2014-04-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

In today`s world natural settings are rapidly diminishing. Preserving these natural settings and this wildlife can be rather difficult, wildlife photography is a type of photography that focus on taking photographs of wildlife or non domesticated animals. Wildlife photographers shoot photographs of wild animals in their natural surroundings, its a kind of very tough job as you have to wait for a very long time to take a perfect picture. Its hobby for some but its passion for me. As its gives a kind of satisfaction. Every photo needs a hard work,patience and yes commitment also. Of course i am not an expert on the subject and would never claim to be. This is an ideological submission in which i hope to capture something good and people might like it. More than anything, however, since wildlife can be as unpredictable as we are, a tremendous amount of luck is involved too......

Well, i hope my images here, taken both in the wild and in captivity demonstrate the beauty of life on Earth. I also hope they reflect on my commitment to capture wildlife in a way that invokes the viewer`s sympathy and compassion for the animal. Thank you for reading.

"Photography Is About Experiencing Nature In A Creative Way"

Sun Bird (Nectariniidae)
ISO 1250 | f/5.6 | 1/250 sec. | Auto Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens
Least Concern LC (IUCN)

This little bird known as Sun Bird and it feeds largely on nectar, buy also takes insects and spiders specially when feeding young. Flower tubes that bar access to nectar because of their shape, are simply punctured at the base near the nectaries. The sun bird have counterpart in two very distantly related groups, the Humming Bird of America and the Honey eaters of Australia, these sun bird are largely found in many parts of India, these birds are very active and generally occur in pairs or occasionally in small family groups. A few species occasionally gather in large groups and sun bird will join with other birds to mob potential predators.

Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis)
ISO 1250 | f/5.6 | 1/125 sec. | Aperture Priority |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens
Least Concern LC (IUCN)

This Monitor Lizard found widely distributed over the Indian Subcontinent, this lizard grows about 175 cm from snout to tail this lizard eats mainly ground birds,fish,eggs and little insects,these lizards are capable of rapid movement on the ground , this lizard was captured by me from my farm house in my village after examining it properly and having satisfied with shots i leave him in near by jungle, this was the first time i caught this animal with bare hands as many people told me that it can bite me, but i was lucky that it dose not bite me and stay calm for the whole day.

Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus)
ISO 1250 | f/5.6 | 1/125 sec. | Aperture Priority |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Least Concern LC (IUCN)
This Jungle Fowl are mostly found in India the domestic form is kept globally as a very productive food source of both meat and eggs. While my safari in a national park i come to know that they are in plenty and there are many subspecies of jungle fowl that is found in Indian subcontinent.

Spotted Deer "Chital" (Axis axis)
ISO 2000 | f/5.6 | 1/125 sec. | Aperture Priority |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Least Concern LC (IUCN)
This spotted Deer is also known as Chital in India the chital`s coat is pinkish fawn marked with white spots and its underparts the highest number of chital are found in the forests of India where they feed upon tall grass and shrubs, chital are primarily grazers and feed on short sprouting grasses. Their life spans are around 8 to 14 years. This shot was taken in National Park where these chital are grazing the grass, they look very familiar with humans as many peoples told me that they sometime come inside the premises also without hesitating of humans.

Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)
ISO 1000 | f/5.6 | 1/400 sec. | Shutter Priority |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Least Concern LC (IUCN)

I recently get a chance to shoot this Black drongo bird as it is very less seen in my area but it is very common in other parts of India it is a glossy black bird with forked tail and small white spots at the base of the gape the iris is dark brown it feeds on insects. This species is also known for its aggressive behavior towards much larger birds. They are are capable of producing a wide range of calls but a common call is " tee hee" call resembling that of Shikra. This bird is mostly an aerial predator of insects. The Black drongo becomes active very early at dawn and roost later than many other birds.

Rose Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
ISO 1000 | f/5.6 | 1/400 sec. | Shutter Priority |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Least Concern LC (IUCN)

This snap of rose ringed parakeet is taken in an orchid of guava they can easily find nearly many places of specially in villages of Uttar Pradesh and they live in flocks, they basically feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. Rose Ringed Parakeet are popular as pets and they have a long history in aviculture. Both male and female have ability to mimic human speech first they listen to its surroundings and then it copies the voice of human speaker.

