Monsoon Birds
For good reason, monsoon is not the favourite time of birders. The migrants that fill our wetlands, forests and fields in winter are long gone like a distant dream. Then there is heat, humidity and rain to contend with. No wonder many birders feel discouraged from outings during this season.
But for those who don't mind the discomfort, monsoon can be a rewarding time for birding.
First, some special birds are seen only during monsoon. For example, on a trip to Sundarban last month I was able to photograph a ruddy kingfisher, a beautiful red kingfisher that can only be seen there in monsoon. The same goes for the mangrove pitta, a gorgeous but furtive bird that I glimpsed but was unable to photograph.
Second, some birds migrate here only during summer. Last August, in the haor, I saw a blue-tailed bee-eater, a gorgeous bird slightly larger than a sparrow with an unusual blue tail. While our other bee-eater species spend all year here, the blue-tailed one is a summer migrant. Several members of the cuckoo family also come here during the warm months. These include the Jacobin cuckoo which Taher, a fellow birder, photographed in Keraniganj recently.
Third, the locally breeding birds can be seen doing things that you will not observe in winter. Recently I saw a family of red-vented bulbuls with two chicks on a fruit-laden nachna tree in Purbachol. What surprised me was this: even though the chicks were close to the fruits, the mother plucked them with her beak and put them into the chicks' mouths. But later I saw another chick trying to pluck a fruit and dropping it. I realised that even the basic plucking of fruits from trees requires some coordination on the chick's part. When I re-visited the site two weeks later, the chicks had grown are able to feed themselves.
In fact, some of the chicks of shalik, doel, fingey and bulbul always appear to be hungry with their mouth open. So with patience one can watch their feeding. For the photographer, an added bonus is that chicks are often less wary and shy than the adult birds and thus more approachable.
The hot and wet months are also that time when many birds make their nest. Perhaps the most remarkable is the babui. At the beginning of the breeding season, the male bird builds elegant nests, usually hanging from palm trees, which it uses to attract a mate. It is a joy to watch these industrious birds at work.
Some birds also change their plumage during this season making them more attractive to suitors. For example, the male babui grows yellow crown of feathers in the head, and the Indian pond heron, seen in just about any paddyfield or lake, sports a layer of maroon feathers on its back.
So, while there is no denying that the most variety of birds can be seen in wintertime, summer and monsoon bring unexpected joys for the persistent birder.
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