Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants

sarmarishi · 4th May 2011, 10:42

Stone Curlew or Thick-knee

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-thick-knee-2-small.jpg

Habitat shot with Nest

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-thick-knee-3-small.jpg

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-thick-knee-4-small.jpg

Keeping her eggs warm on a rainy day!

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-thick-knee-5-small.jpg

The Stone-curlews, also known as Dikkops or Thick-knees are a group of largely tropical birds in the family Burhinidae. Despite the group being classified as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia.

They are medium to large birds with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes—which give them a reptilian appearance—and cryptic plumage. The names Thick-knee and Stone-curlew are both in common use, the preference among authorities for one term or the other varying from year to year. The term Stone-curlew owes its origin to the broad similarities with true curlews (which are not closely related). Thick-knee refers to the prominent joints in the long yellow or greenish legs and apparently originated with a name coined in 1776 for B. oedicnemus, the Thick-kneed Bustard.

They are largely nocturnal, particularly when singing their loud wailing songs, which are reminiscent of true curlews.

The diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates. Larger species will also take lizards and even small mammals.

Most species are sedentary, but the Stone Curlew is a summer migrant in the temperate European part of its range, wintering in Africa.

TheBeastFieast · 4th May 2011, 11:48

Excellent coverage, I would like to go for a safari, purely dedicated to birds

gadadhar · 4th May 2011, 18:26

Terrific snaps, salute you for this.

BTW. It is a Green Dragon Fly larvae (nymph) that the kingfisher is feasting on I think, you can see water droplets around it if you notice, so it should be an aquatic creature.

sarmarishi · 5th May 2011, 10:14

White-Throated or White-breasted Kingfisher

1 of my favourite snaps of the Kingfisher in flight. I just wish I had longer better lens.

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-kingfisher-1-small.jpg

Sitting on the boundary wall of Kiplings' court! (Back view)

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-kingfisher-2-small.jpg

Front Plumage

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-kingfisher-3-small.jpg

Some Wikipedia on the bird

The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria, Turkey, east through South Asia to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements. It can often be found well away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds. During the breeding season they call loudly in the mornings from prominent perches including the tops of buildings in urban areas or on wires.

This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

The call of this kingfisher is a chuckling chake-ake-ake-ake-ake. They are particularly noisy in the breeding season.

Local names include Sindhi: Dalel; Hindi: Kilkila, Kourilla;Himachal Pradesh: Neela machhrala; Punjabi: Wadda machhera; Bengali: Sandabuk machhranga; Assamese: Masroka; Cachar: Dao natu gophu; Gujarati: Kalkaliyo, Safedchati kalkaliyo; Marathi: Khandya; Tamil: Vichuli; Telugu: Lakmuka, Buchegadu; Malayalam: Ponman; Kannada: Rajamatsi;

sarmarishi · 5th May 2011, 11:43

Time for a quiz...

Who can identify this Eagle? It was very far and hence the low quality of the image. Pic courtesy Kapil Vardhan.

Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants-bonellis-eagle-medium.jpg

TheBeastFieast · 5th May 2011, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Time for a quiz...

Who can identify this Eagle? It was very far and hence the low quality of the image. Pic courtesy Kapil Vardhan.

Looks like CSE (crested serpent eagle)

sarmarishi · 5th May 2011, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBeastFieast

Looks like CSE (crested serpent eagle)

Well it could be a juvenile but I am not sure since it has a white chest. Not sure if the juveniles of CSE's have a white chest as I couldn't find a photo online of the same.

kaushikkrishnan · 6th May 2011, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by abheekg

Malabar Pied hornbills from my end:

Dr. A Ghosh

Excellent Picture from your end. Wonderful description of whole sequence

Like the whole thread given it 5 stars

Are the authors full/part time ornithologists ?

sarmarishi · 6th May 2011, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaushikkrishnan

Excellent Picture from your end. Wonderful description of whole sequence

Like the whole thread given it 5 stars

Are the authors full/part time ornithologists ?

Thanks for the rating. We do this as a hobby and generally into wildlife. Abheek is a very big wildlifer and helps in tracking tigers, etc at Pench.
We visit numerous parks around the country and photograph or document as much flora & fauna as possible

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok any other guesses for the Eagle shot above? Because of the streaking pattern on the chest I feel that its a Bonelli's. Someone please validate this. Thanks.

gd1418 · 6th May 2011, 11:29

It is not CSE for sure. Though the picture is not very clear but to me it looks like the Band Tailed Fish Eagle.

Chick watchers, step in and help...

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Time for a quiz...

Who can identify this Eagle? It was very far and hence the low quality of the image. Pic courtesy Kapil Vardhan.

Attachment 540322

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBeastFieast

Looks like CSE (crested serpent eagle)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Well it could be a juvenile but I am not sure since it has a white chest. Not sure if the juveniles of CSE's have a white chest as I couldn't find a photo online of the same.

sarmarishi · 6th May 2011, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418

It is not CSE for sure. Though the picture is not very clear but to me it looks like the Band Tailed Fish Eagle.

