Birding Updates

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Update 1: According to Dr. Salim Ali (1941 ), the food of the black necked stork is frogs, reptiles, crabs, etc. But, on the pleasant evening of 16th February 2001. Dr. Farah lshtiaq. Mr. Khalid, Mr. K.K. Mishra, Mr. D. Devarishi and I saw a blacknecked stork feeding on a purple moorhen, by plunging it into the water, with the help of its bill. To my mind, perhaps the stork was trying to pluck off the feathers from the body of its prey. This unusual incident took place at about 5.1 O p.m. in Keoladev Ghana National Park, Bharatpur. 
Update 2 : Ali. S. and Futehally, L (1968) have mentioned that the food of the cattle egret is chiefly grasshoppers, blue-bottle flies, cicadas and other insects; also frogs, lizards, fishes, figs and so on. But, on the cloudy & wet dusk of 17th July, 2001, around 6.00 p.m. I sighted a cattle egret with a dead rat in its bill, passing over my house at Moh-Maharaj near, Lakhimpur Kheri, towards its roost.
 Update 3: On the foggy forenoon of 29th October, 2001 at about 9.00 a.m. I heard the familiar call, of a common jungle babbler that was coming from my neighbour's house roof at Maharajnagar in Lakhimpur Kheri, U.P. But, there were no jungle babblers, at all, around my and neighbour's house, at the time. Then I focussed my binoculars towards the black drongo that perched upon the pole that stood on the roof of my neighbour's house. At that time I was totally astonished to find that this black drongo was the bird that was calling perfectly like a jungle babbler, I then understood that drongo was doing, what we call mimicry.
 Update 4 : On the clear sunny winter morning on 8th February, 2003 at about 8.00 a.m. I saw two birds for the first time in the pond at Maharajnagar, Lakhimpur Kheri. The first bird, I spotted was a solitary greyleg goose(Anser anse) floating as well as flying among a large flock of little grebes. As the flock of grebes was of towards the sky it also took off and as the grebes landed it also landed. How and from where it came here, is still a wonder. This goose was still here on 20th February 2003 too! The second bird I saw was alone, grey heron (Ardea cinerea) flying over the pond, but next day it had gone.

© Uruj Shahid 

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