The very first bird we saw was a rail. However, by the time I got our gear out, it already disappeared inside a clump of tall grass. Next, three Zebra Dove walked nonchalantly in front of our car. Cynthia got a photo of one of them.
Surprisingly the local birds seemed to be more skittish now than the previous times we were here. And fewer. A Golden-headed Cisticola was calling but it was perched at quite a distance from us. Not only that it was even backlit (backlighted?). So I managed only a couple of documentary shots.
The usual horde of Scaly-breasted Munias feeding by the roadside were replaced by a few individuals munching the grass seeds about a stone's throw away.
Even the Spotted Doves that usually meander along the sidewalks were now perched high up on the tree branches.
As I mentioned earlier, birds were more skittish now, and that included the White-breasted Swallows. Common birds that used to pose for us on electric wires before sallying off in pursuit of prey.
Having circled the subdivision for about three times, we finally encountered a Barred Rail preening behind a clump of grass.
"You know we haven't gotten a picture of a Long-tailed Shrike yet" my wife reminded me. As if on cue one of them posed long enough for me to take its picture. On a branch even, instead of the usual electric wire.
Then it started to drizzle. Ominous dark clouds told us that soon rain will come pouring. Since we didn't bring any raincoats, we decided to cut short our birding sortie. I guess it wasn't really that bad for an hour's worth of bird photography.
