Wood Sandpiper

Went to Kharibari on Sunday, 31st March and made a number of recordings. This species offered both - an opportunity for a good photograph and a decent sound recording that I uploaded today (the pic and the vocalisation is not of the same individual) on Xeno-Canto. I must confess that when I saw and heard the bird in flight I couldn't identify it but knew it was some sandpiper - from the shape of its body. Later, while matching the calls I realised I had recorded a Wood Sandpiper :) That's the beauty of internet and modern technology. 

To listen to the recording click here or the embedded file below

White-throated Kingfisher

This is a very common call for anyone from this part of the world. In fact often it is difficult to avoid this bird's call (possibly territory marking) from the background.

A note on the photograph. I had taken it almost full frame in Santragachhi. 

Spotted Dove

I recorded the vocalisation of the spotted dove long ago. This was perhaps one of my first recordings made with the Edirol. No matter where in the world I hear this sound, it always reminds me of an idle afternoon in Calcutta.

Common Hawk Cuckoo - Juvenile Begging

In Piyali Island (near Sunderban) I saw this wonderful sight of a juvenile common hawk cuckoo begging for food (often successfully) from its foster parents - jungle babblers. The photograph and sound is of the same individual. This was in November 2012.

Common Iora

I saw and recorded this common iora at Shyamkhola on March 17, 2013. The common iora has a large repertoire of calls. This is one of them. This bird responds very well to playback. However, it is unethical to do so during the breeding season. The common iora's display flights is unique. It looks like a fluffy blackish ball when it does that. Hope to catch that sight with the camera some day.

In the background there is a trill of a lineated barbet and the song of a blue-throated barbet in this recording.

Lineated Barbet

Recorded these calls of Lineated Barbet at Shyamkhola last Sunday, 17th March 2013. These are two different vocalisations. While one is common and is often heard, the other one isn't so common. 

While the call above is quite common, the second one isn't as commonly heard. The first one has too much of a blue-throated barbet also calling incessantly, as is their wont. It is impossible to record anything in Bengal during spring without the background sound of this extremely commonly heard bird :-)

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker

Last Sunday, 17th March 2013 we went to Shyamkhola and Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary near Narendrapur. Here I saw and recorded this fulvous-breasted woodpecker's vocalisation and also the sound it made on the tree trunk with its beak.

Those who might not know - the very first sound that you hear is the call of the woodpecker. It is a very soft chuck chuck sound. Unless you are careful you will soon be drowned in the other calls of background species. The sound of the beak on the trunk is like a creaky door being opened. I hope this helps.