Sholinganallur/Perumbakkam Marshlands

eBird Checklist - 22 Sep 2024 - Sholinganallur/Perumbakkam Marshlands - 29 species

I did not take a single picture - kind of rare for me.  So disheartened by all the disturbance.  

Chitra and I used to bring the NIFT students here, and the birds would be so close, it would be easy to get newbie birders interested.  Whether it was a swamp hen or a cormorant, or even those flamingoes.

Now the whole habitat is disturbed.  Birds are far away, the Fulvous Whistling Ducks kept circling and whistling.  The purple and grey herons moved in their slow and deliberate manner in what looked like polluted waters.

I was gladdened by the sight of a solitary avocet, and some blue-tailed bee eaters.

I did not see a roller, nor a raptor.  

But I did meet up with friends - Sagarika, Gangapriya, Tara and Ranjani.

Fluttered by

 

Yesterday morning 

a Great Eggfly came to rest

only for a while.

This time not to die

catch her breath, escape the sun

momentarily.

It was a different feeling from 2019 - final resting place.

Hypolimnas bolina, the great eggfly - female

Typically, the Great Eggfly underside has more white...so here is another morph then.

PS:  I have to admit - I thought it was a Common Indian Crow initially - lazy dying if ever there was one - and it was Sagarika, sharp as a nail, alert as ever, who said, nooooo!  not a Crow, too big, and see the frilly edge.  

Greeted by a peacock!

eBird Checklist - 13 Sep 2024 - TTUF Nizhal - 11 species

Finally after many a month I walked over to Nizhal's TTUF today morning.

Crossing the canal, filled with water hyacinth and a whole flock of cattle get, with many in breeding plumage.  

As I stood and watched, a drongo swooped and picked an insect on the move.  On the right bank, a mongoose moved purposefully through the undergrowth.  A white-throated kingfisher, a flash of blue and a rattling call.

 
I was happy to see the trees all grown and green!  The Crepe Myrtles and Arjuna's were in fruit, the Palash was in abundant green as also the Garlic Pear tree - in March, it was in flower. the Mimusops was in fruit.  Has it been so long since I visited?

17th March 2024 - Crateva adinsonii - had dropped all its leaves, and a few flowers stood out, in full glory.

As Chitra and I walked along, a dog strolled past, followed by a peacock, if you please, - moving like a ballet dancer lightly and 'springily' into the far foliage.

Quite appropriately, the peacock flowers were in bloom

Looks like the park has an active night life - and I do not mean the snakes and other creature - which one would think would be a deterrent - but it appears not - Lust overcomes such fears I guess.

Hairy Caterpillar on the drumstick tree

9th September 540pm

I initially thought this was Metanastria hyrtaca caterpillars, but I think they are actually Eupterote mollifera caterpillars.

Seen on our drumstick tree.

They were all crowded on the bark of the tree, in the shade in the day - when I first saw them.  

8th September - Tree 1 5pm.  Not much movement seen.

9th September Tree 2 - they were alive and one the move.  Seemed smaller than the other tree caterpillars.  I could not locate the caterpillars on Tree 1.

I will keep a watch on the tree - Hopefully, the caterpillars do nt completely defoliate the tree.  According to the literature on the internet, these moths scrape and gnaw at the bark as well as the leaves.  I did not see any leaves eaten up.

More as and when I observe.

12th September

Looks like both sets of Caterpillars are on one tree now!

Subsequently, for many days I could not locate them.  Then I found some at the lower part of the tree, and some going to the base.

27th September

Hairy Caterpillars on one trunk and a bark gecko on the other.

The caterpillars looked worn and scruffy.

One liked like it was making its way down to the soil?

Pupal stage is in the soil, I read.

Some more close to the soil.

24 Aug 2024 - Muttukadu Backwaters morning

eBird Checklist - 24 Aug 2024 - Muttukadu Backwaters - 56 species

eBird Checklist - 24 Aug 2024 - Muttukadu Backwaters - 33 species ( 3 other taxa)

Click on this link for all the biodiversity that we saw.

Stop at the main bridge 

A house crow showering

An egret in plumage breeding

Two wagtails hurrying 

Three spoonbills flypasting

Four Painted Storks huddling

Five Pelicans swimming

Six terns a-turning 

A cloud of cormorants moving 

And four birders in a very good mood!

On to the small bridge

As we arrived - 

Hordes of cormorants fishing
Sanjiv and Chitra birding
Umesh joins and does the wowing
Whimbrels and Curlews stalking
Sagarika Thick Knee Spotting
Cat's Claw flowers dazzling
Fiddler Crabs emerging
White browed bulbuls calling

And six birders in a very jolly mood!

On to Ajwa Cafe side

Walls and boards, alarming

A sandpiper scurrying

Curlew - meditating

We - a tidal pool discovering

Girdled Horn Snails in slow motion moving

A HUGE Brown Land Crab side-stepping

Many barnacles rock clinging

Other crabs just scooting

Sandwiches a-chomping

And nine birders in a very happy mood!

The Brown Land Crab - Umesh's photo.