VIEWFINDER.....WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG BY PRAKASH SUBBANNA.

GREATER FLAMEBACK, THATTEKAD, KERALA...!!

2012-02-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

RUBY THROATED BULBUL, THATTEKAD, KERALA...!!

2012-01-31T07:18:00.000-08:00

IFPR, ROTARY BANGALORE, PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP..!!

2012-01-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

IFPR, ROTARY BANGALORE on the occasion of forming their photography club invited VIEWFINDER to conduct a 2 day photography workshop in Bangalore.
It was a treat to have a very eager and enthusiastic group with great learning curve as the partaking in the workshop. Further images can be seen on the link below.

https://plus.google.com/photos/116034434788241526078/albums/5701418241065466129?authkey=CLqptPCy8tyFpgE

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012..!!

2012-01-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

BLACK & WHITE BULLET, PIED KINGFISHER IN FLIGHT...!!

2011-12-15T20:42:00.000-08:00

SARUS CRANE...!!

2011-12-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

One of the largest Crane species with dwindling numbers. Very pretty has a trumpet call and are seen mostly in pairs.

THE IBIS..JAMNAGAR, GUJARATH..!!

2011-11-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

CROCODILE...!!

2011-11-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

Awasome Amphibian with a superlative bite force. It can stay motionless for hours on end and also swim at quite a pace.

SPOTBILLED PELICAN ON A WINTER MORNING...!!

2011-11-17T20:36:00.000-08:00

These gracious Jumbo Jets of the birding fraternity was imaged on a lovely winter morning.

LESSER WHISTLING DUCKS..!!

2011-11-14T20:34:00.000-08:00

Lesser whistling ducks arrive at Bharathpur, Rajasthan. as winter migratory birds. They come in large flock to raise their family.

SPOTTED DEER..!!

2011-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

You see a change in the water mark...?? Yes, Viewfinderonline blog is proud to announce its dedicated portal for you all to cherish the journey of photography thro ....its new Website...www.theviewfinder.in

Thank you all for your support and patronage. Regards.

The name derived from the spots on their skin. Most widely distributed mammal in the forest. They have such a soothing feeling & one look at them you tend to forget all your stress & worries. They in the main food chain and are staple diet for the predators like, lion, tiger,hyena, leopard etc.

DHOLE, ASIATIC WILD DOG..!!

2011-10-31T23:16:00.000-07:00

Dhole, Asiatic wild Dog, found in wild. They live and hunt in packs. Master strategists and can bring down animals many folds bigger than their size.

BLACK DRONGO, LRK, GUJARAT..!!

2011-10-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

PURPLE RUMP SUNBIRD FEMALE...!!

2011-10-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

VIEWFINDER. wishes all the followers and friends a VERY HAPPY DEEPAVALI. Have a wonderful & safe festival of light.

YELLOW BILLED BABBLER...!!

2011-10-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Very noisy chirp and are always in group doing their business. You can never miss their presence by the cacophony they create.

VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH...!!

2011-10-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

Velvet fronted Nuthatch...I am seeing it for the first time. I was up and out by 5.45am during our recent out door visit, enjoying the beauty of nature in the form of dense fog engulfing the valley. As the first rays of Sun emerged from behind the mountains....The chirping of birds could be heard announcing the day had begun.

I ran back to the room to get my gear & as i returned and positioned myself i could see a swift moving bird going about its business of feeding. I could not analyse what it was due to strong back light. But, it was new to me...So went about photographing it..got a few shot and it disappeared not to return....!! Here is one of the images.

PURPLE RUMP SUNBIRD FEMALE...!!

2011-10-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

This chirpy, colorful little bird is highly energetic going about its rounds on the foliage looking for insects to feed on. To get the right posture of this bird is a challenge.

FACE TO FACE, ELEPHANTS...!!

2011-10-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

These gentle giants seen face to face during one of the safari rides. They are extremely family oriented and guards their young ones very meticulously. Not to mess with them they can mess you up in a jiffy.

TIGER AT REST....BANDHAVGARH, MADHYAPRADESH...!!

