Images of 2008

Here are my best images for the year. I hope you enjoy them. Watch this space on January 1st, 2009.

Hessarghatta Diary: I

Of late I too have joined the throng of photographers rushing to Hessarghatta. Here are some pictures and a video of the area, and an alternative route map. Mind you, the road is BAD! (This route goes through BEL and Jalahalli East)


View Larger Map

I have added some images to whet your appetite, but the best images will be posted on New Year's Day. I have tons of images and am still processing them.

A cause for concern has been vehicle off-roading. This causes a risk to nesting birds and to native plants. This is a request to photographers and bird watchers to keep their vehicles on the track and to stalk the birds.

You can see all the Hessarghatta posts here.





Common Kestrel (male) Falco tinnunculus



Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus







Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus aeruginosus

Thattekad Images VI: The Last Images

Here is the last post from Thattekad. Now you know why the leafbird is so aptly named!

The frogmouth is a female and has a lovely rufous tint. Photographing this beauty in the contrasty light of the forest was a challenge.

I absolutely fell in love with the Ruby-thoated Bulbul but alas, could not manage goos shots. I still think it should be called the Ruby-throated Bulbul. And yes, it should be the Sri Lankan Frogmouth and not the Sri Lanka Frogmouth.

See all the Thattekad posts here.

From the day after tomorrow I bring you images from Thippagondanahalli and Hessarghatta.







Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons



Sri Lankan Frogmouth Batrachostomus moniliger



Ruby-throated Bulbul (Black-crested Bulbul) Pycnonotus melanicterus gularis



Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris



Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum

Thattekad Images V: Treepies and Minivet

The penultimate Thattekad post: see all the Thattekad posts here. The Rufous Treepie is one of my favourite birds and I can spent hours watching these intelligent and entertaining creatures.







Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda



White-bellied Treepie Dendrocitta leucogastra





Scarlett Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus

Thattekad Images IV: Starlings and Mynas

More images from Thattekad. We were lucky when the Chestnut-tailed starling (blythii) alighted on a bough in front of us and began anting. See an article on anting at EcoBirds.



See all the Thattekad posts here.





Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus malabaricus





The white-subspecies: Sturnus malabaricus blythii






Sothern Hill Myna Gracula indica (Gracula religiosa indica Ali and Ripley)




Idumalayar birdscape with Southern Hill Myna's and male Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Thattekad Images III: The Drongo post

More images from Thattekad. See all the Thattekad posts here.






Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

Ali and Ripley note that the bird has "conspicuous crimson eyes."



Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus



Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris

Thattekad Images II: Black Baza and Black-rumped Flameback

More from Thattekad of two handsome birds!






Balck Baza Aviceda leuphotes










Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense

More images from Thattekad in a couple of days. See all the Thettekad posts here.

Thattekad Images I: The Oriole Post

Here are the first of the Thattekad images. You have already seen the definitive oriole image in the first Thattekad post here. I was successful with three species of oriole.




Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus






Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis





Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

Although the Golden Oriole tried hard to get the cocoon off the teak leaf, it was a Black-naped Oriole that eventually succeeded.

Although shot at a great distance, the 500f4 is so sharp that you can see the strand of a cobweb betwen the teak leaves to the left of the image!