Some winged treasures of Uttarakhand

After a post on the Malabar Whistling Thrush (whose song I frequently remember, with what can only be called longing) I had written:

I told you I am on the verge of bird mania.  Now all I need is a good pair of binoculars and a holiday in the jungle with AEF. :)

And this holiday fulfilled this wish (and fuelled more wishes, but that's for later.)  Such a pleasure walking with AEF (Avian-encyclopedia friend) in the jungle looking at birds!

And birds are such delightful creatures.  Each time I come back from a spate of birdwatching, it hits me all over again.

But birdwatching is one thing, and bird-photographing is quite another. 

Some amateurish efforts, mainly an attempt to document all this for myself.



White-capped red starter



Green barbet



Red-vented bulbul



Bee-eater.  Notice the tail in the tail.



Sunbird.  We saw purple sunbirds too.
Utterly beautiful, flighty creature.
Actually shines in the sun.



Green barbet on a peepul tree.
There were no leaves on this trees. 
Just loads of figs, and so
there were lots of birds.



Not quite sure which one this is.
But it had just taken flight.



The jungle babbler, probably?



Coucal (Kembhoota in Kannada)
These two were making such a ruckus!




Neelkanth



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These little bee-eaters
were bathing in the mud!

We saw several other birds that I couldn't capture on camera - coppersmiths, lapwings, scores of peacocks, tree pies (beautiful birds with long tails - couldn't catch any on camera), parakeets, water hens, grey hornbills, wagtails, kingfishers.... such a treat.

Also see: Trees of Uttarakhand
                Flowers of Uttarakhand