Steve Happ Photography Ramblings and dissertations

Mayem Lake

Off to Mayem Lake this morning. Got on the ferry to the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary and went east. I walked around the Lakeview Hotel grounds.

Indian Yellow Tit (Parus aplonotus)

The only new bird was an Indian Yellow Tit.

Purple-rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica)

I could not tell if this was a Purple-rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica) or a Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) but the green patch on the shoulder sold me on the purple-rumped.

Tickel’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae)

I think this bird is going from immature to adult. He is mixed.

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)

Common Tailorbird

After some bread rolls and subhji, I walked along this road near the village.

Grey-fronted Green Pigeon (Treron affinis)

Near Bicholim I found a track into the Namazgah protected archeological site. People had dumped rubbish all over the place. There were hardly any birds but I did find these green pigeons.

Mayem Lake bird list

Purple-rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica)
Tickel’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae)
Indian Yellow Tit (Parus aplonotus)
Grey-fronted Green Pigeon (Treron affinis)
Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
Spotted Dove
Common Iora
Indian Golden Oriole (Oriolus kundoo)
Feral Pigeon
Common Tailorbird
Brahminy Kite
Green Bee-eater

Carambolim Lake Three.

Carambolim Lake, the site that keeps on giving. I went there again this morning. And got two new birds and a couple of birds first seen in India.

Tickel’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae)

This one was relatively easy to identify. The similar ones live way up in the Himalayas, so out of range massively.

Grey-fronted Green Pigeon (Treron affinis)

The only one similar is the orange-bellied and it sure does not have one of them.

Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)

You cannot miss this gaudy show-off. It was cavorting with a Rufous Treepie.

Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)

This one has a red rump, red on the side of the neck and a streaky chest.

White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)

Cannot stop finding this one now. doh!

Dragonfly

Magnificent biplane.

Butterfly

Goa birds list 4

Grey-fronted Green Pigeon (Treron affinis)
Tickel’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae)
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)
Rufous Treepie
Ashy Prinia
House Crow
White-throated Kingfisher
Common Iora
White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)
Spotted Dove
Red-vented Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Brahminy Kite
Indian Robin
Oriental Magpie-robin
Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
Green Bee-eater
White-breasted Waterhen
Rose-ringed Parakeet

Carambolim Lake Redux

Today was a disaster and a triumph. I started off heading to Batim Lake, south of Panjim. I got there, after getting lost a few times, and it was total crap. Just a lake full of nothing but Lotus flowers. doh! So I headed off back to Carambolin to see if I could rescue the morning.

Blue-faced Malkoha (Rhopodytes viridirostris)

I got there, parked the bike and started walking along the verges. I saw this blur in the tree, so I starting shooting. I had no idea what it was. The photo is still crap but it is certainly a Blue-faced Malkoha. woo-hoo. tick tock.

Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons frontalis)

Another stir in a tree and it turns out to be a couple of Golden-fronted Leafbirds. Very nice looking birds and all.

Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons frontalis)

Proudly showing off his catch to me. A delicious grass-hopper. Yum yum, Who is a lucky boy?

White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)

I got a better shot of these today. They were on the wire preening. So I just shot away.

White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)

A better shot than yesterday and it is eating some fruit. win-win.

Purple Heron

Close enough to be relatively decent. Usually they fly off as soon as you get miles away from them. All in all a good day with a crap start.

Goa Birds list 3

Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons frontalis)
Blue-faced Malkoha (Rhopodytes viridirostris)
White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)
White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)
Lesser Whistling Duck
Common Moorhen
Grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus)
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Purple Heron
Bronze-winged Jacana
Oriental Darter
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Ashy Prinia
Black-hooded Oriole
White-browed Wagtail

Carambolim Lake.

I rode my bike to the Carambolim Lake this morning. No chai shops on the way. I was most disappointed. Anyhow, I found the place and the walk around the lake. It has a couple of bird watching towers which were locked. I was mainly interested in the bush birds along the verges.

Vernal Hanging Parrot (Loriculus vernalis)

I could not start my bike when I went to go home. So I had to wait. In the meantime a bunch of Vernal Hanging Parrots turned up on the fig tree just near me. So it was all for a good cause. I found out later that you had to apply the brakes to get the starter motor to work. doh!

White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)

This is not such a great shot but I do not think I have seen one before. But you never know. Nope. Just checked. I thought I may have seen one in South-east Asia.

White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)

Another bird I had not seen before.

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)

Seen plenty of these in South-east Asia.

Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus)

Not seen in India before, but in Sri Lanka.

Bronze-winged Jacana

Lesser Whistling Duck

Goa Bird List 2

Vernal Hanging Parrot (Loriculus vernalis)
White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)
White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)
Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)
Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus)
Indian Golden Oriole
Purple Heron
Indian Pond Heron
Little Cormorant
White-throated Kingfisher
Grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus)
Common Moorhen
Bronze-winged Jacana
Red-wattled Lapwing
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Green Bee-eater
Lesser Whistling Duck
Common Oriole
Brahminy Kite
Indian Robin
Oriental Magpie-robin
Asian Koel
Black Drongo

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

It rained last night so I did not go out in the afternoon. I arranged a boat trip with Uday around the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. I was up at 6am and walked to the ferry to go to the island where the bird sanctuary is. A bike ride and I am half way around the island and hop into the boat.

Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus)

First one seen in India. They sure are ugly critters.

Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus)

Speaking of ugly, this one looks like it has got the mange. Maybe it caught it off a dog.

Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus)

I am seeing a few of these little beauties lately.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

First one seen in India. Heaps of Brahminy Kites as per usual.

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

I was very excited to photograph this bird. I am sick of the sight of White-throated Kingfishers. I have seen millions of them all over India.

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis taprobana)

Very beautiful looking bird. This one is race taprobana I think because of the bluer back colouring.

Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)

Meet Mister Muddy.

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

These and a few Common Greenshanks, as well as a Marsh Sandpiper. Also Common Sandpipers which are actually quite common.

Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)

Nice looking bird. I think I have seen them before at Point Calimere in Tamil Nadu.

Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

A decent shot of these birds at last.

House Crow

A crow’s nest. ha ha. Ahoy me hearties! Yo ho ho and bottle of rum. aarrrr.

Man vs Fish

Supposed to be a red snapper but I have no idea. They call anything a snapper.

Goa bird list 1

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus)
Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)
Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis taprobana)
Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus)
Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus)
Rosy Starling
Oriental Magpie-robin
Long-tailed Shrike
Spotted Dove
Ashy Prinia
India Pea-fowl
Brahminy Kite
Black Kite
Intermediate Egret
Lesser Whistling Duck
Common Greenshank
Common Redshank
Common Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
Grey Heron
Purple Heron