If you are lucky you may spot some rare species like the crimson-throated barbette or the occasional bee-eater, sunbird, shrike, fairy blue bird, grey- headed fishing eagle, black-winged kite, night heron, grey heron, Malabar shama, common grey hornbill and the Malabar hornbill. On its part, the Kole Wetland in Thrissur District is a popular nesting ground for birds, especially migratory only. According to ecologists, the Kole Wetlands is the third largest in India, after Chilika Lake (Orissa) and Amipur Tank (Gujarat). Birdlife International, an organisation working to protect the world’s birds and their habitats, states that this area is home to globally threatened species such as the spotbilled pelican, oriental darter, black-headed ibis, painted stork, blackbellied tern, cinereous vulture and the greater spotted eagle. For the avian lover, this is the equivalent of paradise. —Unni Krishnan Pulikkal is a passionate birdwatcher and photographer
BABBLER: Seems this babbler was probably waiting for its mate. The morning light coupled with the bland background gave it a moody look. The intensity of expectation seen in its eyes was clean; (inset) portrait of a red whiskered bulbul
34 INDIA PERSPECTIVES
JUNE 2011