2011-09-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

After going dry for three or four safaris we did spot this Tiger taking rest right in the middle of the road to beat the heat. In fact we had to reverse the jeep for quite a distance on this narrow stretch of road . She just did not budge from her position.

JUNGLE FOWL, KABINI...!!

2011-09-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

Jungle fowl are the forest cousins of the domestic fowl. Very colorful and they quickly disappear in the forest undergrowth. Difficult to photograph.

MAMA I WIN....ASIATIC WILD ASS, LESSER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH..!!

2011-09-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

The little one was trying to out run its parent. Once excited or threatened...they run on miles unless it settles down. It was a difficult image to photograph from a fast moving Gypsy going parallel.

NEEL GHAI, LESSER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH...!!

2011-09-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Neel Ghai, the tall and tough Mammal is seen grazing on small patch of green occasionally seen in the plain of Lesser Rann of Kutch. They travel great distance for in LRK and also face drastic climatic changes of the location.

CRESTED LARK....GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH...!!

2011-09-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Crested lark, the name derives from a small crest on top of the head. Belongs to family of Larks, basically ground level feeders. Well camouflaged to Earthly colors.

BLUE THROAT...!!

2011-09-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Tiny little bird derives its name from a blue patch just under its throat.

BRAHMINY KITE..!!

2011-09-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is a very elegant bird and can be distinguished by its white upper parts. Very graceful in flight.

RED WHISKERED BULBUL...!!

2011-09-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

Very elegant bird with a raised hood and splatter of red near its cheek and tail.

ROCK PIGEON...!!

2011-09-01T23:05:00.000-07:00

Found in most urban landscape, this bird is common next to crows and mynas. They are also found in forests as different sub species, coming in different colors& size.

ON THE EDGE, BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON...KABINI....!!

2011-08-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

This Black Crowned Night Heron was perched at the tip of a stem. Getting perfect perch and nice background is part of good wildlife photography. You just have to be there when it happens.

CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE IN FLIGHT....MYSORE....!!

2011-08-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

This beautiful raptor glides beautifully using the warm air currents as she scans the ground below for prey.

IBIS AT SUNSET, LESSER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH....!!

2011-08-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Flock of Ibis flying into Sun Set at Lesser Rann Of Kutch, Gujarath.

RED WATTLE LAPWING IN FLIGHT....JAMNAGAR, GUJARATH..!!

2011-08-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

A swift mover and highly agile bird. Red Wattle Lapwing goes to any extent of protecting its young ones. Screaming and attacking the predators from air. I have seen it chasing Jackals which was trying to make a meal of its young ones.

SUN SET WITH ASIATIC WILD ASS...LESSER RANN OF KUTCH..GUJARATH..!!

2011-08-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

Sun set at Lesser Rann of Kutch, Gujarath is very beautiful. Its made even more dramatic by the herds of Asiatic Wild Ass moving across the plains of the desert.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY....OUR NATIONAL BIRD...!!

2011-08-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

PEACOCK our national bird. Wishing all INDIANS a happy Independence Day.

ASHY PRINIA....!!

2011-08-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

This Chirpy little bird is found in most neighborhood. Its a source of wake-up call with its sharp shrill calls.

EURASIAN THICK-KNEE....!!!

2011-08-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Big yellow eyes, up-swept beak and a black eye patch are predominant features of this bird. Found on river banks and rocks.

4 the BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP....!!! ACTION....!!!!

2011-08-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some ACTION PICTURES during the course of the photography workshop. check out the LINK BELOW...for more pictures.
https://picasaweb.google.com/prakash.subbanna/4thBasicPhotographyWorkshop?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/prakash.subbanna/4thBasicPhotographyWorkshop#

4 the BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP....!!!

2011-08-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

VIEWFINDER would like to thank all the participants of the 4th Basic Photography Workshop which recently concluded.
It was a pleasure having you all at the workshop and would like to say this group was one of the best & most interactive. I am sure all of you have made the most of out the workshop and have started exploring different setting of your camera to get more creative.

Finally I hope you all have come out of the AUTO mode of your camera.

More pictures of the workshop will follow.

YAWN OF A DESERT CAT, GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH..!!

