Behind the lens

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

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Kuregad - A Tale of Water

Hidden in the deep recesses of the Kawal Tiger Reserve are a number of Gond villages having a close relationship with nature and its management. Closely linked with each individual of the Gond clan is a lineage of Pardhans, bards and chroniclers, who play a vital role in the worship of the clan deity and many other ritual activities. Today is about one such village which depended on their solitary well for water but when the water started to make them sick, they left to settle at a different location. Life in the forest isn’t always a bed of roses.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Kawal, #KawalTigerReserve, #hyticos, #wildtelangana, #telanganawildlife, #gondvillage, #waterscarcity, #lifeintheforest, #gondlife, #telanganagonds, #adilabad, #kumurambheemasifabad, #gundala, #kuregad,

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Indian Bark Mantis

The Indian Bark Mantis (Humbertiella ceylonica), is a species of praying mantis found throughout India. It is well-known for its excellent camouflage, resembling tree bark, hence the name. As its name suggests it generally lives on the bark of trees and its color and texture closely match the bark of trees, allowing it to blend seamlessly into its environment. Like other mantises, they are ambush predators, patiently waiting for prey to come within reach before striking primarily feeding on insects and other arthropod.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Wildlife, #naturephotography, #earthcapture, #conservationphotography, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, #animalsofinstagram, #prayingmantis, #mantids, #insects, #preyingmantids, #indianbarkmantis, #barkmantis, #Mantodea, #Gonypetidae, #anthropods, #bugs, #Kawal, #KawalTigerReserve, #hyticos, #wildtelangana, #telanganawildlife, #telanganaanthropods, #Insectsoftelangana,

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

Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark is a small sparrow-sized member of the lark family found on the plains in open land with bare ground, grass and scrub across South Asia. A small, stocky bird with a heavy, finch-like bill. The males have a gray head that contrasts with a black eye-stripe & black on the collar, throat, and underparts. The females are pale brown with weak streaks on the head, back, and underparts. Similar to the Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, but the Ashy-crowned males are told apart by the gray on the head.

#wildartworks #canon #Wildlife #wildlifephotography #telanganabirds #natgeoindia #conservationphotography #indian_wildlifes #indianwildlifeofficial #wildlifeonearth #planet_untamed_magazine #bbcearth #natgeowild #birdsofthedeccan #hyderabadbirds #ameenpur, #biodiversityheritagesite, #HyderabadBiodiversity, #heritagesite, #ashycrownedsparrowlark, #ashycrownedfinchlark, #lark, #grasslandbirds,

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

Silver-eared Laughingthrush

The Silver-eared is an attractive medium-sized laughingthrush with a gray body, golden-yellow wings, dark face, and chestnut crown. Note the dark orangish “bib”, the color of which varies by range; northern birds have the brightest patches. The namesake silver ear patches are rather rounded & blend smoothly into the gray of the neck. Usually seen scratching around noisily in dense undergrowth, often singly, or in pairs or small flocks. They are found in montane and hill forests, as well as forest edges with dense low growth.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #silverearedlaughingthrush, #birdinginthewild, #birdphotography, #Leiothrichidae, #thailand, #DoiLuang, #DoiPhaHomPokNationalPark, #laughingthrush,

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

White-cheeked Barbet/ Small Green Barbet

The White-cheeked Barbet (Psilopogon viridis) is a green barbet found only in southern India. Note the dark brown head & the characteristic white patch around the ear-coverts, a white line above the eye, and a white throat. Also note the brown neck and breast with white streaks. This barbet is heard more often than seen with constant calls of “kutrook-kutrook-kutrook” in mid-day hours from all kinds of wooded patches.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #PromediagearTR424L, #birding, #wildlifephotography, #birdphotography, #Birdinginthewild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #WildBirds, #naturephotography, #your_best_birds, #planetbirds, #earthcapture, #bbcearth, #photo_pond, #earthpix, #naturyst, @bbcearth, @wild.planet, @wildlifeonearth, @earthpix, #best_birds_planet, @discovery, #wildbirdtrust, #natgeowild, #sunrise, #Sunset, #Panchgani, #KrishnaRiver, #DhomDam, #MountViewHeritageHotel, #maharashtrabirding, #maharashtra, #sahyadribirdwatching, #SahyadriMountains, #SahyadriHills,

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

Slaty-backed Gull

The slaty-backed gull is a large, white-headed, thickset, short-winged, pot-bellied gull that breeds on the north-eastern coast of the Palearctic, but travels widely during non-breeding seasons. It is similar in appearance to the western gull and the glaucous-winged gull. Often looks rather frosty by the first winter; starts to develop a gray back and whitish eye in its second year. Primarily an Asian species, found in coastal regions from Japan and South Korea to Russia. Regularly occurs in western Alaska, but very rare elsewhere in North America.

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#wildartworks, #Canon, #PromediagearTR424L, #Bird, #Birdsinwild, #BirdWatching, #Wildlife, #WildBirds, #naturephotography, #exclusivewildlife, #planetbirds, #earthcapture, #wildlifeseekers, #earthpix, #naturyst, #conservationphotography, #Hokkaido, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #slatybackedgull, #gull,

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

Indian Silverbill/ White-throated Munia

The Indian Silverbill or White-throated Munia is a small, long-tailed finch with a chunky body and short, stout bill. It is gray-brown above & pale below with a whitish rump and black-pointed tail. It is highly sociable and is found in semidesert, scrub, and dry woodland but also proliferates in urban areas. Distribution is centered on the Indian subcontinent and it is a popular cage bird and feral populations are widespread.

#wildartworks #canon #Wildlife #wildlifephotography #telanganabirds #natgeoindia #conservationphotography #indian_wildlifes #indianwildlifeofficial #wildlifeonearth #planet_untamed_magazine #bbcearth #natgeowild #birdsofthedeccan #hyderabadbirds #lakesofhyderabad #ameenpur, #biodiversityheritagesite, #HyderabadBiodiversity, #heritagesite, #ameenpurlake, #ancientmanmadelake, #manmadelake, #indiansilverbill, #silverbill, #whitethroatedmunia, #munia,

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

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler

The Old World Babblers are a family of passerine birds diverse in size and coloration, characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. This group is among those Old World bird families with the highest number of species still being discovered. Featured here is the Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler from Doi Luang in Chiang Mai.

A large brown babbler of scrubby edges, second growth, and open forest in hilly and montane regions. Seen in groups of up to a dozen during the non-breeding season, but pairs off in the spring and summer. Gray-brown from the crown down to the tail, ochre-colored on the face and flanks, and white on the throat, breast, and belly. Lacks any strong streaking or spotting. Like other scimitar-babblers, frequently duets, giving clear, gulping phrases, often with a liquid quality. Also gives harsh, aggressive chattering typical of the genus.

#wildartworks, #Canon, #Babbler, #rustycheekedscimitarbabbler, #birdinginthewild, #birdphotography, #Timaliidae, #thailand, #DoiLuang, #DoiPhaHomPokNationalPark, #scimitarbabbler,

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