Saturday, June 6, 2009

Birds of Kodaikanal - Can You Identify These?

Thanks to responses to this post and independent verification by Mr. RS Suresh (check out his website on birds) of the birds I now have the names of the birds.

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My recent trip to Kodaikanal - before the appendectomy, thank goodness - was brilliant in more than one ways. My most precious moments were sighting birds on my twice a day walk around the star-shaped Kodai lake, bang in the middle of the hill station.

Unfortunately, I do not know the names of these birds. If there is any one out there who can name these birds, I will be very obliged.

Any one?


Bird#1: This one skipped daintily on lotus leaves looking for insects. How light is this bird?

The bird is WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL


Bird #2: This looks like a Kingfisher. I am told The Indian Turner looks similar to a Kingfisher. So what is this?


This bird is the WHITE THROATED KINGFISHER

Bird #3: A local 'guide' told me that this is the Nilgiris Wood Pigeon.


This one is called SPOTTED DOVE

Bird #4: And who are you, my dear friend?



Bird #5: Most of these are very difficult to spot. This one was almost invisible. What you see is a cropped image.





Bird #6: This one took off before I could take a snap.



The above three birds are the same - RED-WHISKERED BULBUL

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5 comments:

V. Narayan Raman said...

Ids of birds:
1) White browed wagtail
2) White throated kingfisher. there is nothing called indian turner. I guess you are talking about the Indian tern, which will never sit on a tree like this and looks very different from a wt kingfi! :)
3) Your local guide is bluffing! That is a spotted dove, a very common bird!
4, 5 (and 6, from what I can see) are red whiskered bulbuls
Anyway, happy birding and keep posting :)

Unknown said...

hink he is talking about Indian roller whicch I havent seen at Kodai Indian roler is blue and many beginners mistake it for a big sized king fisher. I too did it.

you can see some of my kodaikanal pictures at http://www.kodaikanalhotels.com/
Best regards
Bala

V. Narayan Raman said...

Turner = Roller :D Good catch, Bala. Makes sense.

Amitabh said...

Narayan, Shriya,
Briiliant.
And thanks for naming the birds for me.
I know now who to turn to.

Unknown said...

Please get a basic birds guide
use references from India nature Watch, oriental bird pictures, bngbirds, tamilbirds (online communities and yahoo groups)

you can see some of my bandipur mudumalai wildlife / bird pictures at http://www.wildlifesanctuaryindia.com/wildlife/
Best regards
Bala

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