2011-07-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Wild life enthusiasts and photographers can trade anything to get the glimpse of DESERT CAT. Such is the rarity of the sighting of this magnificent mammal which is on the endangered list.

I was fortunate and lucky to have spent at least 2 hours with this family & some 600 frames from mid afternoon to Sunset when they said goodbye to us and went into their den in the wilderness of the desert at Greater Rann of Kutch, Gujarath.

Oh boy did i have a great sighting...Yes...!! my most memorable wildlife moment yet...!!

SET-WET GREY HERON..!!

2011-07-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

What else to do if the weather is not favorable to you... Early morning drizzle had soaked this Grey Heron to its bones. Shrugging off will not help as the drizzle refreshed water on its feathers. This Heron decided to tuck its long neck and turn towards Sun for it to shine...and dry out.

GREAT TIT....!!

2011-07-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

This tiny little chirpy bird is called Great Tit. Feeds on insects and larvae. Its almost a monochrome in color...grey, white and black. Its a Photographers challenge to catch this fellow in the frame.

EQUIPMENT: CANON 300 F 2.8 +1.4TC, CANON 1DMK 4.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP....!!

2011-07-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

VIEWFINDER announces 4th BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP ON 30th JULY 2011.
AVAIL THIS OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE UPON YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS.
LIMITED SEATS....2O REGISTRATIONS ONLY.
CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE FOR DETAILS.

WINGED BEAUTY...!!

2011-07-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

There is no competition to Nature when it comes to shapes, size, colors & the intricate arrangements of these.
Winged Beauties also called Butterfly has evolved into a million shape, size & color combo. It never seizes to surprise & appreciate the intricate patterns these delicate beauties have. All in a limited life span of few days.

A definite cue one has to take if you are in the Glamour business or Industry form these creatures as how to put forward your best designs.

EQUIPMENT: CANON 1DMK4, CANON 300 F2.8 + 1.4TC.

PURPLE SWAMPHEN..!!

2011-07-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

It rained the entire night on Friday and was drizzle towards Saturday morning. Woke up and looked thro the window & decided to head out seen what photographic opportunity I get in this over cast-drizzle weather.

Irrespective of the weather the life cycle goes on. Here is the Image of the PURPLE SWAMPHEN going around its business scavenging for food.

Over cast sky provides sub-due lighting but, increases the exposure time & reduced shutter speed. All the more to be careful while doing hand-held shoots.

Eqipment: CANON EOS 1DMK 4, CANON 300 F2.8 + 1.4TC.

BACKYARD BIRDING..PURPLE RUMP SUNBIRD, FEMALE...!!

2011-06-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

Every day the call of these chirpy wonders makes me jump out to see them going their business. Hopping tree to tree, branch to branch, flower to flower seeking food. Here is the image on one such occasion recently. The calls are so soothing...I wish I could have it as a caller tune in my cell phone....!!

Equipment: CANON EOS 1DMK4, CANON 300 F2.8 + 1.4TC.

HILL BLUE FLYCATCHER...!!

2011-06-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

The flycatcher family has many variety in them. Here is the image of the Hill blue Flycatcher.

GREAT BLUE HERON IN GOLDENLIGHT, BHARATHPUR, RAJASTHAN...!!

2011-06-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Setting Sun provides good opportunity to get profile shots ...Here is an image of a Great blue Heron during Sunset at Bharathpur.

ROSE RINGED PARAKEET....BHARATHPUR, RAJASTHAN....!!

2011-06-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

The pretty bird loved by one and all & probably first bird to be taught as an alphabet 'P'. This image was taken at Bharathpur, Rajastan. Its a Rose ringed Parakeet. Very noisy and talkative. Their shades of green is mesmerizing...

YELLOW WATTLE LAPWING...UP & CLOSE...YALA , SRILANKA...!!

2011-06-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

This Lapwing belongs to the same family of Red wattle Lapwings. It derives its name from a predominant yellow flap on his forehead. Aggressive bird and goes all out to protect its eggs which is laid on the ground.

WHITE WAGTAIL....GRK..GUJRATH...!!

2011-06-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

BLACK WINGED STILTS..JAMNAGAR..GUJARATH...!!

