Half-way through the year, July falls right in the middle of the birding “off-season” with hardly a migrant in sight but birding in this month can prove to be quite fruitful as well. The monsoon is active over much of the country at this time of the year and several changes in the birdlife become apparent with it.
Skulking-no-more
A number of birds which are well-known for being hard-to-see are active and about in the rainy season. These include bitterns, more of which are sighted across the country now than at any other time. This is also the month when your chances of seeing a watercock are the highest, or if you’re a resident of Bangalore – it might be worth keeping an eye out for Greater Painted-Snipes in the right habitat.
Patterns and Changes
If you’re observing birds in your region regularly, you may notice changes in the birdlife around you. Are certain birds more vocal these days than otherwise? If you’re in coastal Karnataka, you may be seeing more Lesser Whistling-Ducks around. If you happen to be in Goa, a Vigors’s Sunbird may be regular in your garden. Black Drongos become very tough to find in Mysore during this month. North India and the Himalayan regions witness an influx of a number of summer migrants that visit to breed in the region such as the Indian Pitta, Golden Oriole, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and even the rarely recorded Hooded Pitta.
Events and Challenges
July’s eBirding Challenges are simple – upload as many checklists as possible to complete the monthly challenge. The gap-filling challenge lists over 380 districts to explore and collect data for! The global eBirder of the Month Challenge asks the users to submit at least 15 shared checklists.