Grey Heron

We were about 1100 kms off the east coast of Africa and this Heron (Ardea cinera) lands up on deck! I wondered what a fresh water bird was doing in the middle of the Arabian sea. The only reason I could guess was, that it was probably migrating and may have decided to take a break on the ship. It stayed onboard for about a day. This crepuscular bird is found throughout India and as seen above flies with a folded neack with head drawn in between the shoulders.
The bird seemed pretty shy always maintaining about 20-25 meters from me.
If anyone can tell me anyother reason for the bird to be found so far from the coast please let me know.

Indian Pond Heron

This is the third time I am featuring an Indian Pond heron; mainly because this photograph is better and sharper than the previous ones.
Watching this bird hunt is a great lesson in stealth. The heron stands upright at the waters edge, waiting patiently for any kind of movement and when the time is right, it jabs its beak into the prey like a spear. Sometimes, it wades into the shallows, aided by its long legs, moving forward circumspectly, with neck craned and bill poised with readiness.
Photographed near Sultan battery in Mangalore.

Grey Heron

This Lanky bird has been featured previously on my blog, but this time I got a closer picture of it. The bird is solitary in nature and found near rivers and marshes. It wades through water somewhat circumspectly or even waits quietly for a fish or frog to come within striking range.
As shown in the second photograph, during flight, the bird has its neck folded back and head drawn towards the shoulder.
Scientific name Ardea Cinera

Black Crowned Night Herons

f/4.5 , 1/80 sec, ISO80, 1.7x telephoto, WB cloudy

f/4.5 , 1/125 sec, ISO80, 1.7x telephoto, WB cloudy
f/4.5 , 1/640 sec, ISO80, 1.7x telephoto, WB cloudy

As I mentioned in the previous post, my vigilance at the nesting tree of these Night herons paid off and I managed to photograph these birds.
The first photograph is of a juvenile Night heron, and looks somewhat like the Indian pond Heron. The birds spend the daytime resting on trees, which are very leafy and far from water and at dusk fly out to their accustomed feeding ground to hunt for crabs, fish , frogs and other aquatic insects.
You can click on the photograph to open it with actual size.
Do give your comments.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Very close to my house in Mangalore; on a revered Banyan tree a group of Night Herons have started nest building. This is the first set of images from that location. Will keep visiting the spot for more photographs of this bird.
For some reason these birds build nests on tress, which are close to busy roads in cities. Any one having any explanation please let me know.
Awaiting all your comments.

Indian Pond Heron

An Indian pond Heron in breeding plumage. Unknown to me I was actually standing at this herons hunting spot and clicking its picture, the bird patiently waited for me and once I moved from the spot, it swiftly came down and went about fishing.

Grey Heron

This is my 100th Post, on the "Friendly Animals" section of my blog. Though I started this genre later, over a period of time, it has overtaken all other Genres of Photography.
Here the Grey Heron, in its characteristic style is tracking its prey by waiting motionless. This bird is very similar to the American Great Blue heron, which is only slightly bigger in size than its Indian counterpart.
Clicked at Aldona in Goa, the bright noon sun has overexposed the bird a bit.
f/4.5 , 1/160 sec + UV filter

Common Redshank , Common Greenshank and Heron

Indian Pond Heron , Above
Common Green Shank
Both the birds share a frame
Common Redshank in the background and a Common Greenshank in the foreground. Probably were foraging for crabs or frogs. I for a moment though I would get down into the field and get some low angled photographs, but then finally decided to only lower my tripod into the silt and save my shoes for another day.
Clicked at Aldona, in Goa.

Cattle Egret

The Cattle Egret, is actually a small white Heron, but unlike other species of heron, which prefer shallow water, this egret prefers dry grassy habitat. I photographed it in a paddy field in mangalore, after the crop was harvested and was probably foraging for insects or grasshoppers. These birds are generally found very close to cattle and other large animals, because, when grazing these animals disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch. This species will be sometimes found riding on the backs of these animals.
Since I was standing on a paddy field, when photographing the bird , I could not deploy my tripod, on the wet, soggy ground and had to click the photographs holding the camera with my hands. Now in situations like these, where I cannot deploy a tripod and have to use a telephoto lens, I prefer to click the photographs on a burst mode (i.e. you have to click the shutter button once, and photographs are clicked continuously, as long as the shutter button is depressed). The first photograph, where you had to press the shutter button, generally experiences camera shake, (even when on a tripod, the act of pressing the shutter button can sometimes cause slight camera movement, causing blur in photographs) but the subsequent photographs will be much better off. Both the photographs were third pictures of the sequence.

Indian Pond Heron

Photograph of a non-breeding Indian Pond Heron, during breeding season there is a change in its plumage and the bird looks much prettier. Although this bird is generally found near marshes and pond foraging for amphibians or fish, I spotted this one dry land, probably foraging for frogs or toads. Since the colour of this heron blended well with the surroundings, I found it difficult to make the bird standout in this photograph. The bird was so well camouflaged that, its because of its call, I managed to spot it.
Photograph Details: 1/30 sec , f/4.5 , spot metering, WB cloudy.

Striated Heron

A Green Striated Heron Ready to grab a fish out of water. The water has got a silky appearance becuase of the slower shutter speed, which was needed in fading light. Because Herons stay still awaiting their prey, the bird does not show motion blur, inspite of slower shutter.
Although not apparent in this Photograph the bird has a greenish black crown/cap.