Patch birding in the neighbourhood

eBird Checklist - 20 Oct 2024 - 18 species

October 20th, Sunday 730 am

Patch birding on an empty plot that has water puddles and scrub overgrowth. Overnight rains. Now sunny.  This is an empty shrub-filled plot, off the main beach road at Thiruvanmyur.

3 Red-wattled Lapwing
1 Eurasian Hoopoe
1 Common Kingfisher (Small Blue Kingfisher) - what a nice surprise.  Sat on the wall next to the G Square developed plot.
1 White-throated Kingfisher
4 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
1 Coppersmith Barbet
2 Rose-ringed Parakeet
2 Black Drongo
1 Brown Shrike (Brown) - just shows the difference between incidental birding and binocular birding.  I saw this because I had a pair of binoculars with me.
7 House Crow
2 Large-billed Crow (Indian Jungle)
4 Common Tailorbird
1 Ashy Prinia
4 Barn Swallow
1 White-browed Bulbul
4 Common Myna
5 Purple-rumped Sunbird
1 White-browed Wagtail (Large Pied Wagtail) - Now I was delighted to see a pair of them later on the beach, foraging around the temporary lake/river that has been created from the stormwater drains that are emerging on the beach.  They hopped and flew all around the periphery, chittering to each other as they went.  

Number of Taxa: 18

The wildfowers in the thickets are here.  I also saw some dead marine creatures, which was not nice at all.

The patch where I saw all these birds.

I went on to the beach and the Valmiki Nagar thickets.

I love wandering in these thickets, you never know what you will find.  Today was a butterfly day.

The cricket match had driven the birds away, I guess.

My Valmiki Nagar thicket ebird list here.  Blue-tailed bee eaters were doing their aerial dives and a lone black Kite flew over the water's edge.

The sea looked lovely, and the clouds gave me a bit of shade every now and then.  

The waves fizzed back and forth, but the sand had these green algal residues, perhaps the phytoplanktons causing the bioluminescence these last few nights?

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.  

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.

A crow's nest at our feet

eBird Checklist - 17 Aug 2024 - Madras Boat Club, Chennai - 11 species

When we backbenchers meet, it is usually a cheery and noisy affair and this was no different.  After ingesting the omelettes and dosais and coffee, we strolled out into the Boat Club lawns,  only to have a crow's nest fall out of the tree and at the feet of Gayathree and Sagarika.

A set of crows cawed in consternation (I assumed) from the Neem tree above, staring at the nest which was thankfully without egg, and therefore we were in no ethical dilemma.

I admired the inner neat cup - I did not think the crow made a neat nest inside, having only seen the messy exterior so far..  I was quite taken in by the little cup with the thinner lighter twigs.

The stagnant Adyar river had many pairs of Ditch jewels, which is really not good news - they are usually around polluted waters - why I do not know, but they seem to love hanging around.

A Clubtail too, I spied.  (I was quite pleased with my mobile phone via binoculars camera work.)

As we all dispersed to leave, we saw not one, not two, but a trio of Flamebacks going up a coconut tree. Such an unexpected delight, our Bhai was also exhilarated!  Flamebacks are busy always, digging, drilling and hopping up in their odd two-footed fashion.  May we never lose the joy of seeing these beautiful birds, and keep the sense of wonder in us always alive.

The Divi divi along the road was in full bloom, and I enjoyed standing under the tree and inhaling the fragrance and enjoying the "greenness" of the fresh leaves". Sagarika was busy with camera, muttering to herself - oh Tailed Jay, see there Swift, Pansy, I am not able to get a click...so many bees..."  She was in full incantation mode.  I was in Inner Peace state.

Friends and Nature make for a good therapeutic start to the day.

A moth of such silken beauty

Tusar Silk Moth

More gorgeous than the silk 

you spin, cocooned.

Silky Resplendence.  Evanescent. 

Bed of green.  Go in peace.

Antheraea paphia, South India small tussore moth.  Male.

Last moments of life - it lay there, moving feebly in the sun and breeze, and I marvelled at its markings.

