Thursday, June 18, 2015

Bird Watching As My Hobby!

In a pleasant morning. Cool breeze, tranquil  environment the air is also filled with the 'kooooh' of the koel...chirps of sparrow, pigeons playing in my balcony early morning….a rare sight for me. Looking up at the sky, watching the birds fly about, The beauty of their forms, the immaculate color of their feathers, the buoyancy of their flight and the sweetness of their song their happy-go-lucky attitude kind of flights, their joy of freedom as they move in a heavenly manner from the earth to the sky, is so fascinating that many spend hours doing just are all a treat and I find inspiring and exhilarating. Taking a moment to watch their antics and admire their beauty.

These are few things that give me happiness and make me cheer often, the bird watching is something indeed and among the many birds that visit my home or the open ground in opposition to my home. Some times while walking I found few birds in my complex lawn. It is kind of recreation for me from the hectic work and It's a delightful experience to watch bird's lively movements, !  

 I always keep food for the birds in my balcony. A wonderful variety of birds come to eat. Although, it’s mostly pigeons, I’m also getting sparrows, doves, mynas, a crow ,bulbul… I gradually began enjoying being in the lap of nature .
 
Always I like Birds for their vibrant colours and for their cheerful attitude. While seeing birds I remember few lines of a poem by Dr. A.P.J ABDUL KALAM ( Former President of India ),I am born with wings. So I am not meant for crawling, because I have wings. I fly, I fly, and I fly." I wanted to Become like a bird, expand  wings, learn new thing and fly high as you can.
When I go for a walk Morning or in evening  it becomes a joy, thrill to see variety of bird in my area . One of the more fascinating things about finches is their seeming endless variety. They range from very delicate to very hardy birds, in all colours of the rainbow.  As observing birds for past few years Many species you can distinguish the gender of the bird just by looking at it. Others are monomorphic, which means that you can’t visually distinguish the genders of the birds Most of us know few common birds around us, like Sparrow, Myna, Pigeon, Crow & Peafowl. These birds size, colour, beak, feather are not similar; even their call, behaviour, foraging and resting place is also different.
Thoroughly observe the common birds found in your immediate locality for their structure, and behaviour. Within few days beginner will be able to differentiate one bird from another by identification factors like how the bird flies, where it is found, what is its shape and size of the beak, tarsus etc.  Best time to watch bird is early-morning. After nights rest, birds will emerge looking for energy-giving food. They will be more active and vocal, so easier to spot.Or in the evening while going to nest.
Bird’s song and call are roughly classified; by their purpose; such as breeding songs and calls, alarm call, rising and retiring call as well as calls for communications etc. Nature has specially bestowed on birds the heavenly voice that fills her garden with sweet melody. . Many birds have very distinctive songs and identification is possible without ever actually seeing them. Learn to recognise birds by sound as well as sight. Some birds are far easier to hear than to see, while many others first draw attention to themselves by their songs and calls
The birds present can be noticed by their distinct noise produced by their overall chattering and chirping sound; go on the ground or on low branches for forage while one of them perches to high branches as sent in. 
 
Out of the window there are a lot of birds seen around in our building. The trees around provide shelter or food or observation points or all for different bird species. Listening to the chirping of birds and spotting them in the bushes from there my focus shifted to not just admiring these avian delights to capturing them between frames. I have tried below to capture some of the bird species, their habits and the trees on which they were seen around my place
 
In my daily walk i saw  the many birds that visit near our complex open space, Yellow Billed Babbler is most frequent and almost every day I sight these birds or hear their loud shrills. They arrive as a group of six or seven, kept squeaking and foraging by tiny flights.
Birds in my Balcony: 

I have always loved birds especially little Sparrows. I love the way they hop around on their delicate feet, not even walking but jumping from spot to spot. . Every morning, I have started to keep food for the birds in my balcony.
 
One sparrow showed its head near window; they chirp out on the way "I've found food" call, the, a group of sparrows. Immediately other sparrows appeared too in the house balcony making strong sound of twitter it was twittering music to my ears! exactly seven of them would venture out on balcony every day, There were always, chirping and flitting around.

 
Pigeons and Doves
Pigeons and doves have three song types, one used as an advertising song, the perch-coo, one at the nest site, the nest-coo, and one used in display to a mate or interloper, the bow-coo. Depending on the species, the three coo types may be all different, or a single coo type may serve more than one function. In the Mourning Dove, the perch-coo and bow-coo are the same, and in the Rock Pigeon the perch-coo and the nest-coo are the same. Mourning Doves make a whistling noise when flushed or, as in this case, sometimes during short flights. Two flushed birds, one took off without whistling, the second with whistling. The whistle is thought to be used as a form of communication, perhaps alarm in this case, but it also made in non-threatening situations, In past few years observing about these birds now  ican understand their coos.

 
Another crested favourite is the Redwhiskered Bulbul. I love his birdcall ... its such a liquid sound! He is a very common bird in Indian gardens but a very welcome one, if only for his cheerful call and perky looks.One day I heard a little song outside my window.. It was from a bulbul...
 
 The bulbul was sitting on my balcony window. The little bird instantly came down from the window and came inside my Hall. It flew down to the floor and then up... It makes a few rounds in and out of the house. I was so excited to watch their activity which was a rare sight !I was quite delighted.
 
The morning sun brought  a bunch of lovely visitors to my balcony .Daily moring by 7.15 am group o parakeats flew here and there. somedays they landed in my balcony and enjoying  their presence . First just one and then  the entire group of friends.The parakeets in my balcony and theyare very comfortable with our family presence and enjoy the photo shoot.
 
Wild Blue Budgie Parrot- New Visitor to my home:)
 
The budgie parakeet is a beautiful bird with a wonderful personality.It's look so sweet .It stayed in my balcony for more than an hour.Feel excited to see this new bird in my home!
 
It gave nice pose . I had no time to go for the camera so kept clicking with my mobile.
The Black Drongo  It is black in colour and has a slender, thin tail with a slit in the middle! They are known to be extremely ferocious to fellow birds who try to come enter their areas!
 
A White Throated Kingfisher, i am finding this pair almost everyday. This bird is about the size of myna, brilliant turquoise blue above, with deep chocolate brown head neck and under parts. A conspicuous white shirt front and long, heav y, pointed red beak confirm its identity.I watched it opposite to my complex in an open space always sometimes I watch itfrom my kitchen window.
 

The Greater Coucal, called a Crow Pheasant, is neither a crow nor a pheasant, but belongs to the cuckoo family.

 
 Ergets abouve the tree I saw while walking and clicked it from my mobile.

 
Black Kites
I see them all the time, soaring above the trees, their screech audible.Isaw it landing on compound wall I clicked from distance in my mobile.

I saw Birds in my complex lawn:)
 
The Black Drongo is another of our common birds and also one of our most vigilant. You'll often find them perched on a branch or wire, looking out for insects. I love their quick swooping flights... which seems to be very often in my area.
 

The Magpie-Robin
 Thirsty crow:)
Common Myna Usually in pairs

If you open the window to get in some fresh air and then you hear the chirping of little birds. How melodious it is to hear! I generally enjoy observing these birdsi just love that; listening birds-make different sounds,colourful flowers,. . i love being in the moonlight at late night where i am alone listening to slow songs and just gazing at the moon.... Everything has its beauty:-Thanks to these birds, stars surrounded by nature for making me living on the seventh floor more meaningful.