I decided to go bird hunting one afternoon with my cousin. Trivandrum has a number of bird and wildlife sanctuaries, and sometimes you can even spot several attractive birds in urban areas. We decided to walk through an old, dried up canal that was covered with dense bushes. Well, we did spot a number of birds, but not all were photographed.
These are a species of Bee-Eaters. I guess they get their name because of their diet- bees and other flying insects. There were many of them resting on the electricity cables along the path, but the moment I lifted my camera to shoot, they would fly off. Hence, I managed just a few shots. Sometimes there would be a group of 4 to 5 individuals sitting together, but I didn't manage to photograph them.
Another bird we spotted was the Shikra.
This bird is a bird of prey, and is a relative of eagles and kites. These are generally feared by chicken-rearing people in India (like my mom) as they can snatch chicks swiftly and quickly. But its definitely a very beautiful bird.
Many other birds like several waterbirds, parrots and sunbirds were spotted but unfortunately couldn't be photographed. But I guess this was a fairly good hunt for a newbie birder like me!
4 comments:
I believe those bee-eaters are Green Bee-eaters. I've seen them, and Shikras in Thailand. Shikras are also common in parts of Africa.
Do you have a field guide?
Hi John,
perhaps they are indeed Green Bee-eaters, since they have a lot of visible green on their body. Thanks for the information too. I don't have a field guide, I identify these birds in general by either asking someone who knows or searching them up on the internet.
I love the bee-eaters, they're so pretty! And what a site to behold with the bird of prey too :)
Thanks Adrielle!!!
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