I learnt from Bhanu that they are non feeding adults, with no mouth parts.  These Saturnid moths mate, lay eggs & perish, their job done.

I drew attention to the moth, to all who passed by - some nodded in politeness, others hurried on, not moved by this beauty, I wondered how.  An older man came and peered and nodded and marvelled at nature's creation.  A young woman's eyes lit up at the word "silk".

I will be on the look out for eggs and caterpillars on possible host plants in the neighbourhood - Terminalia species, hoping the moth's cycle of life continues.

Vismaya - the Peregrine of MRC Nagar

Vismaya - so named by Sanjeev - a Peregrine Falcon whom he had day-to-day eyes on; Vismaya, who came when Maya the Shaheen left, or so it seemed.

10th April sightings

Vismaya - Falco peregrinus peregrinus,

Let me tell you about her, why the fuss.

CSK bus below

Bedecked in yellow

And most miss this raptor in plain sight, thus.

Off to the marsh at dusk and dawn

From this perch, she will be gone

Pigeon  stunned

with fist, not gun

Cleaned and eaten on the adjacent pylon.

A Chennai Life lived in solitude

Not even the crow dare intrude

Back north for the summer

She may meet a Tiercel partner

And hopefully eyases, they will together brood.

We wish you safe travels up north

And hope you come back, as you go forth

Maybe next time as a pair?

Chennai does treat you so fair

with enough prey through our winter for you both!

 

Illalur morning

March 10th 2024

Hello said the sunbird!

The sun rose over Illalur lake, and we watched.

The magical shimmer of gold across the water, 

the silhouetted trees, 

Cormorants skidded across the surface,

Dew on the grasses, 

Dragonflies  hovering over the reeds

And I listened, to the

Gurgling chuckle of the White-browed bulbuls

Familiar francolins' call

Coucal hoot

Kingfisher's rattling cry

and the caw caw of the crows.

What's not to love in my morning meander

with others on a similar journey, together

Yet separate,

Enjoying our solitary discoveries 

Sharing our delights, 

and sandwiches!

Later at Mudayathur lake, the Thandri under water, unlike my last visit.

The Yellow Wattled Lapwings - an unexpected delight

An Osprey afar!

Cormorants aplenty

A brain fever bird after ages!

Oriental Skylark shot up from the grass, calling and hovering before descending

Smart and perky Indian Robins 

And a new discovery this time - the hillock near Vembedu Lake.  A lovely scrub area which we visited a little too late - next time we need to catch dawn here.

Returning via Nemmeli, and the flamingoes danced in the salt pans, on their amazingly long legs while the Spoonbills wagged their beaks and bodies, almost in time.  And what were the Northern Shovelers doing dabbling in the saltpans I wondered.  Aren't they freshwater, wetland ducks?

81 species for the morning - by Sagarika, Ramanan, Ramraj and me.  

My Visit of 2023 here.

January wanderings on ECR

 Jan 10th 2024

Indian Maritime University Recce visit - eBird Trip Report

50 species not counting the warblers and other scrub birds that we did not have time to focus upon.  So here's a rhyme to celebrate.

There was once a trio of MNSers

Nothing in common, but all birders

To IMU we drove

And found a treasure trove

A marsh full of Warblers and Plovers.

There were Egrets and Pelicans galore

Garganeys, Pintails, Ibis and more

so much joy and delight 

Spoonbills in flight

Oh wait!  Godwits in 100s, furthermore!

Then the dogs, who felt ignored

Into the marsh, they  crashed, quite bored

The Godwits flew off

And the Lapwings did scoff

“Did you do it”, they called, and soared.

And how can I forget those Grey Francolins, endearing

Across the road they went. to the edge of the clearing

I counted seven

Quite a procession

And all through our walk we heard them calling.

Openbills flew across along with Painted Stork

Drongo, Coucal, Treepies did disembark

A Roller flashed blue

And the Kingfisher flew

Oh that sweet call - a Jerdon’s Bush Lark!

