Fixed up with Damini, Savitha, Shalini.
Most of the group at the start. Savitha, Joshika, Tanuja, Jay. Anjali, Damini, Shalini Lakshmi and Dinesh joined later.
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Announcement in Mysore Nature FB group:
Those interested please join for the 14, Sunday, nature walk. 6.30 hrs to 10.00 hrs. Please cover yourselves well, the heat is quite intense. Bring enough potable water and snacks. A cap is a must.
More details please contact, 9480566516
Meeting point (part of the Mysore Bird Atlas)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/J1f9CQsFQZDVkcp37 https://www.google.com/maps/place/12%C2%B022'54.8%22N+76%C2%B036'09.1%22E/@12.381886,76.6025155,17z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d12.381886!4d76.6025155?entry=ttu
Time, 6.30am (We left CA at 3am, and Pride Springfield, in Damini's car, at 3.30am. took the Mysore expressway. Coffee break on the way, and a biobreak at a petrol pump and reached well in time.)
Naguvanahalli Blue-tailed Bee-eater Sanctuary:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw3KyP3UWnHCB2rDA This is a narrow road, more like a path, but comes to a kind of graveyard, with beautiful shady trees. Very scenic.
I think we used to approach along this road earlier:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XBWAyEX3ixxyoeTo8 Or on the opposit side, here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4c8QLgAppqgqvVER8 ******************
The combination of the heat, my chest infection, knee pain and lack of sleep combined to kill me off from about 9am till about lunch time, but managed to take the others to Naguvanahalli.
Note to eBirders WA group:
A magical day. *Sunday, 14 April)Damini, Savitha, Shalini and I went to join Tanuja for the Mysore Nature Walk at Srirangapatna. On the way back we decided to stop at Naguvanahalli. Simply amazing birding at both places. Srirangapatna:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S168501794 (59 sp, including the Mottled Wood Owl baby being mobbed by crows as it could only hop and not fly) Naguvanahalli:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S168534067 (42 sp...including a Forest Wagtail). A great way to begin the Tamizh New Year!
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Everyone brought some food and we had a feast of breakfast after the feast of birds at Srirangapatna. For lunch we stopped at Maharaja Grand, Mandya, location
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vsw42LBRhyx26hJF7 (Bill for 4, veg, Rs 800 inc tip. Good food and service, a/c welcome in the heat
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eBird: Srirangapatna:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S168501794 (59 sp)
Naguvanahalli:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S168501794 (42 sp) (shared with pinkoriole, savi1974, shalini_ukunge)
Trip report:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/221753 (72 sp overall)
iNat:
Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/86494503@N00/albums/72177720316207896/ (61 photos)
FB:
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Eyes of the parent Mottled Wood Owl
We found one adult on a Neem tree. After I returned to the car, feeling unwell, I found this fledgling Owl hopping on the ground, being mobbed by crows.
The little one slowly hopped into the low branch of another tree, and the crows contined to pester it. But the other parent flew in and scattered the crows.
We all gathered for breakfast, so we don't know how things turned out for the fledgling.
Naguvanahalli was magical too. Our approach was through a narrow road, almost just a path. A well shaded area with the stream running by, and a few graves.
The Blue-tailed Bee-eaters were there in large numbers
I also got this little spider
We saw a large flock of Grey Wagtails
The place was very beautiful and in the shade we did not feel the heat at all
At lunch at Maharaja Grand, Mandya, I clicked this upside-down pineapple coffee cup
Little realizing that upside down pineapples had
a different symbolism Came back home clicking interesting signs on the way
Autorickshaw drivers often seem to be bitter, disappointed lovers
"I love/hate my gf, preethsudre preeyadi sigOdu/ kaNNeeruu matthu/ mareyalAgada nenapugaLu/ nonda manasu (what one gets for free in love is tears and unforgettable memories in a sad mind")
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Video:
0027 Processional Ants:
https://youtu.be/ESyc-UQwWIA?si=ulOiM1e8WPZ93I39 Click to view
0054 Baby Mottled Wood Owl on the ground:
https://youtu.be/i90XQw4L3PU?si=H74Aee2YA8uvpjb9 Click to view
Vidya Raj went to Naguvanahalli on seeing my post about the Forest Wagtail and got this excellent video of the bird:
https://www.facebook.com/vidya.raj.5055/videos/413884711382940?idorvanity=22231314348