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Bird Watchers Summer Treat at Kunduvada Lake

Bird Watchers Summer Treat at Kunduvadakere Davanagere:

 Every winter our feathered guests far across from north migrate to southern parts of India in search of tropical climate, for abundant food and shelter. Thousands of these migratory birds have started to choose Kundvadkere as their new winter residence.
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Chestnut-tailed Starling
About Kunduvada kere(lake):
The lake is just about a kilometer away from the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway-4 located in Davanagere city of Karnataka state. The lake is spread across 265 acres surrounded by a 4 km long walking path, it contributes to the need of city’s water supply. The glass house of Davanagere shares its campus with the lake.

After a satisfied birding trip in winter months, had high expectations this time and had a longer bucket-list including the Bar-headed Goose, Red-naped Ibis, Lesser Whistling-Duck, Comb Duck, Shrike's, Pied Bushchat, Brahminy Starling, Western Yellow Wagtail, Baya Weaver and House Sparrow.

This time again I could not witness the migratory Bar-headed Goose, but it was an amazing experience to witness over a thousand Eurasian Coot's and more than four hundred Red-naped Ibis, along with large flocks of Indian Spot-billed Duck, Lesser Whistling-Duck, Garganey, Bronze-winged Jacana, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Common Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Gray-headed Swamphen and Little Grebe.

I also got to witness some of the species of birds with their highest counts including seventeen Gray Heron's, over fifty Gray-headed Swamphen's, over thirty each of Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Bronze-winged Jacana's, around thirty Black-winged Stilt's, over fifteen Red-wattled Lapwing, forty Garganey's, eight Purple Heron's, six Black-crowned Night-Heron's and seventeen Common Sandpiper's.
Flock of Glossy / Red-naped Ibis along with Black-Headed Ibis, Gray Herons, Night-Herons, Coot, Spot-billed Duck, and Cormorants
Flock of Glossy / Red-naped Ibis along with Black-Headed Ibis, Gray Herons, Night-Herons, Coot, Spot-billed Duck, and Cormorants
Apart from the water birds and waders - Lesser Whistling-Duck, Red-naped Ibis and Black-tailed Godwit, I spotted many new species of birds including Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Black-shouldered Kite and Shikra, which were also a first time sightings for me.
Black-naped Oriole
Indian Golden Oriole
It was a treat for the eyes to witness such huge flock of birds and over sixty species of birds at one place, definitely more than what can be expected even in a bird sanctuary.

Here are some of the birds I was able to capture:
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Cattle Egret in breeding plumage
Cattle Egret in breeding plumage
Common Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Shrike's:
Brown Shrike
Brown Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Robin's:
Indian Robin
Indian Robin
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Dove's:
Laughing Dove
Laughing Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Small bird's:
Cinereous Tit
Cinereous Tit
Ashy Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Purple Sunbird female
Purple Sunbird female
Water birds:
Flock of Lesser Whistling-Duck or lesser whistling teal along with Coot, Garganey, and a lone Comb Duck
Flock of Lesser Whistling-Duck or lesser whistling teal along with Coot, Garganey, and a lone Comb Duck
Northern Shoveler Male and Female
Northern Shoveler Male and Female
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
Two male Garganey at the center along with two females and the long-legged Black-winged Stilt
Two male Garganey at the center along with two females and the long-legged Black-winged Stilt
Heron's:
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Purple Heron
Purple Heron
Wader's:
Red-wattled Lapwing
Red-wattled Lapwing
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-winged Stilt along with two Black-tailed Godwit. The later is categorized as Near Threatened species under IUCN Red List
Black-winged Stilt along with two Black-tailed Godwit. The later is categorized as Near Threatened species under IUCN Red List
Bird's of Prey:
Shikra
Shikra
Black-shouldered Kite
Black-shouldered Kite
Comprehensive list of birds spotted at Kundavada kere (lake), Davanagere:
1.Blue-tailed Bee-eater
2.Asian Koel
3.Black Drongo
4.Brown Shrike
5.Long-tailed Shrike
6.Chestnut-tailed Starling
7.Common Iora
8.Indian Golden Oriole
9.Greater Coucal
10.Indian Robin
11.Oriental Magpie-Robin
12.Jungle Babbler
13.Large Gray Babbler
14.Laughing Dove
15.Eurasian Collared-Dove
16.Red-vented Bulbul
17.Rose-ringed Parakeet
18.White-browed Wagtail
19.White-throated Kingfisher
20.Common Kingfisher
21.Cinereous Tit
22.Ashy Prinia
23.Pale-billed Flowerpecker
24.‎Purple Sunbird
25.Purple-rumped Sunbird
26.Sykes's Warbler
27.‎Warbler sp.
28.Swallow sp.
29.Swift sp.

Water Birds:
30.Cotton Pygmy-Goose
31.Eurasian Coot
32.Garganey
33.Lesser Whistling-Duck
34.Indian Spot-billed Duck
35.Comb Duck
36.Northern Shoveler
37.Little Grebe
38.Gray-headed Swamphen
39.Little Cormorant
40.Great Cormorant

Herons:
41.Black-crowned Night-Heron
42.Gray Heron
43.Purple Heron
44.Indian Pond-Heron

Ibises:
45.Black-Headed Ibis
46.Red-naped Ibis
47.Glossy Ibis

Egrets:
48.Little Egret
49.Intermediate Egret
50.Cattle Egret

Waders:
51.Black-tailed Godwit
52.Black-winged Stilt
53.Common Sandpiper
54.Pheasant-tailed Jacana
55.Bronze-winged Jacana
56.Red-wattled Lapwing

Birds of Prey:
57.Black-shouldered Kite
58.‎Braminy Kite
59.Shikra

And the common birds...
60.Rock Pigeon
61.House Crow
62.Common Myna
63.Jungle Myna
Labels:
Location: Kunduvada Lake, Davanagere, Karnataka

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