Mixed emotions

Sadness at what we have lost.
And gladness that there was a time when India had leaders like this....



His house.


A few hours in Ahmedabad and a hurried visit to Sabarmati.
No, I would not make an ashramite thats for sure, failing heavily on aswad, aparigraha and brahmacharya for sure... !

But why have we moved so far from ahimsa and sarvadharma samabhav?

For my son, niece and nephew - three children growing up in modern India, to remind them of a successful crusade without senseless violence.

May the new year bring more peace, world over.

Ballerinas in pink and spotted bills

More great photos from Mr Ramanan!

Click on the photos for an enlarged view.

Leggy ballerinas from Pulicat.

Getting ready for a performance?

Look straight ahead girls, nice and graceful now!

Oh, dash it, I lost my slipper!

(Well actually, they are feeding...but we could build a nice story around them!)

The spot-billed pelican at Nelapattu.

Oh leave me alone, I have a lot on my mind!

Lets get ready for the party!

Mummy, do my back feathers, please!

Not now, I'm busy.

Egyptian Vultures in Madras?!

Egyptian Vulture - India sc(1)-48
Originally uploaded by fveronesi1

There was a recent interesting exchange of emails on the MNS group regarding the Egyptian Vulture. I for one thought that a bird so named would be found in Egypt. I mean its logical isn't it?!

I discovered that these were (and the emphasis is on were) local common residents of my city. The email that started it off:

Hi,
The Bird List of Chennai, available at the MNS website lists Egyptian Vultures. Could someone please give information of when and where were the vultures seen in/around Chennai?
Thanks,
Kailash

And the interesting replies:

Egyptian vultures were seen in the city and outskirts until fairly recently. The Madras Museum has specimens taken from Kodambakkam and Douglas Dewar reports seeing them in Chennai in early 1900. I have seen them at Tirusulam (opposite the Airport) in the 1970's and suspect they were nesting there on the quarried hillside. even in late 1980's. I have seen these birds on the Chennai-Kancheepuram road, near Siriperumbudur or so. In the 1980's these birds were so common at Kanchipuram and every temple tower there would have a pair. I need to dig into my notes to get more details on other sightings. But I guess
this would suffice for the moment.
Best wishes,
Santharam

I have vivid recollections of seeing these vultures in the 70s and 80s on the road in and around Ranipet. They were a common sight and were reluctant to move even when approached by a vehicle. I also remember that skins of slaughtered animals used to be dried on the road side. Nobody could have imagined in those days that vultures would become so scarce that seeing one would be reported in the press.I wish I had thought of photographing them. I could have made full frame pictures without
difficulty!
With regards,
K V Sudhakar

I have seen these vultures on the road to Padappai from Vandalur in 1998. Dr.Gift Siromoney has written about these birds, after watching them for a number of days closely in Thirukalukkunram. Theodore Baskaran

The late Dr Gift Siromoney seems to be rather gifted! I recently read about him in Kamini's Tales of South India where his work on The Science of Kolams is highlighted. (Never mind that I did not comprehend most of the math!!)
And now I discover that he has written on a variety of bird-related topics as well.

About the Egyptian Vulture

I have not seen this bird, and have used this lovely photo from Fransesco Veronesi.  Please see his photo set on Birds of India - lovely collection of photos from his trips to our national parks, and includes the Khalij pheasant as well.  (His latest photos are from a trip to Kenya, so he gets around a bit, it would seem!)

Let me quote some Salim Ali:  

Called Manjal thirudi in Tamil.  Around two feet in size. All domestic duties shared, says Salim Ali.  Not bad for a bird that feeds on excrement and offal, I thought.

Has a "high-stepping, waddling gait".  Now this I have to see!

Maybe in Bharatpur?

Fingers crossed!

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, southern India. 04 Dec 2008

Charlie of 10,000birds was at Vedanthangal a fortnight ago, and here's a link to his interesting and amusing trip report

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, southern India. 04 Dec 2008

I have a personal jinx with that place.  I can count upto five opportunities over the last two years that I've had to visit, and have had to cancel in the last minute.

Its only worth visiting at this time of the year.   This is also the happening time for me in Madras, what with exams, kutcheris, NRI visitors, weddings, reunions ...and of course work deadlines.  Excuses, excuses, you say, and I have to agree.

Sigh!  Anyways, until I visit Charlie's report should more than suffice!

PS: There's another great post on Pond Herons as well from Charlie.  He describes the confusion between the flying white bird and the sitting brown bird rather well!!

Update:  Some photos from the MNS trip

Picasa Web Albums - Sharky - Vedanthangal Trip

Chance encounters

Spotted on the road at Neelangarai.
What could it be?
Preston to the rescue!

The critter you have is a painted grasshopper. You find them in large numbers at certain times of the year, feeding on the leaves of the giant milkweed plant (Calatropis sp.) They ingest the toxins of the plant which makes them distasteful to birds and their bright colours is to warn birds of this bad taste (and possible toxic nature of their tissues).

And pray, what may this be?!
I thought it was a Praying Mantis, though preying mantis may be more appropriate! (Well, the ladies get very excited and eat up the gents!)
This one was on our lift gate, how it came up there, I know not.

However, it is a mantis. but not a praying one. Its the wandering violin mantis, Gongylus gongylodes!!

My son first decided to take it to school and show his friends and teachers, releasing it into the gardens there. But when we put it inot a bottle, it panicked, and looked so uncomfortable, that he changed his mind.
Released it in our garden..he reports that it hopped out of the bottle in a great hurry!