As we enter the last week of the year and on the joyous occasion of Christmas, here is one picture of the Plum-headed Parakeet holding a pod of the “flame of the forest” tree as if it were delivering a postcard.
With naturally gifted colors which also represent the traditional red and green of Christmas, here is wishing all you lovely people out there “Merry Christmas”!
About a year and a half ago, I had set up a bird photography hide on my property. Of the multiple species that visited the perch, the yellow-browed bulbul was one species I had been praying for.
Many months later, sitting at the hide on one of the lazy mornings, I heard a familiar call. Moments later a pair of Yellow-browed Bulbul landed on a perch. A few fickle minutes of exploring the perches, feeding, a quick dip in the bird bath and off they went.
Immense joy and satisfaction fills me for having the much awaited species as a visitor at my hide 🙂
Shot with Canon 1D Mark 3 + 500 f4 IS – Forest Hills Farm and Guesthouse
The very beautiful Nilgiri Flycatcher (male) photographed in Ooty. The botanical garden used to be a great place to see this near threatened western ghats endemic.
Shot with a Canon 40D, 300 2.8 IS II + 2x TC II
This fleeting bird had been a topic of discussion among birders and a lucky few had sighted it. Annual visitor to Ooty and its surrounding areas of higher elevation, it remained elusive to most. The precise location of this species was unknown for most times, hence lesser known sightings.
That year, news of this bird being sighted in the Botanical Garden of Ooty spread like wildfire. A weekend trip with friends was planned and off we went in search of the Kashmiri and a few other endemic birds of the Western Ghats.
Staying mostly in the canopy of trees and shrubs, the Kashmiri came out in the open only to flash-feed. Keeping a track of the flycatcher’s movements, only one time he perched on the dry log. I pulled the camera off the tripod, rushed to the spot, knelt and took a few pictures. This tiny birdie made me run around in circles for this satisfactory picture.
Shot with: Canon 300mm 2.8 IS II + 2x TC II, 40D
I would have been kicking myself if I hadn’t gotten off the car and taken the camera out from the trunk (I was driving with four other friends…so no camera in hand). I spotted the owl off the main road in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The first thing that came to my mind was the picture of a Forest Eagle-owl, photographed in BR Hills by Dr. Ajit Huilgol. Unsure if the owl I clicked was the same, I came back home and referred his picture against mine. It was the Forest Eagle-owl indeed! I was thrilled. This still remains as one of the most special wildlife and birding moments!
A drive of almost 2000 kms just for this tiny bird seemed like a ludicrous idea when discussed with friends over a cup of coffee. Despite that, five of us decided to go looking for this species in a small village tucked away in Maharashtra after a pit stop at the flower beds of Kaas plateau. Early that morning we were welcomed by the incredibly colourful Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher bringing food for its chicks. As we sat at a safe distance from the nesting site, the male as well as the female kept on the constant supply of skinks, frogs and spiders to feed their young ones.
Shot with Canon 1D Mark IV, 500mm f4 IS + 1.4x TC III mounted on a Manfrotto tripod and Benro Gimbal (GH2) head.
Lose Yourself Photography 