As The Wheels Roll and The Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

Highway Ranger · Mar 17, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

We also saw a Leaf Bird...

a White-throated Kingfisher...

a Drongo...

and a Racket-tailed Drongo...

[to be cont.]

Highway Ranger · Mar 19, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

We finally reached the boating ticket counter and bought the tickets. I was shocked when I saw the ticket nos, as they were the last 3 nos on the lower deck. But when we boarded the boat, we were pleasantly surprised as the seat numbering started from the back of the boat and we were at the first row. The boating by itself was boring and there were no wildlife sighting. All we could see were some cormorants nesting on the tree stumps and one Osprey far away. We didn't have the luxury of getting the boat closer to it as these boats go on one fixed circuit.

Osprey...

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), sometimes known as the fish eagle, sea hawk, river hawk, or fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.
The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.
As its other common name suggests, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Four subspecies are usually recognized, one of which has recently been given full species status (see below). Despite its propensity to nest near water, the osprey is not classed as a sea eagle. [Wikipedia]

Cormorant...

[to be cont.]

Highway Ranger · Mar 20, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

More from the boat ride... [:D]

[to be cont.]

incarnation · Mar 20, 2015

Loved those two birds in the same nest, wonderfully captured HR. this is the exact picture when somebody says. beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. so much beauty is in the nature it takes ones eyes to spot these. in HINDI Khoobsurat to sabhi cheezain hain dekhnewale ki nazar chahiye. meaning ( Everything around us is beautiful it takes the eyes of one to notice it. Again Awesome dude, Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.

Highway Ranger · Mar 21, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

incarnation said:

Thank you for your wonderful compliment, incarnation!

Here, in this thread, I do not limit to sharing my best shots. I also like to share images, even if they are shot in adverse conditions, for the viewers to get a feel of how the wildlife/bird looks. In each trip we do find something new. Sometimes we are just lucky to spot some rare species that had evaded even veteran birders. So we use these platforms to share everything we see for the benefit of the viewers who might not be so lucky.
*******************************************************************

We reached the parking lot after the boating at around 1:15pm. We had lunch and returned to our stay and rested. In the evening we went for some local shopping.

A happy and loving family... [:D]

The next day we left for home. But before leaving, we had breakfast and went for one last drive into the forest.

Some of the birds that we could see...

A Lesser Hill Myna... (rare)

Grey Hornbill...

Indian Fairybird... (rare)

Drongo...

[To be cont.]

Highway Ranger · Mar 22, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

We had lunch at Thalappakatti restaurant at batlagundu and reached home by 7 pm. The trip was exciting and we changed our destinations and routes on the go as we felt like.

I thank A R Ram for guidance on routes and accommodations.

We enjoyed looking for and spotting birds... a lot of them new to us and some rare. The car behaves as it should, expect for the headlight issue. Now my confidence in Honda is growing every time I take it out.

For a couple of months I was involved in office work and it eased out last week.
************************************************************************

Next stop... Aiyur Reserve forest March 14th 2015 [:)]

The route...

A friend from Hosur, who is also interested in wildlife/bird, called me up an suggested a drive to Aiyur Reserve forest around 50 kms away from Hosur. We had already once gone there in the City. This time he suggested we go in his scooter as it will be easier to stop and shoot - (the roads being narrow I always had to drive a little away to find some space to park the car and walk back to the place where we spotted. By which time the bird would have disappeared).

The idea was to go to a small lake/waterhole inside the reserve forest. Numerous sightings have been reported from this spot. Even my friend had spotted a herd of elephants having fun in the water. He was sad, when we did not see any during our last trip there. This time we had info that there was a herd moving through the forest.

The lake...

So the date and time were fixed - Saturday 14th of March after lunch. We met up around 2:30 left the car at his place and went on his 2 wheeler. It was quite hot and I had not taken my hat. Luckily I had taken my shades from the car.

Half way to Denkanikottai we drove off the road into the ground on the left looking for a lake that used to be there. It was bone dry. We just wandered around for an hour or so and found some birds.

A Red-wattled Lapwing...

A Pied Bushchat looking anxiously for its mate...

Relaxed a bit...

The mate nearby...

[to be cont.]

