Photo of the Week

February 7, 2016February 15, 2017

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

I’ve posted previously about some of the birds I had a chance to photograph on a trip to India last year. No spot was more prolific than the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary just outside Mysore. Although I was there off-season for migratory birds, I was able to get up close to a variety of the resident species, through the cunning use of a wooden rowboat.

A little egret stands alone on a rock, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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Some of the birds were close cousins of common birds that I regularly photograph. This little egret very closely resembles the snowy egret that is common in wetlands near my home in California.

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On the other hand, most of the sightings were brand new for me, and very different from home. We were able to get quite close to this mugger crocodile in the boat. Luckily, he seemed busy sunning himself and didn’t pay us much attention!

A male river tern sits on a rock, ready to go find food to feed his mate as part of a courtship ceremony, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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One of the less common birds for that area was the river tern. We lucked upon a pair engaged in courtship ritual. A male and female were sitting on separate rocks when the male flew off to find food to give to the female. Although we didn’t get a chance to witness it before we floated on, the pair engages in a food exchange as part of their courtship.

A juvenile black-crowned night heron stands on a large rock in a shallow lake, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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There were an abundance of black-crowned night herons, which I see often at home. Here a juvenile was stalking about on a large flat rock.

An eastern great egret stands tall on a rock, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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The eastern great egret is closely related to the great egret seen throughout North America. To my eyes, it was identical in appearance.

A black kite perches high in a tree over the water, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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Even from low in the water, we got some decent views of black kites circling high overhead. One landed in a tree growing out of the top of a nearby cliff. My 800mm lens came through and allowed me to get reasonable shots even from far away.

Several flying fox fruit bats hang upside down from a tree, resting through the hot day, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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And yes, it was much more than just birds. In addition to the crocodile, I was able to see a cluster of fruit bats trying to sleep away the morning. I found and photographed a couple that weren’t completely sealed up in their wings.

A white-spotted fantail spreads its tail feathers and dances around on the open ground in the shadow of a tree, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, India

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Finally, after departing the boat, we lucked upon a white-spotted fantail. He was quick and difficult to photograph, staying under bushes most of the time and rarely coming out into the open. But when he finally did, I was low to the ground and ready for him.

In all, I loved the variety and experience of shooting in a different part of the world.

January 15, 2016February 15, 2017

Brown Pelican, Mexico

A brown pelican flies low over the water, looking for a place to rest, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

A brown pelican stands in shallow water along the beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Finding the right place from which to photograph wildlife takes experience and patience. When arriving at a new location with the intention of photographing wildlife, I first scout the area very similar to how I’d scout for a landscape shot. In this case I’m looking for one place to hunker down that is likely to yeild a good variety of animals with great light.

In this instance, I found a low area of sand jutting out into the water, just inches above the high tide. As it was morning, the sun was at my back, and I could shoot birds wading in the water in three directions, all without moving. I kept still and tried to make very slow movements so as not to spook any subjects.

As I was shooting some smaller birds now coming quite close to me, a large brown pelican arrived on the scene, very close to me. I took the opportunity to get some portrait shots of this beautiful specimen while it was preening, and generally not paying me any attention. I don’t believe I would have been able to approach this bird this closely if I had been stalking it. But by remaining in one spot and being still, I created a space that seemed safe for a variety of birds to approach me.

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Unfortunately, this was not an isolated location, and soon other beach goers wandered by without any thought to disturbing wildlife. My only reaction was to prepare for the pelican’s inevitable takeoff, and make sure I captured it in camera.

November 16, 2015February 15, 2017

Red-whiskered Bulbul

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One of my favorite birds I photographed on a recent trip to India was the Red-whiskered Bulbul. In particular, I liked its head feathers and distinct red cheek pattern. I saw a few glimpses on my first day of photography at a wetland bird sanctuary, but got my best views the second day at the top of Nandi Hills in more of a jungle environment.

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The photography here was much harder than the more open wetland location. Most of the birds stayed high in the forest canopy, only offering quick glimpses in the dark, filtered light close to the ground. Here, shooting at a high ISO (ISO 2000) helped, which my 7D Mk2 was able to handle capably.

The photo above was a rarity in this thick jungle. In this shot, I had the benefit of shooting into a clearing instead of from a clearing. In this way, I was lucky to have the background foliage far away from the subject, creating a solid green background instead of distracting leaves and branches. Most of the time however, I was standing in a clearing (giving me the ability to move around) shooting at a wall of jungle.

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My main takeaway from this type of photography is that the biggest secret weapon you can have is time. Without luring the animal with something like food, you need to have time and patience to photograph the amazing diversity of these jungle habitats. Unfortunately I only had a single morning, just long enough to give me a small taste of what a longer expedition could achieve.

November 11, 2015February 15, 2017

Rufous-backed Robin

I photographed this rufous-backed robin in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although it is not one of the more “exotic” looking species I was hoping to see, as a bird photographer, I was elated to get a new species. We’re just weird that way. The only robins I had photographed before are the extremely common American robin, found throughout North America.

I was shooting up into a thick canopy, so I was happy to get the few clear shots I could. Before long, the robin flew to the upper reaches of the trees and out of sight.

A rufous-backed robin perches on the branch of a green tree, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The rufous-backed robin (or rufous-backed thrush) is endemic to the Pacific side of Mexico, so this was definitely the spot to see this bird. It is shyer than the American robin, and slightly smaller. In retrospect, I was very lucky to see this bird, and even more lucky to have captured these photographs.