2011-06-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

Early morning before Sunrise its cold and misty at Jamnagar, Gujarath. Being a birders paradise there is activity all times of the day. Here is a image of Black winged Stilts during one of the misty mornings.

WHITE-EYED BUZZARD....PENCH....!!

2011-06-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

White-eyed Buzzard. This raptor gets its name from its white eyes. This image was made at Pench Tiger Reserve near Nagpur, Madhya pradesh.

LARGE EGRET....!!

2011-06-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

These pure white birds are a treat to watch. They are so clean and elegant. It will be a task for novice photographers to image this bird. Pure white will throw the camera metering into a tizzy. Here is the image taken with early morning light.

SPOT-BILLED PELICAN...!!

2011-05-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

Spotbilled Pelican in flight....seen here is its pouch in the lower beak...

SCAVENGING..BHARATHPUR..!!

2011-05-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Winter visit to Bharathpur, Rajastan yields a flurry of activities of the birds coupled with Cold weather & some amazing twilight.

MONOCHROME..CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF A STRIPE...KANHA...!!

2011-05-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Closing on an alarm call of the Cheetals ( spotted deer) we were waiting for the tiger to be sighted. But nothing like this ...when she emerged right in front of us. I could not believe my eyes...I took a second to recompose myself and put my eyes in the viewfinder of my camera.

I just cannot forget this sighting & keep admiring this beautiful Mammal to have seen from such close quarters in wild.

BLACK NEAPED HARE...YALA, SRILANKA...!!

2011-05-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Very beautiful & the name derives from a Black Neap behind the head. Highly sensitive and jumps off even you aim you camera...Here is the image I could manage after many attempts.

TIGER IN THE BUSH, KANHA, MADHYA PRADESH...!!

2011-05-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tiger spotting can be difficult specially among the tall grass in the forest...This one emerged out of no where as was a surprise.

TUSKER WATER SPLASH...KABINI..!!

2011-05-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

Water is an integral part of Mammals & more so for Elephants because of its size.. During summer the body temperature rises and these huge Mammals need to cool off. They move in search of water and once found, they will spend lot of time time quenching thirst and cooling off. They also mud-splash their body which acts as antiseptic.

GOLDEN JACKAL...GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH...!!

2011-05-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

Golden Jackal was imaged in Greater Rann of Kutch. Shy and tends to hide...difficult to spot.

SMALL BLUE KINGFIRSHER...ENVIRONMENT SHOT...YALA, SRILANKA..!!

2011-05-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

This SMALL BLUE KINGFISHER had a vantage point chosen on the banks of a water hole for all its fishing activities... Image take at YALA, SRILANKA...!!

CHARGED-UP TUSKER...KABINI...!!

2011-04-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

This Tusker at Kabini was really charged-up on our presence. Trumpeting and Ears fully flared he did charge us. It was little scary even tho we were confined to the jeep.

RIVER TERN....JAMNAGAR, GUJARATH..!!

2011-04-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

Aggressive bird which guards its eggs which is laid in open. Usually on the rocks of the river banks. Extreme color contrast of the bird with black, white, yellow and red legs....getting the eye of the bird is difficult which is surrounded by black color...let alone the catch light.

BROWN HEADED GULL. JAMNAGAR, GUJARATH...!!

2011-04-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

A very swift and agile bird which does lots of acrobatics in flight....Here is the image of which approaching straight at you...It resembles a Boeing in flight...!!

JACKAL....YALA, SRILANKA...!!

2011-04-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hot & humid weather conditions at Yala, Srilanka forces every living species to take cover under a shade or dip themselves in a puddle of water. Here is one such image where a Jackal was just emerging out of a puddle and shaking off....!!

MARSH HARRIER..GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH...!!

2011-04-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Greater Rann of Kutch is a Raptor paradise...Here is a image of a female Marsh Harrier in flight....They are very well adapted to the terrain. They roost in the short bushes of the desert.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR...!!

2011-03-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

Isabelline Wheatear...Strange name and i am not able to connect it to the bird...None the less its one of the most beautiful bird i have seen...Even tho it looks almost a monochrome its very cute.

This image was made at Greater Rann of Kutch. Evening light and perfect perch is the key to this image.Well quite some time was spent to capture this beauty.

DESERT WARBLER.....GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJARATH...!!

2011-03-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

This tiny bird comes all the way from Afghanistan to Rann of Kutch during the time of Migration. It is not more than 4 inches in size and not a second it sits in one place.

Bush hopping, this bird did give me some tough time to make a good image. Almost merging colors to the BG makes it difficult to spot.

SAMBAR DEER COOLING OFF...YALA, SRILANKA...!!

2011-03-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

The tropical climate at Yala, Srilanka, gets very hot...Here is a image of Sambar Deer cooling off in a puddle. The graceful evening light did add to the mood.

PELICAN IN FLIGHT....!!

2011-03-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

This Pelican was sourcing its nesting material.

OPEN AND SHUT BEAK....OPENBILL STORK, RANGANTITTU....!!

2011-03-18T02:50:00.000-07:00

Water being the life line and a must drink...This Openbill Stork has to work twice hard to quench its thirst...Here is the image made with back-lighting hi-lilting the break in beak and the water droplets..!

NIGHT HERON IN FLIGHT....RANGANTITTU...!!

2011-03-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

This Night Heron in flight was imaged at Rangantittu ...The early morning light and the angle of flight shows the underparts of the wing structure against a blue backdrop the sky.

SCAVENGING FOR NESTING MATERIAL...SPOTBILLED PELICAN, RANGANTITTU....!!

2011-03-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

This Spotbilled Pelican touched the water surface to fetch a floating twig to reinforce its nest. The early morning light has a golden touch to it.

UP AND CLOSE...EGRET...RANGANTITTU..!!

2011-03-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Quick dash to Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary last Sunday morning did yield some nice images. Here is a close up image which reveals the intricate folds near the beak and the sharp red eyes.

IN FLIGHT ....EGRET...BANGALORE...!!

2011-03-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

Egret soft landing and feather details...Look at the complex feather arrangement and the body and leg positions for a perfect landing...You cannot beat these flight experts in their perfection.

EURASIAN SPOONBILL... WEIRD HAIRDO...!!

2011-03-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

This Eurasian Spoonbill was sporting a weird hairdo during a photo shoot one fine morning at Rangantittu. This was the best courting behavior I have ever seen.

FLIGHT OF AN EGRET....BANGALORE...!!

2011-02-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

This picture was made during the Photo walk session of the just concluded photo workshop by VIEWFINDER.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP....!! FEB. 26th, 2011.--A REPORT.

2011-02-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

VIEWFINDER had organized a Photography Workshop on 26th Feb. 2011..It was well attended by the Techi's group from Wipro and Delphi. Armed with their Digital Cameras they got to know the controls & concepts of Digital photography in a 4 hour Theory, Hands on experience.

This was followed by an early morning photo walk session at Lalbagh for a field experience and different lighting conditions. The participants expressed happiness for what they have gained by the photography workshop and were more than happy & confident to say...they have moved away from AUTO MODE to explore other controls of the DSLR's.

VIEWFINDER would like to Thank all participants.

PURPLE HERON...PORTRAIT...RANGANTITTU...KARNATAKA..!!

2011-02-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

Portrait of Purple Heron with the Breeding plumage...

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP....!! FEB. 26th, 2011.

2011-02-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

Click the above picture for the details of PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP...This weekend.

QUENCHING THIRST...OPEN BILL STORK...RANGANTITTU...KARNATAKA...!!

2011-02-21T22:05:00.000-08:00

A quick dash to RANGANTITTU BIRD SANCTUARY on Saturday early morning yielded some nice action photographs...It was beautiful morning sun grazing the quietly flowing cauvery river. We were boating as early as 7.15 am...Nest building and reinforcing is in full swing. Spotbilled pelicans, and Painted storks were the birds of the day, interlaced with black headed Ibis, Egrets, and Night Herons...

In few were Stone plovers, River terns and Pied King fisher...and a big Croc. basking the Sunshine. Ended the session with a Wolly neck Stork an in flight Short Toes Snake Eagle and Bramhiny Kite.

NORTHERN SHOVELER IN FLIGHT...!!! JAMNAGAR, GUJRATH.

