Fluttered by

Junonia lemonias, the lemon pansy

fluttered by our home

“Come, butterfly
It's late-
We've miles to go together.” 
― Bashō Matsuo, 

In my kitchen, Selvi stirs in 
curry leaves...a butterfly
floats and balances
― with apologies to Basho Matsuo,

The moulting drongo at Mamandur

Drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus)) are everywhere in Mamandur, and after a while you stop paying attention to them, which is a pity because they are rather interesting, fearless and lively birds.

With their forked tails, quick swoops and darts, they are unmistakeable, and their calls are distinct as well.

They sat on the cattle, and on these goats, on the lookout for insects and grubs.

One morning though, this one caught my attention, lurking in the shadows, in what, to me, appeared very uncharacteristic of a drongo - being inactive and shy.

I was convinced it was not a drongo.  Where was the forked tail?  And what are these brown feathers on the rear?

On return, I learnt that drongos moult between June and October, in south India, losing their tail fork!  And this was most definitely a black drongo, identified with the white rictal spot.  The los of the primary feathers had revealed the colours of the inner feathers.

And so it was that I learnt something new about the black drongo.

I am sure by this time, he has got his feathers back, and is probably swooping and zipping though the foliage of Mamandur once more.

The Changeable Hawk Eagle at Mamandur

14th August 

820 am

On the forest roads of the Sri Venkateswara National Park, amidst the Red Sanders and Aapta (Bauhinia racemosa) trees, the drongos and bulbuls, we had this amazing sighting.

The Changeable Hawk Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus)  fixed us with an unwavering stare

slowly moving its gaze away, proudly displaying its crest and the characteristic streaked chest

readying its talons for take off

before swooping off over us, its yellow eyes glinting menacingly.

At that moment, I was glad I was not a rodent or jungle fowl. Imagine that four-foot wingspan coming down on you from the sky.

Found in south-east Asia and the Indian subcontinent, its been a while since I saw this bird of prey.