Munnar
Munnar (dec 015)
Roaming along Madupetty lake a Greybreasted Prinia, a few lovely Pied Bush Chats, a Black Rumped Flameback too impressing, at ground near water later hiding under tea bush. Grey Junglefowl female with 1 young at the undergrowth near the rock, The day before a Muntjac (female) which took to the bushes from the open at afternoon. Madupetty lake is magic. Myriads of flowers blossoming Ipomea, Datura, Indian Canna, a hill Bellflower and high Lemongrass flowering up the hill (Bestandsbildend am Hügel, mannshoch, too much).Whistling Thrushs, Oriols and Bulbuls singing the mornings. At Madupetty lake i discovered high above on tree a Beenest.
Gokarna region (dec 016)
Whitebellied Seaeagles over 3 days, a single sometimes camouflaged by kites in noon thermics, guess keeping territory and checking for appropriate partner at north karnatakean coastal territory (bachelor ?). The hottest and sharpest i ve seen for weeks - total mission... Some Yellow Wattled Lapwings in hills.Pushkar (nov 015)
Lakeside Blackwinged Stilts at Pushkar lake and nice colored Cichlids, which reminded me to Cichlids from the Amazonas region. Seen also at other locations in India but never in Aquariums.The Cichlids got finally spezified as Orange Chromis (Etroplus maculatus) Ind. Buntbarsch, one of the only 3 cichlid species in Asia They got found in tanks in Goa and the Pushkar lake. Also seen at jheels joining the sea at Northgoan Coastlines, brakish waters. Here to the new Special Fish site
Roaming around watched a Sparrow Hawk, returning to village at the lake got attentive on a Watersnake, unpoisen, reminding me to european Wuerfelnattern (natrix), highly specialised on living in water.
A couple Redwattled Lapwings in the fields around the village. Pushkar-Agra bio gallery
Kumaon Koshi, Kausani, Almora, Kathgodam
(oct/nov)
Indian Datura Datura metel found near Kathgodam railway station, and a quite rare rose coloured one. Seen from bus short before Kathgodam a couple Tawny eagles doing their moves at the days first thermics.
Golden Jackals can be sometimes watched from Kausani to Almora and uppar hillridges there. Big snake encounter (1,2m) near unused house near Kausani.
pics in cable pics in cable
Two kind of Praying Mantis, 1st a female with eggs second an unknown grassholm like looking one (end oct 015)
Langures on way downhill at start of cold season, nice fragile flowers and trees starting blossoming and during noon at special places Whiterumped Vultures meeting for the sail togather over Kosi river, once joined by a Red Headed Vulture. pics in cable Spent a magic night close to Gwaldam in the Himalayan Pinewoods i got to hear some tree climbing mammal, a Flying Squirrel, quite big half meter and can cover 100m flying, some more infos here and the Kumaon bio. gallery.
Rishikesh oct 015
Later resting on a treetrunk. Young Agaman (kind of lizards) appeared in morning sun, female Wallcreeper on shorecliffs, Wallcreepers have nice big spots on wings but these can only be seen when flying. Further the Crested Kingfisher from last year who choose his special area, Kormorants, joyfull Dusty Cr. Martins at the broken ghat dunes, Wagtails and nice small biotops with farns in between Ganga shore rocks. little later little later Butterflies along river Ganga, partly meeting for licking on wet shores, further observed a couple of Grey Hornbills crossing Gnaga overhead during sunset.
