Local Birds Of the Western Himalayas
Part of each morning, I take some time to do a local nature walk. The purpose of the walk is not so much to discover new terrain but to closely witness and observe what is around me.
I learned a lot from my father about observation. Towards the end of his life he was totally wheelchair bound and ill internally. He spent a lot of time in rehab centers where there was very little change of surroundings - an antiseptic environment devoid of color and variety.
My father totally amazed me, however. He could find so much to observe and note in his surroundings. Minute changes in a potted plant in the lobby, the coming and goings of birds at his window, progress in a building going up far down the street. Even when he felt well enough for me to take him outside he proceeded very slowly in his motorized chair taking in every small detail and commenting to me.
I reflect on his attitude a lot here. I practice tuning my senses to see the world in a grain of sand- there literally is so much going on in Nature at every moment. So from time to time, I will share my discoveries on these walks.
In this post I will mention a few of the Himalayan birds I have personally spotted. Unfortunately, I am not skilled or fast enough to get my own photos.
My favorite bird (so far) is the Himalayan Red-Billed Magpie. It has the longest tail that I have ever seen and when it flies, the tail streams beautifully behind. They like solitary places so I have to be quiet to spot one.
I learned a lot from my father about observation. Towards the end of his life he was totally wheelchair bound and ill internally. He spent a lot of time in rehab centers where there was very little change of surroundings - an antiseptic environment devoid of color and variety.
My father totally amazed me, however. He could find so much to observe and note in his surroundings. Minute changes in a potted plant in the lobby, the coming and goings of birds at his window, progress in a building going up far down the street. Even when he felt well enough for me to take him outside he proceeded very slowly in his motorized chair taking in every small detail and commenting to me.
I reflect on his attitude a lot here. I practice tuning my senses to see the world in a grain of sand- there literally is so much going on in Nature at every moment. So from time to time, I will share my discoveries on these walks.
In this post I will mention a few of the Himalayan birds I have personally spotted. Unfortunately, I am not skilled or fast enough to get my own photos.
My favorite bird (so far) is the Himalayan Red-Billed Magpie. It has the longest tail that I have ever seen and when it flies, the tail streams beautifully behind. They like solitary places so I have to be quiet to spot one.
Another bird that is very striking is called a Verditer Flycatcher. When I first caught sight of one I was completely amazed. His color is so vivid.
Another more commonly spotted bird of the area is the Black Drongo. He is easily identified because of his forked tail. He can be seen perching on the rural electric lines.
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