Showing posts with label Birds of Chandigarh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds of Chandigarh. Show all posts

Monday, 4 April 2016

Plum-headed Parakeet: Blo*dy Show Off...

We were four of us who had gone hunting the Elusive Blue-bearded Bee-eater in Nahan and like so many other times - the bird decided that this was still not the right time to get a tick in my lifer list. Disappointed ? Yes and while on the drive back Mr Mahesh who was sitting in front while I was at the wheel shouted stop - the drill was set - rear view, look right, look left and apply breaks - I asked what ?

He replied that there is a Plum-headed Parakeet sitting on a perch. I was not at all happy as I have clicked this bird a thousand times and on all possible good perches… All the same I reversed the car to the spot and when I saw it - once again my heart skipped a beat. Inspite of having seen this bird a zillion times - this one was as striking and as beautiful as the first one I would have seen in my life. The bird too was half drowsy with no intention to have the afternoon siesta being snatched away with a couple of paparazzi. Presenting here some of the hundred or so snaps that I clicked yesterday...

Plum-headed Parakeet

Oh No !! The paparazzi again...

We were not the only one disturbing this bird - I swear - there were bugs too...

Saturday, 2 April 2016

Magic in the Air: Sunbirds

There is a magic in the air and I am not joking. This is the time of the year when most of the birds in the Northern Hemisphere put on the best of the plumages and show off. After all the breeding season for most of the birds is on. The males have to impress the females (nothing new I suppose). It may not be a known fact for many that in the Animal and the Bird kingdoms the word Beauty is more often than not related to Male and not the female - of course the exceptions are there but they are not the norm and few - far and in-between.

Purple Sunbird (Male)

Crimson Sunbird

You go around in my part of the world and one of the most common sounds and sights you will hear is of this small and a beautiful bird - Purple Sunbird. In and around Chandigarh (India) there are three sunbirds that are found - Purple Sunbird (Very Common), Crimson Sunbird (Common) and Fire-tailed Sunbird (Infrequent).

Crimson Sunbird

It has been no easy feat to picture these bird as it does not believe in staying put still even for a fraction of a second so when I got these opportunities when these birds come calling for a photograph I just cannot resist setting aside any other bird that I am targeting to give all my attention to these bird. I am glad that out of the 100s of snaps that I fire in all - I get these one odd pictures


Crimson Sunbird with a spider (a high protein diet during breeding)
to my satisfaction - rest have been used to satisfy the hungry Thrash Box of my Mac. Here I am presenting some of the pictures that I have.

Fire-tailed Sunbird (File shot, not in Breeding Plumage)