Tag: birds

Photographing birds in flight – A mini HowTo

Indian eagle owl - Adult in flight
Indian eagle owl - Adult in flight

Capturing birds in flight is a vexing subject for many newbie bird photographers. Well instead of just randomly trying to get a shot if you think and plan consciously the subject is not at all difficult to master and the results are indeed very satisfying. Am writing down here a few points which can get you started in the right direction – these are by no means the only things you must do, just somethings which have worked out right for me Continue reading for the tips and several example pictures

Osprey – A legendary bird

Osprey in flight
Osprey in flight

There are some species of birds which are common, almost everyone and their aunts have a great picture of them but I somehow do not have any decent pictures. The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) till very recently was one such species. Continue reading for some interesting trivia and 2 more pictures

Vulture on stilts!!

Secretary-bird - Sagittarius serpentarius
Secretary-bird - Sagittarius serpentarius

As we drove towards the Central Serengeti plains a head bobbed up from behind a rising – I immediately exclaimed – Vulture!! But as the bird continued to come towards us it became apparent that the bird was taller than any vulture I know of, as the legs came into view they were more like that of a Stork or a Crane. This was my first encounter with the Secretary-bird. Continue reading has 2 more pictures…

Great Cormorant – A vicious cycle?

Great Cormorant pair
Great Cormorant in breeding plumage

Currently IUCN Red list classifies the conservation status of the Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, as of Least concern. However it was not so always Read how was it and more…

Pale-billed Flowerpecker

Pale-Billed Flowerpecker
Pale-Billed Flowerpecker

This bird is rather plain looking, it not is endangered or rare but still getting a full frame photograph was a thrill!

Pale-billed flowerpecker (Dicaeum erythrorhynchos) is a tiny bird, 8 cm long, and is one of the smallest birds occurring in most parts of southern India and Sri Lanka. It is reportedly common in the southern India but in Nagpur we get to see them seldom and that too very high up in trees, so when last week in Pench I saw this individual a few feet away I was ecstatic. Read more about the Pale-billed Flowerpecker

Bay-backed Shrike

Bay-backed shrike - Explored
Bay-backed shrike

This post is merely for testing my latest Flickr related WordPress plugin – Flickr foto info. If you view this post on my blog – hover your mouse over the picture above…. Amongst other thing – this picture made it to Flickr explore on 27th Feb 2010, rising to #5

You can grab the plugin here

Eurasian Wryneck – A woodpecker which is unlike any…

A woodpecker unlike any other - Eurasian Wryneck
Eurasian Wryneck

Eurasian Wrynecks are somewhat uncommon in Nagpur. They are winter visitors to India and till very recently I did not know that they are actually woodpeckers because they are unlike any other woodpeckers. Continue reading to find out more and a video of why they are called Wrynecks

My first photo of 2010

Banzai!!! - Explored
Banzai!! A Black-winged kite launches for an attack

I just realized that this was the first photo that I took in 2010. We were on our regular morning walk and the roads were pretty much deserted. This particular fellow we have been tracking since it was a juvenile just out of the nest. Usually raptors are very camera shy but this individual I would like to think knows us and likes to pose 😉

This photo also made it to Flickr explore on 6th Jan 2010

Black-tailed Godwit at Nagpur in November

Black-talied Godwit

This is a picture I took on 27th Nov 2009 at Ambhazari Lake, Nagpur. The bird with the long beak is a ‘Western’ Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa in it’s winter, non breeding plumage of this bird. These birds migrate from Central Asia (Far East Russia) to India for wintering.

In Nagpur we see them only in April when they are returning and are beginning to assume breeding plumage. However this year for the first time in nearly 8 years of my serious I have spotted them in November…. I hope they stay here throughout winter as it would present a great photo opportunity.

Incidentally the bird is classified as Near Threatened by IUCN

Additional information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_Godwit

Kentish Plovers do breed in Nagpur

Kentish plovers breed in Nagpur
Adult Kentish plover in breeeding plumage

The Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, is a small wader in the plover bird family. Despite its name, this species no longer breeds in Kent, or even Great Britain. This beautiful specimen in breeding plumage was found in the wading ground of Wena Lake about 15km from Nagpur. See more pictures and read some details