Shetland Misfit: Orange-headed Thrush

Showing posts with label Orange-headed Thrush. Show all posts

Monday, 1 December 2014

Thrushes

Back inside Bharatpur again and still looking for the more elusive species. First stop was the nursery for some Thrushes, a good plan that went awry when I flushed two Dusky Eagle Owls from a nearby Kadam tree but, despite best efforts, I couldn't get anywhere near them without re-flushing them. But, back to Thrushes and a bit of a wait until Tickell's Thrush gave itself up by a leaking water pipe closely followed by an Orange-headed Thrush and another Tickell's.

Next up was Siberian Rubythroat, one had been spending much of it's time in a gully by the checkpost but was really elusive, I was going to give a bit of time to this but there was no need as it showed itself after a few minutes (speaking to another birder later who had spent 4 hours there and still hadn't seen it !), plus the added bonus of a roosting Collared Scops' Owl in the same area.

It was now time to head for the Temple tea stall, not for anything in particular, I was just running low on water. I couldn't resist a few shots of a very showy Red-breasted Flycatcher on the way. Water bought and tea drank and time to check the drainage channel for the unlikely chance of a Bittern or two and bingo.... juv Black Bittern about 10 feet away.

And that was the day over, with the addition of a few jaunts into the Acacia scrub and more open areas (mainly for photos of Indian Jackal).

Black Bittern

Bank Myna

Indian Jackal

Orange-headed Thrush

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Red Avadavat

Siberian Rubythroat

Tickell's Thrush

White-eared Bulbul

Friday, 24 February 2012

Back on the Grid

Just spent the last 4 days at Masinagudi, without t'internet, so here's a rather big summary of the past 4 days.
20/2/12
Left Bangalore early morning and stopped off at a town called Ramanagara, not on any published birding trip reports, but the site of a silk processing area, and so thick with Black and Brahiminy Kites (about 200 of each !).

Black Kite

Brahiminy Kite

A quick walk around to the river at Masinagudi in the evening, and quite a selection of stuff - 1 Greater Spotted Eagle, 1 Buzzard, 9 Woolly-necked Storks, 2 Pied Kingfisher, 1 White-browed Bulbul, 4 Crested Tree-swifts, 6 Palm Swift, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Pintail Snipe and 20 Chittal.

Chittal

Purple Sunbird

Greater Spotted Eagle

White-browed Bulbul.

21/2/12 Masinagudi
Another walk along the river and this time - 1 Thick-billed Warbler, several Malabar Parakeets, 3 Yellow-eyed Babbler, 2 Indian Scimitar Babbler, 2 Rufous-bellied Nuthatch, 1 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, several White-bellied Drongo and a Grey Mongoose.

White-bellied Drongo

22/2/12 Masinagudi
All day in the forest today, and at last a fruiting fig tree, birds everywhere. Summary of the day - 1 Oriental Honey Buzzard, 2 Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, 24 Malabar Parakeet, 20 Crested Tree-swifts, 30 Indian Swiftlets, 1 Rufous-bellied Nuthatch, 2 Indian Scimitar Babbler, 2 Blue-faced Malkoha, 1 Taiga Flycatcher, 6 Malabar Grey Hornbill, 1 Great Hornbill, 1 Grey Junglefowl, 1 Red Spurfowl, 1 Orange-headed Thrush, 1 Lesser Yellownape, 1 Orange-breasted Green Pigeon. Mammals seen were 1 Indian Grey Mongoose, 4 Malabar Giant Squirrel and 20+ Guar.

Blue-faced Malkoha

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Malabar Giant Squirrel

Orange-headed Thrush

22/2/12 Masinagudi
Just the morning in the forest today - but scored the mega ! 2 White-bellied Woodpeckers. Other stuff included - 3 Black-rumped Flameback, 3 Oriental Honey Buzzard, 1 Lesser Yellownape, 1 Streak-throated Woodpecker, 1 Blue-face Malkoha, 1 Orange-headed Thrush, 2 Malabar Grey Hornbill and a Black-naped Monach.

White-bellied Woodpecker

Streak-throated Woodpecker

White-browed Fantail

Malabar Whistling Thrush

Bonnet Macaque

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Hanuman Langur

Friday, 17 February 2012

Nandi Hills

All day around the Nandi Hills just north of Bangalore, mainly for Yellow-throated Bulbul.
The day started in fine style with a Red-necked Falcon being mobbed by Jungle Crows at the base of the hills. The main target was got by curve 36 on the way down from the top, unfortunately I didn't manage any photos as the road was now full of tuk-tuks, taxis and buses, flushing everything in sight. Despite all the disturbance at this site, managed to see the following - 6 Brown-headed Barbets, 1 Alpine Swift, 2 Black-shouldered Kites, 1 Red-necked Falcon, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 2 White-bellied Drongo, 2 Paradise Flycatchers, 2 Orange-headed Thrush, 2 Blue-capped Rock Thrush, 1 Red-breasted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow-throated Bulbul, 10 Large-billed Leaf Warbler, 6 Rufous Babbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Olive-backed Pipits and a Puff-throated Babbler.

Orange-headed Thrush

Attack of the killer Bees

The Nandi Hills

The Missus taking a break after looking at scarce Bulbuls

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 !!!!