Birding

Manjula Mathur is a senior, retired civil servant of the Government of India, Ministry of Defence. She is an ardent birdwatcher and is interested in bird photography and conservation of birds and their habitats. She is married to Satish Mathur, a senior Indian Police Service officer and lives in Mumbai. They have two sons, Sachit and Suchir.

SPOT-BILLED DUCK

A common Duck seen throughout India in freshwater marshes, lakes and pools with vegetation. It is named after the prominent red spot above its beak. In Maharashtra, it is called haldi-kumkum due to its yellow-tipped beak and red loral spot.

BLUE-CAPPED ROCK THRUSH

It visits the Himalayas in summer and winters in forested areas of the Western Ghats. It has a blue crown and orange underparts. Its song is short, fluty and undulating.

BLUE ROCK THRUSH

It is a resident of the Himalayas but is seen in dry rocky areas throughout the country in winter. The male bird is a pale indigo colour. It has a fluty song with long pauses.

WEDGE-TAILED GREEN PIGEON

It is a large green Pigeon found in the Himalayas and North-east India. It gets its name from its dark olive-coloured, wedge-shaped tail. The male bird has a beautiful maroon coloured back and shoulder patch and orange tint to its breast. It is a forest bird and feeds on fruits and berries.

CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE

It is a medium sized Eagle with a small, black and white crest. It is found in well wooded areas in all parts of India. Its diet comprises snakes, small birds and rodents. In flight it emits loud, ringing whistlings or screamings.

MOTTLED WOOD OWL

It is a medium sized Owl found in open, wooded areas and groves, around villages and cultivation in the plains of India. It has white and rufous mottling on its upperparts and barring on its underparts. Its quirky, mottled look gives it its name. It, infact looks like a gnarled bark of a tree! Its calls, a series of loud, eerie screams, can strike terror in the hearts of the uninitiated.