Sharavathi Valley and the great web of life
The little big treasures of Sharavathi Valley won’t interest the seeker of charismatic mega-mammalian fauna. And that’s probably a good thing.
Nature’s Layers Unravelled – Encounters with birds, beasts, and relatives
All posts authored by Beej
The little big treasures of Sharavathi Valley won’t interest the seeker of charismatic mega-mammalian fauna. And that’s probably a good thing.
Mangrove forests are among the most inaccessible habitats. But it was one at Pranburi in Thailand that I met the Golden-bellied Gerygone singing its lush, soulful song
June 8 is World Oceans Day. To those who live along the coastlines of the world, the effects of climate change are more noticeable than ever. Those who walk their dogs by the seafront every day, and those who enter the water to commune with the ocean, those who watch the skies above the water as it reflects the change of seasons… they know that it is not merely we who are changing, but the our actions that have caused what seem like changes too far-reaching to reverse. A Green Ogre photo-feature
The Aristotelian phrase ‘One swallow doesn’t make a summer’ doesn’t quite apply in the case of the Welcome Swallow, which was named by Australian farmers eager for its arrival in the spring
The charismatic Australian Water Dragon can be seen sunning itself on the outskirts of Australian cities. As its name implies, it is wedded to water
Glossy jet-black with iridescent highlights. And a tail so twirly it’s unmistakable. If you peer ever so closely, you can see the thin, thread-like hairs on the forehead. Meet the Hair-crested Drongo.
Oman does not have a lot of large charismatic wildlife but some of the small creatures, almost trampled underfoot, are spectacular. Like this stunning Sinai Agama
In Aussie slang, its name means ‘loveable fool’. Meet the Galah, a common but nonetheless striking cockatoo found in Australia
Hailing from a family known as the ‘beautiful squirrels’, the Hoary-bellied Squirrel is handsome enough despite the plainness of its coat. To see this mammal in the wild, head for the forests of northeast India
As a race, we have doubtless lived with sparrows for aeons. We crave the companionship of these cosmopolitan birds, etching them into canvas and verse, song and rime. And we ache for them when they are gone.
In the fog oases of Salalah, a wolf-whistle bids you turn and look. Just a Tristram’s Starling crying wolf. Similar to a redstart but garrulous and raucous like a starling, this bird is all over the wadis, following the waves of human tourists that throng southeastern Oman during the rainy season
Even birders rarely felicitate bulbuls with a second glance, worse if they are Red-whiskered or Red-vented Bulbuls. But when we head up to the hills, the sight of the Himalayan Bulbul is a joy to us. For it means we are in the hills, and there’s a bounty of birdlife waiting to be discovered.
What happens when a monkey chances upon a coconut? Well, let’s just say there’s no business like monkey business. And monkey business is show business. Enjoy this video
Happy 2015! Take inspiration from the Indian Desert Jird. Dig deep into your past to find the key to the future.