The Faithful

it was an another cold morning of january'17 and as talked with my friend Viren Desai i was at our birding spot around at 8.30am on 12/01/17.
before he came i was exploring area for new winter birds but didn't sighted.around 9.30am he came n we were went inside on that road beside Tapi river.
i was little afraid of dogs due to category 3 dog bite 3yrs back and one dog was coming towards us with one man with horse,i gave way to that dog.we were sitting on dusty road and clicking yellow-eyed babbler and Tawny-bellied babbler,sudden hear noise and that dog was coming towards us.as thought to stand up n went inside to give a way to dog but don't know why,focused on it clicked 2-3 shots n after click, when i saw it looks more beautiful but whole dog was not in frame so reduced to 500mm and again clicked.in only one shot, dog was fully in frame and looks marvelous.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/4000 || ISO 1600 || 500mm || White Balance : Daylight
Surat, Gujarat

indian Paradise-flycatcher

it was a cold morning of 27th Decemebr'16 at 6.30am and i have to go for birding even though i love sleeping till 9am and sleep again.my wife wake up me around at 7am and get ready faster to go for birding as i was late.
Reached at my birding spot around at 7.45am and after parking my cheetah,i was walking on dusty road beside the Tapi river,still feeling cold in my fingers.after walking 50mtr,seen a bird like a bulbul flew just beside me and sit on a tree close to road.Thought to avoid it but after seeing very carefully,i cudnt stop clicking myself as it was an Indian Paradise-flycatcher previously known as an Asian Paradise-flycatcher.due to clouds,sunlight was low but love this close shot.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /5.6 || Shutter speed 1/350 || ISO 800 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Surat,Gujarat.

Greater Flamingos

Watching Greater Flamingos at beach side is a pleasant experience.i was at Modhva beach near Mandvi,Kutch on 30/04/16 for Breeding Plumage of Waders.we reached at beach around 7am with my friends.read a full story at Ruddy Turnstone (Breeding Plumage) with video
i had mentioned as i was specially there for breeding plumage but seen 500-1000 Greater Flamingos there n cudnt stop myself to frame them.as i had avoid to approach closer them but happy with some clicks.even though missed some beautiful moments of Greater Flamingos.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/6400 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Modhava Beach, Kutch,Gujarat.

Black-winged Kite

Chilling cold around at 4am on 25th Dec'15 and wake-up for trip to Shoolpaneshvar. After everything ready i was driving my car with my family n reached Netrang around at 7.30am where my Friends Hirenbhai,Virenbhai n Himanshu were waiting for us as i was late due to heavy traffic as i was on the rout Surat-Hansot-Ankleshwar-Netrang and they came from Bardoli-Mandvi-Netrang.
My close friend Dr.Pankaj also on same trip but he was not coming to Shoolpaneshvar as he went in past so he start his journey when we left Netrang.he told me to go at Zarwani Waterfall for birding so we had decided to go this place.
while we were on way to Rajpipla, dont know the location but exact at one of up hill i stopped the car as i saw a purple color sunbird on a tree near by road n one big bird far away to it.so we all went to frame it n climb at little hill.it was White-eyed Buzzard.within 1-2min it fly away n Hirenbhai sudden smell a dead animal,so he asked any wild animal is coming/going inside the jungle.He sighted the Jackal.out of we 4 Photographers,only Virenbhai was lucky to frame it clearly.
Then we started trip to reach there as early as possible and after driving of 30min,when i saw in my car's rear view mirror,there was no innova car.so thought i was on a speed of 110km/h, may be i am so faster, so parked my car at side of road n waited....5min passed but they didn't came. finally i called Hirenbhai but there was network problem so unable to talk, decide to go back to see what happens. after drive of 2-3km,they were clicking Greater Couccal as it was just 5ft away from there.
Finally we reached at a Forest check point where we paid our car entry fee of 400 per car.Again photo shoot started,now it was with Rufous Treepie.
After 10min of Photoshoot we moved ahead for our destination.before this waterfall, i saw a minivet and stopped car so we again started photoshoot.while we were busy in clicking small minivet,Hirenbhai sighted White-bellied Drongo n we moved to it.when i was clicking drongo,i was just looking here n there n seen black color bird n thought for Tit so moved towards this bird,clicked 2 shots n fly away.i was looking where it goes n sudden sighted woodpecker. literally i run to click as it was very small in size from far away n clicked for record shot.when i had seen in camera's lcd, i was very happy as it was pygmi woodpecker.then i called my friends to click but very slowly. there we enjoyed clicking as clicked 5+ bird species.
Then we went to see waterfall by trekking of 1-2km passing thru low level water of river.we had enjoyed there for 30-40min and returned.
our target was to go at Sagayi waterfall and it was around 80km but our guide told us for another road which was 15-20km n we were on this way.after drive of 5km on mountains like some roads were 45degree ups and then sudden 45 degree down.we were hungry n we stopped at one place for our lunch n did.
after getting fresh we were on the way again.just drive of 1km,i saw a Black-winged Kite was hovering n not much above.i had clicked in past but my friend had didn't clicked it so stopped my car n asked them to click.even i had click coz looking much beautiful.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /11 || Shutter speed 1/3200 || ISO 1000 || 600mm || White Balance : 5200k
Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary , Narmada, Gujarat

