Lazy Sunday Photo- Purple Sunbird

Purple Sunbird in the Backyard

While the little bird at home was asleep I was making tea. I suddenly noticed this bird from the window. I ran to get the camera and remembered that it was lying somewhere else. Found it after a while and ran out. I thought it had gone away. Then I saw the Purple Sunbird sitting at this pole at the next house. I clicked in sports mode twice and then decided to try the manual mode. By that time it decided enough is enough and ran away.

Beautiful Birds

Brahminy Myna at Orchha, Madhya Pradesh

I have to admit that my love affair with birds started after I acquired a macro lens (Bart 1 bought it for me) and was able to see them up close.

I have also been aided in this by my Which Bird is This thread at Indiamike.

Himalayan Bulbul at Barog

A Himalayan Bulbul at Barog, Himachal Pradesh

The bread that you see in the picture was a deliberate attempt to attract birds. It was part of our breakfast but turned out to be quite stale. I threw it out and waited a little far away to see if a bird would come looking for it as food. Sure enough this Bulbul came and posed for me. Later a cat took the bread piece away.

You Better Listen to Me!

A Meeting between Two Crows at Bundi, Rajasthan

Sticking Out the Neck!

Sticking Out the Neck- A Canada Greylag Goose at Oxford, UK

Correct name of the bird courtesy Stayendra.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Dove in the Backyard

Dove in the Backyard, Gurgaon

Vulture Picture

Vulture at Orchha

I know the picture is tilted but I also had to twist and turn to get a closer look at the magnificent vulture who was perched right at the very top of one of the domes at the Jahangir Palace. I like this picture!

Which Bird is This?

Asian Pied Starling at Orchha (found the name via Indiamike)

Clicked at Orchha, No Clue What is the Name (when posted originally)

Uploaded the picture so that the good folks at Indiamike, who are having fun at my expanse as of now, could identify it. Somehow I have not been able to load it there.

Another Nest with an Egg

Another Nest with an Egg in the Backyard

Himalayan Bulbul at Barog

Himalayan Bulbul at Barog- It has got such beautiful eyes!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Taking a Closer Look

Taking a Closer Look- Geese at Thames, Oxford UK

Birds at Barog, Himachal Pradesh

Crimson Sunbird

The Crimson Sunbird is a regular at the Barog Station and I could always spot it among these flowers. Makes for a very pretty picture and it is such a pleasure to watch. However, it won't sit still at all and hence very difficult to photograph.

Long Tailed Himalayan Bird (Red Billed Blue Magpie is the real name, found it via Indiamike and the comment by Satyaendra)

Well, you can make out immediately, I have improvised that name! If you know the name, please let me know. There was a jungle full of them behind the station. I went down the stepped terrace fields towards the tress filled with the birds and they would find the most obscure corners of the trees with every branch and leave obscuring the view.

The Kahna National Park/Taj Safari Article at Gonomad

Dancing Peacock at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

My full article about the Kanha National Park/Taj Safari Lodge (in collaboration with the African firm & Beyond) is now up at Gonomad-

I saw Gaurs (resembles a bison), cheetals (a type of deer), peacocks and
even wild boars but there was no sign of the elusive tiger. At one particular
road Alger and the park ranger got quite excited as they saw the pug marks of a
tiger and they tried to track it.

Canada Geese at Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Canada Geese at Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

The geese along the Thames Walk are so used to tourists that they can chase you for bread crumbs. They also let you come quite close to them. This picture was taken with my wide angle lens but with cropping the image and using the sharpen feature in Picasa I could get this result.

And this flurry of birds is due to the interest that Alger (the naturalist at Taj Safari Lodge, Banjaar Tola) managed to create for wild life.

The Joys of a Zoom Lens- Laughing Dove

Laughing Dove

It rained four drops on Sunday but even that brought out quit a few birds. This Laughing Dove was sitting on the ledge of the house behind ours. Oh! The joys of having a zoom lens finally. I wonder why it took me too years to buy a zoom lens after buying my SLR.

Very Happy with a Zoom Lens

Kingfisher at Kanha National Park

I have clicked photographs for 2 years without a zoom lens. And I would often wonder why can't I take good pictures when it comes to taking close ups! I mean this Kingfisher was sitting really far away and yet I managed a decent picture.

Squirrel at Christ Church College, Oxford, UK

And even though I was quite close to this squirrel, this is the kind of picture I could manage with my wide angle lens. Maybe one day I will be able to click the same scene with my zoom lens too.

And even for the new zoom lens (Sigma 70-300mm) I could not find time to go to Chandni Chowk but Brat 1 managed to do it for me and I am so happy that he bailed me out. I will surely try to head to Bharatpur in season.

But then I am already yearning for a telephoto lens.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Malabar Pied Hornbill at Kanha National Park

Malabar Pied Hornbill at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

I came back from Kanha National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh today. And no I didn't get to see the tiger. But as they say in the jungles- "So what of you didn't see the tiger, be happy that the tiger saw you."

Stayed with the Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Camp, and as I said before the trip was organized by Gonomad for me.

I feel all my three trips are now getting mixed with one another, so I need to get down to blogging and sort them out.

Of course a lot more pictures and a post for Gonomad will follow.

And I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Just the thing I needed before I start a new job tomorrow.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Another Bird's Nest in the Backyard

Dove's eggs in a Nest

I was picking up basil leaves to add to my tea when suddenly a dove fluttered and flew away. A little investigation (without disturbing any leaves or branches) revealed these two eggs in the nest. This is the second time I found a bird's nest in my backyard.