Powder Puffs played host to many Purple Sunbirds aglow

A Solitary, stock-still Thickknee in the scrub below

We rounded the corner

And there found a charmer

An Oriole above, a flash of sunshiny yellow.

And then as a finale, on a faraway stone

A raptor for sure, that did our goodbyes postpone

A Falcon, a Peregrine

Its claws it did preen

Enjoying the sun and solitude, but no not alone.

We will be back at IMU, that is for sure

The AWC will be a joy and a sinecure

When we go birding

The uncertainty is rewarding

And the company brings laughter in good measure.

And here are the photos:

From Sunbird

From Ramesh

Bauhinia

Rosy Milkweed Vine

Powder Puff - Calliandra

Peregrine hunting along OMR - eBird Trip Report

26th Nov '23

Peregrine hunting along OMR - eBird Trip Report

What an interesting morning with Ramraj, Anitha and Sagarika.  Pictures here.  

Three Peregrines, 

on three towers, 

up high 

in very urban locations.  

We craned our necks,

Peered through our binoculars 

and yes there they were!

Ferrari Falcons

sitting motionless

on nondescript ledges.  Noiseless

Pigeons and parakeets

which one would it be today, 

at the end of that famous dive

would breakfast be green or grey?

*****

An Osprey and a Black Shouldered Kite 

We saw them too.

And those fabulous Blue Tailed Bee Eaters 

Shimmering in the sun.

Green marsh.  Sky so blue.

The waders (Ruffs most likely)  - a large flypast

Probably even more skittery 

because of the soaring Osprey.

*******

27th Oct '23

An odd looking shadow on the Leela Business Towers had me scurrying for the binoculars at MRC Nagar.  

Even through those dimmed, old lenses I could see that it was no crow, no pigeon, but a falcon.

It sat motionless in that pose, from 130 in the afternoon, until 6 in the evening.  I wondered why this peculiar and precarious position at the edge?  She preened, cleaned her talons and feathers, but did not move an inch.

.

Sanjeev hurried down and took this picture - yes Peregrines get that kind of attention.

At 605pm Vismaya (as she has been named) , took off, circled the building and flew off south.

Oct 31st - seen again by Sekar, while I was away at Bangalore.  Same perch, same position.   

And then the rains came and Deepavali came...and we have not seen it on this side of the building since.

I loved this description - Fantastic Falcons: Streamlined, Superfast Raptors in Many Avatars by Ranjit Lal

The peregrine is a cosmopolitan hunter — even found nesting on skyscraper ledges in New York City and other metropolises, from which vantage point it picks up pigeons. The shaheen has been observed doing the same in Mumbai. Having selected a victim, the peregrine, with its fastback wings gives swift chase, with the pigeon twisting and turning to avoid being caught. If the falcon fails to capture its prey, it will rise to its “pitch” (the highest point) and then fold its wings to its side and whistle down like a missile straight at its victim in a “stoop” or high-speed dive. The fastest stoop has been clocked at 390 kmph, faster than most Formula 1 racing cars, which peak at around 320 kmph. A special membrane protects its eyes from the rush of air, and the bird will often dive beneath its victim and then rise up and grasp it in its talons. Or it simply attacks from behind, the force of the impact often killing the bird mid-air. Watching a peregrine stoop is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. This guided missile of a bird was once in serious trouble in the West when the rampant use of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides caused their numbers to plummet. Thanks to conservation efforts, the birds seem safe for now.

MRC Nagar unknowingly plays host to both - the Shaheen and the Peregrine!

Next goal is to somehow catch it at its hunt

The Loten's and the Gliricidia

March 4th 2023

Here I am, just returned from Kaziranga and Manas, and writing about Illalur and Madayathur.  Sekar looked disbelieving at my plan to go off on Saturday - weren't the wondrous and spectacular sightings of Assam sufficient - but I felt this tug to see and experience my backyards again, like re-connecting with the familiar, after a trip to the exotic!

And more than the birding, it was the company and the beautful spots - so close to home.  OK not so close, but closer than Assam for sure.

