Bannerghata zoo area with Chandu, and David Frye, 120414

April 17, 2014

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David Frye (seen here, posing with all the wildlife on sale at the Zoo) is a birder from Detroit, and the previous week we had taken him to Hoskote Lake. We had a good time, too!

In the zoo, we hunted for this GREAT PIED HORNBILL all over the cage, and finally found him right next to us, huddling in the corner of the cage (not distressed at all!) and looking at us with a beady eye. DSC02072 We saw a JUNGLE MYNA trying, literally, to feather its nest: DSC02073 This TICKELL'S BLUE FLYCATCHER deighted us: DSC02071 The GULMOHAR or the MAYFLOWER had started blooming: DSC02069 The flowers of the RAIN TREE looked lovely, too. DSC02066 The Kingfisher Pond (I was very happy to hear the guard in charge of boating call it by this name, and say, "A naturalist has named it!") looked green and peaceful: DSC02065 Here's David, documenting something: DSC02061 I couldn't id this tree: DSC02060 the QUEEN'S FLOWER is another tree in full bloom everywhere now: DSC02033 A GARDEN LIZARD displayed its scales: DSC02053 Chandu and David walk down Flycatcher Avenue: DSC02051 See the beauty of Flycatcher Avenue: DSC02050 This is the only SMS I could get of the GREY-BELLIED CUCKOO: DSC02045 This PALE-BILLED FLOWERPECKER DSC02036 looked quite greedy as it took a whole Singapore Cherry in its mouth (but it only sucked at the juice and threw the fruit down.) DSC02032 this PADDYFIELD PIPIT foraged along the path to the Quarry Pond area: DSC02030 perky little bird: DSC02039 the RED-WATTLED LAPWING made its characteristic "Didyoudoit?" call: DSC02027 It was lovely to see the Champaka Dhama temple on top of the sheet rock, from the orchard area: DSC02019 a PENINSULAR ROCK AGAMA (male) showed its breeding colours: DSC02015 This is a very non-green "green" photograph, of broken glass litter left behind by visitors: DSC02013 Some of the animals on sale were very realistic! DSC02035 We saw these two, with a net and a cage, and we hope they wer e not going to catch butterflies, because that is illegal: DSC02034 Everywhere, the DARK BLUE TIGERs were flitting around, on their annual migration: DSC02006 </lj-cut text> David appeared to enjoy his morning, and we gave him a really democratic experience..we took him from my home to the zoo area by one rickety bus and brought him back in an even more rickety one! Let me close with this close-up of the Queen's Flower: DSC02008