2014 | 124_04May14 | Mysore Kukkarahalli Lake

01. Indian Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) - Male - 58-63 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Has yellow-tipped black bill, greyish-white head and neck with black crown and eye-stripe, blackish spotting on breast, white scalloping on flanks, and largely white tertials. In flight, wings appear dark except for white on tertials and white underwing-coverts. Male has prominent red loral spot and is more strongly marked than female and juvenile (the red loral spot is less conspicuous on female and lacking on juvenile).

02. Indian Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) - Male - 58-63 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Has yellow-tipped black bill, greyish-white head and neck with black crown and eye-stripe, blackish spotting on breast, white scalloping on flanks, and largely white tertials. In flight, wings appear dark except for white on tertials and white underwing-coverts. Male has prominent red loral spot and is more strongly marked than female and juvenile (the red loral spot is less conspicuous on female and lacking on juvenile).

03. Ashy Prinia (Prinia Socialis) - Male in Breeding plumage - 13 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Has white supercilium (sometimes lacking), slate-grey crown and ear-coverts, red eye, slate-grey (breeding) or rufousbrown (non-breeding) mantle, orange-buff wash on underparts, and prominent black subterminal marks (and whitish tips) to tail feathers. Juvenile has greenish upperparts and buffish-yellow underparts.

04. Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus) - Adult - 28-31 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Dark upperwing and underwing. Adult has white supercilium, bronze-green upperparts, and blackish underparts. Juvenile has orange-buff wash on breast, short white supercilium, and yellowish bill.

05. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Adult Breeding Plumage - 32-35 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : White lateral undertail-coverts, with black central stripe, and usually shows white line along flanks. Breeding adult has blackish head and neck, slate-grey underparts, and dark olive-brown upperparts; red bill with yellow tip and red frontal shield. Non-breeding adult has duller bill and legs. Juvenile has dull green bill, and is mainly brown with whitish throat, grey wash to breast and flanks, and variable whitish patch on belly. Immature resembles non-breeding adult, but has duller body plumage, with grey of underparts washed with brown and buff, whitish throat, and less prominent pale border to the flanks. 

06. Tawny-bellied Babbler (Dumetia hyperythra albogularis) - Adult - 13 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Forehead and forecrown are rufous-buff, sides of head and underparts are orange-buff, mantle is olive-brown, and wings and tail are brown,the tail with faint barring. Eye is pale and bill is pale pinkish brown. Juvenile has brighter, more rufous-brown upperparts, lacking rufous-brown forehead; has only traces of white on throat, and duller underparts.

07. Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola Grayii) - Adult Non-breeding Plumage - 42-45 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Whitish wings contrast with dark saddle. Adult breeding has yellowish-buff head and neck and maroon-brown mantle/ scapulars. Head, neck and breast streaked/spotted in non-breeding plumage. 

08. Grey Heron (Ardea Cinerea) - Adult - 90-98 cm 
ID by  Richard Grimmett : A large, mainly grey heron, lacking any brown or rufous in its plumage. In flight, black flight feathers contrast with grey upperwing- and underwing-coverts, and shows a prominent white leading edge to wing when head-on. Adult has yellow bill, whitish head and neck with black head plumes, and black patches on belly. In breeding season, has whitish scapular plumes and bill and legs become orange or reddish. Immature is duller than adult, with grey crown, reduced black 'crest', greyer neck, less pronounced black patches on sides of belly, and duller bill and legs. Juvenile has dark grey cap with slight crest, dirty grey neck and breast, lacks black patches on belly sides, lacks plumes, and has dark legs. 

09. Purple Heron (Ardea Purpurea) - 78-90 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Rakish, with long, thin neck. In flight, compared with Grey Heron, bulge of recoiled neck is very pronounced, protruding feet large, underwing-coverts purplish (adult) or buff (juvenile) and lacks white leading edge to wing. Adult has chestnut head and neck with black stripes, grey mantle and upperwing-coverts, and dark chestnut belly and underwing-coverts. Juvenile has black crown, buffish neck, and brownish mantle and upperwing-coverts with rufous-buff fringes

10.Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus Philippensis) - Adult Breeding Plumage - 140 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Dingier appearance, rather uniform pinkish bill and pouch (except in breeding condition), and black spotting on upper mandible (except juveniles). Pale circum orbital skin looks cut off from bill (appears to be wearing goggles). Tufted crest/hind neck usually apparent even on young birds. Underwing pattern similar to that of Dalmatian (and quite different from GreatWhite), showing little contrast between wing-coverts and flight feathers and with paler greater coverts producing distinct central panel. Adult breeding has cinnamon-pink rump, underwing-coverts and undertail-coverts; head and neck appear greyish; has purplish skin in front of eye, and pouch is pink to dull purple and blotched with black. Adult non-breeding dirtier greyish-white, with paler pouch and facial skin. Immature has variable grey-brown markings on upperparts. Juvenile has brownish head and neck, brown mantle and upperwing-coverts (fringed with pale buff), and brown flight feathers; spotting on bill initially lacking (and still indistinct at 12 months). 

11. White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis Phoenicurus) - Adult - 32 cm
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Adult has grey upperparts and white face, foreneck and breast; undertail coverts rufous-cinnamon. Bill and legs are greenish or yellowish, with swollen reddish base to upper mandible. Juvenile has greyish face, and sides of neck and breast, and browner upperparts; bill and legs are darker. 

12. Ruddy-breasted Crake (Porzana Fusca) - Adult - 22 cm 
ID by  Richard Grimmett : Combination of dull chestnut underparts, unmarked dark olive-brown upperparts, indistinct dark brown and white barring on rear flanks and undertail coverts (much more restricted than in Slaty-legged and Andaman Crakes) and red legs. Juvenile dark olive-brown, with white-barred undertail-coverts and fine greyish-white mottling/barringon rest of underparts. Legs duller and iris is brown (rather than red as in adult).

Post by Arun Kumar.