Behind the lens

a blog every Friday on a specific species of animal or bird and jungle lore

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Wildlife, Bird Photography Siddhartha Mukherjee Wildlife, Bird Photography Siddhartha Mukherjee

Greater Coucal

In the rich tapestry of Indian folklore, the Greater Coucal occupies a dual space as both a mysterious shaman of the forest and an omen of impending change. Across several rural communities in Telangana and central India, the bird is known as the Chemooka or Koti-pitta. It is deeply tied to traditional weather lore. Because its deep, resonant coop-coop-coopcalls intensify during periods of high humidity, local farmers view the bird as an infallible rain prophet. Hearing a coucal call repeatedly from the highest branch of a tree is considered a direct signal from nature that the monsoon is about to break over the dry Deccan fields.

#WildArtWorks #AmrabadTigerReserve #TelanganaTourism #WildlifeConservation #NallamalaHills #EcoTourism #IndiaBiodiversity #AchampetRange #GreaterCoucal #Coucal

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Common Bronzeback Tree Snake/ Daudin’s Bronzeback Tree Snake

The undergrowth of Telangana’s forests is a complex, multi-layered environment shaped by the harsh semi-arid climate & rugged sandstone terrains. A soft rustle stirs the leaf litter before transitioning into a fluid, almost weightless ascent up a low-hanging tree. Moving like a ribbon of liquid metal is the Common Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis tristis). This arboreal master of stealth navigates the fragmented dry woodlands of the Eastern Ghats, serving as a vital link in the region's rich biodiversity

#WildArtWorks #AmrabadTigerReserve #TelanganaTourism #WildlifeConservation #NallamalaHills #EcoTourism #AnanthagiriHills #Vikarabad #IndiaBiodiversity #CommonBronzeback #Bronzebacksnake #Snake #Bronzeback #TreeSnake

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Wildlife, Bird Photography Siddhartha Mukherjee Wildlife, Bird Photography Siddhartha Mukherjee

Indian Pitta

As the first spear of golden sunlight pierces the dense deciduous canopy of Telangana’s wilderness, a sound breaks the stillness—a sharp, clear, musical two-note whistle. It is the unmistakable whistle of the Pitta brachyura, the Indian Pitta, locally celebrated in Telugu as the Poda Pitta (the spotted bird).

#WildArtWorks #AmrabadTigerReserve #TelanganaTourism #WildlifeConservation #NallamalaHills #EcoTourism #IndiaBiodiversity #AchampetRange #endemic #Pitta #IndianPitta

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