Chick watchers, step in and help...

You could actually be right here Sir! As the tail actually is short like the Palla's Eagles and has a white chest. If it is true then it will be a great find as they are migratory in nature and are classified Vulnerable in the conservation status.

rulerofsun · 6th May 2011, 15:12

P.S: Can anyone identify the grub in this fingfisher's beak ?

Abheek Sir, that seems to be a dragon fly larva to me.

Regards
RoS.

Ace F355 · 7th May 2011, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Someone help me with this insect's name
Attachment 535711

Let this entomologist throw a little help for you here!

The insect in the question is blister beetle!

Amazing pics in this travelogue. Loved them to the core! Keep them coming!

PS: Any pics of Flying Squirrel?

sarmarishi · 10th May 2011, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace F355

Let this entomologist throw a little help for you here!

The insect in the question is blister beetle!

Amazing pics in this travelogue. Loved them to the core! Keep them coming!

PS: Any pics of Flying Squirrel?

Thanks for naming the Beetle

Sadly no photos of the flying squirrel we saw it flying just when we were on our way to the safari in the morning. The day was just breaking and light wasnt enough to photograph. But was lovely seeing it in flight as till now have only seen them in the night. More like have heard it actually cos you can only see their eyes when they are leaping from one tree to another. So it was quite a thrill for us!

SinghBHP · 10th May 2011, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBeastFieast

Excellent coverage, I would like to go for a safari, purely dedicated to birds

Good Idea "TheBeastFieast" , why not start with the nearest ones Okhla Bird Sacntuary or Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Agra.

4th May 2011, 10:42	#31
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	Re: Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants Stone Curlew or Thick-knee Habitat shot with Nest Keeping her eggs warm on a rainy day! The Stone-curlews, also known as Dikkops or Thick-knees are a group of largely tropical birds in the family Burhinidae. Despite the group being classified as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large birds with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes—which give them a reptilian appearance—and cryptic plumage. The names Thick-knee and Stone-curlew are both in common use, the preference among authorities for one term or the other varying from year to year. The term Stone-curlew owes its origin to the broad similarities with true curlews (which are not closely related). Thick-knee refers to the prominent joints in the long yellow or greenish legs and apparently originated with a name coined in 1776 for B. oedicnemus, the Thick-kneed Bustard. They are largely nocturnal, particularly when singing their loud wailing songs, which are reminiscent of true curlews. The diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates. Larger species will also take lizards and even small mammals. Most species are sedentary, but the Stone Curlew is a summer migrant in the temperate European part of its range, wintering in Africa.
	(3) Thanks

4th May 2011, 11:48	#32
TheBeastFieast BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Faridabad Posts: 306 Thanked: 19 Times	Re: Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants Excellent coverage, I would like to go for a safari, purely dedicated to birds
	(1) Thanks

4th May 2011, 18:26	#33
gadadhar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,342 Thanked: 1,116 Times View My Garage	Re: Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants Terrific snaps, salute you for this. BTW. It is a Green Dragon Fly larvae (nymph) that the kingfisher is feasting on I think, you can see water droplets around it if you notice, so it should be an aquatic creature.
	(1) Thanks

5th May 2011, 10:14	#34
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	Re: Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants White-Throated or White-breasted Kingfisher 1 of my favourite snaps of the Kingfisher in flight. I just wish I had longer better lens. Sitting on the boundary wall of Kiplings' court! (Back view) Front Plumage Some Wikipedia on the bird The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria, Turkey, east through South Asia to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements. It can often be found well away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds. During the breeding season they call loudly in the mornings from prominent perches including the tops of buildings in urban areas or on wires. This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult. The call of this kingfisher is a chuckling chake-ake-ake-ake-ake. They are particularly noisy in the breeding season. Local names include Sindhi: Dalel; Hindi: Kilkila, Kourilla;Himachal Pradesh: Neela machhrala; Punjabi: Wadda machhera; Bengali: Sandabuk machhranga; Assamese: Masroka; Cachar: Dao natu gophu; Gujarati: Kalkaliyo, Safedchati kalkaliyo; Marathi: Khandya; Tamil: Vichuli; Telugu: Lakmuka, Buchegadu; Malayalam: Ponman; Kannada: Rajamatsi;
	(1) Thanks

5th May 2011, 11:43	#35
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	Re: Mowglis Playground - The lesser known inhabitants Time for a quiz... Who can identify this Eagle? It was very far and hence the low quality of the image. Pic courtesy Kapil Vardhan.
	() Thanks

6th May 2011, 15:12	#42
rulerofsun BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Thane Posts: 191 Thanked: 147 Times	Re: Morning time 6 am to 8 am is the best time to observe birds P.S: Can anyone identify the grub in this fingfisher's beak ? Abheek Sir, that seems to be a dragon fly larva to me. Regards RoS.
	() Thanks