Coppersmith Barbet

The call is usually what gives its presence away- a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, that has also given  the bird its name.

The Coppersmith Barbet, Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala), is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. It is a resident found in South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia. Like other barbets, they chisel out a hole inside a tree to build their nest. They are mainly fruit eating but will take sometimes insects, especially winged termites.

Clicked @Pune University.  All photos (c) Alaka Yeravadekar

This species of barbet is found to overlap in range with several larger barbets in most of South Asia. In the Western Ghats, it partly overlaps with the Malabar Barbet which is of a very similar size but having a more rapid call. The red forehead, yellow eye-ring and throat patch with streaked underside and green upperparts, it is fairly distinctive. Juveniles are duller and lack the red patches. The sexes are alike. The Sri Lankan form has more black on the face, more red on the breast and darker streaks on the underside. During the nesting season, the wear and tear on the feathers can cause the plumage of the upper back to appear bluish.

Throughout their wide range they are found in gardens, groves and sparse woodland. Habitats with trees having dead wood suitable for excavation is said to be important. Birds nest and roost in cavities.

They compete with other cavity nesting birds and frugivores. Megalaima asiatica have been noted to evict them from their nest holes, while Red-vented Bulbuls have been seen to indulge in kleptoparasitism, robbing the male of berries brought to the female at the nest.

(Above information from Wikipedia)

Environment Walk

 We often hear of Heritage walks being conducted these days, so I thought of taking an environment walk. Awareness is the first step to appreciation. This is very true when it comes to observing any facet of nature. How does one take an environment walk? Identify a small trail or hilly area or wilderness near your home or any other place in the city that you are familiar with. Walking along slowly, keeping your eyes, nose and ears open to all the sights, smells and sounds of the natural environment around you. Then you will begin to see.

 

The unkindest cut of all

In the middle of a scorching summer Pune is reeling under water cuts. In the first place this is something that could have been totally avoided had the administration controlled the water flow post monsoon, instead of letting it flow 24x7 to everywhere in Pune. 

And now tankers are doing a roaring business. The question remains: Where do these tankers get water from? And if tankers can get water in such huge quantities, then why is it not supplied by the normal channels to Pune city? This situation has been occurring since the last few years. So if it is about building pipelines, then why is the infrastructure not being created? Many questions and no satisfactory answers.

The Baobab or Gorakh Chincha

There is a lovely baobab in Pune University. This tree originally from Africa, is known locally as Gorakh Chincha. Recently came across some information that showed the tree trunk either carved or decayed from one side and thought of putting up these photos.


There is also a baobab at Menavali near Wai (which is near Pune). The Menavali specimen is in great health. To get an idea of its size have a look at the human figures to the left of the tree.

The wiki has this to say about this magnificent tree:
Adansonia digitata is the most widespread of the Adansonia species on the African continent, found in the hot, dry savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. It also grows, having spread secondary to cultivation, in populated areas. English common names include baobab, dead-rat tree (from the appearance of the fruits), monkey-bread tree (the soft, dry fruit is edible), upside-down tree (the sparse branches resemble roots) and cream of tartar tree.


The northern limit of its distribution in Africa is associated with rainfall patterns; only on the Atlantic coast and in the Sudan does its occurrence venture naturally into the Sahel. On the Atlantic coast, this may be due to spreading after cultivation. Its occurrence is very limited in Central Africa, and it is found only in the very north of Southern Africa. In Eastern Africa, the trees grow also in shrublands and on the coast. In Angola and Namibia, the baobabs grow in woodlands, and in coastal regions, in addition to savannahs. It is also found in Dhofar region of Oman and Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula, Asia. This tree is also found in India, particularly in the dry regions of the country.