Bird Watch Update

Here's the latest update from birder Madhurima, a South City resident who has been maintaining a weekly record of birds sighted at the lake. Lots of "purple" birds!

On Saturday, 23rd July, there was a flock of at least 8 little cormorants. 2 very brownish little cormorants were present, which are probably juveniles. Other than that, all usual suspects were present. One waterhen couple seems to have made a nest. they were seen hanging out together, near the L&T gate, on both days

On Sunday, the little cormorants had left. Other birds were all present. I witnessed a case of probable child abuse by a purple swamphen which tried to crush its chick under its weight for 10 minutes. However, the chick seemed uninjured after the ordeal.

The lapwing couple was present on both days, but there was no chick with them. Maybe they couldn't protect the chick this time.

Regards,

Madhurima

Bronze-winged Jacana

Little Cormorants

The lake

Little Cormorants

Purple-rumped Sunbird Female

Purple-rumped Sunbird Male

Purple Heron

Scaly-breasted Munia

Terapin

White-browed Wagtail

White-breasted Waterhen

Purple Swamphen

Purple Swamphens

A thank you note received

We don't normally forward mails from visitors to the lake but this one we couldn't resist - not so much for the text but for the exquisite photos sent. The insipid Pond Heron on which we don't spare a second look appears like a painting. The Scaly-breasted Munia is sparrow sized but the photo clearly indicates how it got its name. 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chandra Rampuria
Date: Sat, Jul 11, 2015 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Thank you note !
To: puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com

I am a resident of Elita Promenade and recently happened to visit the Puttenhalli Lake.

Must say it was really a very pleasant surprise for me to see such a well maintained lake in the midst of a bustling neighbourhood. 

Full credit to the trustees for creating an environment where birds and insects can not only survive but also thrive.

It is indeed a creditworthy work by all of you and I would like to express my gratitude by sharing some of the pictures of the birds that I was able to click during my visits.

Best regards

Chandra Kumar Rampuria

Indian Pond Heron

Kingfisher

Scaly-breasted Munia

Sunbird

Bird update at Puttenahalli Lake

Here's Madhurima's note and pix of the birds she spotted today morning at Puttenahalli Lake. Would you like to join her on a weekend? Reply to puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com. Depending on the number of people interested, we can arrange for a bird watch.   

Lots of good news. When I walked into the lake premises today, I saw a pair of what I think are Black-winged Stilts flying out. Then I saw 2 Purple Herons, followed by a flock of 12 Scaly-breasted Munia and then the Oriental White-eye showed up with the missus. And that was not all, after coming home and zooming into the photos of some Little Grebes that I had taken, I realized that they weren't Little Grebes at all. They were baby Coots. The Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are still here. Hopefully we will have some Jacana chicks soon.

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