Eurasian Hobby

Eurasian Hobby breeds in Himalayas,widespread winter visitor.sized 30-36cm.
Early Morning Birding gives clean n crisp photos so as always i was on birding on my favorite route on 08/11/15, specially for Brown Crake with Vijayendra Desai. we reached there around at 7.15am. we had clicked Brown Crake, Red Munia, Tri-color Munia and other birds till 9am.Vijayendrabhai have to return at 9.30am so we were on way to home but i still want to go other place,so Vijayendrabhai called our friend Sartajbhai to join me but he was not ready at that time.
Thought to go alone in my car on beach side road of Surat outskirt for Red-nacked Falcon as my friends had clicked,but didn't find till 10am. so i was on way to home around at 10.30am.after drive of 2-3km, sudden see a new bird sitting on electric wire just close to road.sudden came out n started clicking,took around 50 shots from different angle but missed flying shot.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8|| Shutter speed 1/600 || ISO 400 || 600mm || White Balance : 5200K
Surat Outskirt, Gujarat

The Chase for Food by one to another Brown-headed Gull

Sometimes you cud be more happy with few of your shot without having good light n background.same thing happened on 01/01/17 while i was at my home town Udvada.Story was posted in Caspian Tern
it was bright sunny noon and i was looking for winter birds at beach of Udvada,find nothing than Brown-headed Gull so ignored after record shot.i was searching here n there for other new bird n sudden seen two Brown-headed Gull was flying one after one from far and focused.i was lucky to frame it.one Brown-headed Gull has a kill and other Brown-headed Gull was following it to catch it from 1st gull.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/8000 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Udvada Beach, Valsad, Gujarat

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Close-up

while i was on kutch trip with my friends in December'16, we had clicked many species on 1st day and went Naliya for Great indian Bustard.we are lucky click GIB there and then we have time so asked our guide,we have 1hr+ time and didnt wanna waste it to find GIB again,take us in other area for other birds and we were went toward a lake.
our Guide Saleh kaka told us for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse if wanna click,as i have shots but my friends wanna shots so we went that area where Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse were sighted and we sighted it.
i had driven my cheetah at other side from where sunlight fall on birds and we will take benefits of it.This Birds are very camouflage and they know it so stand or sit like a statue.we had clicked some osm shots and within 2min i driven my car ahead n given privacy of camouflage to this beauty. 

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/2000 || ISO 1000 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Naliya,Kutch, Gujarat

River Tern

A long and sentimental story posted at Painted Stork .As mentioned its a long awaited family trip of Jamnagar with my best buddy Pankaj.
After taking breakfast at hotel,we went to Lakhota Lake around at 8.30am.Lakota Lake is a heart of Jamnagar city,situated in the center of city.many ducks and other bird came there in winter.
Myself and Pankaj went inside to find birds.we were looking for good location n find it.we had clicked Gull-billed Tern,Common Pochard,Indian Spot-billed Duck,Brown-headed Gull,Slender-billed Gull,Rose-ringed Parakeet,Rock Pigeon,Common Coot etc then Pankaj told to move ahead at different location for other birds.we had sighted only Lesser Whistling Duck n clicked.
We thought to move back at our family n sudden seen some terns were coming close to us.at first i had avoided to click but one of them was very close n clicked 3 shot.luckily it was a superb shot of River Tern till now.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/3000 || ISO 1250 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Lakota Lake, Jamnagar, Gujarat

Caspian Tern

Whatever your religion but 31st December is celebrated by most of people.1st January is a my mom's birthday,have to travel 120km to drive and my friend had managed a new year evening party.we had enjoyed till 3.30am and take a sleep till 7.30am.
i had plan to visit my birth town's beach in early morning but reach around at 12pm still went as i had sighted Pacific Golden Plover previous year n ignored to click as dint knew the id.the sea water was 1+km inside so chance of getting bird was much less near beach so started walking towards the sea water.after walking of 500-700mtr seen group of Brown-headed Gull and terns,after confirmation of id ignored clicks and sudden unknown bird fly near of me and tried to focus but failed.sit at far distance from me.i was focusing near by of that bird and seen a bird with large red bill.shocked and very carefully approached but it was sandy mud and difficult to walk and i was noticed by this bird.it was a Caspian Tern,and started flying.but managed to click some ground shots n flying shot.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/6400 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Udvada Beach, Valsad, Gujarat

Great indian Bustard Flying Shot

Hear a news that there were only 6 Great indian Bustard in Gujarat n have to click this Critically Endangered Species.so went kucth on 13th of December'16 with my frineds.
it was difficult to sight but if you are connected with friends n guide,you will click such species.even i must say your luck may play more role coz no one give guaranty for sighting of Critically Endangered Species as number of remaining is near to end.it is very difficult to sight coz we had searched more than 20km in and 1+hour in that area n while you are in the car,they must be active due to hearing of car engine sound so they hide themselves in small tree or bushes.
credit to my friend Viren Desai for it sighting,must read this story coz you will understand how we find it
story behind this photo was posted in http://www.yugworld.net/2016/12/great-indian-bustard.html#.WFoat1xsZzk

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /5.6 || Shutter speed 1/2000 || ISO 640 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Kutch, Gujarat