Yellow-wattled Lapwing

After successful session of White-winged Tern,we returned to my car and Viru asked to Akbar for distance from we were and Akbar told"its a 5km away from we were".Viru turn n was looking to me for my answer, i smiled and told though i have clicks,Abhay have no clicks of it and we were just 5km then why shud we don't go!!! if we were 50+km away then also go for click coz we came from 300+km and this species not sighted in our region.
i knew the location though we go with our guide,even i driven the car from where we can get best click of it.i asked Abhay to take record shot from car and then we came out from car. carefully we started crawling to get close shots without disturbing it.As we were noticed due to my car but it gave beautiful shots.After getting this shot,did reverse crawl.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8|| Shutter speed 1/1000 || ISO 640 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Nal Sarovar, Ahmadabad, Gujarat

White-winged Tern

As per urgent plan for Hingolgadh,i had talked with my best guide Akbarbhai for White-winged Tern sighting in Nal Sarovar coz i was unable to go there and click it since last 2yrs.Akbar told that there is a 50 % chance coz water level was just 1ft+ and 2-3 White-winged Tern were there.
So on 20/06/17 started my journey towards Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary at 5am from Surat and meet my friends Viru and Abhay at Kamrej cross-road on NH8,they were coming from Bardoli.we reached there at 10.45am and went a location for our mission White-winged Tern started with Akbar, Ashraf & 2 boatman.
we came out from car and feel was like we were put in the pre-hot oven coz AC temperature was at 16 degree C and outside temperature was 42 degree C+.walked for 1+km and again mine condition worsen.(i had skipped last 2yrs trip for this reason coz this tern came during hot climate at Nal Sarovar).Akbar was searching White-winged Tern thru his Binocular and i was thru my camera.After 30min Akbar find it and we went inside the lake thru boat.
it was very hard to go inside due to low water level,they are walking in the lake and pushing our boat from behind.and luck goes down,White-winged Tern fly away coz we were passes from chick of Red-wattled Lapwing & Black-winged Stilt so they started giving alarm call.we tried for flight shot but failed.after 10+min again they came and clicked 5+ flight shots.
it was very difficult to find This Tern(just 2-3 were there) out of 100+other terns from the boat and with handheld then focus n click.
here is one of them.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8|| Shutter speed 1/3200 || ISO 640 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Nal Sarovar, Ahmadabad, Gujarat

Indian Pitta (Calling)

My best friend Viru called me 19/06/17,"doctor do something for Hingolgadh to click india Pitta for Me n Abhay" and replied "then get ready, we will go tomorrow morning".Viru told me to go 1st at Virpur temple and night stay there,next day Hingolghad,and i replied yes for plan.will share that story tomorrow or later for my lifer.
My phone alarm ringed n  wake up at 5am.we all fresh n get ready to leave from our resort at Virpur at 6am coz its a 2hr journey.there was zero traffic on highway and sky was covered with gold giving mind blowing feeling.sudden dark black clouds were started covering the sky n fear came in my mind coz if it showers rains then we could not find pitta till rain stops n rain came.but clouds were still there even at hingolgadh.
Paid our entry fee of 1000Rs,Car 400Rs and camera fee of 600 (200 per camera),then driven car for 1.5+km towards office and parked.Started searching here n there for "Fearless beauty of Hingolgadh"(Will post lil abt Hingolgadh).myself and Viru was searching at otherside and Abhay was searching at other side but Abhay find it.in between we clicked Viru's 2 lifer(Red-rumped Swallow & Red Collared Dove).
We went towards to Abhay n Pitta again came down on ground to pick nesting materials,we were hardly 10ft away from it,clicked 2-3 shots then we all 3 just watched his behavior to pick nesting material.pick a dried small leaf branch n weigh or something then put it down,jump to find other and pick another,do same,after searching right branch,fly towards nest.we missed to take ground level shots but it was amazing to watch this thing.
We went other side to find Jacobin Cuckoo n other birds and succeed.i had seen Indian Pitta (Calling) on Facebook and desired for same shot of it.so i was waiting for that kind of shot but till 12pm didn't got it.
We saw the nest n from distance,tried for flying shots but we failed.so i went to talks with foresters coz m here only for calling shot.while i was talking with foresters,i see Abhay n Viru were lying to click Pitta and cudn't resist myself  to click and did same.we all get extra-ordinary shots.then it fly away and again i went towards Foresters.
After 10min Pitta saw a pitta was sitting on low level of sacred fig(pipal) tree and give a call so myself walk fast to click my dream shot,waited n waited....finally here is result.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8|| Shutter speed 1/1600 || ISO 2000 || 500mm || White Balance : Daylight
Hingolgadh, Rajkot, Gujarat

Great Indian Bustard

Read 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 as he had sighted from far even we were in the car.

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

Ruddy Turnstone (Breeding)

We reached at Bhuj on 29/04/16 and did some shopping then took dinner there n went our destination,reached around at 11pm.did check in,get fresh n sleep around at 1am.
wake up around at 5am n get ready to go,waiting for our friend Dilipsinh Chudasama aka Bapu, as he was coming from Mundra.he came around at 6.30am n on the way for Mission Waders of Mandvi beach.
within 30min we reached there,virenbhai parked car n all ready for go inside the beach.we had walked 1-2km for our mission n seen beauties there,it was pleasant feeling to see breeding plumage with greater flamingos.
we walked further inside n Bapu started crawl,so Pankaj n Hiren also did same.i feel lil awkward as didn't do crawl in sand plus sea water even fear to enter dust n water inside the lens but for good photos i have to do.so even started same.at first clicked sand plover and grey plover,the result was extraordinary and unbelievable.
my self n Hiren was crawling at lil away from Pankaj n Dilipsinh and sudden seen Ruddy Turnstone.i had started crawl towards it n result is here.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/6000 || ISO 1600 || 600mm || White Balance : Daylight
Mandvi Beach, Kutch,Gujarat.

