Arunachal Pradesh and 1 of its owls: Collared Owlet

Driving in the Himalayas. Our driver is a real expert. Right next to the roadside of the well-known Mandala Road in Arunachal Pradesh, only about 10m away, a little owl is sitting on a bamboo bush. A heated discussion ensues. Eventually the owl turns out to be a Collared Owlet (Taenioptynx brodiei). This small owl… Continue reading Arunachal Pradesh and 1 of its owls: Collared Owlet

Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler in the Mishmi Hills

An early morning at 5:50 am in the Mishmi Hills. The morning sun, not yet there, will shine again from a cloudless sky. Only above the Brahmaputra can one see the first white clouds, which can also be morning mist. It is 6:30 a.m. and we are at 1,900m above sea level at a mighty… Continue reading Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler in the Mishmi Hills

Adventure: driving to the Keoladeo National Park

It is November. A trip to Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India is scheduled. Due to delays in domestic flights I find out, that there are still three days left . Now you can spend the time in New Delhi, the capital of India, of course. According to some strange statistics the human population of New… Continue reading Adventure: driving to the Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park, a paradise also for Western Palearctic birds

Is it possible to combine business and birding in India? The country is large, the distance too and most business is performed in a metropolitan area – New Delhi. Although supposedly in the area of New Delhi only 250,000 people live after the Indian census of 2011, but there are at least several million in… Continue reading Keoladeo National Park, a paradise also for Western Palearctic birds

Identification of Sternula Terns in Asia/Africa

When you are going to eastern Arabia in spring, you have good chances to see (and compare) 2 small terns of the genus Sternula. Sternula is a genus of small white terns, which is often subsumed into the larger genus Sterna. Saunder’s Tern, Sternula saundersi, was formerly considered to be subspecies of Little Tern but… Continue reading Identification of Sternula Terns in Asia/Africa

Purple-Blue over a sea of grass….

Observing bird migration in the UAE is one of the prime birdwatchter´s target. But also the resident species are targets in their own rights. This is true for sure for one of the most colorful birds in UAE, the Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis, which used to be called the “Blue Jay”. Some people have even described the Indian… Continue reading Purple-Blue over a sea of grass….

The Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman

Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman. Migration time in Oman is prime birdwatching time. After having seen Moustached Warbler and Savi’s Warbler in the middle of the Oman´s deserts, now I can present the 3rd bird, which will be announced via a Rare Bird Report to the Oman Bird Records… Continue reading The Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman