Favoritos de sriharsha444

A relatively small warbler was sighted during our birding on sunday at ezhome. The warbler was seen on small scrubs growing in the paddyfield near the road side. The bird was active and was moving fastly around the reeds relatively faster and was actively feeding near the water surface. Noticable features include prominant eyebrow with dark crown. Underpart was(Belly) Pale and the upperparts are darker compared to underparts. The streaks in the wings and upperparts were not that clear. The sighting lasted only a few minutes and the bird was not making any calls or sounds. The bird disappeared in the reeds after a short time interval. https://ebird.org/checklist/S126095411

The only confusing id was of a sedge/moustached warbler. Comments from discussion points towards sedge as a perfect candidate for the specimen in discussion.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AskidsofIndianBirds/?multi_permalinks=2560558290749528

Approx 3-4 ft long. Took ~4 hours to eat a giant Asian Toad.

Going by hood pattern and other general features, the same individual has been caught at least 6 times in the last few months within 500m of the previous sighting. First confirmed sighting of this one was on May 18 (reported here - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53957719) and again on 6th June by a neighbour (not reported here). More recently on August 13 here (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56320406) and again on November 1 (not reported here, preying on an Indian Toad again). Most recently on November 21 reported here (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66518871) and had just eaten another Toad.

Platythomisus sudeepi

This is not a new spider for me, I have seen this in  October 2020 at Vasanthi akkas farm. Vasanthi akka had spotted this beautiful crab spider &  because of this spider, I had visited her farm. Thanks to Flat crab spider !
Though I had clicked pics, its like visiting zoo & taking photograph. There will no much special feelings . its always  special ,when its sighted by me without anyone's help. Its excitement when we get something special without expectations.  such was this . on Vijayadashami day, that's last day of DASARA exactly after three years I was fortunate to see Platythomisus sudeepi over its egg sac !
coincidentally, exactly on Vijayadashami day I had visited vasanthi akkas farm to get Darshana of this beautiful Red spider . Spider was breeding on leaf of Hopea ponga , threatened species from westernghats ! Hopea ponga, locally called as kalmara was found everywhere & we have reached a point that this common tree is now listed under threatened species .
 October 2023
 puttur.

I was attracted to the ruckus made by crows from a tree, about 200 m. from where I stood. Expecting them to be mobbing an unfortunate owl or bird of prey, I approached the tree, taking my time. The mobbing persisted.

When I finally reached the spot some ten minutes later I could see some 30+ House Crows cawing and flying around the target tree, which was a modest, barren tree with slender branches on which I first noticed the swinging of a bushy tail.

On approaching closer, I saw the small, fawn-coloured cat trying to get down from the tree but getting intimidated by the pestering crows that kept flying close or landing close to it on the tree, calling loudly all the while.

It was really unfortunate that these very circumstances that made this elusive animal uncomfortable opened up a rare window of opportunity for me to photograph it. For the next few minutes, I kept clicking as the crows prevented the cat from climbing down the tree and escape into the undergrowth.

As this drama was getting enacted, the poor animal seized opportunity to escape when a male Oriental Honey Buzzard flew in to land just 5 m. above my head on a young Eucalyptus tree. Momentarily, the crows got distracted with the unexpected arrival of this raptor that the cat was forgotten and the entire bunch landed seeking the buzzard's blood!

When I took my eyes off the honey buzzard and looked at the tree on which the harassed cat was stuck for the past several minutes, I was so happy to see it empty, the animal having used this diversion of attention of the crows away from itself to climb down and melt into the tangled undergrowth.

Though known to occur in lightly wooded rocky and scrub-covered areas, the Rusty-spotted Cat is rarely seen in the open and hence not often reported or photographed. I think it was one of those rare days and I was happy to be able to use the opportunity to photo-document this smallest wild cat.