BirdsofNIlgiris]

Though I am unable to state definitely, let me try to guess what these birds are by consulting the birdman. Those of you - readers - who may know are welcome to add your comments -

This bird was about 20 cm - Is this a female BLUE ROCK THRUSH?



This bird you see below was on the bough of a tree just above my head. We had parked within a plantation to study the birds that were flying about and I caught sight of this one on the nearby tree. This photo has been turned upside down in fact to make it clearer, the bird was actually clinging on to the tree and moving from the bottom of my field of view to the top. The bird was very close to me and looked about 15 cm long.

It looks slate grey here but as I was seeing it against the light and against the bough of a tree, from below that too,I can stretch the colour to greyish blue or indigo - So - is this a Nilgiri Verditer Flycatcher or a Male Blacknaped Blue Flycatcher?


Below is a photograph of two Rufousbacked Shrikes, about 25 cm with notably rufous rumps...I presume Male and Female.






Is the bird you see below a redwinged crested cuckoo or a whitebellied tree pie or a female Paradise Flycatcher? From the photo the bird appears small about 20 cm- but it was really far from where I stood - nearly 30 metres away, and on a tree - so it could easily have been twice that size. Say, it was anywhere between 20 cm and 40 cm long, esp with its tail hidden... My guess is it must have been about 20 cm and a female paradise flycatcher bending its head to peck itself on the chest...













Yellow vented bulbul



Baybacked Shrike - this was close - about 7-8 metres away - and definitely smaller than the pair displayed above - about 15 - 18 cm like a bulbul...

Visit to Nilgiris - The Birds

Clouds were floating about noiselessly seeming menacing in the distance and misty when close. Our visit was full of beauty and a dynamic silence. Strangely, I felt as if I breathed in quanta of unclassified knowledge along with gulps of the cold, misty, pure, clean air. There was a curious self-transforming magic there, I realised later.

But alongside drinking in this intoxicating presence, I kept registering subconsciously the birds that flew in and out of the white, blotted-out vista and storing their pictures in my mind.

Here is a list of birds that I spotted. Though I have no pictures, I thought I'd mention them here just to share the information with like-minded readers.

(1) Crested Serpent Eagle
(2) Grey Partridge
(3)Grey Jungle Fowl
(4) Spotted Dove
(5) Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
(6) Blue-winged Parakeet
(7) Alpine Swift
(8) Hoopoe
(9) Indian Goldenbacked Three-toed Woodpecker (well! not sure about the number of toes, that looked like the most-probable option after consulting Salim Ali's book, but definitely goldenbacked.)
(10) Rufousbacked Shrike
(11) Scarlet Minivet (One Red Male and One Yellow Female/young one)
(12) Redwhiskered Bulbul
(13) Yellowbrowed bulbul
(14) Nilgiri Laughing Thrush
(15) Pied Bush Chat

Visit to Devashola Tea Factory in Coonoor

Fresh Tea Leaves


Fresh Leaves being Taken for steaming


Steaming of Tea Leaves


Steamed Leaves are Ground to form Small Threads

Ground Leaves are collected and moved to a Roasting Machine


Ground Leaves Being transported to Roaster



Weight-Sorting by a Centrifugal Method - Grades of Tea being collected




Grading by Weight in Progress







Roasted Tea Leaves - Sorted by size quality but not in colour



Last stage of Grading - Grading by Colour Selctor

Book Review of 'The Scar'

The Scar - is an autobiographical novel penned by Dr KA Gunasekaran, Tamil Scholar and Theatre Activist. You can find on this page my review of the novel and a part of the interview with the author - Published in The New Indian Express - Sunday, 6 June 2010.