Hello !!!!

Hopped in to say  Hi!!!
I haven't been flexing my photography muscles.

Sharing one of my favourite clicks ....loved the contrasting colors the whites ,black .....orange beak .

Happy BIRDING ....

Another dove ....

Hello world !!!

 I'm back after  a short and sweet break .....

 Yes , really sweet since  festivities were on and a wedding at home .

 Lots of chaos, fun and frolic with family and friends .

Since the last post was on a dove I decide to carry on with it ...

The cooing community is not much in evidence in the hills .The commonest dove of the Himalayan hill stations is the ''Oriental Turtle Dove ''.

Oriental turtle dove has a very distinct scaled  plumage and a conspicuous patch of  black and white feathers which makes its identification easy .Chest and belly is pink to rufous and the wing feathers have black centers with chestnut  edges lending it a beautiful scalloped pattern . I just got a glimpse of this beautiful dove and within a fraction of a second it was gone ....If you are a passionate about birding you will never

stop feeling the happiness at the sight of a bird you haven't seen before.

Happy Birding ....

A symbol of peace ....

When  I looked at this click the only thought that came to my mind was 'its so peaceful ' ...

''The pure innocence that I love , 

the soft and simple collared dove 

a fragile home of twigs and sticks 

on which, she precarious sits 

This symbol of peace and love ,to 

we on earth , from heaven above .''

You and Me ....

Every click is  a story in itself .

Here are a series of shots of a pair of  pied starling telling a story.

Together

Think alike ....

Just the beginning 

This is where you land up....

Happy birding 

Another Jay ....

 Coming your way... Black headed jay
  It is found across the  Himalayas in India .A handsome bird with a  black head and throat with specks of white . Patterns on the wings and the tail are  peculiar shades of blue. Across the blue bar runs thin transverse black lines .

This jay seemed to be very familiar with the resort and would drop by atleast twice to drink a few drops of water or take a dip in the bird bath.... This is when I managed to click a few shots of the birdie taking a dip and totally enjoying it ....

And I enjoyed every moment of clicking this cutie from Pangot ...

Hues of Blue ....in Florida .

''How did you happen to be so blue?

Did you steal the lake for your crest ,

 And fasten the blue violets in your vests ?''

'' Did you dip your wings in azure dye ,

When April began to paint the sky .''

My excitement knew no bounds when I spotted a blue bird from my bedroom window . Then I was made to understand it is the  most recognizable backyard birds  in eastern and central United states.I went about spending a whole morning watching the antics of the blue hued birds.

You possibly cannot miss out on these vividly cobalt colored birds visually or audibly.

Happy birding ....

The Bee and the Birdie ....

Hello  world !!!!

 I am back after a short hiatus .

The days  are getting shorter , slight nip in the air .

 I am all geared up for birding in winters .

Heading for a vibrant winter ...

I am totally loving it .

HAPPY BIRDING .....

Russet sparrow ....

Happy friday everyone .I thought I would sign off the week with this simple chunky sparrow birdie .

Its also called cinnamon tree sparrow 

These pictures are really close to my heart as they are clicked by my son . He was thrilled to bits to have clicked the sparrow and the lady bird was visible in  its beak .The russet sparrow is supposed to be'' most sweetest and most musical '' of all the sparrows .

Admiring .....

Black throated tit....

Yellow.....

Aren't they really cute..  :)

Happy birding ....

The Pharaoh's Chicken

The Egyptian vultures are also called The Pharaoh's chicken . One of the early Pharaohs forbade anyone to kill an Egyptian vulture under the pain of death.He reasoned that the clean up job of these birds was too important to lose even a single bird .

 It is a small white bird 

with black flight feathers

a bare yellow face and 

an untidy feather mane cascading from head to neck.

The flight of the bird is more graceful than the rest of the vultures because of its smaller size and lighter built.

 They grow to about one foot or more long ,and can be spotted near villages or dump sites . I spotted about five of them walking with a waddling gait. Young vultures begin with brown colored feathers and lighten each time they molt.So , I assume that its a young vulture....

Populations of these birds are declining drastically ....What would are landscape look like without the help of a vulture ???

Colorful Fridays ....(Amandava amandava )

From the grassland of Tropical Asia , hails the Strawberry finch .I spotted a strawberry finch flying like a bullet  with a reed in its beak.  It was building its nest painstakingly ..

Nature amazes me ...it seems as if someone has actually dressed the bird in bright red plumage and then painted the white dots ...giving an impression of strawberry seeds

 Female strawberry finch

 Male strawberry finch

Aren't they just treat for your eyes .... 

Will be back soon with some more clicks of the strawberry finch.

Happy birding ...

Do Bee-eaters eat only bees....?

Bee-eaters are true to their name they eat Bees .But they also feast on any flying insects ....

  

Savouring its morning meal....Butterfly 

Once the prey is caught its battered on the branch brutally . 

 When feasting on stinging insects they are careful not to swallow them until they have the venom.

Tossed before finally gulping it down ...

Take some time out to watch the unique spectacle offered by the varicolored avian acrobats ....

Happy Birding....

Colorful Fridays ....(Black Necked Storks)

Black necked storks are world travelers , migrate from middle of August to end of September wintering in tropical Africa and India .

Black necked stork birds are dressed in mainly three colors White , Black and Red .The black plumage shimmers with a lovely purple and green gloss.

The avian delights are dressed in amazing color combinations . I actually marvel at the vivid display of colors by nature .

Happy Birding ...

Expressions of birds .....

 I really don't know whether birds laugh or smile when they glide in the gentle cool  breeze or when just swimming one of their own would splash water .

 But I surely know they have their ways to express their anger and displeasure.

 Tried to capture the expressions of birds between frames .

Happy birding ....

Birdie for breakfast.....

Urbanization of the avian world..... birdie for breakfast.

Wherever I have lived , be it a city or a small town I have always managed to find some corner where birds sing .

Dressed in stripes....

Rhythmic movement  , heads bobbing back and forth,  beautiful crest half opening and closing ,sunset hued bodies with gorgeous black and white stripes....  Hoopoe 

Happy birding ...

Wetland Birds of Mumbai...(Palm beach road)

A mangrove dotted  coastline a natural habitat of wildlife ....Mumbai was a totally magical for me because of extraordinary range of habitats and biodiversity...Nature trails just minutes away .
Palm beach road with high rises on one side and mangroves on the otherside is a'' Birders Haven ''.

Hordes of gulls terns and ducks dotted all around 

Sandpipers lazing around ....basking in the sun.

painted storks  in flight

Black winged stilts 

Egrets  enjoying the first rays of sunlight ...Golden light

Spoonbills generally bossing around ....I could just sit here for hours watching the antics of these birds .

Happy Birding