The open area immediately around the Mahadeva Temple has a few interesting birds but the main attraction is the river, the surrounding woodland and the nearby fields where key species such as Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, White-bellied Woodpecker and Jerdon’s Nightjar are found.
The ancient temple stands in a clearing from which you can scan for raptors, swifts and pigeons.
The river which passes the temple is good for kingfishers and flycatchers. Other open areas near the temple provide further vantage points for checking the sky – and they’re good for nightjars at dusk. This bird was caught in a Wood Spider’s web and was in such a mess that it was only after hours of cleaning it up that we realised it was a Blue-throated Flycatcher – quite a find.
Indian Pond-heron, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, White-rumped Vulture, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested Goshawk, Shikra, Black Eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Mountain Hawk-eagle, Grey-fronted Green-pigeon, Mountain Imperial-pigeon, Vernal Hanging-parrot, Malabar Parakeet, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Brown Fish-owl, Jerdon’s Nightjar, Indian White-rumped Spinetail, Brown-throated Needletail, Malabar Trogon, Common Kingfisher, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Malabar Pied-hornbill, Malabar Barbet, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Red-rumped Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Scarlet Minivet, Pied Flycatcher-shrike, Black-crested Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Oriental Magpie-robin, Greenish Warbler are some of the other birds found here.
