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

Great Grey Shrike

Dawn fractured the semi-arid horizon of Baramati, casting a pale gold tint over the grass. Suddenly, a streak of silver, white & stark black cut through the crisp September morning. It was the Great Grey Shrike, the legendary "butcherbird" of the scrublands, arresting the landscape with its sharp, regal presence.

#wildartworks #Canon #CanonC50 #C50 #greatgreysjrike #baramatigrasslands #Birdinginthewild #BirdWatching #conservationphotography #BhigwanBirdSanctuary #Kumbhargaon #indapurgrasslands

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

Tri-coloured Munia

Golden hour at the extensive reed beds near the quaint village of Kumbhargaon. A gentle breeze rippled through the tall grasses, making the reed heads sway in rhythmic unison. To the untrained eye, the marshy edges look quiet. But to a patient observer, the reeds come alive with frantic motion as a tiny avian jewel - the Tri-coloured Munia - prepared for its evening routine. 

#wildartworks #Canon #CanonC50 #C50 #kadbanwadi #Birdinginthewild #BirdWatching #conservationphotography #bhigwan #BhigwanBirdSanctuary #Kumbhargaon #munia #tricolouredmunia

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

European Roller

As the sun dips below the horizon at Kadbanwadi, casting a deep amber hue over the scrub forest, I discover the European Roller, a rare turquoise nomad migrating through these grasslands. This blog explores the bird's striking blue & cinnamon plumage, its incredible 10,000-km journey across Asia and our deeply connected ecosystems & why  these fragments of wild grasslands deserve our utmost protection.

#wildartworks #Canon #CanonC50 #C50 #europeanroller #kadbanwadi #migrant #roller #Birdinginthewild #BirdWatching #conservationphotography #bhigwan #BhigwanBirdSanctuary #Kumbhargaon #indapurgrasslands

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

Western Yellow Wagtail/ Sykes's Wagtail 

A small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae. A widespread wagtail, favoring wet meadows, marshland, grassy and muddy lakeshores. Occurs in fields and often near livestock during migration.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Bird, #Birdinginthewild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #conservationphotography, #bhigwan, #BhigwanBirdSanctuary, #Kumbhargaon, #ujnibackwaters, #westernyellowwagtail, #wagtail,

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

Oriental Skylark

A chunky brown songbird with a weak crest, typically found on the ground in open fields and meadows. Darker above than below, with fine black streaking on the chest and light chestnut ear coverts with dark border. Very similar to the Eurasian Skylark, with which it shares much of its range, but Oriental has buffy, not white, outer tail edges and trailing edge of wing. Breeding males “skylark,” singing a series of variable notes while hovering high above the territory.

#wildartworks #canon #Wildlife #wildlifephotography #telanganabirds #natgeoindia #conservationphotography #indian_wildlifes #indianwildlifeofficial #wildlifeonearth #planet_untamed_magazine #bbcearth #natgeowild #birdsofthedeccan #hyderabadbirds #grasslands #orientalskylark #smallskylark #lark #yenkathalagrasslands #enkathala #Yenkathala #ramnathgudpallegrasslands #telanganabirds

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

Pallas’s Gull

Pallas's gull, also known as the Great Black-headed Gull, is a large powerful gull of saline, brackish, and fresh water bodies. Breeding adult has a black head with a thin incomplete crescent around the eye and a red-and-black-tipped bill. Non-breeding adults retain a partial “hood” of patchy black on the back of the head.

The eye crescents and a flashing white rump help to distinguish first-winter birds from Herring-type gulls. Can be readily separated by size in any plumage from the smaller dark-headed gulls.

As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus Larus. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. Ichthyaetus is from ikhthus, "fish", and aetos, "eagle".

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Bird, #Birdinginthewild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #conservationphotography, #bhigwan, #BhigwanBirdSanctuary, #Kumbhargaon, #ujnibackwaters, #pallasgull, #greatblackheadedgull, #gull, #larus

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

Rufous-tailed Lark

The Rufous-tailed Lark/ Rufous-tailed Finch-lark, is a ground bird found in the drier open stony habitats of India and parts of Pakistan. Like other species in the genus it has a large finch-like bill with a slightly curved edge to the upper mandible.

#wildartworks #canon #Wildlife #wildlifephotography #telanganabirds #natgeoindia #conservationphotography #indian_wildlifes #indianwildlifeofficial #wildlifeonearth #planet_untamed_magazine #bbcearth #natgeowild #birdsofthedeccan #hyderabadbirds #grasslands #rufoustailedlark #rufoustailedfinchlark #lark #yenkathalagrasslands #enkathala #Yenkathala #ramnathgudpallegrasslands

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

Common Snipe

A squat, cryptically-plumaged shorebird with a very long bill. It inhabits a wide range of wetland habitats, from damp meadows to salt marshes. Mostly inconspicuous, it feeds in muddy ground by probing with its bill, usually near reeds or other grassy cover. Often not seen until flushed, when it usually rises from fairly close range with a rough rasping call. In Asia, beware of the extremely similar Pin-tailed, Swinhoe's, and Latham's Snipes, all of which lack the white trailing edge of Common and have a slower, less erratic flight.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Bird, #Birdinginthewild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #conservationphotography, #bhigwan, #BhigwanBirdSanctuary, #Kumbhargaon, #ujnibackwaters, #commonsnipe, #snipe, #wader,

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