Highway Ranger · Mar 24, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

A Plain Prinia... [:)]

The plain prinia, or the plain, or white-browed wren-warbler (Prinia inornata) is a small warbler in the Cisticolidae family. It is a resident breeder from Pakistan and India to south China and southeast Asia. It was formerly included in the tawny-flanked prinia, Prinia subflava (Gmelin, 1789), resident in Africa south of the Sahara. The two are now usually considered to be separate species.

This skulking passerine bird is typically found in wet lowland grassland, open woodland, scrub and sometimes gardens. The plain prinia builds its nest in a shrub or tall grass and lays three to six eggs. (The tawny-flanked prinia nests in herbage and lays two to four eggs.)

These 13–14-cm long warblers have short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short black bill. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with a short white supercilium and rufous fringes on the closed wings. Underparts are whitish-buff. The sexes are identical.

Like most warblers, the plain prinia is insectivorous. The song is a repetitive tlee-tlee-tlee. [Wikipedia]

[to be cont.]

subrata · Mar 25, 2015

Amazing photos with great narration. Looking for more. Can u pls share the lens you used during your boat ride.

Highway Ranger · Mar 26, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

subrata said:

Thank you, subrata! I use a Tamron 150-600mm lens for the bird/zoom shots. [:)]

Saw a Asian Openbill fly over our head and land at a tree far away...

[to be cont.]

subrata · Mar 30, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

Highway Ranger said:

To hand held 150-600mm you need strong muscles and an extremely steady hand for these great bird photos on the flight.
Have an Sigma 150-500mm and find real heavy to carry around.
Wait for more from your lenses.

arunprasad · Mar 30, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

Have been following your thread for some time. Excellent shots [clap]

. I never observed the birds so close. But ever since I started shooting wetland birds in my locality 2 months back, I am amazed and inspired to the extent that I am waking up early at 6 AM (yep .. that's early for me !!) on weekends for seeing these birds . You must have lot of patience and persistence to take the time and effort in capturing all those lovely birds.

I am using Canon 1000d with 55-250mm. Planning to get Tamron 150-600 along with new Canon 760D soon. Will have to see how they perform together.

BTW, yes this is my first post. Can't resist myself from appreciating those amazing shots.

Vinodchandran88 · Mar 30, 2015

Man! What shots! Hell with Metro life [cry]

Highway Ranger · Mar 30, 2015

Re: As the Wheels Roll and the Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

subrata said:

You make me think I am the Hulk! [:D]

Not really. I do get tired if I am holding it up for more than 5 minutes. But it is a good tool to watch birds at a distance, even if I am not able to get great shots.

The max I would have carried it would have for around two and a half hours at a stretch with my D90/18-105 in a bag on my shoulder and that is when we go trekking into the forests. Most of the times it is only for a short period, say half an hour or so and it goes back to the rear seat of my car.

subrata said:

What do you use the Sigma 150-500 for? Are you a birder?

arunprasad said:

Thank you, Arun! Nice to have another birder in this forum.

It is true. I study the birds after I process the captures. I am always surprised at the details that I can see in the photos. Since the birds move fast, naked eyes do not do justice to the beauty of the birds.

arunprasad said:

I started birding with a Nikon D90/70-300VR. I have some beautiful captures with tat combination. Later when my interest in birds grew, I switched to Tamron 150-600mm. And I have never regretted the move.

Hope you get your new gear soon and wish you happy birding.

arunprasad said:

Now, this is a honor.

Welcome to TAI and sincerely hope you enjoy the time you spend here.

BTW, which part of Chennai are you from?

Vinodchandran88 said:

Thank you, Vinod!

Vinodchandran88 said:

Couldn't have said it better... [:D]

Examples of times you can see out of reach birds, but end up pressing the shutter anyway... [:)]

A strong wind almost blowing away a Pied Bushchat ...

Coppersmith Barbet...

The coppersmith barbet, crimson-breasted barbet or coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala), is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. It is a resident found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Like other barbets, they chisel out a hole inside a tree to build their nest. They are mainly fruit eating but will take sometimes insects, especially winged termites. [Wikipedia]

A nice looking tree in that area...

[to be cont.]

arunprasad · Mar 31, 2015

I am from Rajakilpakkam.

Vinodchandran88 · Apr 1, 2015

Though I travel daily on Medavakkam-Sholinganallur Road which has SEZ on it, I never was keen on the lake. From your pics I understood, You see only things what you want to see. I only see Cars, people (you know who [;)]

).

As The Wheels Roll and The Shutters Click…Travel Reminiscences…

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