Shetland Misfit: Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

Showing posts with label Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse. Show all posts

Wednesday, 3 March 2010

1st February 2010 Wild Ass Sanctuary LRK.

Morning safari out to the Wild Ass Sanctuary in a different part of the Little Rann - 1 Lagger Falcon out in the dry area, 3 Macqueen's Bustards on one of the beyts along with a Short-eared Owl, 10 Ruddy Shelduck and 2 Black-shouldered Kites around one of the small pools and 2 Eastern Imperial Eagles over. 40+ White, 1 Dalmatian and 150+ Spot-billed Pelicans in a thermal on the way back to camp.
In the afternoon went out into the Little Rann looking for Bimaculated Larks, after going through about 1000+ Short-toed Larks in several flock, eventually found a flock of around 350 Bimacs ! Also seen in the afternoon - male Pallid Harrier, Booted Eagle, 20+ Grey Francolin, 6 Large Grey Babblers, several Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and a Desert Warbler. The day ended with a Cinereous Vulture coming in to roost on the Little Rann and another puncture !

Bimaculated Lark.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.

Cinereous Vulture.

Lagger Falcon.

Macqueen's Bustard.

Short-eared Owl.

Southern Grey Shrike.

Short-toed Lark.

White-eared Bulbul.

2nd February 2010 Patdi and LRK.

The village of Patdi is supposed to be a really good place for photographing waders on the marsh near the village centre, and is indeed covered in waders, but also turds, dead dogs and anything else that can be thrown in there by the locals ! We stopped there briefly, then went to the village tank instead, this was quite good with Greater Thick-Knee, 4 Spot-billed Ducks, 150+ Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and 50+ Avocets as well as a few Greater Flamingo and Temminck's Stints.
The afternoon was spent in the Little Rann Lake area where nothing new was added.
The day ended with yet another puncture on the way back to the camp, birding while the tyre was being changed - Yellow-wattled Lapwings, Rose-coloured Starlings and a Bay-backed Shrike were seen.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.

Greater Thick-Knee.

Rose-coloured Starling.

Spot-billed Ducks.

Yellow-wattled Lapwing.

11th February 2010 Naliya Grasslands.

Full day around Naliya Grasslands in the western end of Kachchh, with Veer, one of the guides from C.E.D.O. The day started with 16 Demoiselle Cranes and a Short-toed Eagle in a roadside field, after this we went into the grasslands proper, driving along various dirt tracks. Although very windy (by Indian standards anyway, by Shetland standards it was just a gentle breeze !), we did manage to see 5 Montagu's Harriers, 2 Pallid Harriers, 12 Black-shouldered Kites, 3 Short-toed Eagle, a White-eyed Buzzard, 15 Griffon Vultures, 150+ Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, 5 Indian Bushlarks, 2 Long-billed Pipits, a Yellow-legged Buttonquail and a Stoliczka's Bushchat, missed Great Indian Bustard, but we didn't really put that mush effort in for them as we had already seen them at Nanaj, in Maharashtra in 2007.
In a nearby partially dried up river bed we went looking for Eagle Owl, but due to the wind, there was no sign, however we did get Shaheen, 2 Citrine Wagtails, a Paddyfield Warbler and 3 Bluethroats.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.

Demoiselle Cranes.

Grey Francolin.

Indian Bushlark.

Long-billed Pipit.

Short-toed Eagle.

Drinking Larks.

Yellow-wattled Lapwing.

Bluethroat.

Paddyfield Warbler.

Shaheen.

About Me

Sometimes I try to do things but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to, and I get real frustrated and then like I try hard to do it, and I like, take my time but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to. It's like, I concentrate on it real hard, but it just doesn't work out. And everything I do and everything I try, it never turns out. It's like, I need time to figure these things out, but there's always someone there going “hey Steve, you know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately, you know? You need to maybe get away. And like, maybe you should talk about it, you'll feel a lot better.” And I'm all like “oh, nah, it's ok, you know. I'll figure it out. Just leave me alone, I'll figure it out, you know? I'm just working on it by myself.” And they go “well, you know, if you wanna talk about it, I'll be here, you know? And you'll probably feel a lot better if you talk about it. So why don't you talk about it?” I go “no, I don't want to! I'm ok. I'll figure it out myself!” But they just keep bugging me, they just keep bugging me, and it builds up inside.I was in my house and I was just like staring at the walls thinking about everything, but then again I was thinking about nothing. And then my wife came in, and I didn't even know she was there. She called my name and I didn't hear her and then she started screaming “Steve, Steve !” And I go “what ? What's the matter ?” She goes “what's the matter with you?” I go “there's nothing wrong” She’s all “don't tell me that ! You're on drugs !” I go “FFS, I'm not on drugs. I'm ok, I'm just thinking, you know? Why don't you get me a Pepsi?” She goes “No! You're on drugs!” I go “I'm ok. I'm just thinking.” She goes “No! You're not thinking, you're on drugs! Normal people don't be acting that way!” I go “just get me a Pepsi ! Please, all I want is a Pepsi !” And she wouldn't give it to me! All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me! Just a Pepsi !I'm sitting in my house, when a couple of my mates came in. they pulled up a chair and they sat down. They go “Steve, we need to talk to you.” And I go “ok, what's the matter?” They go “we've noticed that lately you've been having a lot of problems, and you've been going off on one for no reason, and we're afraid you're going to hurt somebody, and we're afraid you're going to hurt yourself. So we decided that it would be in your best interest if we put you somewhere where you could get the help that you need.” And I go “wait, what are you talking about, WE decided ? MY best interests ? How do you know what MY best interest is ? How can you say what MY best interest is ? What are you trying to say? I'm crazy ? They say they're gonna fix my brain. Alleviate my suffering and my pain. But by the time they fix my head, Mentally I'll be dead. They stuck me in an institution, said it was the only solution, to give me the needed professional help, to protect me from the enemy, myself !
Doesn't matter, I'll probably get hit by a car anyways !!!!