The Shikra story

Shikra, a relatively smaller raptor that feeds on birds (sparrows, pigeons), mice, squirrels, etc. My neighbourhood seems to be a happy hunting ground for several shikras. Here are some pics of Shikras captured at different times, but all around the same place.

Birds at the centre of Noida

I'm just beginning to see (notice) a lot of birds. Still need help from more experienced people to distinguish a sandpiper from a painted snipe. But that makes life exciting. Best part is these are all seen at one place, an area of a few acres behind a shopping mall, that has turned into a mini swamp thanks to a malfunctioning sewerage line and some kind of pumping station that discharges some surplus water on to the ground.

In that small patch one gets to see Ibis, cattle egret, small egret, pond heron, white bellied kingfisher, Purple sunbird, ashy prinia, tailorbird, Indian Myna, Asian Pied Starling, blue pigeons, doves, wire tailed swallow, Indian silver bill, sparrow, black winged stilt, common sandpiper, painted snipe, black kite, egyptian vulture, bee eater, white breasted water hen, red wattled lapwing, an occasional parakeet, crows and probably a few I have not seen yet. Isn't that amazing?

Raindrops

Seeing the sun coming out after some heavy rains, I set out with my camera in the quest of a rainbow. That was not to be found, but remnants of raindrops clingling to leaves and flowers, slowly succumbing to gravity, proved alluring enough for the camera.

Black Hooded Oriole

The bright yellow with black makes this bird an irresistible sight. A chance encounter at Bhubaneswar provided some good pictures.

Red vented Bulbuls - Learning to fly

Advantages of carrying a camera everywhere. On my way back from Chandigarh, we stopped for tea at Oasis, a restaurant complex run by Haryana Tourism at Karnal. Stepping out of the restaurant, I noticed some heavy chirping by Bulbuls. When I paused to watch, found a pair with their babies trying to fly. My presence did cause a lot of concern to the adults, and I hope I did not hurt their feelings much.

Feeding time - Wire Tailed Swallow

Just a week after I got a glimpse of a Wire-tailed Swallow, pure chance took me to an encounter that I was lucky to capture. While happily tracking a bunch of ibis, I noticed a bunch of swallows flying around swiftly, as usual. A few minutes of observation revealed that two were kids and were being fed.

My neighbours

It's rewarding to step out to the lawns of an apartment complex and find birds happily frolicking in water, an egret in search of snacks, a sparrow couple discussing their nest layout, a kite with a mouthful. Sharing some happy Sunday moments.