Illalur lake - the last time I was here, the lake was dry and we walked everywhere.

The morning was magical, with the clouds, the sun and the water, and a light mist as well.

This photo by Sagarika was one of several highlights of my morning.  The singing Loten in the flowering Gliricidia.

These beautiful stalks bloom between Feb and April, usually. Photo by Sagarika.

And this wonderful video by Umesh.  (Enjoy it in full screen.)

Some walking up and down the bund and disturbing various men from their morning peaceful open-air defecation later, we thought we saw Pratincoles fly overhead, and we did see blue-tailed bee-eaters swoop and settle on the Milkweed.  

Purple-rumped sunbirds were nesting - rather the female looked like she was dismantling and completely disapproving of the nest, while the male chirped and flew off quite seemingly quite hurt by this.

Sagarika spotted a White-eyed Buzzard on a pole fa-aaaar away, which was nice (yes, she showed all of us too), and then they all saw a Jerdon's Bushlark which I didn't because I guess I was busy and distracted by the little wildflowers on the lake bed.  

Possibly a Bladderwort.  

Dwarf Morning Glory

Some cute looking grasses

Around this time, Gayathree decided that she had to pick some Prickly Pears, and at the end of that she was, well, pricked.  The Cactus did not approve of her actions.

Some friendly FD guards who were on their rounds, stopped to have a chat, and Mr Prakash was happy to see us and the documentation would help towards the bird census of the lake.

He then took us to another lake that I had never been to - what an amazing discovery!

Madayathur lake - with this lone standing Thandri tree (Terminalia bellerica).  What an absolutely delightful surprise.  A large serene lake, with a RF on one side and the village and temple on the other.  

The tree was magnificent and awesome.

There were a few waders at the water's edge - a trio of little ringed plovers, a lone black-winged stilt and a couple of wood sandpipers.  I enjoyed watching the paddy field pipits and the wagtails scurry across the grass.

It was an ideal picnic spot, and we munched on an odd assortment of cake, sandwiches, black grapes and chips.  And believe it or not, Gayathree had a flask of chamomile tea....which I shall not comment upon.  Those who drank it were calmer and those who did not were happier.  

We all bundled in Gayathree's car to return back via Nemmeli, when we saw this temple procession.  From the Thiruporur Murugan temple.

The temple, as we moved away from it. Photo by Umesh

And at Gayathree's stomping grounds - the Nemmeli salt pans - we saw the water had receded, algae had formed, and the curlews were fewer in number.

Illalur lake list

Madayathur lake list

Nemmeli salt pans from the vehicle

As summer rears its head, the remaining winter visitors will leave sooner than later, and we will commune with the resident pelican and storks.

Safe travels, bon voyage and see you next winter, our feathered friends from far and near.
 

2022 - the birding year that was

The birding year that was - A hat tip to my MNS Backbenchers

A trip to Perumbakkam in early Jan

Wigeons and Shovelers, was how it began.

Kentish plover in February 

at the mouth of the estuary,

The sea shells were not part of the plan. 

Nanmangalam was the highlight in March

When I spied the Jerdon’s Bush lark

Valparai,  in April

Pitta,  Thrush thrills,

And the Flameback hammering at the bark. 

Thiruvanmyur in the heat, all of May

Hellos to those red vented bulbuls, everyday

The koel all through June

matched my mood with its maddening tune

A life’s journey ended that day. 

The TS brought some cheer in July

I watched the beeeaters swoop and fly

Soil, earth - TTUF in August

lapwings shrieked and fussed, 

As though we were there to pry. 

Already it is September

and the pelicans on pylons I remember

Rain-drenched Mishmi in October

That Sultan Tit and Red-headed trogon, not at all sober, 

Those colours!  In my memory forever.

ECR outings and friends in late October

Terns, Whimbrels, pied kingfishers and laughter, still linger, 

marshlands in November

Osprey and Marsh Harrier

My raptor watch attempts I confess were meagre 

While Our fledged offspring took precedence in December

But still, those 3 score Black Kites in Andheri, soared in splendour

And so the year ended, 

My heart will be mended

Wigeons and Shovelers, at the wetlands once more. 

