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

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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Searching for Comets Lemmon & SWAN

What promised to be a spectacular celestial event turned into a cloudy and frustrating two-night affair on Oct 21 and 22. Despite ideal conditions coinciding with the new moon and the Orionid meteor shower, the rare appearance of two distinct comets, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN), was ultimately obscured by inclement weather over areas in and around Hyderabad. The Orionid meteor shower too peaked on the same nights.

#wildartworks #canon #PromediagearTR424L, #naturephotography, #Astrophotography, #c2025A6Lemmon, #c2025R2SWAN, #Comet, #cometphotography, #sunset, #timelapse, #holygrailtimelapse, #daytonighttransition, #daytonighttimelapse, #sunsettimelapse, #october2025, #2025comets, #lemmon, #swan, #cometlemmon, #cometswan, #YenkathalaGrasslands #ramnathgudpalle, #EnkathalaGrasslands, #yenkathala, #Grasslands 

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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

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

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse or Common Sandgrouse is a large, plump, and dovelike bird with a pointed tail, sedentary and nomadic species that ranges from northern and central Africa and further east towards western and southern Asia. There are six recognised subspecies.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Bird, #Birdinginthewild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #conservationphotography, #bhigwan, #BhigwanBirdSanctuary, #Kumbhargaon, #ujnibackwaters, #indapurgrasslands, #kadbanwadi, #ChestnutbelliedSandgrouse, #Sandgrouse, #Pteroclesexustushindustan,

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

Jungle Cat

The Jungle Cat, also called Reed Cat and Swamp Cat is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littoral and riparian areas with dense vegetation.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Canon1DxMkii, #PromediagearTR424L, #DeityD3Pro, #EF600f4LISIII, #Wildlife, #naturephotography, #wildlifephotography, #NearThreatened, #IndapurGrasslands, #Kadbanwadi, #grasslands, #Maharashtra, #Kumbhargaon, #BhigwanBirdSanctuary, #JungleCat, #ReedCat, #SwampCat, #cat, #wildcat,

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

Indian Wolf

The Indian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) is a subspecies of Grey Wolf & one of their most endangered populations in the world. Travelling in smaller packs and less vocal than other variants it has a reputation for being cunning. There are approximately 400-1,100 wolves living in the Himalayan Region and 4,000-6,000 wolves in the Peninsular Region. The Peninsular Region wolves are mostly found in agropastoral areas that have less forest density.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Canon1DxMkii, #PromediagearTR424L, #DeityD3Pro, #EF600f4LISIII, #Wildlife, #naturephotography, #wildlifephotography, #NearThreatened, #IndapurGrasslands, #Kadbanwadi, #grasslands, #Maharashtra, #SirsuphalGrasslands, #GrasslandSafari, #Baramati, #IndianWolf, #IndianGreyWolf, #GreyWolf, #extant, #vulnerable, #Canisindica

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