The Indian pond heron is also known as the paddybird. It is a small heron bird which found in southern Iran and east to the Indian subcontinent, Burma, and Sri Lanka. It's a widespread and common bird, but you might easily miss it while it's stalking prey at the edge of small bodies of water. I found it at Thol Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat. Also found in agriculture areas, canals, farms and many more sanctuary like Nal Sarovar, Velavadar sanctuary, Pariej Wetland etc.
Some
interesting facts about the Indian pond heron:
- They are stocky birds with short necks, short thick
bills, and buff-brown backs.
- In summer, adults can grow long neck feathers.
- Their dull colors transform when they take flight, and
the white of their wings makes them very prominent.
- Indian pond Heron are similar to the squacco herons,
but back is darker.
- During the breeding season, some individuals may
have red legs.
- They are solitary foragers, but a large number of
them may feed together during dry seasons when small wetlands have a high
concentration of prey.
- Indian pond herons are semi-colonial breeders. They
nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on
platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs.
- Their diet mainly consists of insects, fish, and
amphibians.
During
breeding season, the Indian pond heron sheds its drab disguise for a more
vibrant look. Males develop a reddish-brown back that pops against their
yellowish head, neck, and breast. This colorful plumage is a sure sign that the
heron is ready to find a mate and raise a family.
The Indian
pond heron is a bird of freshwater wetlands. It is found at rice paddies,
marshes, ponds, and canals, patiently stalking its prey in shallow water. Fish,
frogs, insects, and even small reptiles are all on the menu for this
opportunistic eater. Indian pond herons can sometimes be seen feeding in close
proximity during dry seasons when prey concentrates in shrinking water bodies.
While typically solitary feeders, Indian pond herons come together for breeding. They form semi-colonial nesting sites, often in trees or shrubs near water. These colonies can sometimes house other wading bird species, creating a bustling neighborhood of feathered friends.
A
Bird of Least Concern
Thankfully,
the Indian pond heron is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN.
Its widespread range contribute to its healthy population. However, threats
like habitat loss due to pollution and development remain a concern.
Have
you ever spotted an Indian pond heron? These remarkable birds are a testament to nature's
wonders, showcasing both the art of camouflage and the beauty of
transformation. Keep your eyes peeled next time you visit a wetland – you might
just be lucky enough to witness this little wonder in action.
Location
in Gujarat : It is
widely spread bird in Gujarat also.Indian pond heron found in many bird
sanctuaries in Gujarat like Nal Sarovar Bird sanctuary, Thol Bird sanctuary,
Pariej Wetland, and many more wetlands, farms, agriculture areas and canals
too.
Asian openbill is also known as Asian openbill stork. It is a large wader bird in stork family. Binominal name of it is Anastomus Oscitans and its family is Ciconiidae. It is generally found in South-east Asia region. Like other stork it size mostly similar to them. Only difference in color as openbill stork is greyish or white in color and glossy black wings. In Gujarat it is found in Thol bird Sanctuary , Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary, Pariej Wetland and agriculture areas at many places. It found in low level wetlands where it can find food easily. In Gujarat like Asian openbill stork other stork bird found like Painted Stork, Wooley Necked Stork etc.
Description and Facts about Asian openbill stork :
- Asian openbill stork is greyish or white in color. Its wings and tail are glossy black in color.
- As it name openbill the gap between lower and upper mandible of the beak. The gap between beak is not seen in young bird. The gap is very useful for gripping snails and shells .
- They are generally found in flocks.
- Asian openbill generally found near river bank, wetlands, Irrigation canal and agriculture areas.
- It is very rare spices in Panjab and Sind region of Pakistan But it common in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and Cambodia.
- They are mostly seen in Winter from September to February.
- Asian openbill feed snails and they separate shell with its beak. They also feed frogs, water snakes and large insects.
- Asian openbill breeding season is after monsoon in November to March in Southern India and Shri Lanka and in Northern India and Nepal starts from July to September .
