Regular Birding - Nov 19, 2006 Sunday | 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM - Van Vihar

Pied Bushchats are commonly seen.. Photo : Mohd. Khalique	Purple sunbird - an eclipsed form. Photo : Mohd. Khalique

Still waiting for the migratory birds, birders in VVNP were happy to see a pair of Brahminy Shellducks that also marked the arrival of these beautiful ducks that come from Tibet and Ladakh. Also seen were some spot billed ducks along with about 20 odd common teals. A sandpiper was seen wading along side of aviory, possibly a common sandpiper in company with some black winged stilts.

Female of pied bushchat is earthy brown in color with a rusty rump. Pied bushchats are very commonly seen these days. Interestingly, male bushchats are often seen in bushes and lower part of the trees wheares females of the species seems like electric wire to perch on.

Purple Sunbirds, some of the males in this season acquire an eclipsed form that is marked by white yellowish color in breast till tail with black colored dotted line from beak to the legs. To make it simpler to understand, eclipsed males are those that acquire female like appearance in a particular season. Its common in some ducks too.