Changeable Hawk Eagle

Changeable Hawk Eagle

Id: Changeable Hawk Eagle/  Crested Hawk Eagle

Location : Gir National Park

Dancing Diva

White Stork

ID: European White stork 

Location : Pariej

Date: 25/12/2015

Pointers: White head neck and body with black wing, red legs and straight pointed red bill

    European White stork (Ciconia ciconia) is tall long necked wading bird with long bare red legs and straight pointed red bill. White head neck and body with iridescent black wing and a patch of black skin surrounds the eyes.

    This bird was in my wish list since long time and when i saw it first time it was like dream come true. One of my Birding friend captured this beauty at Pariej few days back so we planned to visit it on 25/12/2015 we started our journey from Ahmedabad and reached at 6 am.  We were waiting for some light, so we can captured some birds around lake. In next one hour we captured some good images of pied kingfisher and Red Avadavat with golden light and bokeh, after that we went inside the bird sanctuary. But it was closed at that time so we decided to visit that water body again. When we reached to water body my friend called me and informed us that there was 4 white stork near P 
ariej Ahmedabad road and that place was just 2 km away from us. Within a 5 mins we reached to that place and it time for one more lifer.. “White stork”. There was  group of painted stork, 4 white stork, 2 wolley necked stork, purple heron and egret. We spend almost 3 hours with them and captured some good images.  Amazing thing is they are so human friendly especially white stork they allowed me get selfie with them ;)

"Bold Huntress"

Peregrine Falcon

(Falco peregrinus calidus)

     We always want something, which we don’t have....Perfect description for me, Always want to learn & captured raptors, they always fascinated me.

     In my 2 years’ journey of wildlife photography I got very few chances to captured them. But last Sunday luck was in my favor. One of my birding friend (we called him Raptor man) asked me for LRK (Little Run of Kutch) trip, the place in my wish list since a long time. I was very excited as it was my first visit to LRK. It is a haven for avian diversity ranging from waders to raptors. The desert located in Gujarat, India, is a unique landscape that offers unlimited opportunities to enjoy nature and wildlife.

     We started our journey at 3 am from Ahmedabad and we reached to LRK at 6.30 am. When first time I saw this place one word came in mind... “land without boundaries” it is a vast desiccated, unbroken bare surface of dark silt, encrusted with salts which transforms into a spectacular coastal wetland after the rains. When we entered into saline desert of little run, our first sighting was wild ass… but we didn’t capture any image as we only interested in raptors…almost after 1 hour of drive suddenly we saw female Montagu’s Harrier... First lifer from LRK… we spent almost half an hour with that beauty and then she flew away. In next 5 hours, we only spotted 5 Common Kestrels and pair of Montagu’s Harrier in raptors.

   After lunch our journey began and it was time for 2nd lifer... Peregrine falcon. In journey of birding after Red necked falcon this was my second falcon species.

   Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird & the fastest member of the animal kingdom(320km/hours). Usually female is 20% larger than male. Adults have blue-gray wings, dark brown backs, a buff colored underside with brown spots, and white faces with a black tear stripe on their cheeks. 

         This Female Peregrine was special one. Big, bold...& I called her “bold huntress” as she had killed harrier once.

         Peregrine Falcons are formidable hunters those prey on other birds and mammals such as rabbits & bats in high speed dive. During its spectacular hunting stoop from heights of over 1 km, the Peregrine may reach speeds of 320 km/h as it drops toward its prey..

“Silent Predator”

   Reptors or Birds of prey, hunt and feed on other animals. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey feed on invertebrates (insects, spiders), fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals. Owls are equipped with special adaptations like binocular vision and binaural hearing make them efficient predators. They have special hooks on the front of wings feathers offer silent flight that allows the owl to swoop behind prey undetected. They always fascinated me and one of the bird who inspired me to start birding. There are 200 species of owl but sadly i have only 5 species in my list.

 #1 SPOTTED OWLET (ATHENE BRAMA)

Spotted owlet, Location:  Kensville

  It is  known as “Chibari” in Gujarati. Spotted owlet is small (21cm) white- spotted grayish brown to brown color owl with yellow eye and prominent white eyebrow.

Spotted owlet, Location : Gir national park

 My first experience with this bird was 2 years ago. We went to Kensville  for architecture photography where i spot this beauty first time. There was 3 spotted owlet and spend almost 30 mins with them also got some beautiful images. After that i clicked so many images of this bird at different places like Ranthambhore, Gir, Gandhinagar, Vadodara etc.. but  images which i captured at Kensville are very special..

Spotted Owlet Location: Gir national park

Red Headed Bunting”

         Red Headed Bunting “Lifer of the day” it was in my wish list since one of my friend share its image and today my wish was fulfilled. Usually every Sunday we used to go for biding but today its special day. Its “Salim Ali Bird count day” After a gap of 20 years BNHS announced the revival of Salim Ali bird count all over the country to commemorate the birth anniversary of “Bird man of India’ Salim Ali. This year date for bird count is Nov 15 so we went to Timbi Lake near Vadodara for birding. It was amazing experience. 2 lifer.. Red headed bunting, Greater painted snipe....and 64 species..

Here is my  birds checklist:

Wood Sandpiper                                     Greater Painted Snipe

Little Stint                                              Red Headed Bunting

Black Breasted Weaver                            Baya Weaver

Red Avadavat                                          Scaly Breasted Munia

Tricoloured Munia                                   Indian Silverbill

Grey Francolin                                        Glossy Ibis

Black Headed Ibis                                   Demoiselle Crane

Black Headed Ibis                                   Indian Pond Heron

Lesser Whistling Duck                            Greyleg Goose

Eurasian Spoonbill                                  Grey Heron

Black Kite                                               Rose Ringed Parakeet

Little Swift                                              Common Hoopoe

Purple Sunbird                                         House Crow

Jungle Babbler                                         Yellow Eyed Babbler

Large Grey Babbler                                  Plain Prinia

Paddyfield Pipit                                        Citrine Wagtail

Tawny Pipit                                              White Wagtail

Little Egret                                               Intermediate Egret

Cattle Egret                                               Little Cormorant

Eurasian Marsh Harrier                              Bronze Winged Jacana

Red Wattled Lapwing                                Common Pigeon

Red Collared Dove                                    Eurasian Collared Dove

Indian Roller                                             White Throated Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher                                   Pied Kingfisher

Green Bee Eater                                         Long Tailed  Shrike

Bay Backed Shrike                                     Black Drongo

Rufous Treepie                                          Wire Tailed Swallow

Bluethroat                                                 Common Stonechat

Pied Myna                                                 Bank Myna

Common Myna                                          Lesser Whitethroat

Rosy Starlin                                               Brahminy Starling

Black Winged Stilt                                     Zitting Cisticola