Raptors

[Arijit Banerjee]

Despite the Covid scare, I had to go out and see some birds. A few shots from the grasslands of Tal Chappar - at the edge of the Thar desert. Migration has started and the grasslands had a host of Raptors - resident as well as migratory.

Sharing a few images from the weekend trip.






Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax




White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa - approaching adulthood




Common Kestrel female - Falco tinnunculus




Lesser Kestrel Female - Falco naumanii




Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus

All images were taken with the 500mm f5.6 PF on a D500.

Hope you like them.

--
Arijit

 

[Tord S Eriksson]

A fantastic selection of raptors, many I have never seen (yet!).

Excellent photos as well, congratulations, Arijit!

--
tordseriksson (at) gmail.....
Owner of a handful of Nikon cameras. And a few lenses.
WSSA #456

 

[Arijit Banerjee]

Glad you liked them Tord. Thanks a bunch. With the winter coming in we should see more species of Raptors (and other birds) coming in, including the very large Eagles, Vultures, Hawks and Falcons.

 

[Tord S Eriksson]

Glad you liked them Tord. Thanks a bunch. With the winter coming in we should see more species of Raptors (and other birds) coming in, including the very large Eagles, Vultures, Hawks and Falcons.

Had hoped to be in Thailand during the raptor migration in November, alas the COVID makes it impossible!

--
tordseriksson (at) gmail.....
Owner of a handful of Nikon cameras. And a few lenses.
WSSA #456

 

[sinkas]

As soon as I see your name I click

Beautiful images as usual.

 

[Peter in Canberra]

Lovely images of beautiful birds.

so if I understand correctly there is a natural confluence of these different species in a fairly discrete area (and this gives you the fabulous opportunity to see and photograph them without travelling / searching 100s of kms).

 

[Arijit Banerjee]

Glad you liked them Tord. Thanks a bunch. With the winter coming in we should see more species of Raptors (and other birds) coming in, including the very large Eagles, Vultures, Hawks and Falcons.

Had hoped to be in Thailand during the raptor migration in November, alas the COVID makes it impossible!

COVID has made everything go topsy turvy. Despite masks and sanitizers, people all around are getting affected. Travel is practically off the hooks. Hope 2021 brings better tidings.

Do be safe.

 

[Arijit Banerjee]

Thank you Daryl. Very nice of you. Most appreciated.

 

[Arijit Banerjee]

Lovely images of beautiful birds.

so if I understand correctly there is a natural confluence of these different species in a fairly discrete area (and this gives you the fabulous opportunity to see and photograph them without travelling / searching 100s of kms).

Hi Peter,

Glad you liked them birds.

This particular place is a small wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India. 7 sq Kms, it was once (till 1949) the private shooting preserve of the Bikaner Royal Family. While the royal states merged with the Indian Union, so did their assets. Tal Chappar is a 3 hour drive from Jaipur. You can drive inside on the tracks and shoot from the car.

This Sanctuary is primarily managed for Blackbuck - an Antelope endemic to india. It is a grassland with scattered Acacia trees - and resembles the African savannah. It is also bang on the West Asian - East African Flyway of bird migration. Hence the good species diversity (around 350 species). There are colonies of Spiny-tailed Lizards in and around the park - which forms the primary prey of Buzzards, Hawks and larger Falcons. The Ring-tailed Harriers (Pallid, Montagues, Western Marsh) come looking for large Grasshoppers and Locusts, as do Kestrels, Red-necked Falcons etc. Next to the Sanctuary is a traditionally used carcass dump for local cattle. That is where we get the Larger Eagles and even Vultures.

As the winter sets in The Steppe Eagles, Eastern Imperial Eagles, Greater and Indian Spotted Eagles shall come in and may be a White-tailed Eagle or two. Also the Vultures- Himalayan and Eurasian Griffons, Egyptians (have already arrived - some are resident), White-rumped, Slender-billed, Indian, Red-necked - all of which are rarities these days. Once in a while, we also get to see the Merlin, Peregrine Falcons, Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Northern Goshawks and if very luck, the Sakker Falcon.

The entire Desert is fabulous for birding in Winter. Some day, once this COVID stuff is over, do come over.

 

[tommiejeep]

Great images Arijit. Would love to have your Raptors and that lens. I also wish this lockdown would end so I can head your direction.

Many thanks for posting.

 

[Arijit Banerjee]

Great images Arijit. Would love to have your Raptors and that lens. I also wish this lockdown would end so I can head your direction.

Many thanks for posting.

Thanks a ton. very kind comments. tell you what. Once this COVID stuff is over, come over and we will go looking for raptors. You are most welcome to use the lens.

regards,

 

[Peter in Canberra]

Lovely images of beautiful birds.

so if I understand correctly there is a natural confluence of these different species in a fairly discrete area (and this gives you the fabulous opportunity to see and photograph them without travelling / searching 100s of kms).

Hi Peter,

Glad you liked them birds.

This particular place is a small wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India. 7 sq Kms, it was once (till 1949) the private shooting preserve of the Bikaner Royal Family. While the royal states merged with the Indian Union, so did their assets. Tal Chappar is a 3 hour drive from Jaipur. You can drive inside on the tracks and shoot from the car.

This Sanctuary is primarily managed for Blackbuck - an Antelope endemic to india. It is a grassland with scattered Acacia trees - and resembles the African savannah. It is also bang on the West Asian - East African Flyway of bird migration. Hence the good species diversity (around 350 species). There are colonies of Spiny-tailed Lizards in and around the park - which forms the primary prey of Buzzards, Hawks and larger Falcons. The Ring-tailed Harriers (Pallid, Montagues, Western Marsh) come looking for large Grasshoppers and Locusts, as do Kestrels, Red-necked Falcons etc. Next to the Sanctuary is a traditionally used carcass dump for local cattle. That is where we get the Larger Eagles and even Vultures.

As the winter sets in The Steppe Eagles, Eastern Imperial Eagles, Greater and Indian Spotted Eagles shall come in and may be a White-tailed Eagle or two. Also the Vultures- Himalayan and Eurasian Griffons, Egyptians (have already arrived - some are resident), White-rumped, Slender-billed, Indian, Red-necked - all of which are rarities these days. Once in a while, we also get to see the Merlin, Peregrine Falcons, Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Northern Goshawks and if very luck, the Sakker Falcon.

The entire Desert is fabulous for birding in Winter. Some day, once this COVID stuff is over, do come over.

thank you ! a priceless resource !

 

[tommiejeep]

for the offer. I normally shoot people when we go to Rajasthan except shooting Black Buck with EM1, 40-150 2.8 w/tc1.4 (and Df, DC105 f2 ) outside of Jodhpur a few years back. I no longer fly with 300 2.8G vr or 500 f4G vr. Recently bought the 300 f4E vr and tc1.4iii for travel.

Getting throughout India from Goa is still problematic and you never know when a local Lockdown is going to happen at the destination area .. Goa has pretty much opened up and tourists are driving in from all over India. We are seeing increased Covid 19 cases/deaths.

I've cancelled a trip to Zanzibar, two to Rajasthan and one to Kashmir/Ladakh since Feb. this year. Return of normal, who knows????

Keep shooting and having fun

edit: sorry, posted reply in wrong spot

--
Anticipate the Light and wing it when you get it wrong but always have fun
Tom
http://images.nikonians.org/galleries/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/165169

 

[Rolleix]

Impressive.