2011-02-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

Northern Shovelers are Waders. Very colorful and has yellow eyes and a typical shovel type beak. Beautiful in flight and graceful in landing. It is a shy bird and difficult to get in close.

ROSE RINGED PARAKEET....YALA, SRILANKA....!!

2011-02-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

Rose ringed Parakeet...Common species to the Sub-continent. Very pretty bird and noisy. They are very sociable and family oriented. Often seen as pairs or either of them guarding the nest and rearing the young ones.

BLACK WINGED STILT...LRK..GUJRATH....!!

2011-02-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Black winged Stilt as the name suggests the wing parts are black.. They are waders and are found near water bodies, seen doing extensive fishing...The long and slender beak allow then to fish little deep.

CAREING FOR....SPOTTED DEER, SUCKLING...!!

2011-02-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

Despite being the most sought after prey in the food chain at the jungles...the life continues. It was this moment in the jungle which caught my eyes early in the morning...the Mother caring for its young one...Despite dangers of being attacked. I felt like staying there and keep watching...but had to move on....

TIGER OF KANHA....MADHYA PRADESH...!!

2011-02-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

This Image was taken in my previous trip to Kanha Nationa park, Madhya Pradesh. This elusive cat's presence was being heard off by the alarm calls of spotted deer & monkeys...but could not be seen the entire day....

Waiting at the same spot the next day early morning....The cat appeared, but this time without any alarm calls...So it works both ways...Early morning light thro the forest did give me an opportunity to take some good pictures.

BLUE TAILED BEE-EATER...YALA, SRILANKA...

2011-01-31T20:37:00.000-08:00

As the name suggests this Bird has a blue tail and belongs to the family of Bee-Eaters. Swift and efficient prey catchers in mid air.

SPOONBILL IN FLIGHT...JAMNAGAR..GUJRATH...!!

2011-01-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

The name of the bird gets derived from the long flat bill it has shaping like a spoon at the end. Bird has a large wingspan and looks majestic in flight...Here is a picture which shows its full aerodynamic position in flight...

BLACK SHOULDERED KITE.....LRK, GUJRATH....!!

2011-01-24T22:13:00.000-08:00

This Raptor is about 12inches in height. Beautiful bird, its white body and cherry red eyes are simply beautiful. Perfect exposure against blue BG is a challenge due to extreme contrasts.

WHITE WAGTAIL....GRK..GUJRATH...!!

2011-01-20T20:16:00.000-08:00

White Wagtail Male. This bird was photographed at Naliya grasslands in Greater Rann of Kutch. I was waiting near a water hole for the Sand grouse which I heard comes to drink water at a particular time. This white wagtail came flying and settled on the banks of the water hold...I managed to take some good ground-level shots.

SPOTTEL OWL...LRK, GUJRATH...!!

2011-01-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

A pair of them were sitting in the shade at a distance. It was difficult to approach and get a right angle to shoot. By the time I managed to get an eye level shot..The other one managed to hide. None the less worth the effort.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER....JAMNAGAR...GUJRATH...!!

2011-01-13T22:18:00.000-08:00

This cute little bird was photographed at Jamnagar, Gujrath. It is not more than 5 inches in length and a very swift mover. I was lying on the ground for a long time to get this shot at eye-level. At the end of which I had a stiff back.....But it was worth doing it to capture this little beauty.

PIED KINGFISHER IN FLIGHT...LRK, GUJRATH..!!

2011-01-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

Pied Kingfishers are very good in howering in mid-air to air and dive to catch the fish...They take into account the refractive index of water to precisely target the fish.

The Run @ RANN....!!

2011-01-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Asiatic Wild Ass found only at Little Rann Of Kutch. They are shy of intruders and move away or simply start to run on end...They run fast and for a long distance...They are easily spooked. I was informed if they feel threatened they run till they get exhausted and breath their last...So they are followed just for few min and are give their distance for them to relax.

WESTERN REEF EGRET....JAMNAGAR...GUJRATH...!!

2011-01-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

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A beautiful bird found in and around Jamnagar water bodies. Grayish in color...Shy bird and maintains its distance.