Sunrise

Cold of around 10 degree C of early morning and we wake up around at 5am coz we have to drive 100+km after knocking of our room by our guide.after getting fresh, we taken tea and around 5.30am we were on the way to for GIB.
All set for GIB n started our journey but we lost in the grk coz much darkness and road is all side.we roam here n there for 15+min lol.even gps was not working.finally we came on road around at 5.50am.
i was driving at a speed of 40kmph coz there are so many nightjar and they mostly came on road.we have to reach before sunrise but we were late.even we went on wrong way as missed the google's map voice. so we turn on the map on tomtom map (paid app) in iphone7 and we reached our destination around at 7.25am.
our guide came there within 5minand we were on the way to GIB.after drive of 5-10min we reach at a little hill and mesmerized myself after watching sunrise and stop my cheetah to capture the beauty.and here is the frame.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Aperture-priority AE Mode
f /4.5 || Shutter speed 1/250 || ISO 100 || 150mm || White Balance : Daylight
Kutch, Gujarat

Road to Sunset

We were 25-30km inside the main road and time was 5.35pm(as clicked last photo of Spotted Sandgrouse).we didn't got good shot of this rarity n wanna click but our friend cum guide Bharatbhai Kapdi told us to return, if sun was set and in the darkness we didn't find to return on main road coz there was no network n no gps.so i had driven my cheetah upto 110+kmph speed to return.
Bharatbhai told to turn on left side to frame sun behind the tree as we were just 2km away from main road. so i turn the car and stop the car. we all came out to frame this beautiful moment but due to sudden brake the dust was coming in the frame so we ran toward the tree,where dust didn't came in frame n clicked 3-4 snaps of it.forget to change some setting in hurry then i realize n did setting for sunset frame and it was 1st time so even setting was not perfect though i was happy to click it.
Here is one of Beautiful frame from those shots.

Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/200 || ISO 200 || 150mm || White Balance : Auto
Kutch, Gujarat

Sunset in The Jungle

During extreme low light taking shots of wild life is bit difficult.As usual i was with my "Wild Wonders" in the forest of Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary on 20/11/16.we had clicked so many photos of birds with 3 lifers and return at one place where we had clicked our lifers in morning.
We were exploring that area and sighted one Raptor but it was at the other side of road so we crossed it and approach very carefully but it was 5.30pm and sun was about to set so failed to click.while i was returning towards our car,i had seen my friend Hiren Joshi was clicking against the sun and i was amazed so also did try with my bazooka.it was even difficult to focus coz i did it with handheld,manual focus with 600mm lens.
But loved the result.

Exifs :

20/11/16, 5:45pm

Handheld,Manual Focus

f /4.5 || Shutter speed 1/320Sec || ISO 400 || 150mm || White Balance : Daylight

Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Santuary, Narmada, Gujarat

Pale-billed Flowerpecker with Cherry

i had planted a wild cherry tree 2yrs back for birds n happy to watch many birds came to feed this wild cherry.
3-4 times in Every year i went my birth town Udwada,which is a holy place for Parsi.we have 15+ acre of farm at one place and have old trees of mango,Sapodilla aka chikoo and other fruits.i asked my dad to spare little area for birds but there is no space so find a little area and planted wild cherry plant 2yrs back.
As i had clicked Pale-billed Flowerpecker but wish to click it with Cherry. wish complited last year but cherry color was orange but unable to get chance frame it with red cherry.
i reached there on 20/5/16 in the evening and started watching from next day morning to noon and evening to sun set.finally i got my type shot on 22/5/17 at 5.45pm.
Pale-billed Flowerpecker is 8cm size and much acive so fly n jump very quickly so focusing was much difficult.good point is after picking a cherry it comes out fro inside of the wild cherry tree and sit openly on a mango tree beside it.

Exifs :
22/05/17, 5:45pm
Manual Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/1000Sec || ISO 1000 || 552mm || White Balance : Daylight
CL Farm Udwada, Valsad, Gujarat

indian Pitta

After 1month of Yes/No for birding of Indian Pitta, finally i was at Hingolgadh on 11th July'15. on 10th July, i went from Surat at 11.50pm by train n reach Ahmadabad at 4am. how can ppl sleep in train coz i hd tried but failed to sleep n even can't sleep for a min.
my frnd Dr.Sagar picked me frm station n we r on the way to S G Higway,  before we reach there we pick Dr.Payalben. at near iscon mall we meet my close frnd Dr.Pankaj n Viralben n started journey,it was amazing morning trip.
we reach Hingolgadh around at 8.20am,at entrance gate while we were entering one car was reversing,Sagar was pressing horn continuously even though that car stuck with Sagar's car n made dent on front.that was very bad moment, how ppl say " forget it, i said sorry to you"...hooh..
finally we reached at camp site n searching for our hero "Indian Pitta" as Pankaj, Viralben n Payalben sighted last month.but till 9.30am we cant find them.
we sighted other birds n enjoying there,sudden rain started.we met with some Bird watchers, enjoyed their talks.
After Rain stopped we all moved as hear call of  Drongo cuckoo n i seen it 1st time. i moved from there,walked for 200+mtr n sudden find Indian Pitta,it gave close photos from 10-15ft distance.

Exifs :
Canon 600D
Aperture-Priority AE Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/250 || ISO 3200 || 600mm 
Hingolgadh, Gujarat