Indian Flying Fox with chick

Vansda National Park gives lots species to me even though i wish to go there bi-monthly there.we had planned get together of our "Bird Watchers of Gujarat" 2nd meet there on 26 and 27th feb'17 with forest department of dang,gujarat and forest department of north and south dang gave us a appreciation certificate.so we have to take this honor to receive from DCF of North and South Dang division around at 5pm.
so planned to visit Vansda National Park in morning session.we entered around after 8.30am and thought to find emerald dove n went a specific location but cudn't find. my friend Hiren Joshi told to find flying Indian Flying Fox with chicks,its a interesting but very difficult to find and then focus and click coz trees are very tall n there is a limited space between trees so we were unable to find and focus.
Give up myself coz its much difficult to do in limited area so Hiren Joshi asked, very few have such shots and accepted challenge.we had spent more than 50mins there and clicked many shots of flying Indian Flying Fox with chicks.
so here is one of them.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/4000 || ISO 4000 || 428mm || White Balance : Daylight
Vansda National Park, Navsari, Gujarat

Barred Buttonquail

Sometimes jackpots comes to you n it needs lots luck.same thing happens with me on 02/03/17 , when i was at Chikhali for click of Ruddy-breasted Crake & Baillon's Crake.story was posted in Baillon's Crake
While i was Parking my cheetah, Proff Anilbhai came n talked little then picked our camera n thought to go at Proff Pravinbhai was hiding him self in bush but he waved his hand,not to come now so we moved at different place.
But didnt find anything so return back at Proff Pravinbhai was hiding him self in bush and very carefully adjusted ourselves in bushes with mud.i was setting my camera on tripod n within 30sec,one bird came n sit just 15ft away from us.it was a Barred Buttonquail.very quickly focus n click...click...click. and fly away.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /5.6 || Shutter speed 1/500 || ISO 3200 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Chikhali, Gujarat

The Final Toss

As i had posted yesterday,i was on long drive with my wife n my new camera Canon 7D Mark2 on Hazira road after dropping my prince to his school for exam at 12pm on 12/10/15.
Didn't remember the exact location but i made u-turn n thought to return.after drive of 1+km,saw a Indian Roller was siting on a light pole.from a distance,focused and a click,i was amazed coz it has a kill n again focus to frame while it toss its catch.luckily got one shot.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark 2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/8000 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Day Light
Surat outskirt, Gujarat

Eurasian Marsh Harrier

i was very eager to test my new Canon EOS 7D Mark 2 which i bought on 5th Oct'15 but didn't tried in birding till 12/10/15 due to laziness.
i was on long drive with my wife after dropping my prince to his school for exam at 12pm,we were exact opposite to Reliance Industries Limited,gate no 2(didn't remember) to Bhatlai village,near Hazira, Surat outskirt.after 1km of drive,seen a raptor was sitting on one cement pole,just close to road.it was a Eurasian Marsh Harrier.took 5-10 photo in single click due to osm speed of my machine-gun.when i see photos in lcd screen of camera,Photos were so bright n when i saw iso,i was shocked coz its1600 n full bright sunny day.Then i changed iso to 200 n when try to frame it again but before i click it, fly away.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark 2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/800 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Day Light
Surat outskirt, Gujarat

see the original pic was like this

Watercock (Male)

Mostly i didn't get chance for Sunday birding due to my shift duty.on 24/07/16 i have chance but planed for long drive with family towards bilimora but it's cancelled so wake up around 9.30am n get ready till 10am then went to a place where i had sighted Watercock (Male).i was expecting good shot as i missed on 23/07/16.
Reached around 10.30am and searching here and there but cudn't find.it disappoint me coz i had walked on borders of rice crop farm around 2km.Returned at my cheetah(Mahindra XUV500) and thought to go at wetland.
i was on a speed of 10-15km/h and looking at the rice crop farms beside the road,after drive of 1km,sighted watercock. i was so happy n Stopped my car and sudden came out as this beauty had noticed me.quickly focused n took shots,as i was noticed, it started flying but i was lucky, it didn't gone backside and fly parallel to me and clicked 8-10shots and all r focused and clean shots.

 now a days people will love total blurred background shot like this

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/3200 || ISO 1250 || 600mm || White Balance : 5200K
Surat outskirt,Gujarat.

