Thirsty!

It has been very hot here, where I leave and we are apparently going through a heatwave, by Kerala standards.  There has been no rain for around 2 months now, which is not usual here.  So, the ground is dry, and the wildlife has very little water.
I have a birdbath on the ground, in my yard.  I have seen various birds come to drink and the crows having a bath, each waiting their turns politely.  I have seen squirrels and a cat come and drink from the bowl.  I try to see that the stagnant water is thrown out and fresh water put in once in 3 or 4 days.  Yesterday I saw a squirrel come by and drink water, after making sure there was nobody around.
But this evening I saw an interesting sight.  The water tank next door was overflowing and I saw a racket-tailed drongo fly over to where the water was overflowing, sit on the pipe and drink it's fill.  The water was flowing quite heavily too, not a dribble.  I never thought a bird would drink from flowing water.  I have only ever seen my Labrador retriever drink like that.  What thirst does!

A hunt

Hearing a piercing and repeated bird cry from just outside the house, near my bird bath, I crept out of the house carefully.  I saw a bird of prey--a kite possibly, with a grey head.  On searching through google, the bird I saw seemed most like a grey-headed fish eagle.  But after reading up about it, that seems almost impossible.  Whatever, the bird seemed a young one, because it was making a huge commotion.  After a bit, I saw it fly and swoop down, and then I saw it sitting in my driveway with a chameleon in it's beak.  It then came back and sat on the tree I have right next to my front verandah.  I tried to take a picture with my phone.  But before I could adjust everything it flew off.  I presume it must be a young one, because he/she was shouting out his triumph in getting his prey.   I did try to find an image I could use here.  But I could find nothing quite like what I saw. 

Kovalam, an all time favourite.

As we had a long weekend, my husband and I decided to go to Kovalam in the south of Kerala, which is around a 3.5 hours car drive from here.  It was obvious that we had not been for quite a long while--for us--for we found the roads had been widened and were in the process of getting even more efficient.

It was hot and extremely sunny, what we call here, heat to fry an egg in.  But as always, hot or not, the sea has it's own allure.

Kovalam has a great many stray dogs, all of whom I believe are being vaccinated regularly.  Most of them lie in the shade under the beach beds, or whatever shade is available, near the beach, in the day.  Unfortunately I did not get a shot of any of them.  But, to me strange, I saw a couple run down to the sea and stand in the water around noon.  This is unusual as the sand can really burn their feet at that time.  [Maybe the sand on the part of the beach they ran down, was not so hot.]  By the time I was able to focus my phone camera(they were pretty far away), they had run away.

Here are some of the pictures I did get.

New addition, surf boards.  I saw a tiny sign board saying surf school on the beach.

The mix of sea, beach and the sunset always call to me.

Tinge of red below thunderclouds: but disappointingly there was no rain.

and of course the lighthouse at Kovalam.

Some recent pictures

The full moon recently through bamboo leaves

The photo of the flowers from an evening walk, and growing at a neighbour's. 

Pretty decor for my tree

Fungi on an old tree in my front yard. Some are as big as plates.  I love the markings and the frilly edges.

Poisonous catch

Yesterday, I was driving into my car porch, when I saw a crow pheasant in the grass way ahead of me.  Something about the way it was acting made me stay in the car and watch.  I realised it was trying to catch a black scorpion.  I somehow managed to drag my phone out and took a video.  It is a little long distance . Please watch full screen to see the action.
On my phone, when I enlarge the image I realised the bird attacked the venomous tail first.  Anyway, it got it's catch.

Magpie robins

I was recently in Cochin at my daughter's home.  There i happen to spy a pair of magpie robins.  I love the way they look and their sweet whistle like calls.  Somehow here, in spite of all the trees we have around here, I hardly ever get to hear the magpie robin these days probably because their calls are drowned out by the loud raucous calls of the racket-tailed drongos.  I have to admit their calls can be beautiful too.  It is just that they are so loud!  I managed to get pictures of the pair, male and female--

This was the first time I got to see a female so close.  I see she is a dark brown.  I was unable to record their song though.