Thursday 19 January 2012

Backyard Visitors



Backyard Visitors

Off late, I have got some new visitors in my backyard. A few of them have become regular visitors and friends as well. All of them are very interesting in their own ways. Here are their photos.

All these photos were shot from inside my house. Never stepped out to photograph these fellows.



Shikra - (Accipiter badius)  -  A common urban raptor. It can be found hunting squirrels and other rodents.



Common Tailorbird - (Orthotomus sutorius)  -  This is a new member of our neighborhood.



House Crow - This one needs no introduction. A regular visitor and a friend, so close that it will demand food in the morning and afternoon. We can even get quite close to fellow and he wont mind it.



Yet another Shikra. Looks like a sun adult female.



Squirrel with its breakfast. This fellow was happily nibbling away the mango. My Sigma 50-500mm lens did the job for me.



Curious Friend. This one is a new friend. He would sit in a branch which is a bit further than this from my window. On hearing the clicking sound of the camera, he came closer to have a look. He did that every day on hearing the camera sound. And I got a real close shot!


Not just the birds and squirrels. There were some critters as well. Beautiful and scary in their own right.


Jumping Spider




Not sure what bug this is. Found it in my house one day.




Caterpillar. Found this fellow among the vegetables. Took a few photographs before leaving him out.



Crimson Rose Butterfly. Beauty written all over it!

Monday 9 January 2012

Bird Watching at Vedanthangal


Bird Watching @ Vedanthangal

Here are some photos taken during this trip and the past

I visited the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary with friends this weekend to check out the feathered friends that may have come from various parts of the country.

I somehow had a feeling that the number of birds has reduced this year as compared to last year. But I am really not sure and will leave that to the professional bird watchers to determine.

Personally, I was able to spot more birds than what I spotted last year. That probably is an improvement. And that Greater Coucal which has been eluding me for quite a while was not able to do so this year. I not only spotted but also photographed the bird, finally!!

And of course, there are lots of excellent opportunities for macros as well. Never miss those.





























So here goes the list of birds that I had spotted.

Red-vented Bulbul
Pied Bushchat
Little Cormorant
Greater Coucal
Oriental Darter
Black Drongo
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Indian Pond Heron
Night Heron
Purple Heron
Black-headed Ibis
Glossy Ibis
White-throated Kingfisher
Common Moorhen
Common Myna
Eurasian Golden Oriole
Spotted Owlet
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Spot-billed Pelican
Oriental Magpie Robin
Asian Spoonbill
Open-billed Stork
Painted Stork
Purple Sunbird
Rufous Treepie
White-browed Wagtail

So, when are you guys planning your visit?