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Winter starts in November and many birds visits my near by area.one of my friend had clicked Jungle Prinia and i didn't clicked so decided went that area.
on 19th November'16 get ready and reached that area around at 7am.i was searching in bushes but didn't find till 7.50am so decided to went back towards my cheetah,sudden see a Raptor n focus on it and click, it was a Short-toed Snake Eagle.it sit on a tree far away from me.
went back to my cheetah n start it to go another place.after driving of 500+mtr,for a curiosity i saw on that tree n still it was on that tree.sudden driven my cheetah beside the road n parked there.very carefully started walk with half bend myself.i was looking it continuously,if it notice me then stopped myself n fridge there for a moment.i think i had walked 150+mtr like this with taking shots.
i was still 100+mtr away from it n get noticed,moved its body and i was ready to take take off shots n burst....
This shot was taken at 8:51am.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/3000 || ISO 1000 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Surat outskirt, Gujarat.

Sunset with Indian Wild Ass at Little Rann of Kutch

As long story posted Saker Falcon Flying Shot , we had clicked Saker falcon,Peregrine Falcon and other birds in Little Rann of Kutch.we were in the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary for evening safari on 06/02/16.we were traveled 100+km since 3pm to 6pm.
while we were clicking harrier, our guide Becharbhai told us, u are in wild ass Sanctuary and u must click Indian Wild Ass with Sunset so be fast n sit in jeep.we went at one point from where we can see Indian Wild Ass were going n Sun was set behind them.even watching them is pleasant experience.
As at first avoid to click but tried one click and it was superb so run myself to frame group of wild ass.sit on ground, set my camera on tripod n waited for shot.click...click...click but Sun was lil above them so again run to frame them after 500+mtr from our jeep, find the best place n click...click...click.now got good result.

This Shot was clicked at 6:30pm.its a first try of sunset photo n in hurry forget to change the camera setting.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/1000 || ISO 2000 || 150mm || White Balance : 5200k
Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.

Lesser Hill Myna

As Story Posted in Malabar Parakeet  i was on a terrace of allotted studio room of Club Mahindra on 05/02/17 with new friend Mandar Prabhu.we had sighted more than 10 species in the morning.
The temperature was at 10 degree n windy weather so thought to go and sleep again coz feel was about of 8 degree and i had felt minimum of 10 degree.but i stick there for new birds and i was lucky coz after clicking Malabar Grey Hornbill around at 7am n clicked ome shots but due to low light,those were not up o my mark n did bird watching coz tree was not more than 30ft n just little above the eye level.
After 8am started clicking photos n around 8.30am 3-4 Hill myna came there.1st time seen its neck lappets or nape patches,while its head was down..looks so beautiful.it was Lesser Hill Myna.
It averages 9 to 10 inches in length, including its tail. The eye and nape patches are not joined and the back wattle patches curve around up toward the crown in a U shape. This myna has a slightly narrower beak than the Greater Hill Myna. ( source )
i had clicked so many shots of Lesser Hill Myna but this pic shows its nape patches were down otherwise you can't see as per my opinion.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /5.6 || Shutter speed 1/1000 || ISO 800 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Madikeri, Karnataka

Greater Painted-snipe

Yesterday i had posted in my article of Baillon's Crake that in birding you need more luck for sighting and for Rare,need your lucky friends.
as per plan wake up at 4.50am after sleep of 5hour and get ready within 35min with bath n breakfast.before starting my drive,called my both friend n came smile on my face that they were also ready at Bardoli. we met on National Highway 8 at Palsana cross road, where Viren Parked his Elantra n we were on the way to Chikhali.
it was a drive of 70-80km n reached around at 7am at our desire location.Proff P C Patel sir and Proff Anil Bhatt sir told us for location and we sit there and got good shot of Ruddy-breasted Crake but all are in low light.so i was looking for at the area at sunlight n find one Ruddy-breasted Crake,took 3-4 shots n thought to move there,same time Viren also moved n Ruddy-breasted Crake went inside.
Stand up myself n went 1st towards hiding place near to that Ruddy-breasted Crake.saved myself to entered my legs in mud n find the place to hide myself.after waiting of 15+min one Greater Painted-snipe came n give close shots to us.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/800 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Auto
Chikhli, Gujarat

