MURDESHWAR DIARIES: AUG'14 - Part IV

BLACK RUMPED FLAMEBACK WOODPECKER

Remember Paulo Coelho's famous lines from the book The Alchemist - "And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it". These lines sum up the story behind the two pictures posted below.

Black Rumped Flameback Woodpeckers (Wiki Link) are perhaps, one of the most colorful amongst the common birds of the Western Ghats. The ochre back with dark black borders, white underparts and that adorable and distinct red crown makes them such a pleasure to watch. I would spot them commonly while we lived in Goa, especially in the hinterland. One such spotting was at Goa Velha in May 2013 while I was staying at Bhabi's place (Link). The best way to see them is to wait for that peculiar 'rattling-whinnying' call that they make.

That precisely is how I spotted this individual, which I presume is a male from its colors. I was busy clicking the Little Cormorant when woodpecker calls caught my attention. While I could see the bird on a coconut tree, it was too far to get a good shot; far, even for the 50X optical zoom of my Cannon SX50HS. As I stood there watching it, I was praying that it would somehow come closer so that I could get a decent click. Surprisingly, the bird flew off and after its characteristic undulating flight, landed on the coconut tree just few meters away from where I was standing. As the woodpecker hopped on the trunk of the tree, I got a couple of shots. Though I could not get a head shot, I still like the angle in the pictures. Within a matter of seconds though, it hid inside the leaves and I could not track it any further.

This is the last post in the series about my birding in Murdeshwar this August. For previous posts, please click on the link below. Besides, do share your comments and feedback!

Other posts in this series: 
Murdeshwar Diaries: Aug'14 - Part I - Part IV (Link)

BIRDS AT GOA VELHA

GOA DIARIES: BIRDING AT BHABI'S PLACE - PART 1

I got up early in the morning on the second day and was surprised to see that Bhabi's parents were already awake. The plan for the second day was to meet my friends from Mushtifund school. After having morning tea, I headed off to the balcony on the top floor to click some birds. Though I did sight the Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense) several times, I just couldn't get the right shot. Nonetheless, watching a group of three hoping on a tall coconut tree in a spiral manner from the top to the bottom was funny and at the same time, equally frustrating as I just couldn't get a good image. Like the woodpeckers, the Red Whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus) are common here and I found this one, hunting for insects on a small Ashoka tree. I clicked a Black Kite (Milvus migrans) as it descended from a nearby tower on to a palm tree. And finally, I spotted a Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) perched on a leafless tree at the very edge of the bhatt. It flew away as I came closer but I tracked it at a distance. Over the next few days, I was really lucky to spot this bird several times. Even Bhabi's dad was elated at seeing the pictures of this glorious bird of prey that seems to regularly visit his compound.

Black-rumped Flameback

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Black Kite

Jungle Owlet

For more on the Goa trip:
(1) An Evening in Vagator - Part 2 (Link)
(2) Life is a Beach (Link)
(3) More Birds at Goa Velha (Link)