Wildlife

Some 25 members of the Bird Watchers Field Club, Bangalore, led by ardent bird watcher, Deepa Mohan visited the Puttenahalli Lake on 8th Oct. After spotting the juvenile coots, little grebes and pheasant tailed jacanas and seeing a coot couple building a nest, Deepa called our lake a "nursery." This was the nicest thing to hear about the lake we have been trying very hard to revive and sustain. The nesting shows that the birds feel safe to raise their young ones and the presence of large shoals of fish means that the water is clean enough for them to…

Some 25 members of the Bird Watchers Field Club, Bangalore, led by ardent bird watcher, Deepa Mohan visited the Puttenahalli Lake on 8th Oct. After spotting the juvenile coots, little grebes and pheasant tailed jacanas and seeing a coot couple building a nest, Deepa called our lake a "nursery." This was the nicest thing to hear about the lake we have been trying very hard to revive and sustain. The nesting shows that the birds feel safe to raise their young ones and the presence of large shoals of fish means that the water is clean enough for them to…

 We generally dress in our oldest, dull-coloured clothes to go on nature trails, because many creatures are sensitive to bright colours, and vanish as soon they see such colours moving around. In Nature, blending in with one's surroundings is often the key to survival...what stands out is often what's eaten, and also what could be dangerous.But there are creatures who manage to blend beautifully into their surroundings, and yet remain very colourful!The PRAYING MANTIS that we found on Saturday at the Valley School was a prime example:It was quite tough to see the Mantis at first, but we all soon…

 We generally dress in our oldest, dull-coloured clothes to go on nature trails, because many creatures are sensitive to bright colours, and vanish as soon they see such colours moving around. In Nature, blending in with one's surroundings is often the key to survival...what stands out is often what's eaten, and also what could be dangerous.But there are creatures who manage to blend beautifully into their surroundings, and yet remain very colourful!The PRAYING MANTIS that we found on Saturday at the Valley School was a prime example:It was quite tough to see the Mantis at first, but we all soon…

"Nearly 110 species of birds, fully or partially dependent on water have been recorded utilizing the tanks in Bangalore. This diversity of birds belongs to 6 avian orders and 25 bird families." - Dr S. Subramanya, an authority on lakes At Puttenahalli Lake, JP Nagar we have positively identified 15 species of the 110 (with the help of close-up photographs; otherwise most of the birds were always too far off or reclusive). These include those that belong to the families of coots, cormorants, ducks, herons, jacanas, kingfishers, kites, lapwigs, wagtails. There are some that we are yet to photograph/identify and…

"Nearly 110 species of birds, fully or partially dependent on water have been recorded utilizing the tanks in Bangalore. This diversity of birds belongs to 6 avian orders and 25 bird families." - Dr S. Subramanya, an authority on lakes At Puttenahalli Lake, JP Nagar we have positively identified 15 species of the 110 (with the help of close-up photographs; otherwise most of the birds were always too far off or reclusive). These include those that belong to the families of coots, cormorants, ducks, herons, jacanas, kingfishers, kites, lapwigs, wagtails. There are some that we are yet to photograph/identify and…

 We (Bhavita, Kannan and I...the smallest group I've gone on, in a long time!) were returning from Nandi Hills when the sight of this Chameleon brought us to a screeching halt.What a beauty! Luckily, it had not been flattened by traffic on the other side of the road, and was already on our side. It goose-stepped, or should I say, chameleon-stepped, into the grass verge. Watch this video, the progress of the reptile is funny, to say the least!  Here it is, closer to the grass verge:It then climbed on to a rock:And disappeared into the shelter of the leaves and…

 We (Bhavita, Kannan and I...the smallest group I've gone on, in a long time!) were returning from Nandi Hills when the sight of this Chameleon brought us to a screeching halt.What a beauty! Luckily, it had not been flattened by traffic on the other side of the road, and was already on our side. It goose-stepped, or should I say, chameleon-stepped, into the grass verge. Watch this video, the progress of the reptile is funny, to say the least!  Here it is, closer to the grass verge:It then climbed on to a rock:And disappeared into the shelter of the leaves and…

One of the lizards that we often see around is the Peninsular Rock Agama...and around this time, as the male takes on its breeding colours, it can be a beautiful thing to see.Here's one specimen, which was perched, totally immobile, atop a cut-down tree-trunk on Bannerghatta Road:As it spotted some insect, the reptile was off in an incredible flash of speed, on to the ground below:The scientific name for this lizard is Psammophilus dorsalis. Tje female's camouflage is so good that she often cannot be spotted on the rocks! click here for the Wiki on this lovely creature, that eats…

One of the lizards that we often see around is the Peninsular Rock Agama...and around this time, as the male takes on its breeding colours, it can be a beautiful thing to see.Here's one specimen, which was perched, totally immobile, atop a cut-down tree-trunk on Bannerghatta Road:As it spotted some insect, the reptile was off in an incredible flash of speed, on to the ground below:The scientific name for this lizard is Psammophilus dorsalis. Tje female's camouflage is so good that she often cannot be spotted on the rocks! click here for the Wiki on this lovely creature, that eats…