Sunday, January 27, 2019

Lesser Flamingo with Asian Dowitcher

Asian Dowitcher is a Resident bird Western to Eastern Siberian steppe regions,  Mongolia and North East China.Migrate to South Asia, south India, Sumatra and North & East Australia during winter.
Gujarat had record of sighting in 8th Feb 2012 by Kunal Joshi
This Rarity again sighted on 31 december 2018 by Rajdeepsinh Jadeja and have a dream to go Jamnagar but no leave option,cudnt manage for it.somehow a manage 3 day with mine off for Little crack on 18th to 19th January 2019 but this program was postponed and trip made for Jamnagar.
So i drive my cheetah to Bardoli around at 9.30am and parked at Viren's House,then we took his Elantra and driven towards Ahmadabad around at 10.30am.
Pankaj was coming from Patan to Ahmedabad and with Vivek Mansata,they will join us but due to some issue Vivekbhai told to left Ahmadabad in evening.now Pankaj was Confused coz i have to left Jamnagar by 19th and he had decided to do birding on 20th so he also came with Vivekbhai in evening.
we were near Bagodra and it was 3.30pm so we have lots time...(will share it in another article)...left Nal Sarovar at 6.30pm.
Reached Jamnagar by 11.30pm and entered in Hotel Presidency,issue begin for booking as Pankaj did online booking for 2 room and showing only 1 room but hats off to owner Mustakbhai who told to his attendant to give room and then ask to do booking online.Mustakbhai told to sit in his cabin till Pankaj and Vivekbhai came so we talked with them till 3am with very tasty tea,in between get a chance to meet Yashodhan Bhatia  
Next Day we wake around at 6.30am and went location of Asian Dowitcher around at 7.30am and Kunal Joshi came there to guide us but we didn't sighted this rarity in whole morning session.So we went at other area and then went for a breakfast of favorite little Samosa.around 12pm we went at Lalabhai's shop to buy Pankaj's Nikon D850 and then went to Balachadi with Kunal Joshi for Red Knot.but again bad luck.
Around 3.30pm decided to go at Dowitcher's Site so we were in Pankaj's car.Vivekbhai called Chirag Solanki one of good guide from Jamnagar for sighting of Common Ringed Plover and he told,Dowitcher is sighted come at location,Viveknhai told we were about to reach.
After seeing me and Viren,Chirag aka Chiku, i will not let this two person to click Asian Dowitcher as they didnt told me that we were coming to Jamnagar...and smiled and hug us.We know Chiku when he come to surat and went for Forst Owlet as we know the exact location.Surprisingly we met with Ketan Shah,Dhyey shah and Anup Chavda,we shake hand and sit beside them.
The Rarity was far away and took record shot and waited for 45+min and then it started walking.we had taken so many shots with video and sharing this one,its not a close shot bu loved frame.



Exifs :
Canon 5D Mark4 + Tamron 150-600 G2
Aperture-priority Av Mode
f /8 || Shutter speed 1/1250 || ISO 800 || 500mm || White Balance : Auto
Outskirt of Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Spot-winged Thrush

i was on a Family vacation at Sri Lanka with my Friend Dr.Pragnesh in mid May'18.for birding its a odd season due to heavy rain.even though we had plan to go Sinharaja National Park on 19th May'18.
we were stayed at Earl's Reef Beruwala,wake up at 3.15am and get ready within 15min.went at reception,surprisingly receptionist made a ready packed breakfast for us and our cab Driver Mr.Albert Christo was waiting for us.
Without delay we were on the way towards our destination.it was a journey of 3hrs.i thought for sleep but didn't because i was little afraid because its an unknown country and with unknown person at odd time drive.
Even though we both doctor are unable to speak English well and our cab driver was speaking english very fluently though we chat with each other.after drive of 1 hr our cab was stopped by Sri Lankan Police,now my heartbeat were increased even though we hv all document coz it was dark area.good thing was everything handled by our cab driver and policeman didn't ask anything to us.
Our target was to reach by 6am at entrance of Sinharaja National Park and i asked to my cab driver to stop for a coffee break but on whole way we didn't see a opened dhaba/shop/restaurant for break.Around 5am we saw a shop n drink a hot coffe,it was of great taste made by a old man and we thanked him.
After drive of 1hr,we reached around at 6.15am,a guide named Ratnasiri came to us and talked for everything.there was a system that each guide has a turn to go with guest so no other person talk with us.i paid entry fee and bought a pair of foot cover to safe us from blood leeches/blood sucker.
we started walking with our guide for birding.it was rainforest so it was not a easy task for photography even we experienced  badly for 3 endemic species,we failed to frame average shot of them.
After walking of 500+meter, hill area started and there was no wind.apat from 15 degree Celsius temperature i was wet.we clicked Sri Lankan Junglefowl, Malabar Trogon,Sri Lankan Hill Myna etc bird and our guide told for Sri Lankan Frogmouth. Guide went 4-5 different place but he didnt find this beauty so we went further inside of Jungle.
Now Turn for Spot-winged Thrush.we walked down of hill after walking by bending our selves,walking thru water.guide searched it 2-3 location but he failed and after hard work of 30+min he hear a call and further we walked inside and spotted.
i clickedthis beauty at 2000 iso but it was total black because sun light was unable reach there and set iso 5000 still result was not good and set at 10k iso and clicked this shot.i know about noise grain but i have no option and happy to frame this tough endemic beauty during odd season.


Exifs :
Canon 7D Mark2 with Canon 100-400 is2
Manual Mode
f /7.1 || Shutter speed 1/320 || ISO 10,000 || 400mm ||
Sinharaja Rain Forest, Sri Lanka