Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus, Grab the large size to make a widescreen wallpaper
All good things come to an end would be a cliché but then they do and today was the last day of this mega birding trip and it was a fitting end I would say!
We had reserved the morning for the McQueen’s Bustard. The day started with a close encounter with a Steppe eagle. This was soon followed by sighting of two Indian foxes and a Desert Fox.
The bustard proved to be elusive today as well even though we sighted no less than seven of them they did not allow us close enough for the kind of pictures I would have liked. Nonetheless the pictures I got were better than yesterday. We also got a glimpse of the Short-eared Owl but no pictures.
Back at the resort I got some great pictures of the Sulphur bellied Warbler and Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher. The later was again a lifer for me.
The evening was completely devoted to seeking out the Short-eared Owl. After having almost given up – suddenly a Short-eared Owl flew up and settled in the undergrowth but our luck had still not run out completely! The place where it settled gave a just about clear view of the bird and the setting sun shone directly in the face of the bird. It was a difficult shot but I feel the picture I finally got is what I call the Shot of the trip.
The last word (aka the epilogue)
The journey back was a bit adventurous with our connecting flight from Mumbai to Nagpur being cancelled – no big deal really, we reached home 4 hours later than expected.
A few tips for travelers to Kutch.
The weather in late Jan is cold in the mornings but gets very hot in the afternoon. After about 8:00am you don’t need any warm clothes.
The place is less dusty than Jungles of central India but having a cloth to cover your camera while driving is strongly recommended.
Carry a power strip for plugging multiple charges.
Having a good guide with local knowledge of roost and haunts of the birds is very much necessary for successful sightings.
Lastly I would like to thank Mr. Jugal Kishore Tiwari for showing us around and sharing his immense knowledge with a newbies like us. Staying at CEDO has no alternative when in Greater Rann of Kutch.
Thanks also to the entire staff and management of Rann Riders – The place is beautiful and staff is very courteous. No matter how many guests are there – you will always get the attention you want.
McQueen’s Bustard - Chlamydotis macqueeni
Montagu’s Harrier - Circus pygargus (male)
Steppe Eagle - Aquila nipalensis
Steppe Eagle - Aquila nipalensis
Eurasian Thick-knee - Burhinus oedicnemus
Sulphur-bellied Warbler - Phylloscopus griseolus
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis
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awesome capture…too good…what awesome eyes…
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Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Nice Animals : FRONTPAGE CONTEST : SURVIVING COLD WINTER, and we’d love to have this added to the group!
What a stare! Wonderful shot
Nice shot
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Grabbed this awesome photo.
Love owls as desktop wallpaper!
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eyes are wonderful…love it !
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Super. Just curious to know the approx distance of the bird from lens.
Great focusing and a nice pose from the bird!
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brilliant shot….looks kind of surprised or amazed…thanks for sharing
Amazing capture!!!!!!!!!!
Brillant shot!
Wow lovely Eyes!
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Wonderful Shot My friend ..!!
NaturesFinest
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beautiful pose…
superb shot….
very well captured
Stunning gaze and nice feather details.
Looks strong and robust. Lovely beak
Magnificent photo. Thanks.
Dan
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Oh wow. Blown away!!
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I think you’ve been spotted. Great photo!
What a rare bird. Do you have a tighter crop version? I would love to see its eyes and face closer.
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Oh wow. It gets better and better.
Excellent details. Wonderful shot.
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called THE NATURES ~~GREEN PEACE ~ (POST 1 / AWARD 3), and we’d love to have this added to the group!
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called * Birds inside and outside (post 1 ~ comment on 1) ~ New Awards!, and we’d love to have this added to the group!
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Otima captura!!!
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[http://www.flickr.com/photos/lensnclicks/4276362691/in/set-72157618746638497/]
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http://www.indiabirds.com/content/fullimagepage.asp?Bird_SortID=...
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strange looking
and nice shot
Fantastic capture! It looks like the bird tries to hypnotize you.
What a cute little bird! Love it.
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He blends in quite well with the surroundings, can hardly see this bird. Great capture.
Great looking warbler with that yellow eyebrowse….Nice shot.
Great capture of this gorgeous owl….
How did you get so close …the North Amercian speices is hard to approach…at least in our area. Great capture.
Super shot. Amazing eyes and great eye contact!
eyes look amazing , great shot
OH Wow I’ve never seen one before and an excellent capture indeed!
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Nice! Thanks for the great addition to the Fieldguide Birds of the World! The project had no previous representatives of that species (and thus the FBW:newbird tag). — FBW Admin
wow…brilliant
excellent…..the eyes say it all
Stunningly beautiful capture!
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Man, what a stare! Good shot, great comp.
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Good shot, he sure has a stare. Looks like he is sizing you up!
Fantastic capture!
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It looks fine work……………..
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Amazing capture
This is the only bird i loveeeeeeeeeeeeee capturing…
wow… splendid work buddy
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looking straight at you Tarique..awesome! wow..
excellent shot as always..wow..amazing eyes!
drop dead gorgeous….wow..outstanding!
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Beautiful shot. Love these birds. We see them around but they don’t stay around if they sense any movement.
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nice bird and composition
What a sweety!
Superb !
Stunning those eyes are amazing!
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