Hoopoe (Upupa epops, "Hudhud")
ISO 220 | f/5.6 | 1/500 sec. | Auto Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Least Concern LC (IUCN)

This is very common bird in Indian Subcontinent and can be easily seen in villages and cities this shot was taken when i see this bird sitting in front of my farm house it was eating something from the grass and it give me chance to take shots as this bird ignore me and keep doing his work and i keep doing my work i take many shots from different angles. The hoopoe is a medium sized bird 25 to 32 centimeters and has broad and rounded wings capable of long flights, it also enjoy of taking dust and sand bath the diet of hoopoe is mostly composed of insects, reptiles, small frogs and seeds and berries.

Sarus Crane (Grus antigone)
ISO 200 | f/7.1 | 1/800 sec. | Manual Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status VU (Vulnerable, IUCN)
The sarus crane (Grus antigone) is a large nonmigratory crane found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent and mostly in villages of Uttar Pradesh. The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in),they are conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands. The sarus crane is easily distinguished from other cranes in the region by the overall grey color and the contrasting red head and upper neck. They forage on marshes and shallow wetlands for roots, tubers, insects, crustaceans and small vertebrate prey. Like other cranes, they form long-lasting pair-bonds and maintain territories within which they perform territorial and courtship displays that include loud trumpeting, leaps and dance-like movements. In India they are considered symbols of marital fidelity, believed to mate for life and pine the loss of their mates even to the point of starving to death. The bare red skin of the adult's head and neck is brighter during the breeding season. This skin is rough and covered by papillae, and a narrow area around and behind the head is covered by black bristly feathers. The common name of sarus is from the Hindi name ("sāras") for the species. The Hindi word is derived from the Sanskrit word sarasa for the "lake bird", (sometimes corrupted to sārhans). Sarus cranes forage in shallow water (usually with less than 30 cm (1 ft) depth of water) or in fields, frequently probing in mud with their long bills. They are omnivorous, eating insects (especially grasshoppers), aquatic plants, fish (perhaps only in captivity), frogs, crustaceans and seeds.

Indian Peafowl (Lavo Cristatus)
ISO 450 | f/5.6 | 1/250 sec. | Manual Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status LT (Least Concern, IUCN)
The Indian peafowl (Lavo Cristatus), a large and brighty colored bird, is a species of peafowl native to South Asia, but introduced in many other parts of the world. The male peacock is predominantly blue with a fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colorful eye spots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Females lack the train, and have a greenish lower neck and duller brown plumage. The Indian peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents. Their loud calls make them easy to detect, and in forest areas often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger. They forage on the ground in small groups and usually try to escape on foot through undergrowth and avoid flying, though they fly into tall trees to roost. Peacocks are a larger sized bird with a length from bill to tail of 100 to 115 cm (39 to 45 in) and to the end of a fully grown train as much as 195 to 225 cm (77 to 89 in) and weigh 4–6 kg (8.8–13.2 lb). The females, or peahens, are smaller at around 95 cm (37 in) in length and weigh 2.75–4 kg (6.1–8.8 lb). Indian peafowl are among the largest and heaviest representatives of thePhasianidae. Their size, colour and shape of crest make them unmistakable within their native distribution range. The male is metallic blue on the crown, the feathers of the head being short and curled. The Indian peafowl is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent and is found in the drier lowland areas of Sri Lanka. In South Asia, it is found mainly below an altitude of 1,800 metres (1.1 mi) and in rare cases seen at about 2,000 metres (1.2 mi). It is found in moist and dry-deciduous forests, but can adapt to live in cultivated regions and around human habitations and is usually found where water is available. In many parts of northern

India

, they are protected by religious practices and will forage around villages and towns for scraps. Peafowl are omnivorous and eat seeds, insects, fruits, small mammals and reptiles. They feed on small snakes but keep their distance from larger ones. In the Gir forest of Gujarat, a large percentage of their food is made up of the fallen berries of Zizyphus. Around cultivated areas, peafowl feed on a wide range of crops such as groundnut, tomato, paddy, chili and even bananas. Around human habitations, they feed on a variety of food scraps and even human excreta. In the countryside, it is particularly partial to crops and garden plants. Indian peafowl are widely distributed in the wild across South Asia and protected both culturally in many areas and by law in

India

. Conservative estimates of the population put them at more than 100,000. Illegal poaching for meat however continues and declines have been noted in parts of

India

. Prominent in many cultures, the peacock has been used in numerous iconic representations, including being designated the national bird of

India

in 1963. The peacock, known as mayura in Sanskrit, has enjoyed a fabled place in

India

since and is frequently depicted in temple art, mythology, poetry, folk music and traditions. A Sankrit derivation of mayura is from the root mi for kill and said to mean "killer of snakes". Many Hindu deities are associated with the bird, Krishna is often depicted with a feather in his headband, while worshippers of Shiva associate the bird as the steed of the God of war, Kartikeya (also known as Skanda or Murugan).

