It was a delightful suprise to this clicker

when DnA asked me if they could take KTB (Kavya-the-Biddles) birding to Valley School…so off we went this morning! At the age of 1 year and 2 months, she is definitely the youngest birdwatcher I know.

Here’s the family, all ready to start birding:

We were, quite literally, up with the lark…at least, this

JERDON’S BUSHLARK:

We were soon joined by the Valley School dog (there were 3, actually) Our sightings started on a high note when we saw this ORIENTAL HONEY BUZZARD atop a tree: Then I pointed out the LAUGHING DOVE and the ASHY PRINIA sitting on the same tin roof! A SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA was obviously engaged in home construction: DnA enjoyed seeing the "clown" red cheek patches of the RED-WHISKERED BULBUL: they all listened to the ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN singing: They didn't know that the WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER ate insects as well as fish: My daughter spotted the BLUE-FACED MALKOHA ahead of everyone: KM, meanwhile, looked at the WHITE-BROWED BULBUL: It was lovely to see this COPPERSMITH BARBET visiting its nest, without any fear of us! These juvenile GREEN BEE-EATERS made a lovely picture against the blue sky: At the pond area, we watched the resident TICKELL'S BLUE FLYCATCHER singing so beautifully: There was a FANTAIL FLYCATCHER too, but I couldn't get a photograph! At the far edge of the pond, I saw these COMMON MOORHENS: It was fun to watch people going single file across the pond bund: Though KTB was generally well-behaved, there were episodes of "Carry me! I won't walk any more!" (Sometimes, on long birding trips, I also feel like doing the same!) DnA enjoyed clicking each other as much as their surroundings: I caught some of the butterflies around, alas, not all of them! Here's a WHITE-YELLOW TIP: This dragonfly's a SCARLET MARSH HAWK: and a TAWNY COSTER: I pointed out the copper pods that give the COPPER-POD SHIELD-BEARER TREE its name: KTB, of course, also enjoyed the antics of this puppy.... and, even more, the antics of this baby MACAQUE:

So, though the need for KTB’s breakfast, and the increasing heat, cut our birding trip short, it was a most enjoyable one, and here are DnAnK, posing for us….

Three cheers for the youngest birder I know!

Bird List:

Babbler, Yellow-billed Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, White-cheeked Bee-Eater, Small Green Bulbul,Red-vented Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bushchat,Pied Bushlark, Indian Buzzard, Oriental Honey Coucal,Larger Crow,House Crow,Jungle Egret,Cattle Fantail, White-browed Flowerpecker, Pale-billed Flycatcher, Asian Paradise (Rufous male) Kingfisher, White-throated Kite,Black Koel,Asian Malkoha, Blue-faced Moorhen, Common Munia, Scaly-breasted Mynah, Common Mynah,Jungle Parakeet, Rose-ringed Pigeon, Blue Rock Prinia, Ashy Robin,Indian Robin,Oriental Magpie Sparrow,House Sunbird, Purple Sunbird, Purple-rumped Swallow,Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swift,Common Tailorbird, Common

Not bad for less than 2 hours!

KTB id’d EVERY bird correctly… whenever she saw a bird, she said “bubbuh”, which means bird, and you can’t get more correct than that!