the entrance to the trail at Bhamburda; it’s known for its Peacocks….but there’s much more than peacocks!

we started walking around 715 am, and it’s a gentle climb up the slopes…

First bird of the morning from a far was this lovely vocal ashy prinia

followed quickly by this restless nondescript female sunbird….probably purple sunbird

and then the commonest bird at this location, the rather smart red vented bulbul, posing with the Flame of the Forest flowers

another view of the red vented bulbul

and then in a distant tree our guide spotted the peacocks..

magnificent colours of the tail….

magnificent blue neck

of course the peacocks were only interested in the peahens, this being the mating season

climbing up the slopes, the laughing doves were active

laughing dove

common mynahs were, well, common

and from a long way over, this splendid male purple sunbird glowed in the morning sun

purple sunbird

and amongst the barren dryness on the slopes, pockets of brilliant red flame of the forest flowers stood out

arriving at the top of the hill, was the view down into the disused stone quarry with very little water

quarry

Egret

Indian Robin

Black kites, crows, purple herons, plum headed parakeets all flew over the quarry

Squabbling egrets

red wattled lapwing

red wattled lapwing

barren forest on the way down…

white throated kingfisher from afar

Rufous Treepie

and the last bird of the morning and also the most beautiful, the Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, bade us farewell.

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher