Colorful Fridays ....(Amandava amandava )

From the grassland of Tropical Asia , hails the Strawberry finch .I spotted a strawberry finch flying like a bullet  with a reed in its beak.  It was building its nest painstakingly ..

Nature amazes me ...it seems as if someone has actually dressed the bird in bright red plumage and then painted the white dots ...giving an impression of strawberry seeds

 Female strawberry finch

 Male strawberry finch

Aren't they just treat for your eyes .... 

Will be back soon with some more clicks of the strawberry finch.

Happy birding ...

Do Bee-eaters eat only bees....?

Bee-eaters are true to their name they eat Bees .But they also feast on any flying insects ....

  

Savouring its morning meal....Butterfly 

Once the prey is caught its battered on the branch brutally . 

 When feasting on stinging insects they are careful not to swallow them until they have the venom.

Tossed before finally gulping it down ...

Take some time out to watch the unique spectacle offered by the varicolored avian acrobats ....

Happy Birding....

Colorful Fridays ....(Black Necked Storks)

Black necked storks are world travelers , migrate from middle of August to end of September wintering in tropical Africa and India .

Black necked stork birds are dressed in mainly three colors White , Black and Red .The black plumage shimmers with a lovely purple and green gloss.

The avian delights are dressed in amazing color combinations . I actually marvel at the vivid display of colors by nature .

Happy Birding ...

Expressions of birds .....

 I really don't know whether birds laugh or smile when they glide in the gentle cool  breeze or when just swimming one of their own would splash water .

 But I surely know they have their ways to express their anger and displeasure.

 Tried to capture the expressions of birds between frames .

Happy birding ....

Birdie for breakfast.....

Urbanization of the avian world..... birdie for breakfast.

Wherever I have lived , be it a city or a small town I have always managed to find some corner where birds sing .

Dressed in stripes....

Rhythmic movement  , heads bobbing back and forth,  beautiful crest half opening and closing ,sunset hued bodies with gorgeous black and white stripes....  Hoopoe 

Happy birding ...

Wetland Birds of Mumbai...(Palm beach road)

A mangrove dotted  coastline a natural habitat of wildlife ....Mumbai was a totally magical for me because of extraordinary range of habitats and biodiversity...Nature trails just minutes away .
Palm beach road with high rises on one side and mangroves on the otherside is a'' Birders Haven ''.

Hordes of gulls terns and ducks dotted all around 

Sandpipers lazing around ....basking in the sun.

painted storks  in flight

Black winged stilts 

Egrets  enjoying the first rays of sunlight ...Golden light

Spoonbills generally bossing around ....I could just sit here for hours watching the antics of these birds .

Happy Birding 

And another Waterhen....

The white breasted waterhen are dark slaty birds with clear white face, breast and  belly. They are much bolder than the birds of the Rallidae family . They can be spotted in open marshy areas or even in drains close to busy roads.

There is a pair of white breasted waterhen residing in my society....can be spotted taking a morning stroll with the other residents .Now this what I mean by saying bolder than the other birds of Rallidae family.

 Their enormous feet constantly flickering stubby tail  makes them a amusing bird to observe ....These clicks were made when I spotted it foraging along the lotus pond .Waited patiently to get a shot of the bird on lotus leaves ...but in vain .The  naturalist writer  Eha describes the call of these species as ''it began with loud harsh roars which might have been elicited  from a bear by roasting it slowly over a large fire, then suddenly changed to a clear note repeated like a coo of a dove ''..... Lend your ears to the call of white breasted waterhen
 I would leave you all at this note , would be back soon with some more clicks ..

Happy Birding 

Doing the balancing act....

Just hopped in to say a Hello....Sharing this click of the Heron doing the balancing act and all alert to grab her food..

Happy Birding ..

Angels in flight....(Pheasant Tailed Jacanas)

Don't they look like angels in flight...Pheasant tailed jacanas are one of my favorite birds .

Nape of the neck there is a patch of  brilliant golden feathers the wings and the underparts are a dazzling white.The central tail feather grows very long ...complete description of jacana bird in breeding plumage .

Have a fun filled and a colorful Weekend .... 

Will be back soon with some more clicks of the Pheasant tailed jacanas....

Happy Birding .

Another Moorhen in purple .....

Another bird from  the Rallidae family all dressed in purple ...

Purple Moorhen.

Marshy and swampy lands  bordered with tall reeds are their homes .A glimpse of  purple with long red colored legs clumsily moving among the reeds.

They are really shy birds and run into the reeds with their stubby tails flickering nervously  at the slightest disturbance .They are audible from far thanks to their loud raucous high pitched screechs .Despite being clumsy in flight they are capable of flying long distances

I'll back soon with another bird from the rail and crake  family....till then..

Happy Birding 

Black is in vogue ....Common Moorhen.

Shades of black speckled with white .

Twitching white undertail.. 

Red facial shield 

 Beak dipped in yellow 

Gargling calls ...

Happy Birding ..