THE CAT (DESERT) OF OUT THE BAG...WITH KITTENS...GRK...GUJRATH..!!

2011-01-07T05:10:00.000-08:00

Surely my best wildlife moment. Almost 2 hours sighting of this elusive cat with her little ones was truly exhilarating experience. I still cant forget how, slowly and cautiously the mother emerged out the den with just the ears popping out to make sure all's well outside for her little kids to come out and enjoy the beautiful evening light till the Sunset in the west. This is jut one of the picture of the many I made.....Oh boy, did I jump in joy after this....The answer is Yes....!!!!

The latest report says ....A pair of Desert Fox has occupied this den Displacing the Cat and her Kittens...!!

PEACOCK IN FLIGHT...YALA, SRILANKA...!!

2011-01-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

I have not come across pictures of Peacock in flight. My visit to Yala, Srilanka yielded this picture. Peacock and Peahen are common birds across the subcontinent. The Peacock is more attractive and colorful with its long feathery tail. They are know for its design and colors and has inspired many artists in various fields.

I have enough pictures of peacock sitting, walking and displaying its feathers...This time I wanted them in flight...The problem is their flight is very short and does not gain much of height. So it is mostly among the bushes and branches of a foliage...

I found this fellow perching on a open branch and had a clear view of the sky. I decided to wait ...How long...god knows...He was basking in the glory of a beautiful Sunlight and absorbing every ounce of it...

It was a test of strength of my shoulders and Biceps to hold the combo of 300mm F 2.8 and 7D body...for about 25mins. At last he flew across the blue sky I clicked to glory. I was rewarded a picture of my life time.

He is more colorful in flight than on perch...the lovely earth color of the wings are treat to watch of them magnificent bird.

GREEN BEE-EATER....!! with kill....!! GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJRATH,

2010-12-30T22:26:00.000-08:00

I was observing this Bird for some time and it was around evening...there was a feeding frenzy. This Green Bee-eater managed to catch a Butterfy in mid-air and had it devoured in 2 seconds...I managed to get almost 20 frames of the entire sequence of action...Thanks to my 1d Mk 4...and its Fps...

YELLOW WATTLE LAPWING...GREATER RANN OF KUTCH, GUJRATH....!!

2010-12-30T22:20:00.000-08:00

Yellow wattle lapwing Photographed at Greater Rann of Kutch...On the way to Naliya Grass lands..

A VERY HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2011...!!

2010-12-29T02:12:00.000-08:00

Looking ahead to a wonderful 2011...It was a hectic 2010 for me covering distances do quality wildlife photography. I also succeeded in adding a professional line of equipment in CANON 300 F 2.8 & CANON 1D Mark 4 Body.
Looking forward to make steady stride in bringing to you all quality pictures on to your desktops.

Keep checking out the updates.

Regards
Prakash Subbanna.

RANN OF KUTCH ...!!

2010-12-27T23:07:00.000-08:00

WILD ASS...Mammal found only in LRK....they roam the vast expanse of dried salt-bed desert. It is difficult to approach them as they are very shy and can run at great speeds. They can be seen as white moving spots in vast expanse of the plains. Photographing them is a challenge due to Thermal currents of the terrain . Achieving focus can be a concern...Mirrage or false waster presence is another challenge. Here in this pic. its not water but, Mirage seen the background. All in all its a beautiful animal to watch.

NEEL GHAI... This part of the desert also has some greenpatch. Where these mammals thrive by eating grass. As usual they maintain a very large distance of at least 100mts..

SHORT EARED OWL...This Owl is beautifully adapted to the terrain...It hides in bushes to take shelter from heat and cold nights. It preys on small bush birds like Larks and Warblers. Very difficult to spot as they are almost the same color of the terrain. Very shy as they are not used to human presence.

MERLIN...This is a rear find...and difficult to get it on a perch....I found it with a Kill and I took some time to approach cautiously approach to get as close as possible...this time it was 50mts before it flew off....

All in all photographing these birds and mammals is a difficult proposition... Thye pose a great challenge by having amost the same color of the terrain, they are very shy and does not allow you any way near to you longest focal length lens...Getting proper focus due to thermals from ground is a challenge...