Eurasian Hobby

Surat Singhji Poonia has forwarded this photograph of Eurasian Hobby which he photographed today at Tal Chhapar.

Rufous-breasted and Black-throated Accentors (Morni Hills)

Black-throated Accentor from Morni Hills in Jan 2007 by me. Not abundant, but not uncommon. A winter visitor to the Morni Hills.

Rofous-breasted Accentor was also seen by me in Morni Hills in Jan 2007. Both these species were seen together.

Python snake killed by ignorant men (photo by Parbhat Bhatti)

Parbhat Bhatti has posted this image on birds-chandigarh google group today. This beautiful harmless creature was killed by villagers out of ignorance, today.

Yellow-eyed Pigeons (120+) from Tal Chhapar by S.S. Poonia ji.

It appears that both birds are Isabelline Wheatear.

Mr. S. S. Poonia's photograph - he says there are at least 124 Yellow-eyed Pigeons at Tal Chhapar on 21 Oct 09.

Northern Wheatear (?) by Nikhil Devasar from Tal Chhapar today

Nikhil Devasar records another milestone from Tal Chhapar, Churu, Rajasthan today. A Northern Wheatear (ID not clear, though?). A rare bird in our region. And possibly a first for Tal Chhapar.
Photo by Nikhil Devasar.

It may be a Isabelline Wheatear. ID still not clear, a photo showing the back may be helpful.

Horned Lark in Chandigarh region (Morni Hills) by Narbir Kahlon

This Horned Lark was sighted and photographed by Narbir Kahlon on 15 Oct 09 at Morni Hills, Haryana (near Chandigarh). I do not remember anyone else having record it earlier in Haryana or Morni or Chandigarh. Congrats, Narbir.

Bird images by Surat Singh Poonia from Tal Chhapar

Some of the bird images sent by Surat Singh Poonia, Tal Chhapar, Churu, Rajasthan today. Long-billed Pipit (not sure, though), Oriental Turtle Dove, and some of the 54 Yellow-eyed Pigeons.

Shaheen Falcon (Peregrine) by Narbir Kahlon

This is Shaneen Falcon, seen and photographed near Berwala Bird Safari, Morni Hills, Chandigarh on 10 Oct 09, by Narbir Kahlon in the company of Navjit Singh. Looked like an Oriental Hobby also, but experts identified it as a resident species of Peregrine Falcon known as Shaheen Falcon. I do not remember anyone else having seen or reported it from Chandigarh area in the last 10 years, at least.

Congrats, Narbir.

The miracle birdwatcher - Mr. Surat Singh Poonia

This Range Officer of Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary, Churu, Rajasthan has shown us Great Indian Bustard, White-browed Bushchats, Yellow-eyed Pigeons (all globally threatened birds) and Caspian Plover (a first from Rajasthan). And all within a short span of 2 months.

We birders at birds-chandigarh google group congratulate him.

Yellow-eyed Pigeon by Mr S.S. Poonia from Rajasthan

Mr. Surat Singh Poonia, Range Officer, Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary has sent this photo of a Yellow-eyed Pigeon Columbia eversmanni from the sanctuary, spotted and taken this morning (8th Oct 09).

This is a 'vulnerable species'.

9th Oct 09 : Mr S.S. Poonia rang up to tell me that there were 13 of them in the morning of 9th Oct 09.

150+ Ferruginous Pochards arrive at Sukhna, Chandigarh

Wintering ducks have arrived at the Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh.

On 7 Oct 09, Navjit and I visited the lake and were delighted to count 150+ Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca (a near-threatened bird)

Regards
Narbir Kahlon

This seems to the highest number of Ferruginous Pochards in our region. I have never seen more than 20 at one place - Suresh C Sharma.

White-rumped Vultures from Punjab by Mr. S.S. Bajwa

On 4th August 09, a new born male buffalo-calf died next to my farm near Pathankot town in Punjab. Believing it should be free from any harmful substance which might effect the gyps vultures as the calf was from a reliable cattle keeper, I got it placed at a site which was often visited by the birds. I observed that the first day the Egyptian vultures visited the carcass and on the second day the White-rumped Vultures numbering about 50 visited the site.

These two photos were taken on 4th Aug 09.

Regards,

S.S. Bajwa