Explore Goa: Bird-Watching

Juvenile Brahminy Kit

I am on vacation. I go to sleep late at night and I would like to stay in bed till noon. But every morning, I end up being forced out of bed at 5 a.m., when it is still pitch black outside. That is the price I have to pay for living in a tropical paradise. The cacophony of thousand birds screaming their guts out means that morning sleep is just not possible.

Yesterday morning, I decided to take my revenge on the noisy birds by fixing the newly acquired 80-400mm lens and going out and shooting all the birds I could see. The biggest noise making culprits are, of course, the crows. There are thousands of crows screaming all day long. However, I was astonished to see the varied bird life that exists in Mobor. I managed to get the following captures in just 1 hour. I can only imagine what an avid birder can find here.


My brother Roy, besides being an avid angler, is also passionate about his birds. He identified all the birds that I captured without even giving it a second thought. He know which ones are local, and which are migratory.

Asian Koel.

The Asian Koel is a very common bird in Mobor.

Black Capped Kingfisher

According to Roy, the black-capped kingfisher is a very shy bird and he was surprised that I managed to get close to one. This one is in a hunched position and hence the white neck is almost hidden.

Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kites in flight.

The Brahminy kites are very common in Mobor. They hunt for fish in River Sal, while the crows keep bothering them in order to get an easy lunch by stealing their catch.

Juvenile Brahminy Kite being bothered by crows.

Juvenile Brahminy Kite

Mobor also hosts many species of bulbul.

Bulbul

Yellow throated Bulbul

Red whiskered Bulbul

Another view of the Red whiskered Bulbul.

I found chestnut headed bee eaters all over the place - mostly resting on the electricity cables.

Chestnut headed bee eater.

Plus a whole lot of other types of birds.

Common mynah

Comorant.

Another view of a Comorant

Egret

Pied Robin

Pond Heron

White Breasted Kingfisher.

Another view of the white breasted kingfisher.

I finally got to put the 80-400 lens to some good use. I wish I had the patience and the time to take more pictures of bird life in Goa. Perhaps on my next trip.