Urban winter

Feb 26, 2012


Most of the time when I visit Hebbal lake I usually concentrate on getting frame filling shots of birds or shooting macros. However now days such shots no longer seem appealing to me. Kinda looks boring or very repetitive. Probably that is a reason why these days I end up keeping only 2-3 shots from any trip, while deleting most of the shots in camera. This time when I visited Hebbal lake, I found decent early morning atmosphere. Though winter was long gone, early morning atmosphere at Hebbal lake still showed some passing signs of the season. I thought of capturing the beauty of nature and also emphasizing on fact that this beauty exists within an urban setup. Not sure if I was able to pass on this idea to viewer via the photographs, but I defiantly got some different shots as compared to my previous shots from Hebbal. Here are few shots that I liked from this small trip.

 

This one doesn't match the theme, nevertheless I liked this one so kept it.

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Macro madness at Hebbal lake

Off late I have kept my telephoto aside and am using my macro lens for good amount of time. I thought I was getting into a rut shooting birds all the times and looking at my  recent shots from trips to Hebbal lake I realized that I was not capturing anything different. It was same old shots of the same birds. So I decided to take a break from shooting birds and move on to shooting macro subjects.

Also, these days the mornings are not really dramatic. Its cloudy most of the days, so no point in shooting birds. However I found such cloudy and wet conditions really helpful in doing some macro photography. The cloudy sky provides nice diffused light and the wet conditions brings out the colors in the green foliage really well. During last couple of visits to Hebbal lake I have been shooting only macros, using my trusty Sigma 150mm Macro lens. I have also started putting my cheap tripod to good use. Now I have realized the benifits of using tripod, especially when doing macro photography. Doing macro work hand holding the camera really tires you out and under certain conditions it becomes virtually impossible to take a sharp shot.

Here are some shots taken during my last couple of visits to Hebbal lake. I have been lucky to get some rain the previous night, so the following morning  provides nice refreshing scenes.

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News from Hebbal lake

After coming back from my vacation, I have not made trips to any new place. Just had made couple of visits to Hebbal lake. I do not have much to write here except that these photographs have been taken over a period of 2-3 visits. (Note: Click on the photograph to view the larger version)

Grey tit can be seen quite often playing around in sun

Purple heron sitting at its usual place in early morning light.

Brahminy kite hovering around looking for some kill

Ashy prina can always be found busy doing something under bushes. After a while it comes out in open.

Purple rumped sunbirds are very busy during morning. Just wait for a while and you can get it close enough  and get a decent shot. 

One more closeup shot of Purple rumped sunbird. See its face is covered with pollen.

Purple moorhen is very common bird here. 

White-cheeked Barbet can be seen sometimes, though most of the times it is perched high on trees. This time I got it close enough though.

Red-whiskered bulbul is so commonly seen all around Bangalore and Hebbal lake is no different. This time it seems to have got something for breakfast. 

Another shot of Grey tit.

Tickell's flycatcher can be seen sometimes. I have spotted it about 3-4 times at Hebbal.

Tickell's flowerpecker is another bird that is very common here. Wait for some time and it gets very close to you and gives chance to shoot frame filling shots. 

Purple rumped sunbird checking out a flower for some nectar.

Small blue kingfisher has some fixed places where it can be spotted easily. 

Tailor bird can also be seen in plenty, but strangely I haven't able to get more shots of this bird. This is the best that I have got.

Silhouette of spotbill duck bathing under golden morning light.

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King of Hebbal lake

January 22, 2011

Till now I have made plenty of visits to Hebbal lake and have managed to capture most of the bird species found there. One that was missing in the list was Kingfisher. While this bird can be spotted easily here as there are few fixed places where it usually can be found perched and looking for fish, but these spots are little far from my lens' reach. At 300mm there is hardly any details that can be captured from such long distance. However during my last visit to Hebbal I had nice sighting of this bird and was able to get few decent shots. In fact this time I was lucky to spot and capture 2 species of Kingfisher on same day. Small blue kingfisher which is little less shy and White breasted Kingfisher which is very shy and its difficult to get close to it. Here are few shots of White breasted kingfisher

And here are few shots that I got of Small Blue kingfisher

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First morning of the new year (Hebbal lake)

1st Jan, 2011

2010 is gone and a warm welcome to 2011. Last year was when my interest in photography grew to newer heights. Last year was also when I decided to record my experiences and express my self on the internet and that is why I started this photo blog.

My new year morning started with a trip to a place which I had visited a numerous times, especially after getting 70-300mm lens. Yes, it is Hebbal lake. Again being a winter morning there was lovely mist around the lake so for first few minutes I clicked few shots of the mist ridden lake. I had got better shots of the lake during my earlier trip do I did not bother to take much shots rather I was waiting for the sun to break out. Because of the slight mist the early morning sun light was nicely diffused over the lake giving it a lovely golden glow. I got some nice silhouette shots of pelican flying across the lake.

Pelican flying across morning lit lake

Now landing in water

Silhouette of pelican with pair of spotbill ducks

The morning glow and the mist disappeared in few minutes so I headed to the garden to shoot sunbirds, prinia or any thing that comes my way.

This time around I came across Tickell's Blue Flycatcher which posed for just enough time for me to get a shot.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Later on I chased a Purple rumped sunbird and got one shot.

Purple rumped sunbird

There were few Rose Ringed parakeets around and I got couple of shot of this beautiful bird.

Rose ringed parakeet about to take off

Rose ringed parakeet

I also saw a Cormorant lazing around. I slowly approached it from behind and took few shots.

Cormorant

The best catch of the day was a male Paradise Flycatcher. This beautiful bird came and sat just for few seconds. Before I could get a good shot it few away. However seeing this bird was itself so satisfying. Here is the shot that i got and it does no justice to the beauty of this bird. Maybe I can keep this shot just for a record till I get a better one.

Paradise Flycatcher (Male)

Disappointed with myself for not getting better shot of Paradise Flycatcher I thought of heading back home. While going towards the exit I spotted a Drongo, Myna and Pond heron so casually took few shots.

Black Drongo

Common Myna

Pond Heron with its reflection

So these were the shots from the first morning of the year 2011. Hope that this year gives good opportunity to travel different places, get some good shots and improve my photography skill.

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