What Birdings all about (1 Viewer)

For me this weekend has been what birding is all about for three reasons: enjoying the common birds, finding rare birds, and probably most of all doing it with friends! I only birded at my house and my favorite hotspot: New Vision, but I saw over 70 species these two days and they included some really fun ones! My weekend started well by birding with two of the legends of Bangladesh birding: Sayam U. Chowdhury and Enam Ul Haque.
And that morning I found a rare Black-headed Bunting, my first lifer since May! First found by Sayam vai in BD around 10 years ago and my record is around the 10th national record and the first around Dhaka.
Then this morning I saw a Purple Heron a new hotspot bird for me (#119 I think) and it was also new for my 5MR (#153). They're pretty uncommon around Dhaka, seen a few times a year.
Part of birding is the social aspect, and birding with my brother Nic, and friends Elias Thomas and Zaber Ansary plus meeting Asker Ibne Firoz for the first time is a good example of that.
And then to wrap up a great morning I got easily my best photos yet of the elusive Black Bittern! They are very shy and usually only seen in flight, but being in the right areas for enough time can give you some lucky chances like photographing a perched Black Bittern in the 2-3 seconds before it disappears into thick reeds!
Also adding some other fun photos from this weekend of slightly less interesting birds (including Eastern Yellow Wagtail which was a BD lifer for Sayam! #520 for him!!)

Photos:
1) Black-headed Bunting
2) Purple Heron
3) Black Bittern
4) Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker
5) Yellow Bitterns

More photos:

6) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
These are notoriously similar to Western yellow, but thankfully Sayam got a recording of it's call and we were able to confirm the ID with the help of experts.
Plus the yellow supercilium isn't right for any of the expected subspecies of western yellow, but is perfect for the expected taivana subspecies for eastern yellow.
7) the same Eastern Yellow Wagtail
8) a common juvenile Black Drongo
9) Asian Koel in flight
10) Peacock Pansy. One of the most common butterflies in Bangladesh, but also one of the most beautiful

Last ones:

11) a subadult Brahminy Kite
12) Great Egret taking off. Fun to catch the drops of water falling from it's feet

Great stuff - don't hear much about birding in Bangladesh.

Steve

Same thoughts here. It's nice to hear - or should I say read - "birding news" from different countries. :t:

Really interesting to read about birding in Bangladesh. Thanks for sharing, and I must agree. There's no thrill that isn't better shared with a friend. I'm glad you had such a good day.

I agree! I thought I enjoyed the solitude of birding, but it turns out I really miss being in hides with fellow birders!