Baillon's Crake

Yesterday i had posted in my article of Ruddy-breasted Crake that in birding you need more luck for sighting and for Rare,need your lucky friends.
as per plan wake up at 4.50am after sleep of 5hour and get ready within 35min with bath n breakfast.before starting my drive,called my both friend n came smile on my face that they were also ready at Bardoli. we met on National Highway 8 at Palsana cross road, where Viren Parked his Elantra n we were on the way to Chikhali.
it was a drive of 70-80km n reached around at 7am at our desire location.Where we meet senior Birder Proff P C Patel sir and Proff Anil Bhatt sir, they told us for location and we sit there and got good shot of Ruddy-breasted Crake but all are in low light.
we were looking for shots in sunlight so we moved from there n sit little away from there but we didn't succeed.we thought to go at another place n Anilbhai introduce with Dipakbhai Patel.while we were walking sudden saw Baillon's Crake far away n took record shot.then we all went inside the lake n hide ourselves in bushes but we were noticed it run inside the bushes.we had waited for 10-15min but it didn't came back.so we moved again.
while were walking road beside the lake,again i had spotted the Baillon's Crake n now we thought for its road to go insie n find the place inside the bushes n mud and sit there.we were waiting for it to come close to us.we were sit for 30+min at same place n sudden another Baillon's Crake was coming out from Bushes n walking towards us very closely.Viren had sighted it n we both clicked closet shots.
it was against the light but i had managed in ps.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/1600 || ISO 800 || 552mm || White Balance : Auto
Chikhali, Gujarat

Ruddy-breasted Crake with Bug Catch

Many times i thought,in birding you need more luck for sighting.My friend Viren Desai need shots of Ruddy-breasted Crake so we planned to visit Chikhali for Ruddy-breasted Crake and Baillon's Crake as many among my fb list had clicked.
After driving of 70-80km, we were at our desired location around at 7am.Proff P C Patel sir and Proff Anil Bhatt sir told us for location and we sit there.
Seen 4+ Ruddy-breasted Crake but shots were not up to my mark Due to low light.Sunlight was coming on lake but due to tree shadow,it was not where Ruddy-breasted Crake were.so we moved for different location n after waiting of 1+hr at one place we clicked Baillon's Crake,will share story tomorrow.
After clicking close encounter with Baillon's Crake, decided to go at point where we 1st sit n we were hiding ourselves in bushes for another 30-40min.we were lucky to see Ruddy-breasted Crake in sunlight with distance of 25+ft.recorded a video too.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/1000 || ISO 1600 || 483mm || White Balance : Auto
Chikhali, Gujarat

The Splash

My best friend Viren Desai called me n told "you have to come with me for birding" n mostly we never disappoint each other.we planned to meet at 4pm n went at tena lake,Surat.
we were searching birds but most of mall tree were vanished by local public beside the lake so we didn't have to hide ourselves and most of ducks were far away from us.so i had avoided to click,enjoying bird watching.
cudnt stop myself to pick my bazooka when a pied kingfisher came near to us around at 5.50pm n clicked 4-5 shots of hovering. due to low light,i had managed to change my setting from Aperture-priority to manual mode with shutter speed of 1/8000 n iso at 2500. sudden  Pied Kingfisher take a dive in water to catch fish n move my bazooka on diving point due to low light,lost focus but managed to get back focus.i was lucky to clicked 2 shots,1 shot delay of coming out but happy to click splash again.

05:54pm

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/8000 || ISO 2500 || 600mm
Surat, Gujarat