ML637188602

Détails de l'observation

Bare minimum. Clearly heard, identified, seen and photographed for a good five minutes after confirming their ID! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see them right at my hometown after spending one evening near Mysuru to find them! A pair initially seen flitting across the road and crossing the fallow fields intermittently earlier in the evening, initially speculated to be various other expected species, such as its Indian counterpart, ACSL, paddyfield pipit and even RTL, partly due to poor record shots and views. However, later in the evening while observing the Indian fellow display, I noticed another lark giving an extremely varied melody atop a small mud mound. Assuming it to be tawny (seen here earlier with a similar diverse repertoire), I clicked a couple of record shots; only to find it had an unusually different plumage and build! Then as if to lend me a confirmation, the other bird swooped in from seemingly nowhere, and the two flew about the fields again! This time, they were closer and I could obtain shots in flight, where the white outer tail feathers were clearly visible. While one of the birds flew out of view into the grasses, another continued to sit and sing atop a stone pole, allowing for the final clear shots and audio I desired (will be uploaded soon). Very different from Indian in plumage and behaviour; not performing much displays in flight and instead relying on their song to attract potential mates. Also not very shy, sitting right on the asphalt road twice; unlike Indian that always landed on the electric wires or vegetation nearby. After obtaining quite a bit more media than I probably needed, I left the birds to fend for themselves and headed back with a happy heart. A unique, amazing species that definitely deserves an enormous eBird description!