Orissa Wildlife Chronicles

Gujarat Trip Images

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Few images from my recent trip to Gujarat.

Location: Diu and Gir
Equipment: Canon EOS 450D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, EF1.4x II Extender, EF-S 18-55mm

Green Bee Eater

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:38:00 +0000

ID: Green Bee Eater (Merops orientalis)
Location: Chapora Fort, Goa
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

ARKive

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:19:00 +0000

Two of my images of the Rufous Bellied Eagle and one of the Nilgiri Tahr made it into ARKive. :-)
Here are the links.

Rufous Bellied Eagle
http://www.arkive.org/rufous-bellied-eagle/lophotriorchis-kienerii/image-G122398.html
http://www.arkive.org/rufous-bellied-eagle/lophotriorchis-kienerii/image-G122399.html

Nilgiri Tahr
http://www.arkive.org/nilgiri-tahr/nilgiritragus-hylocrius/image-G126657.html

Rufous Bellied Eagle: A Rarity

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:01:00 +0000

ID: Rufous Bellied Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii)

Location: Parambikulam WLS, Kerala

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x II Extender

Crested Serpent Eagle

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 08:51:00 +0000

ID: Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)

Location: Chorla Ghats, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4xII Extender

Pied Bushchat (Female)

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:20:00 +0000

ID: Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)

Location: Morjim Beach, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

White Rumped Shama (Male)

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 29 May 2011 17:58:00 +0000

ID: White Rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)

Location: South Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

Common Tailorbird

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 06:49:00 +0000

ID: Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)

Location: Panjim, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

Osprey Take-off

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:26:00 +0000

ID: Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Location: Chorao Island, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

Birds in Habitat

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:55:00 +0000

ID:
1. Common Sandpiper
2. Common Sandpiper
3. Brahminy Kite diving into a colony of Egrets
4. Large Egret
5. Black Capped Kingfisher
Location: Chorao Island, Goa
Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender

Black Kite

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 05:52:00 +0000

ID: Black Kite a.k.a Pariah Kite (Milvus migrans)

Location: Morjim Beach, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

White Browed Bulbul

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:36:00 +0000

ID: White Browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)

Location: Panjim, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

Jewel Beetle

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:01:00 +0000

ID: Jewel Beetle
Location: Panjim, Goa
Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Peeping Shikra

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 06:09:00 +0000

ID: Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Location: Chorao Island, Goa

Equipment: Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x II Extender

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary | Goa

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:52:00 +0000

Posting a small guide to the Sanctuary, what to expect and how to get there.

It is a mangrove forest interlaced with water channels in the Mandovi river waters. It’s home to a lot of bird species and reptiles. The best time to visit this sanctuary is from October to March. Many species of migratory birds are visitors here as well. One can find species like Large, median and small egrets, Plovers, Common sandpipers, Redshanks, Greenshanks, Curlews, Cormorants, Darters, black headed Ibis, Lesser Adjudant Stork, Pond heron, Green Heron, Small blue, Black Capped, White Throated, pied and Stork Billed Kingfishers, Brahminy kites, Osprey, White Bellied Sea Eagles and many others. I have named the ones that I saw on my first visit today.

The sanctuary is situated on an island in the Mandovi river mangroves close to Panjim called Chorao island. One has to take a ferry from Ribandar to get there. To get to Ribandar from Panjim, one needs to head towards Old Goa following the straight road alongside the Mandovi river. Once that road ends, arnd 200 metres ahead is the ferry jetty. During low tide one can also get a few birds alongside the road and in the mud of the receded river banks.

The Govt of Goa has ferry services to the island and it is free in case you are on a two wheeler/on foot and Rs. 10/- for a 4 wheeler. It takes around 10 minutes to get to the island from the other end of the river. As one alights from the ferry, bang on the left side is the entrance to the sanctuary and the reception office. The entry ticket is for Rs. 50/- a head and one can take the 12 seater govt Boats or the private Canoes. I would suggest taking the private canoes as one can hire one entirely for oneself. The rates keep changing from season to season. I got a boat and a guide for Rs. 600/- for 1.5 hrs which seemed like a fair deal to me given the festive time in Goa.

There is a nature trail about a kilometre long which is a nice walk in the morning and one can find many smaller birds like flycatchers, flowerpeckers, prinias, sunbirds etc. There is a jetty at the end of it from where one can take boats. There is also a separate route which is 1.5 km from the entrance of the sanctuary and one has to go from outside and to the Chorao Village and take a boat from there and then enter the sanctuary. I did the latter after taking an early stroll in the nature trail. I couldn’t get any good shots there as it is very muddy with the pneumatophores of the mangrove trees around you. So, one has to stick to the trail. If one is patient enough, one can get a few shots of these tree birds here.

It is better to find out about the tide times and then plan for the visit as during high tide it becomes difficult to sight as many birds and also a lot of wet ground is lost underwater. So low tides are ideal.

Coordinates:

Latitude: 15.5132 deg N

Longitude: 73.8705 deg E

Shikra

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:37:00 +0000

ID: Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Location: Chorao Island, Goa

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender

Common Sandpiper

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 12:13:00 +0000

ID: Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Location: Goa
Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender

Fallen!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 20:20:00 +0000

Location: Talacauvery, Coorg

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DC HSM

Funnel Web Spider

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:50:00 +0000

Shot at f/2.8

Shot at f/5.6

ID: Funnel Web Spider

Location: Talacauvery, Coorg

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Lady in Red

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:31:00 +0000

ID: Lady Bird (Exact Subspecies unknown. Help would be appreciated)

Location: Ramnagara, Karnataka

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Motion!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:55:00 +0000

ID: Long Billed Vulture a.k.a Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus)

Location: Ramnagara, Karnataka

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender

Long Billed Vulture in Flight

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:01:00 +0000

The veterinary drug Diclofenac found in cattle carcasses caused 97% of their population to be wiped out in a matter of a few years. They are now found in a few pockets spread across the country. A perfect example of how human interference can cause devastation.

ID: Long Billed Vulture a.k.a Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus)

Location: Ramnagara, Karnataka

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

A Walk in the Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:58:00 +0000

Location: Bhitarakanika National Park, Orissa

Equipment: Nikon D80, Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 Lens

River Tern Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:42:00 +0000

ID: River Tern (Sterna aurantia)

Location: Ranganathittu, Karnataka

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender

River Terns Communicating

noreply@blogger.com (Bibhav) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 09:02:00 +0000

ID: River Tern (Sterna aurantia)

Location: Ranganathittu, Karnataka

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender