Black Shouldered Kite

(Update: Replaced with a photo taken on 20-Feb-2010 near Devanahalli)
12. Black Shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
I spotted this near Devanahalli while returning from Skandagiri. This photo breaks another rule of mine that I won't shoot photos of birds if they are sitting on wires. There's something very unromantic about that. But I'm making an exception for this because...well, a raptor's a raptor!

Original image here.

Galibore haul

Since I'm only at number seven, I have a lot of low hanging fruits that I can target. Here are birds I photographed on my trip to Galibore.

8. I caught this Indian Robin female at the entrance of its nest. There were two nestlings inside the nest too!


...and here's the male (photo taken in Galibore on a different trip)

9. Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocusus): This was a ridiculously easy catch. He landed right in front of me and posed for this snap.


10. Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis orientalis)
(Replaced by a photo taken in Galibore much later)

11. According to the rules that I laid out for myself, it is not permissible to register a count if the photo that I post is out of focus. But I'm making an exception for this one. I have no remote clue about this particular bird. I hope I haven't discovered a new species; that would be too onerous for an amateur. (update - 13-Aug-09: This turned out to be the Pied Bushchat)

update - Mar-25-2010
Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)

The Resolution

I wonder if I consume myself with trivial pursuits. The resolution behind this blog, for example, is that I will photograph at least 500 unique species of birds.

I'm not as good a birder as I want to or used to be. But I still love the sport; especially the meditative trance you get into while following a bird in the thicket. It gets even more therapeutic with a camera in hand. I know this will not be a waste of time.

My first seven entries will all come from my earlier post in my other blog. I'm linking it so that I don't have to duplicate it.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting numbers 1 to 7
1. Chukar (Alectoris Chukar)
Replaced by a picture taken near the Hemis Monastery in Aug 2013



2. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus Ochruros)


3. Yellow-Billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax Graculus)


4. Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)


5. Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)


6. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)
7. Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Replaced by a shot taken in Le Mont St.Michel, France.

From France 2012