Common Indian garden birds

At home for a few days of Christmas break and it feels so good to be able to go out and enjoy the sun, the weather, the blue skies!!

Here's some snaps that I clicked at my Uncle's place in Kannur, Kerala of some very common Indian birds.

Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)

Loten's Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis

White-cheeked Barbet Megalaima viridis

Carmine bee-eater

As horrible weather has kept me captive of the indoors I decided to try my hand (after a long time) at one of my old passions - Sketching. Sadly all I could find last night as I sat down was one Black pen. Nonetheless I had a go at a Carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicus) from photographs of the species I had take a few months ago at the Rotterdam Zoo.

Here it is .......
Here are some of the snaps.

Completely fell in love with the colours on these beauties.

These birds have a range including most the Northern Sub-saharan regions of Africa.

Though quiet small the Aviary at the Rotterdam Zoo has some great birds and offers great photo ops.