On the last day of our Kerala mini-vacation, we journeyed to Kumarakom to take a 4 hours boat trip on Vembanad Lake, which is connected to the Arabian Sea. We rented the whole houseboat, so we had 3 staff and 3 of us on this big boat, with a private bedroom, dining room and an upstairs viewing area/lounge (where I spent much of the time.) We also had a full Indian lunch and time for a a nap!
Being on the boat, feeling the wind move, watching the world inch forward, listening only to birds and waves and distant noise of life beyond the water…. it really was such a blessing to me. I kept thinking to myself, “I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be here, right now.” What a gift. It was peaceful and soothing in a way I didn’t know I needed. A reminder to be aware of the NOW and to be grateful for all I have in this NOW.
I did my best to photograph the birds I saw and I think they are:
The Brahminy Kite, also known as the red-backed sea-eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers, found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
The Little Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. Slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant it lacks a peaked head and has a shorter beak. It is widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent and extends east to Java, where it is sometimes called the Javanese cormorant.
The Bronze-winged Jacana , a striking resident bird with a dark glossy body, a contrasting white supercilium (eyebrow stripe), and vibrant greenish-bronze wings, often spotted foraging on aquatic plants.
