftlet
7 Asian Palm Swift
8 Orange (Scarlet) Minivet
9 Small Minivet
10 Imperial Green Pigeon
11 House Crow
12 Jungle Crow
13 Whiskered Tern
14 Red Spurfowl
15 Grey Junglefowl (h)
16 Red-whiskered Bulbul
17 Crimson-fronted Barbet
18 Common Iora
19 Greater Coucal
20 White-cheeked Barbet
21 Pompadour Green Pigeon
22 Golden-fronted Leafbird
23 Srilankan Frogmouth
24 Pale-billed Flowerpecker
25 Vernal Hanging Parrot
26 White-bellied Woodpecker (h)
27 White-headed Starling
28 Common Myna
29 Southern Hill Myna
30 Black Drongo
31 Racket-tailed Drongo
32 Oriental Magpie Robin
33 Asian Fairy Bluebird
34 Indian Pitta (h)
35 Asian Brown Flycatcher 
 36 Indian Roller
37 Cattle Egret
38 Emerald Dove
39 Grey Wagtail
40 White-breasted Kingfisher
41 Pied Kingfisher
42 White-browed Wagtail
43 Wood Sandpiper
44 Brahminy Kite
45 Little Cormorant
46 Oriental Darter
47 Small Sunbird
48 Heart-spotted Woodpecker
49 Common Kingfisher
50 Little Egret
51 Black-rumped Flameback






And here's a few other life forms we saw while birding:





Giant wood spider
Skink
Skink (growing a new tail)
Blue tiger butterflies and a Common Crow
 Common Cerulean (Dry Season Form)
more Blue tiger butterflies
a couple of River Heliodor (Libellago lineata)

I'd like to strongly recommend Vinod's service to all those who are keen to watch birds especially at Thattekkad (and also Endemic birds across Kerala).

You can track him down using the following coordinates :
Vinod K V | 9946 042 711 | vinodthattekkad@gmail.com