 *****

The first birding year where I have seen 200+ species.  

2022 list

• Rock Dove
• Rose-ringed Parakeet
• Common Myna
• House Crow
• Spot-billed Pelican
• Indian Peafowl
• Garganey
• Northern Shoveler
• Eurasian Wigeon
• Indian Spot-billed Duck
• Northern Pintail
• Jacobin Cuckoo
• Common Moorhen
• Eurasian Coot
• Grey-headed Swamphen
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Little Grebe
• Red-wattled Lapwing
• Pheasant-tailed Jacana
• Bronze-winged Jacana
• Common Sandpiper
• Painted Stork
• Asian Openbill
• Oriental Darter
• Little Cormorant
• Black-headed Ibis
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Indian Pond Heron
• Eastern Cattle Egret
• Grey Heron
• Purple Heron
• Great Egret
• Intermediate Egret
• Little Egret
• Eastern Marsh Harrier
• White-throated Kingfisher
• Common Kingfisher
• Blue-tailed Bee-eater
• Brown Shrike
• Barn Swallow
• Blyth's Reed Warbler
• Pied Bush Chat
• Purple Sunbird
• Paddyfield Pipit
• Shikra
• Greater Flameback
• Rufous Treepie
• Common Tailorbird
• Yellow-billed Babbler
• Red-vented Bulbul
• Spotted Dove
• Kentish Plover
• Black-tailed Godwit
• Common Redshank
• Common Greenshank
• White-browed Bulbul
• Watercock
• Spotted Redshank
• Caspian Tern
• Whiskered Tern
• Black-winged Stilt
• Grey-headed Lapwing
• Little Stint
• Wood Sandpiper
• Brown-headed Gull
• Pied Kingfisher
• House Sparrow
• Fulvous Whistling Duck
• Ruddy Shelduck
• Eastern Spot-billed Duck
• Grey Francolin
• Greater Coucal
• Common Hawk-Cuckoo
• Ruddy-breasted Crake
• Greater Flamingo
• Pied Avocet
• Ruff
• Common Snipe
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Glossy Ibis
• Eurasian Spoonbill
• Black-winged Kite
• Booted Eagle
• White-eyed Buzzard
• Eurasian Hoopoe
• Peregrine Falcon
• Indian Golden Oriole
• Indian Paradise Flycatcher
• Blyth's Leaf Warbler
• Clamorous Reed Warbler
• Zitting Cisticola
• Plain Prinia
• Oriental Magpie-Robin
• Streaked Weaver
• Indian Silverbill
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Black-throated Munia
• Tricolored Munia
• Western Yellow Wagtail
• Citrine Wagtail
• Blue-faced Malkoha
• Laughing Dove
• Ashy Woodswallow
• Jerdon's Bush Lark
• Red-whiskered Bulbul
• Common Babbler
• Indian Robin
• Forest Wagtail
• Striated Heron
• Indian Pitta
• Malabar Whistling Thrush
• Pale-billed Flowerpecker
• Indian Swiftlet
• Crested Serpent Eagle
• Black Eagle
• Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
• Streak-throated Woodpecker
• Plum-headed Parakeet
• Orange Minivet
• Long-tailed Shrike
• Indian Black-lored Tit
• Black-headed Bulbul
• Indian White-eye
• Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
• Brown-breasted Flycatcher
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow
• Asian Palm Swift
• Crested Honey Buzzard
• Chestnut-tailed Starling
• Eurasian Collared Dove
• Ashy-headed Green Pigeon
• Common Buzzard
• Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
• Common Iora
• Grey-chinned Minivet
• Scarlet Minivet
• White-throated Fantail
• Striated Bulbul
• Golden Babbler
• Yellow-throated Fulvetta
• Small Niltava
• Verditer Flycatcher
• Blue Rock Thrush
• Orange-bellied Leafbird
• Streaked Spiderhunter
• Russet Sparrow
• Grey Wagtail
• Olive-backed Pipit
• Maroon Oriole
• Marsh Babbler
• Grey Bush Chat
• White-rumped Munia
• Whiskered Yuhina
• White-naped Yuhina
• Stripe-throated Yuhina
• Little Forktail
• Plumbeous Water Redstart
• White-capped Redstart
• White-browed Wagtail
• Black Drongo
• Brahminy Starling
• Green-billed Malkoha
• Besra
• Red-headed Trogon
• Great Hornbill
• Blue-eared Barbet
• Rufous Woodpecker
• Pied Falconet
• Large Woodshrike
• Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
• Common Green Magpie
• Sultan Tit
• White-throated Bulbul
• Ashy Bulbul
• Black-crested Bulbul
• Jungle Myna
• Lesser Whistling Duck
• Swamp Francolin
• Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
• Temminck's Stint
• Grey-headed Fish Eagle
• Black-hooded Oriole
• Red-rumped Swallow
• Striated Grassbird
• Siberian Stonechat
• Purple-rumped Sunbird
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• Rosy Pipit
• Oriental Pratincole
• Little Ringed Plover
• Asian Green Bee-eater
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Indian Cormorant
• Eurasian Golden Oriole
• Black Kite
• Brahminy Kite
• White-spotted Fantail
• Loten's Sunbird
• Great Cormorant
• Yellow Bittern
• Ashy Prinia

