Red-wattled Lapwing

Next time, if you land up in a wetland, and hear the sound 'did-ye-do-it' , then probably this Red-wattled Lapwing is around. This bird can be called the sentry of a forest; since it is uncannily and ceaselessly vigilant, day or night, and is the first to detect intrusions and raise an alarm, and therefore a nuisance to hunters.
Now while photographing birds, one has to approach the bird as close as possible, to get a good shot. Even with a good tele-lens, a close up of the bird is always give a sharp photograph. The following tips may help you in this endeavor.
1. Avoid Black, white or bright coloured clothes, instead wear a dull green colour or a dead leaf coloured dress. Even a violet coloured dress should be fine, since birds are incapable of seeing this colour.
2. Put rubber soled shoes to avoid noise and avoid dead leaves and twigs.
3. Do not make sudden movements, including turning you head suddenly or moving your arms. I keep my one eye glued on to the viewfinder, even if i have put off the camera and look around with the other eye.
4. Keep as small a profile as possible, even going down on knees or hiding partly behind bushes and rocks.
5. Learn from a fox- he hunts alone, so prefer being alone, or if you have company, keep distance from each other.
6. When approaching the bird in open, approach it in zigzag or circular movement, avoid direct forward movement.
7. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best time and windy days are unfavorable for bird photography, since birds are shy and retiring during windy days.
8. I usually photograph on aperture priority, using maximum aperture.

Indian Cormorants

Two 'Indian Cormorants' Photographed on the banks of Nethravathi river. I was in a dilemma when taking this picture, the water background was very bright and the subjects under lit. If i Increased the exposure time it would have over exposed the water surface, killing any details that were present, if I reduced the exposure then it would have killed the details on the birds.
Well since I did not have much time to keep adjusting the shutter speed, I opted for the most under used feature of today's cameras, taking a series of photographs with increasing Exposure values. I selected Pattern metering and the camera took a series of photographs, with a increment of 0.3 EV. The underexposed photographs turned out better than the correctly exposed ones.
P.S. : I had Initially identified these birds are Little Cormorants. Thanks to Prasanth Narayanan for pointing it out as Indian Cormorants.

Bulbul Airborne.

Photographing birds airborne is pretty tiring and requires a lot of patience. The best idea is to focus on a perched bird and wait for it to takeoff, generally nectar eating birds don't sit for long, but are swift to take off, while birds of prey can sit for long periods at a place, but they show signs prior take off and hence one can get time to click on the shutter.
Using a faster shutter speed can freeze the action, while slowing down the speed will give you a chance to photograph the movement.
Photograph details: f/4.5 , shutter speed 1/1000 sec.
Even with a shutter time of 0.001 sec you can make out a slight movement of the bird, this goes to show how fast these wonderful birds fly.

Fiddler on the roof.

Animals tend to follow certain patters, Like this magpie Robin, I had observed that he visited this particular area on the rooftop every morning around 08:30. So today I lay waiting for him at a vantage point to get the best and closes photograph. Soon enough he arrived, I clicked and here is the result.
Photograph details: f/4.5 , 1/60 sec. ISO 80

Coppersmith Barbet

A Coppersmith Barbet or Crimson-breasted Barbet, is a pretty common bird, but when you spot one in a city, then its time to cheer and bring out your camera.
The call of this bird is a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, giving the bird its name. Not very vocal in cold weather - a spell of rain or cold immediately silences them, but it is "one of India's most familiar sounds in the hot season.

Photograph details, f/4.5, 1/100 sec.

This post was linked by N8 from The Drinking bird

Red whiskered Bulbul

Photographed this Bulbul carrying a cherry early in the morning, Wonder where did it find the fruit?
A Red whiskered Bulbul, sits on a ' Averrhoa bilimbi' tree. These song birds feed on fruit, nectar and insects. The loud and evocative call is a sharp kink-a-joo, and the song is a scolding chatter. Its voice is similar to a cheerful human whistling. In fact: a human whistling into bulbul nest will provoke a positive reaction from young chicks if present in the nest.

Photograph details: f/4.5, 1/80, ISO 80, pattern Metering.