Paddyfield Pipit

 When the Paddyfield Pipits crossed path with a Skink, it was to each its own - a classic example of minding one's own business.

The younger one looked like it was not even aware of the presence of the skink. 

And for the other, it was simply business as usual.

Oblivion is bliss.

Pipit family

 These birds literally had me in circles and all I wanted were just a couple of shots for comparison.

The Paddyfield Pipits (Anthus rufulus) always prove to be more than a challenge, as a norm their cardinal directions do not align, and with three running about, it's a whirlwind of movements trying to pin them down.

Male and female of these pipits look alike, the only difference would be if it's a juvenile or sub-adult.

A table of comparison merely manage to set apart the young adult.

Luring the pipit

 The Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus) must have smelt the freshly cut grass and sped here.  It's not a resident neither a regular visitor but it does appear like magic, almost instantly whenever grass in the field is cut.

A mere sparrow-sized bird of about 15cm, it's easily missed if one does not pay attention to that continuous little movement in the grass.

By the time I spotted it it looked like it had just downed a catch.

And just as quickly it managed to pick up a millipede meal.

Did I make it to drop its catch?

Another gleeful look my way before it went hunting again.

Easy, another catch of a grasshopper.

A few more steps away, and it's a beetle.

And as if it found me tiresome, it simply flew intentionally a few meters away to devour its prey, and I thought too to let it alone, grateful for those brief moments that still delight a birder who have encountered it repeatedly.

Ever alert to its surrounding even as it continued to forage.

A new sighting, Pipit

It was great to sight the Paddyfield Pipit, a personal count todate of 78th species for the taman (more because a couple more were sighted by fellow birders, unfortunately missed by me).

It's such a hyperactive bird that it was not easy to track its movements but because it spent so much time foraging in the big field, another fantastic feeding ground for a lot of birds, that I was able to follow most of its movements.
Looking at some initial shots made me realise that the Pipit had earlier found a centipede, however, it was clearly a wrong pick as the 'prey' was discarded almost immediately!  And off it went in search, and was lucky a couple of minutes later.

This worm was more to its taste!

Pursuing the Pipit for shots were not too easy and when it spotted me a few times, I considered that a bonus!  Never do any scowls look more adorable!

Determination did pay off when I managed to get some close shots as the bird came pretty close to where I was seated.

Was not sure why it did this, as if it had spotted my lens!  And the irony of it is that it came so near to me that I was unable to focus sharp, and had no time to back off to do so!

Nevertheless, it did move away as quickly and enable me to focus well again.