Yesterday, just after posting a photo of a Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, I received an urgent call from Senehas. He informed me about the first record of a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in our area, a sighting not too far from my place. He insisted that I go see the bird immediately, as it could disappear at any moment with the winter bird migration period nearing its end.
Despite the late hour and rainy weather, I decided to give it a try. I called a friend, packed my gear, and we set off right away. When we arrived, we found a group of birdwatchers already there, but the bird had been missing for about an hour. We roamed around, searching for it for another hour. Just as some were giving up, a friend who was on his way home spotted it about half a kilometer away from its usual hangout spot.
Though luck didn’t seem to be on our side, we hurried over. We found the bird in the middle of a paddy field and managed to get closer for a few shots. Unfortunately, the light wasn’t ideal, and the perch wasn’t to my liking. As heavy rain began to pour, we were forced to leave, hoping to return the following day.
Early this morning, I returned with a friend. The bird was exactly where we had left it. Though the light was still not perfect, we managed to capture some shots before the rest of the birdwatchers arrived. The Blue-cheeked Bee-eater moved around occasionally, but during the intervals, we managed to take some satisfying shots of this wonderful bird.
If it weren’t for those who had identified this beauty with its distinctive shape, size, and plumage, I might have mistaken it for a Blue-tailed Bee-eater.
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