- In colonial India a sportsman shot Asian openbill for meat calling it the " beef-steak-bird".
In Gujarat there are lots of bird sanctuary where migratory birds and also resident birds visit through all seasons. Thol Bird sanctuary, Nal sarovar , Little Rann of Kutch, Pariej Wetland, Velavadar National Park, Khijadiya sanctuary etc are famous sanctuaries for bird watching. Thol Sanctuary is famous for Flamingo bird, Pelican, Bar headed Goose and many migratory birds. I found 3 spices of stork bird name Painted Stork, Asian openbill stork and Woolly necked stork in thol bird sanctuary. Thol sanctuary, nalsarovar , Little rann of kutch are very near to my home so i visit all sanctuary often.
Gear Used : Canon 6 D, Canon 1000 D , Canon 100-400 mm lens
Location : Thol bird sanctuary, Sanand, Kadi , Gujarat
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Painted Stork is a large wader bird. It is found in Asia, southeast Asia and South of Himalayas. Painted stork is not migratory bird. They can fly only short distance depend on weather and food. As per name it looks like beautiful paint on its body with black, white, pink and yellow color in different part of the body. They are generally found in wetlands, agriculture areas small farms and grasslands. In Gujarat they found at many bird sanctuary like Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nalsarovar Sanctuary, Jamnagar , Pariej Wetland and many other wetlands and outside sanctuary agriculture areas where the water level is low they easily found.
Description And Facts About Painted Stork :
- Painted stork is 90-100 cm tall and wingspan around 150-160 cm. Weight of Painted Stork is around 2-3.5 kg approx.
- Painted Stork have heavy yellow beak. Beak is down curved like an Ibis bird.
- Head of adult painted stork is red or orange. Legs are yellowish and wings are black and white on tip.
- Male painted stork are larger then female painted stork.
- Juvenile and young Painted stork are whitish grey bill and blackish skin.
- Painted stork are silent mostly.
- Painted stork widely distributed in Asia but they are absent from deserts, high mountain range, dense forest and dry areas.
- They mostly prefer freshwater wetlands, crop fields, irrigation canals etc.
- They breed on large trees to secure their nest from predators.
- They feed mostly small fish.
- Flock size is not big just less than 5. Sometimes flock size may reach to 50 in agriculture areas.
- The well known nest site in south Indian Village near Kokrebellur near to human habitats. Locals protect their nest during nesting seasons.
- Painted Stork is in Least Concern of IUCN list. Its population is decreasing and is in nearest threaten list.
- Young painted stork call loudly But after 18 month they are voiceless.
- Painted stork can live 28 years .
- Total 19 Stork spices found in the world and among them 8 spices found in India. In India the rare spices of Stork is The Greater Adjutant stork.
In Gujarat i found painted stork at Thol Bird Sanctuary during morning feeding time and also near to my farm which is in agriculture area near Narmada canal. During flying painted stork colors are looks awesome because of multicolor. I just like to watch them feeding very slowly. It long beak attract more for shoot photos of it. Pink color with black wings tip make painted stork more attractive. During sunrise i shoot painted stork at Thol bird sanctuary i took beautiful shot with golden light of sunrise in water. its a silhouette shot of painted stork looks amazing with golden light.
Camera used : Canon 6D, Canon 1000 D, Canon 100-400 mm lens
Location : Thol Bird Sanctuary
Exif Data of Image : F-stop : F/8 , Exposure time or Shutter speed : 1/400 sec., ISO :125, Focal Length 400 mm, white balance : Shade
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Ruddy Shelduck is migratory bird in India and also in Gujarat. It is generally found in many wetland areas and bird sanctuary like Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar , Little rann of Kutch , Pariej Wetland etc. It is known as Brahminy Duck in India. They are resident in Northwest Africa and Ethiopia. Their main breeding area are southeast Europe, China and Mongolia. Ruddy Shelduck is common winter visitor in India during October to April. Ruddy shelduck generally found near lakes, rivers , reservoirs and water bodies. Ruddy shelduck is the member of shelduck Genus Tadorna in wildfowl family Anatidae.