Honey Bee
ISO 400 | f/10 | 1/800 sec. | Manual Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 18-55mm VR lens

A honey bee (or honeybee), in contrast with the sting less honey bee, is any bee that is a member of the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests from wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis. Currently, only seven species of honey bee are recognized, with a total of 44subspecies, though historically, from six to eleven species have been recognized. Honey bees represent only a small fraction of the roughly 20,000 known species of bees. Some other types of related bees produce and store honey, but only members of the genus Apisare true honey bees. The study of honey bees is known as melittology.

Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
ISO 200 | f/7.1 | 1/800 sec. | Manual Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status NT (Near Threatened, IUCN)
The Oriental darter or Indian darter (Anhinga melanogaster) is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body submerged is in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for the colloquial name of snakebird. Like the cormorants, it has wettable feathers and it is often found perched on a rock or branch with its wings held open to dry. The Oriental darter is like all other anhingas, a cormorant-like species that has a very long neck. The structure of the neck is as in other species of darter with strongly developed muscles about a kink in the neck at the 8th and 9th vertebrae that allows it to be flexed and darted forward with rapid force to stab fish underwater. The Oriental darter is found mainly in freshwater lakes and streams. They usually forage singly, with the entire body submerged, swimming slowly forward using their webbed feet while the head and neck is moved jerkily above the water. They may sometimes be found along with cormorants which share the habit of spreading out their wings to dry when perched on a waterside rock or tree. They sometimes soar on thermals during the warm part of the day but will alternate flapping and gliding in normal flight.

Indian Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)
ISO 100 | f/9 | 1/200 sec. | Manual Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status VU (Vulnerable, IUCN)
The mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris = "crocodile of the marsh"), also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, marsh crocodileor simply muggeris found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries, like Pakistan where the Sindhu crocodile is the national reptile of Pakistan. It is one of the three crocodilians found in India, the others being the gharial and the saltwater. It is a medium-sized crocodile that mostly inhabits freshwater lakes, ponds, Males of the species are said to grow up to 4–5 m (13–16 ft) in length. As with other crocodilians, females are smaller. The mugger crocodile is a skilled predator that preys on a variety of species. Like other crocodilians they are ambush hunters and wait for their prey to come close. They wait camouflaged in the murky waters to launch the attack in the suitable moment. They mostly prey on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Mugger crocodiles have 19 upper teeth on each side; a snout that is 1⅓ to 1½ as long as broad at the base. The mugger crocodiles are considered a medium sized species, said to grow up to 4–5 m (13–16 ft) long. The males are larger than females, averaging 3.2 m (10 ft) compared to 2.45 m (8.0 ft) in females. Sexual maturity is obtained at around 1.7–2 m (5.6–6.6 ft) and 2.6 m (8.5 ft) for females and males respectively. The largest specimen in the British Museum measures 3.7 m (12 ft). Being a large carnivorous reptile, the mugger crocodile eats fish, snakes, turtles, birds and mammals. The mammalian prey are usually small to medium-sized, such as monkeys, squirrels, chital and otters. In fact, most vertebrates that approach to drink are potential prey, and may suffer being seized and dragged into the water to be drowned and devoured when the opportunity arises. Large adults will sometimes prey on larger mammals, such as large deer, like sambar, and large bovines, like cattle and domestic water buffalo, but such large prey are not common prey as in the case of sympatric saltwater crocodiles. At night, they sometimes hunt on land, lying in ambush near forest trails. During these nocturnal hunts, they often steal kills from other predators, such as leopards. This species is generally considered to be occasionally dangerous to humans, but nowhere near as notorious as the much larger (and, in

India

, less common) saltwater crocodile.

Soldier Beetel (Trichodes alvearius)
ISO 100 | f/5.6 | 1/60 sec. | Manual mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 18-55mm VR Lens

Trichodes alvearius is a very hairy beetle with black head and scutellum. The elongatedelytra show a bright red colour with black bands. This species can easily be distinguished from Trichodes apiarius by the black stripe down the middle of the back (along the inner edge of the elytra) and the red apex, not reached by the black terminal stain. It does not fly readily, relying instead on its warning coloration to protect itself from predators. At the larval stage they are parasites of several species of bees and wasps, as the adults lay the eggs close hymenopteran nests or hives (hence the name “alvearius”, the Bee-Hive Beetle), eating various stages of their victims.The adults can be encountered from May through August on the flowers, mainly Apiaceae, Asteraceae and Crataegus species, feeding on pollen. However, they integrate their diet with small insects that they actively hunt, especially Oedemera, Psilothrix,Stenopterus and Clytus species.

Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga hastata)
ISO 250 | f/5.6 | 1/500 sec. | Auto Mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status VU (Vulnerable, IUCN)

The Indian spotted eagle (Clanga hastata) is a large South Asian bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. The typical eagles are often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavyset Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks. The Indian spotted eagle is about 60 cm in length and has a wingspan of 150 cm. It is broad-headed, with the widest mouth of all spotted eagles. This species has a lighter coloration overall compared to its relatives, with a darker iris that makes the eyes appear darker than the plumage (rather than the other way around as in the northern spotted eagles). The Indian spotted eagle is native in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Nepal, where it prefers subtropical and tropical dry forests to plantations and arable land. It is vagrant in Pakistan. In Nepal, it is resident and breeding in Chitwan and Bardia National Parks, in Sukla Phanta and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserves and in some unprotected areas in the Terai. They can be seen easily in all over Indian sub continent.

Indian Pond Heron
ISO 640 | f/5.6 | 1/250 sec. | Manual mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens

Conservation Status LT (Least Concern, IUCN)
The Indian pond heron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii) is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east toPakistan, India, Burma, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost close to human habitations. They are however distinctive when they take off with bright white wings flashing in contrast to the cryptic streaked olive and brown colours of the body. They appear stocky with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed from their dull colours when they take to flight, when the white of the wings makes them very prominent. During the breeding season, there are records of individuals with red legs. The numbers do not suggest that this is a normal change for adults during the breeding season and some have suggested the possibility of it being genetic variants. They are very common in India, and are usually solitary foragers but numbers of them may sometimes feed in close proximity during the dry seasons when small wetlands have a high concentration of prey. They are semi-colonial breeders. The Indian pond heron's feeding habitat is marshy wetlands. They usually feed at the edge of ponds but make extensive use of floating vegetation such as water hyacinth to access deeper water. They may also on occasion swim on water or fish from the air and land in deeper waters. The breeding season begins with the onset of the monsoons. They nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Most nests are built at a height of about 9 to 10 m in large leafy trees. The nest material is collected by the male while the female builds the nest. Three to five eggs are laid. The eggs hatch asynchronously, taking 18 to 24 days to hatch. Both parents feed the young. Fish are the main diet fed to young. Nest sites that are not disturbed may be reused year after year. The habit of standing still and flushing only at the last moment has led to widespread folk beliefs that they are semi-blind and their name in many languages includes such suggestions.

Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)
ISO 500 | f/5.6 | 1/250 sec. | Manual mode |
This photograph was created with the Nikon 18-55mm VR lens

The Xylocopa virginica, more commonly known as the eastern carpenter bee, extends through the Eastern United States and into

Canada

. They nest in various types of wood and eat pollen and nectar. The eastern carpenter bee differs from other bee species in that it does not have a queen. While typically bees have one queen which primarily reproduces and allows the workers to forage, in Xylocopa virginica, this method is replaced by a system in which dominant females are responsible for reproduction, foraging, and nest construction. Carpenter bees are not solitary bees, but are not truly social either. The weak form of sociality they exhibit, with one female doing the majority of the work, and caring for her sisters, may be a transitional step in the evolution of sociality. X. virginica survive mostly on honey and pollen. Newly emerged bees don’t have food stored in their nest, but they are occasionally brought honey. Each nest usually has one mated individual. Mating occurs in April and is often accompanied by a bobbing dance that involves about a dozen males and only a few females. Males require female activity, specifically flight, in mating. Occasionally before mating, the couple will face each other and hover for a few minutes. When the male contacts the female, he mounts her back and attempts to push his abdomen under hers. Copulation occurs at this instant, and it is almost always followed by more mating attempts. If, during copulation, the female lands, the couple will disengage and the male will hover waiting for the female to take flight again. The male bee is unable to sting, though they will commonly approach human beings, especially if they wave or move parts of their body. The female, on the other hand, will sting if provoked While the pain level of these stings is not well-documented, researchers have testified that X. virginica will sting if handled.

India Photo