First record of Greylag in Adyar estuary

 "On 15 November evening while walking along the riverside road in the Theosophical Society at about 5.15 pm I spotted a pair of big greyish coloured long-necked birds at a distance in the Adyar Estuary. There were many other large birds there that day- at least 20 pelicans and several painted storks, but these were distinctly different. It was a hazy evening and the birds were far away beyond the small islands in the river, but through binoculars, I could identify them as Greylag geese by the bulky body, shape of the neck and bill and colouration. They were standing in shallow water and swam away after a few minutes.

Having never seen them in this location before, despite being a regular walker along the river path, and always checking the estuary for birds, I made some enquiries among MNS members and others if there are any earlier records of this species. Both V Santharam who is familiar with the Adyar estuary for the past 40 years and Dr Balachandran of BNHS who is the best bird migration expert confirmed there is no previous record here. 

However, since my observation needed to be corroborated, I requested Geetha Jaikumar to also take a look when she went there. Fortunately, one the birds was still present on 17th Nov and she photographed it with her cellphone camera. Geetha's pictures confirm the sighting as the first record of Greylag Goose in the Adyar estuary.

On 18th November, a group of us again scanned the estuary with binoculars and scope from the same spot at around the same time and Geetha also looked out for them on subsequent days, but there was no further sighting. Perhaps the geese had moved away to the opposite bank where they were not visible, or had left the area. 

Tara Gandhi "

One cuckoo flew out of the nest

Eudynamys scolopaceus

raucous and  rapacious

uninvited eggs were deposited

she emerged  brown and spotted

And the crows found her appetite quite capacious.

Through August and September

Her loud demands I remember

The crows found her rude

But kept her in the brood

Until she fledged in October.

14th August 2022 - the first time I spotted the Koel fledgling in the neighbour's teak tree.

Most days I would see her tail and hear her insistent rattling call

15th August - and she flew from one branch to the other, first flight, but no proud parents to watch or guide.

25th August 2022  - and she flew to our terrace! My attention drawn by the ballyhoo of her calls and the rattling of the clothesline.                                               

From then on, she was a regular up there, getting strength into her wings and begging for food.  Every time there was the shadow of a crow passing, her calls would be more frantic.  The crows ignored for the most part.  Every now and then one crow would desultorily feed her.

And then one day, she was not there.  Flew off!

The mystery to me is that crows and koels don't mate, so they do recognise them as different species, then why do they feed the fledglings?  is there altruism here, that we cannot even begin to fathom?

The videos 

Koel learning to fly and balancing on a wire

Trying her luck with the crows

The crows are unimpressed