Description and Facts about Ruddy Shelduck :
- Length of ruddy shelduck is around 56-70cm . With wingspan length is around 110-135 cm.
- Ruddy shelduck body is orange brown, head is paler , tail is black and wings feather during flight is black also.
- It is migratory bird in India during winter . It breeds in Central Asia, southeast Europe .
- Female Ruddy Shelduck lays around 8 eggs . Female incubate them for four weeks.
- Ruddy Shelduck call loud nasal honking notes in series. They can call from ground and from air also.
- Juvenile is darker brown shade but very similar to female.
- Ruddy Shelduck is mainly nocturnal bird. It is omnivorous and feed grass, plants, grains and aquatic invertibates.
- Population of Ruddy shelduck is around 170000 to 225000 approx.
- Ruddy shelduck is in least concern bird list in IUCN list
Ruddy Shelduck found in pair and small groups. They rarely found in flocks. It had been recorded more than 4000 birds in Koshi Barrage and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in Nepal. Also a 10000 recorded at Lake Duden in Turkey. In Gujarat i found Ruddy Shelduck at Thol Bird Sanctuary and also at Little Rann of Kutch. It is also found in many other wetlands like Nalsarovar Sanctuary, Pariej Wetland etc. Nearest bird sanctuary near Ahmedabad is Thol Bird Sanctuary where you can find more than 150 different spices of birds and also a migratory birds like Greater Flamingos, Great White Pelican, Ducks, Spoonbill , Bar Headed Goose etc.
Camera used : Canon 6D, Canon 80D, canon 100-400mm lens
Asian Woolly-necked Stork is the large wading bird and it is also known as Asian Woollyneck . It is a spices of Stork family and large wading bird. It is widely spread spices and it breeds in Asia , India and Indonesia. It generally found at wetlands, agriculture field, cliff, and on trees. It also build nest on trees, mobile towers. Asian woolly necked stork found in Gujarat at many places like Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Velavdar Sanctuary, and many more agriculture lands and wetlands, small ponds etc. I shoot it at agriculture land near vamaj village neat to kalol.
Facts and description about Asian Wooly-necked Stork :
- Binomial name of Woolly-necked stork is Ciconia Episcopus.
- Wooly necked stork is medium size stork in stork family
- It is around 75-92 cm in height.
- The iris of wooly necked stork is crimson or similar to wine red.
- Overall body is black in color . Neck is white and underparts are glossy purple or dark green. under tail and lower belly are white in color.
- It has long legs and heavy bill.
- Asian Woolly necked stork breeds singly. It breeds in India, Asian and Indonesia.
- They are attracted of fire in farms and agriculture because they found insects easily run away from fire .
- It has long and browed wings to travel long distance.
- They are generally in solo, pair or in 4-5 group. Flocks are generally found in summer when wetlands are very few.
- Asian woolly necked stork generally eat insects, reptiles and amphibians.
- They build nest in agriculture area on trees. They lay 2-6 eggs.
- Population of Asian woolly necked stork population is decreasing . It is now in near threaten ( NT ) in IUCN list.
Well Like Asian woolly necked stork the other stork spices found in Gujarat is Painted Stork too. Size of both are almost same but difference of color. In Gujarat there are lots of bird sanctuary where we can found woolly necked stork and painted stork. My nearest bird sanctuary is Thol bird Sanctuary. In Thol Sanctuary there are more than 150 spices found by bird watcher.
Gear Used : Canon 6 D , Canon 100-400mm lens
Location : Near vamaj village at agriculture area.
Eurasian Curlew is also known as a Common Curlew. It is a large wader bird in family Scolopacidae. During winter it found in Africa, South Asia and southern Europe areas. In Gujarat it is found in Little rann of kutch and Great Rann of Kutch areas. I found it at Little rann of kutch during morning safari. It was first recorded in 1377 in Langland. It is found near to scrubby riverbeds , groves and thorn forests. Eurasian Curlew is restricted to Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Shri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Facts about Eurasian Curlew :
- Eurasian Curlew is the largest wader in its range.
- Its length is around 50-60 cm . Wingspan is around 90-105 cm. Weight of Eurasian Curlew is around 400 - 1350 gm approx.
- Its color is mainly greyish brown, greyish blue leg, white back and a very long and curve bill .
- The bill is the longest in adult female than male.
- Eurasian curlew lay 4 eggs and generally lay in april or may. They incubate eggs about a month.
- It has been found that eurasian curlew built their nest near to Common Kestrel nest for protecting from Predators.
- Eurasian curlew feed small invertebrates and crabs, earthworms too.
- The population of Eurasian Curlew is declining in very huge rate. It is now in the Nearest Threatened list in IUCN list in 2008.
- In last 25 years eurasian curlew population decline 50% in England and Scotland and 90% in Ireland .
Eurasian Curlew is a migratory bird in Gujarat during winter season. It is found in Little Rann of Kutch during november to march . Little rann of kutch is also famous for migratory raptors and eagles. Also lots of birds like Greater Flamingo, Falcons, Eagles, Pelicans, Short Eared Owl, Desert Fox and a Wild Ass . Indian Wild ass is found only in Gujarat in Kutch area. The little rann of kutch land is dry during summer and after monsoon it is muddy.
Camera used : Canon 6D, Canon 100-400 mm lens
How to Reach LRK : Little rann of kutch is around 100 -120 km from Ahmedabad.
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Black Winged Stilt is a wader bird from stilt family. It is widlely distributed bird in Aisa, Africa, Europe. The scientific name of Black winged stilt is Himantopus . In Gujarat it is widely found in low water wetlands and some ponds and farms. Black winged stilt widely found in Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nalsarovar Sanctuary and their ourskirts. It is black and white bird with long legs and small in size. Not too small but medium size like Black Tailed Godwit bird.
About Black Winged Stilt Bird :
- Black Winged Stilt bird size 32-36 cm for adult.
- They have long and thin black bill.
- Black winged stilt legs are pink in color and also long too.
- Black winged stilt head is white in color and neak is black in varying.
- Male has black back and greenish glow and female has brown hue.
- It has 5-7 subspices and sometime it reffered as Common stilt.
- Black winged stilt breeds in small pond, lakes, marshes.
- Black winged stilt eat mainly insects.
- Black winged stilt pick their food from water or sand.
- It built nest near water and easily spotted. Also built nest in small group. Sometimes built nest with Avocets.
- Black Winged stilt is one of the spices to which the agreement on the conservation of African Eurasian migratory water birds.
Thol Bird sanctuary is located near Thol village in Sanand. It is really good place for bird watchers. In Thol Lake you can find waders, large birds, tree birds, migratory birds, resident birds etc. Also more than 150 spices as per my knowledge may be more numbers found here. Also Migratory birds are most attractions of Thol Lake during Winter. In migratory birds most found Flamingos, Pelicans, Bar Headed Goose, Sarus Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Grey legged Goose, Pied Avocets etc.
Lits of Migratory birds At Thol Lake :
- Flamingos
- Great White Pelicans
- Bar Headed Goose and Grey heded Goose
- Ducks
- Spoonbills
- Sarus Cranes and Demoiselle Cranes
- Eagles
- Mallard
Best Time to Visit Thol Sanctuary :
Well for birding winter is the best time for Thol Bird Sanctuary. If you want day out then any time is better for thol except monsoon. There are lots of birds stay througout year in Thol lake. In winter lots of Migratory birds are most attractions of Thol Sanctuary. From November to March is the best time to visit Thol Lake.
Nearest Railwaystation With Major City : Ahmedabad
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Grey Headed Swamphen Or Sultana Bird: Purple swamphen bird is water bird and also a backyard bird too. There are six spices of purple swamphen. It is also known as Sultana Bird. Purple swamphen bird is chicken size bird. It has large feet and bright plumage and red bill. It is generally found near lower water areas in wetlands. It is easily identifiy and also easy to find because of its color purple catches easily to your eyes towards it.
Six spices of swamphen are :
- Western Swamphen
- African Swamphen
- Grey headed swamphen
- Black backed swamphen
- Philippine swamphen
- Australasian swamphen.
In Gujarat generally it found at wetland areas like Thol Lake, Nalsarovar, Pariej wetland etc. Also some low water area they are found.
Some Facts about Grey-Headed swamphen :
- Purple swamphen can fly long distance .
- They are good swimmer too.
- They can make loud bleating and hooting call.
- They are seasonal breeders.
- Swamphen live in pair .
- They eat small fishes and snails like invertebrates.
- Color of Purple swamphen is like a peacock and a red bill on its head looks beautiful.
Purple swamphen is very good in color so the pictures are looking bright. Some of pictures are taken from my old camera so they may be not so good but i tried my best. Above image taken from my canon with 100-400 mm lens and in background and foreground a green grass make my image really fantastic.
Birds of Gujarat : Purple swamphen generally found in water areas and wetlands. My nearest place and bird sanctuary is Thol Lake. I often visit Thol Lake for birding. During winter season lots of Migratory birds came here and stay during winter. Swamphen bird is residence here and you can get them the whole year. They also breed here.
Gear used : Canon 100 - 400 mm lens, Canon 6 D , Canon 1000 D
Location : Thol Bird Sanctuary , Near Sanand , Gujarat
Read moreIt is the largest species of Flamingo bird family and also a most widespread species of flamingo family.It is found in India ,south east , middle east and Africa. It is migratory bird. They also breed in India. In Gujarat they breed in Rann Of Kutch , Little Rann of Kutch also found in Thol Bird Sanctuary. I often visit Thol sanctuary so got good shots of them. Best time for shoot them is may-Jun at Thol bird sanctuary bcz of water level is too low . It is been recorded that some flamingo birds are resident in Gujarat at many places like LRK, Khijadia sanctuary, Nalsarovar and Thol Sanctuary. They also breed here and stay for all seasons. So you can find greater flamingo birds in all seasons in Gujarat at many places.
Flamingo bird facts and description :
- Greater flamingo bird is the largest living spices of flamingo.
- Greater flamingo has no subspices.
- Flamingo color most of pinkish white in plumage. Wings are red and feathers are black in end.
- Greater Flamingo bird call is like honking.
- The average lifespan of flamingo bird is 30-40 years.
- Main Difference between Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo is height . Lesser flamingo is shorter than greater flamingo. Also Greater flamingo has pale pink bill and black tip. In other case lesser flamingo has dark crimson bill. Lesser flamingo is also more red in color than greater flamingos.
Greater Flamingo birds In Thol Lake : Thol sanctuary is often i visit. Flamingo birds are stay here all seasons. I got good numbers of Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo bird images in a group when i visit Thol. This is my best time with flamingos. Also i got some beautiful pictures of flamingo birds with group and also in duo with some masti. Flamingos looks very good in frame bcz of their color. Thol lake is good place for birders because more than 150 birds spices found here. Also some mammals like Blue bull and black buck also found here. Lots of water birds and tree birds found here. Also sanctuary is not so big so you can find all birds in around 6 sqkm area. Best time to visit thol lake is November to March. All migratory birds are visit in winter so that is best time. Early morning is best for birders.
Timing And Fees of Thol Sanctuary :
Thol Sanctuary open at 6 AM in morning and close at around 5 PM
Fees of Thol Sanctuary is 50 INR per person and camera fees are 200 INR. Car fees are 500 INR.
Weekend fees may change that actually i don't know about it.
Two flamingos with little egret in between of them with down head all. The images of flamingo bird making a good frame. Because of its color flamingo birds images are very attractive and also their grouping make a perfect frame of flamingo bird picture.
A morning pared time for flamingo birds. A beautiful Greater flamingo birds are in a raw make image nice and show their unity.
Perfact wingspan of Flamingo bird looks great. Pink Wings make image more attractive.
Solo Greater flamingo bird
Some masti time for two flamingo birds .
Above image shows the discipline of Flamingo Bird and looks like a morning pared they are doing .
https://youtu.be/9dVBrR9NSOo
A group of Flamingo Birds at Thol Lake make your frame awesome.
Location : Thol Lake, Gujarat
Thol lake is just 25 km approx. from Ahmedabad. You can visit one day for Thol lake is enough. Also you can find another migratory birds like pelicans , bar headed goose, river tern and many more resident spices.
Ahmedabad to Thol lake distance about 25km
Thol bird sanctuary is located in Kadi Taluka in Mehsana District near sanand Gujarat. It is an artificial lake located near village Thol. In 1912 thol lake was built and it was declared as a Sanctuary in 1988. The main use of lake is use of water for irrigation. The Thol Bird Sanctuary or a Thol lake wildlife Sanctuary India is a habitat of more than 150 spices of birds. Also it is famous for migratory birds Flamingos and Sarus Crane which breeds here.
About Thol Lake / Thol Bird Sanctuary
Thol lake is located near Thol village and its area around 38000 acres. Lake faces all season winter , summer and monsoon. During winter temperature goes to 8 degree and in summer temperature goes to 43 degree. Thol lake is under control of Forest and Irrigation department of Gujarat. Thol lake water storage capacity is around 84 million cubic meters. Thol wildlife sanctuary is declared as Eco Sensitive Zone .
Flora and Fauna Thol Sanctuary :
Thol lake has many vegetation plants like Zizyphus, Acacia nilotica, Ficus, Capparis, Azadirachta indica etc. There are also some mix flora of Marshy and Aquatic plants reported in Thol Lake.
Thol lake is protected area and it is very good habitat for water birds. In thol bird sanctuary there are more than 150 spices of birds found . Among these more than 60 % of birds are water birds. Flamingo bird is most prominent bird of Thol Lake. Also Sarus Crane nest in large number here.
Famous Migratory Birds of Thol Lake
• Flamingos
• Sarus Crane
• Great White Pelican
• Mallards
• Bar Headed Geese , Grey Headed Geese
• Waterfowl
There are also some spices reported here like Dalmatian Pelican, Indian Skimmer, Greater Spotted Eagle, Indian Vulture and white rumped Vulture etc. In Mammals Bluebull, Blackbuck and Golden jackal reported here.
Thol Lake Timing and Fees :
Thol lake open everyday at 6 AM in morning and close at 5.30 PM in evening. Entry fees for Thol Lake or Thol sanctuary is 50 INR for per person. Also Camera fees extra at 200 INR and if you go via car then car fees also 500 INR. Foreigner fees are 10 $ per person.
Best Time to Visit Thol Sanctuary / Thol Lake :
Best time early morning for Thol Lake. In winter if you go before sunrise you can see Twilight sky amazing with lake shore and birds sound .During all season Thol lake has its own beauty. Every season you can visit at Thol Lake. But mostly during winter from November to March season is best for Thol Sanctuary visit. Because during winter lots of Migratory birds came here and stay for long time so for birding winter season is best at Thol Lake. Also during summer some of birds stays here like flamingos and pelicans, geese etc. So you can also see them in summer too. Also during summer water level of lake is low so may be the birds you can get in deep or sometimes closer. During monsoon most people don’t visit but if you like macro photography then you must visit Thol lake in monsoon. You can get some excellent macro subjects like waterdrops , Spiders, Insects etc.
