Soft rays of the sun light up the darkness as the bulbul sits like a glowing flame amidst the forest. Enjoying silence rather than the fireworks that happens every year during the Festival of Lights.
Wishing everyone out there a happy and prosperous Diwali!
Sattal and its surrounding areas have always fascinated me. Since my first visit to the hill station way back in October 2010 and again in 2013, it has been in my thoughts time and again.
Last year March, I visited this place again with friends Mahesh and Sridhar who made their maiden trip to this birding haven. A week long bird photography trip was planned with the very popular Hari Lama, an excellent guide based in Sattal.
Here is a short compilation of images starting with the photography hide at Birders Den, Sattal.
Birding along the road had its own advantages too! We were lucky to get a Green-tailed Sunbird (female) as she was speedily moving from one branch to another.
The search for the White-crested Laughing Thrush led us to a spot along the highway and lo behold, a sight worth remembering.
Best things in life come in small packages… And the tiny package in the form of Red-billed Leothrix made a few appearances during our time on the road.
Not far from Sattal is an area called Chafi which is primarily for birding by the river. Birds like the shy Brown Dipper, Crested Kingfisher, Wallcreeper, Plumbeous and White-capped Water Redstart, Spotted Forktail are the top birds on the list of usual suspects there.
Despite an unlucky occasion when I had branches covering my best angle, I got lucky on the second attempt shooting the Brown Dipper.
The list of birds photographed in Sattal and its neighbouring areas is given here under:
Red-billed Blue Magpie, Gree Treepie, Greater Yellownape Woodpecker, Great Barbet, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Russet Sparrow, Blue-winged Siva, Grey Bushchat, Steppe Eagle, Long-tailed Minivet, Verditer Flycatcher, Grey-winged Blackbird, Striated Laughing Thrush, White-throated Laughing Thrush, Green-tailed Sunbird, Ashy Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Red-billed Leothrix, White-crested Laughing Thrush, Great Tit, Crested Kingfisher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Brown Dipper, White-capped Water Redstart, Rufous-chinned Laughing Thrush, Kalij Pheasant, Rufous Sibia
Pangot series is for next week folks!
Equipment used: Canon 500f4 + 1D Mark 4
The stream which flows at the entrance of Forest Hills Farm and Guesthouse attracts a host of birds. Commonly sighted birds are Malabar Whistling Thrush, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Black Drongo, Red-vented and Red Whiskered Bulbul, etc.
One evening I was treated to wonderful sights of the White-rumped Shama and female Indian Paradise Flycatcher.
More from the bridge in future posts…
Lose Yourself Photography 