Its about fantail flycatchers. White-browed or whitespotted? Have been shunting between LIC Colony and Dr. Salim Ali's The Book of Indian Birds. Over the week has been sighting fantails on Ayappa Mandir Marg, a part of LIC Colony; certain they are fantails as their tails open and shut like Japanese handheld fans. But are they white-browed or white spotted? Today, on the walk back, saw a pair on copper pods nearer home. Sighting them, watching them in morning quiets, more warming than prayers; a delightful ritual; the two hopped around above me head, ruling out a sure dekho and called; best moment to make a Dr. Ali entry: 'A harsh chuk-chuk is commonly uttered; also has a delightful song rendered as chee-chee-cheweechee delivered as the bird prances about': white-browed fantail flycatcher; whitespotted fantail flycatcher: 'A harsh chuk-chuk. Also a delightful clear whistling song of several tinkling notes constantly warbled as the bird prances about.' Did not come across the harsh chuk-chuk; whistling notes, yes. Am still not sure though bets are it is whitebrowed. How me wishes dear old Varad Giri was around. The identification would have come in a jiffy and he will add: 'but I am a cecilian not a birder'. Standing on the road, the two flew away leaving me with the peace of pleasure; birding is that. Starting out in the morning heard a soft cheep from a bush; being dark, waited, watched; yes, it was dear friend magpie robin. They have started showing up with December on and will be around till March and then do not know where they go.Winter noons when a snooze runs away, sit down with of Birds and Birdsong: foreword by Zafar Futehally : M. Krishnan: edited by Shanthi and Ashish Chandola. With M. Krishnan it is a going back and forth. In the foreword Zafar writes: While admiring the exquisite morphology of the Hoopoe so designed as to make it easy for it to to probe for worms, grubs and insects underground, Krishnan was able to note that the flicking of its crown feathers open and shut 'express the entire emotional range of the mood of the bird'; during one minute he spent observing the bird, 'it played with its crest six times.' That's observation. If me had that would have today identified the fantail. Maybe, one morning me will. For the moment, house sparrows on the window sill fighting and pecking Marie biscuits, suffice.
Friday, December 9, 2016
Fantails
Its about fantail flycatchers. White-browed or whitespotted? Have been shunting between LIC Colony and Dr. Salim Ali's The Book of Indian Birds. Over the week has been sighting fantails on Ayappa Mandir Marg, a part of LIC Colony; certain they are fantails as their tails open and shut like Japanese handheld fans. But are they white-browed or white spotted? Today, on the walk back, saw a pair on copper pods nearer home. Sighting them, watching them in morning quiets, more warming than prayers; a delightful ritual; the two hopped around above me head, ruling out a sure dekho and called; best moment to make a Dr. Ali entry: 'A harsh chuk-chuk is commonly uttered; also has a delightful song rendered as chee-chee-cheweechee delivered as the bird prances about': white-browed fantail flycatcher; whitespotted fantail flycatcher: 'A harsh chuk-chuk. Also a delightful clear whistling song of several tinkling notes constantly warbled as the bird prances about.' Did not come across the harsh chuk-chuk; whistling notes, yes. Am still not sure though bets are it is whitebrowed. How me wishes dear old Varad Giri was around. The identification would have come in a jiffy and he will add: 'but I am a cecilian not a birder'. Standing on the road, the two flew away leaving me with the peace of pleasure; birding is that. Starting out in the morning heard a soft cheep from a bush; being dark, waited, watched; yes, it was dear friend magpie robin. They have started showing up with December on and will be around till March and then do not know where they go.Winter noons when a snooze runs away, sit down with of Birds and Birdsong: foreword by Zafar Futehally : M. Krishnan: edited by Shanthi and Ashish Chandola. With M. Krishnan it is a going back and forth. In the foreword Zafar writes: While admiring the exquisite morphology of the Hoopoe so designed as to make it easy for it to to probe for worms, grubs and insects underground, Krishnan was able to note that the flicking of its crown feathers open and shut 'express the entire emotional range of the mood of the bird'; during one minute he spent observing the bird, 'it played with its crest six times.' That's observation. If me had that would have today identified the fantail. Maybe, one morning me will. For the moment, house sparrows on the window sill fighting and pecking Marie biscuits, suffice.
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