What to do and What not to do in Thol Lake / Keep in mind while visiting sanctuary in India :
• Keep silence in sanctuary
• Maintain discipline
• Keep sanctuary clean
• Do not throw plastic waste anywhere in sanctuary
• Protect wildlife
• Observe birds, mammals etc and protect them and identify them
• Follow rules of wildlife protection act -1972
• Don’t disturb birds and animals
• Don’t enter in sanctuary with liquor and inflammable objects
• Don’t make loud noice.
• Enter in sanctuary with permit only and keep receipt till you leave sanctuary
• Don’t feed birds and animals
Where to Stay near Thol Lake :
Well near to Thol Lake there are not good places to stay at night but you can go near to destinations like Kadi, Kalol or Gandhinagar , Ahmedabad where you can get good places to stay at night. Nearest I suggest Kalol around 15-18 km or you can go Ahmedabad around 25 km.
Places to Visit near Thol Lake :
If you are staying at Ahmedabad then go for Ahmedabad Darshan , Pol area of Ahmedabad and Adalaj Ni Vav ( Heritage places ) etc. Also go for fast food test at night at Manek Chauk and SindhuBhavan road there are lots of option for food lovers like Urban Chauk, Freezbee etc.
If you stay at Gandhinagar then visit Mahatma Mandir at Gandhinagar, Sarita udyan , Akshardham Temple etc.
I would suggest Modhera Sun Temple if you had some more time which is around 100km from Ahmedabad. For bird lovers and bird photographer I would suggest visit Little ran of Kutch (LRK) during Winter season, Pariej Lake, Indroda park Gandhinagar, Jessore Sanctuary Banaskantha etc.
How to Reach Thol Sanctuary :
Nearest airport is Ahmedabad and from Ahmedabad thol lake distance is around 30-40 km
Also for Railway station is Ahmedabad because you can get all frequency and destinations from Ahmedabad railway station.
Common Kingfisher is also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher. It is sparrow size bird with blue color on top of the body. It is widely distributed in North Africa and Eurasia. When rivers freezes in winter they migrate from their. In India common kingfisher also a widely distributed in all over region. They generally found near to the water areas like canals, rivers, river birdges, ponds etc. I took a shot of common kingfisher or Eurasian Kingfisher at Thol bird sanctuary located in Gujarat near Sanand.
Description and facts about Common Kingfisher :
- It is about 16cm long and 25cm with wingspan.
- Its weight around 35-44 gm.
- It has short tail as all kingfisher tail is short.
- It has green blue upperparts and it has green blue neck stripe.
- Juvenile is similar to adult but dull underparts.
- Main flight feathers moult between july to november and it will takes 90-100 days to grow.
- Kingfisher flight too fast on low water.
- It is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa ( winter visitor ).
- Common kingfisher eats 60% of its body every day.
- Common Kingfisher lays 2-10 eggs which are white glossy in color.
Common Kingfisher in Gujarat :
Common Kingfisher or Small Blue Kingfisher found in Gujarat at many places like Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary, Velavdar Sanctuary and many other outskirts of Wetlands too. They are very small and cute in look. There are lots of kingfisher bird spices found in Gujarat also.
There are lots of Spider spices in the world. Spiders are good subject to shoot as a macro photo. Actually spiders are everywhere along to home and gardens. Jumping spider are group of spider constitute the family salticidae. This family contained over 600 described genera and over 6000 spices. Jumping spiders are easily identify from other spiders from their eyes and shape. The jumping spiders have faces that are roughly rectangular surface. The eyes are forward looking on flat face. The body length of jumping spider are around 1 to 25 mm. They generally found in forest , desert, scrub lands,temperate forest too. Toxicity of jumping spider is very less for humans. so jumping spider bite is not poisonous. Spiders are not insects because they belongs to family Salticidae and classified as Arachnids.
I found jumping spider during my trip to LRK ( Little Rann Of Kutch ). also its a live photography competition Name WILD CLICKS powered by canon in December 2019. Spiders in macro photography looks beautiful . For Macro Photography you need good light and good camera gears.
Some Facts about Jumping spider :
- The life of jumping spider is around 6 month to 2-3 years.
- Jumping spider are shy but you can easily catch them.
- They have 8 eyes.
- Once you will be familiar with spider then it enjoy your company.
- As per research of Miami university spiders like music.
- Generally they build their web in corners and dense trees , small plants etc.
- All spiders are predators.
- Jumping spider can change sudden blood flow in their body.
- Jumping spider do not use web for hunting.
- Jumping spider can dance also.
- Jumping spider can jump 10-50 times of their body.
- Jumping spider have 8 legs as all spider have 8 legs.
About Little Rann of Kutch :
LRK or little rann of kutch is a Wild ass sanctuary of Gujarat. Sanctuary for Indian Wild Ass but its also very well known for raptors and migratory birds. During winter some migratory birds like flamingos, pelican, bar headed goose, raptors, falcons, eagles, owls are regular visitors. So the sanctuary is more important for wildlife in Gujarat where you can find all birds, mammals and also 360 view of rann of kutch. Also some wetland areas near rann are beautiful for sunset and sunrise. You can also get some good macro photos of insects of rann for making good theme of COLORS OF RANN. I tried to shoot this spider with background of sun but its too hard for me . because it cant steady on one place for a second but got good pictures.
Gear used : Canon 80 D , Canon 6 D ,Canon 100mm Macro , Flash not fired
Location : Little Rann Of Kutch, Dasada
What is HORIZONS ? :: The horizon is the apparent line that separates Earth from sky. The true horizons can observed when it lines on the sea surface. Also many locations this line is made by Lands, Trees, Buildings, Mountains etc.The Horizon line divides all visible directions into two categories : those that intersect the Earth surface and those that don't. The horizon line is horizontal like to feel like end of earth no end of Earth surface . The Images of Horizons or skyline taken at Little Rann of Kutch . I tried to shoot many locations but sometimes not gonna happen that. Little Rann of Kutch is good place for Horizon photography bcz flat surface and 360 degree view. Above photo we passed thorough rann and i saw car trek on ground and line goes end of surface looks beautiful.
Horizon Height and distance calculation :
Well if you want to see horizon then you have to observe from 5-7 feet above sea level. Also you need clear land about 3-5 km distance then you can see clear Horizon line. In cities there are lots of disturbance like buildings, trees, towers etc so you can not see the clear horizons. For horizon line to see you need clear land area or water area. Best area for Horizon line is in between sea. In ocean there is clear Horizon line you can see easily. Also sunrise and sunset time horizons are amazing to see because of Twilight sky colors. Well all of these photos are not taken from 7 feet height and distance may not 3-5 km but its still you can see Horizons clearly. Photos taken from ground level but the rann area is clear so you can see horizons line from ground level.
For calculation of Horizon distance equation is :: Square root ( Height / 0.5736 ) and the result you get distance of Horizons.
Best Place To See Horizon lines :
The best place to see horizons are beaches. Because you can see clear line between Sky and Earth. Well where i live in Gujarat i have also one place name Little Rann of Kutch where i can see clear Horizon line as you can see in photos of Horizons. Little rann of Kutch is best place for me because its very near to me like about 2 hours car drive. Here there are huge number of raptors you can see in winter seasons. Lots of Migratory birds came here and the most important about Little Rann ot Kutch is Indian Wild Ass. Indian wild ass found only in Gujarat in this region only.
All Images taken at Little Rann of Kutch, Guajrat. Little rann of kutch known as LRK also famous for raptors and Indian Wild Ass. Lots of migratory birds coming here in winter. So never miss a change to visit LRK in Gujarat. LRK also very nice place for Star Gazing and Star Trail Photography, Time laps Photography.
Camera used : Canon 6 D, Canon 100-400 mm lens, Canon 50mm lens, canon 18-55 mm lens