Latest news with #Indianpitta
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Chirps & clicks: Gurgaon birders spot feathered friends
Gurgaon's birding community is out and about, with cameras in hand and eyes on the greens. Sarus cranes in the fields, pittas mid-flight and paradise flycatchers that live up to their name – here's a look at summer through the lens of the city's avid birdwatchers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Summer breeding birds like Indian paradise flycatcher spotted at Bhondsi Nature Park (Pic: Mohit Mehta/ @indian_pitta on X) 'Nesting birds can be spotted during the summer months' About the birds that can be easily spotted during summer months, birder and avian photographer Mohit Mehta says, 'Indian pitta and Indian paradise flycatchers are summer-breeding birds which come to Bhondsi Nature Park for nesting. The male flycatchers have a long tail, making them beautiful to photograph. Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse camouflage themselves in agricultural fields and Jhanjhrola grassland is the best place to spot them. The tallest flying cranes – sarus crane – breed in Gurgaon and can be spotted in Chandu Budhera. It is also a good time to spot resident birds like the red avadavat.' Yellow-crowned woodpecker, a resident bird, can be spotted at Bhondsi Nature Park, Sultanpur National Park and Sakatpur; Sarus cranes are seen at Chandu Budhera (Pics: @indian_pitta on X) Nineteen-year-old birder Gurnoor Dhillon, who hosts bird walks in Gurgaon, says, 'The black-headed cuckooshrike's singing in the Aravalli region is a treat for bird enthusiasts. Three bee-eater species also arrive in NCR. The blue-tailed bee-eater are commonly spotted in Bhondsi and Mangar (Faridabad). The blue-cheeked bee-eater is seen along the water bodies like Najafgarh Jheel, Chandu, Surajpur. Jungle prinias start calling in summer and can be seen in Gurgaon's green belts. ' Indian golden oriole, Crested bunting, cuckoo shrike can be spotted these days (Pics: Gurnoor Dhillon) 'Birders should wear a cap and opt for light clothes to stay safe from the heat' Summer is a great time for birdwatching, but birders should take precautions to stay safe from the heat, says Pankaj Gupta, who is leading the Delhi Bird Atlas initiative. He says, 'Many resident birds are breeding now, and they look their best with bright and colourful feathers. Some summer visitors like the Indian paradise flycatcher, golden oriole and Indian pitta also arrive to breed. They are very beautiful and a photographers' muse. But, in order to remain safe from the heat, birders should wear a cap, opt for light clothes and stay hydrated.' Birder Ramveer recommends early morning birding, given the heat (Pics: @ramveer4019) Birding spots in Gurgaon Bhondsi Nature Park Chandu Budhera Aravalli Biodiversity Park Basai Wetland Damdama Lake Sultanpur National Park Sakatpur Birds spotted by Aaran Sharma
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Birding activity off to a start as abundance of pre-monsoon rain draws winged varieties
1 2 3 Pune: Birding activity has kicked off in and around the city owing to abundance of pre-monsoon showers in May. Birders have started visiting birding hotspots like Vetal Tekdi and Pashan Lake to see heightened activity of migrants and endemic species. The onset of rain brings abundant food for birds, and nesting activity also takes off, they said. Aniruddha Joshi, who runs a chemical engineering business and is also an active birder, said, "There is quite a bit of birding activity at Vetal Tekdi. Birds like common hawk cuckoo, grey-bellied cuckoo, and fork-tailed drongo have been seen in and around Pune. These birds come for nesting and breeding from Southern India and have come two weeks early due to the rain." Gaurav Shelar, who runs Shelar Farm Birding Point at Sanswad, said that birding activity has started in his area. "I have spotted crested bunting, and local red-vented bulbul has already started nesting. We usually see vernal hanging parrot and white-bellied minivet by July-August, but we expect to see them by end of June this year," he said. Nachiket Likhite, an active birder and photographer, said that early monsoon seem to have helped birding activity. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Start Farming with Samruddhi Managed Farmlands Hosachiguru Book Now Undo "Painted francolin and grey-bellied cuckoo are typically seen in June-July, but birders have already started sighting them in May. Easy availability of food is also one reason why birding activity has started early," said Likhite. Ranjeet Rane, a birding enthusiast, said that the common hawk cuckoo and Indian pitta, a colourful seasonal migrant, have already been seen in and around Pune. "Birds are sensitive to changing weather patterns. Some of them, like the common hawk cuckoo, signal incoming rain. We heard them in March," said Rane. Vetal Tekdi, Kumbargaon, Pashan Lake, and the city's hill ecosystem are some of the places where birding activity picks up in and around Pune. Birds that have started to be sighted more often from May-June transition period, coupled with rain, include species of songbirds like grey-bellied cuckoo, fork-tailed drongo cuckoo, and common hawk cuckoo. "Indian black birds, vernal hanging parrots, crested buntings, and striolated buntings also make an appearance in the rain. Some birds of prey start to appear more often, such as black eagle, red-necked falcon, and the tawny eagle. All these birds come to the city after rain in hope of exploiting more resources for feeding opportunities and breeding," said Shamik Sathe, a birding enthusiast. Pic courtesy: Aniruddha Joshi Pune: Birding activity has kicked off in and around the city owing to abundance of pre-monsoon showers in May. Birders have started visiting birding hotspots like Vetal Tekdi and Pashan Lake to see heightened activity of migrants and endemic species. The onset of rain brings abundant food for birds, and nesting activity also takes off, they said. Aniruddha Joshi, who runs a chemical engineering business and is also an active birder, said, "There is quite a bit of birding activity at Vetal Tekdi. Birds like common hawk cuckoo, grey-bellied cuckoo, and fork-tailed drongo have been seen in and around Pune. These birds come for nesting and breeding from Southern India and have come two weeks early due to the rain." Gaurav Shelar, who runs Shelar Farm Birding Point at Sanswad, said that birding activity has started in his area. "I have spotted crested bunting, and local red-vented bulbul has already started nesting. We usually see vernal hanging parrot and white-bellied minivet by July-August, but we expect to see them by end of June this year," he said. Nachiket Likhite, an active birder and photographer, said that early monsoon seem to have helped birding activity. "Painted francolin and grey-bellied cuckoo are typically seen in June-July, but birders have already started sighting them in May. Easy availability of food is also one reason why birding activity has started early," said Likhite. Ranjeet Rane, a birding enthusiast, said that the common hawk cuckoo and Indian pitta, a colourful seasonal migrant, have already been seen in and around Pune. "Birds are sensitive to changing weather patterns. Some of them, like the common hawk cuckoo, signal incoming rain. We heard them in March," said Rane. Vetal Tekdi, Kumbargaon, Pashan Lake, and the city's hill ecosystem are some of the places where birding activity picks up in and around Pune. Birds that have started to be sighted more often from May-June transition period, coupled with rain, include species of songbirds like grey-bellied cuckoo, fork-tailed drongo cuckoo, and common hawk cuckoo. "Indian black birds, vernal hanging parrots, crested buntings, and striolated buntings also make an appearance in the rain. Some birds of prey start to appear more often, such as black eagle, red-necked falcon, and the tawny eagle. All these birds come to the city after rain in hope of exploiting more resources for feeding opportunities and breeding," said Shamik Sathe, a birding enthusiast.
