Uploads from Masood Hussain

THE HIMALAYAN BEAUTY

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 01:47:26 -0700

1825 km from Hyderabad, 1350m above mean seal level, 1.5 km of trekking in extremely cold weather…. all for this one bird and this one shot.

When we reached Sat Tal and met our birding guide, he asked me if i was looking for any particular species. The only name i gave him was of the RED BILLED LEIOTHRIX.. My sincere thanks to Nitesh Sati for keeping his promise of introducing me to this beautiful bird. Thank you very much Parvinder, Kunwar Bhai and Aman Bhai for making that trip such a memorable one.

RED BILLED LEIOTHRIX | SAT TAL (NAINITAL) | FEB 2013

EXTRAORDINARY AMONG THE ORDINARY

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:13:01 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

A BRAHMINY KITE, ON A ROUTINE SORTIE, PICKS UP A FISH WHILE THE EGRETS, HERONS AND ME WATCH IT IN AWE.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:09 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

An Asian Openbill Stork and an Indian Cormorant have an unexpected guest at their party!!! A Checkered Keelback !!! The Asian Openbill doesn't seem too much bothered but the Cormorant is definitely not happy :-).

AN ANGELIC DESCENT....

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:08 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

ASIAN OPENBILL STORK | SASAN GIR | NOV 2012

A CLENCHED FIST..

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:08 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

A clenched fist can symbolise many different emotions….. unity, solidarity, strength, reluctance to join hands, giving away something secretly…..

With a clenched fist this Kestrel tells me, " Listen photographer, you take another step forward and I punch you in your face" ;-)

COMMON KESTREL| BANGALORE | NOV-2012

COMMON KESTREL TAKING OFF

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:07 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

COMMON KESTREL (FEMALE), BANGALORE, NOV-2012

BIRDS OF HONOR..

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:07 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

Nothing can be more fascinating than watching a raptor in hunting mode. The entire episode looks like a strategically planned mission being executed by a specialist. The way it scans the area, locks it's target, launches the attack and swiftly grabs it's prey is simply an awe inspiring spectacle. Like there are MEN OF HONOR, these are BIRDS OF HONOR...... WHAT HAPPENED NEXT CAN BE VIEWED HERE :

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=463913667003249&set=a...

BRAHMINY KITE | HYDERABAD | JAN 2013

BALLERINA...

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:07 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

Clicked a Green Bee Eater after a very long time. Along with me, it wishes you all a wonderful weekend :-).

GREEN BEE EATER | HYDERABAD | JAN-2013

YES SIR, YES SIR, TWO HANDS FULL.....

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:35:06 -0700

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

While this kite pulled up after a successful fishing dive, i was struggling to lock my focus on it. My heart missed a beat at the thought of missing to freeze this breathtaking moment……the only thing I remember after that is the sound of my shutter firing at full capacity. Only while reviewing the shots on the LCD did I realize that the kite had actually pulled out two fishes. Both the talons had one fish each……. yes sir, yes sir, two hands full :-)

BRAHMINY KITE | HYDERABAD | JAN 2013

LOOK NO FURTHER...

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:25:42 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

RED AVADAVAT | HYDERABAD | NOV 2012

SHOT WITH SIGMA 150-500MM GLASS MOUNTED ON A NIKON D300s

more images at www.facebook.com/thiswaytonature

INDIAN EAGLE OWL

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:53:10 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

My last upload for 2012 :-). Wrapping it up with lots of expectations and hope from 2013. Wishing you all in advance a very happy and prosperous new year.

WHOSE LEGS ARE THOSE ANYWAY ??

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:05 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

AN INTERESTING BACKGROUND CAN REALLY TRANSFORM AN ORDINARY IMAGE. HERE IS A SIMPLE SHOT OF A RIVER TERN IN FLIGHT. IN THE BG IS A BLACK WINGED STILT. JUST IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THAT STILT IN THE BG :-).

INDIAN NIGHTJAR

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:05 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

10:38 PM, ROAD LEADING TO THE BUFFER ZONE OF TADOBA ANDHARI TIGER RESERVE, PITCH DARK, LEOPARD INFESTED AREA.....WE NOTICE A TINY LIGHT SHINING ON THE GROUND, ABOUT 20 FT FROM OUR CAR. IT WAS A NIGHT JAR. I WAS THRILLED BEYOND WORDS WHEN ISMAIL CONFIRMED IT’S IDENTITY. I QUICKLY SWITCHED OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THANKS TO ISMAIL WE HAD THREE TORCH LIGHTS ONBOARD. WE SWITCHED THEM ON AND HANDED THEM OVER TO A NON-PHOTOGRAPHER FRIEND WHO ACCOMPANIED US. THE NEXT MOMENT WE WERE OUT OF THE CAR, LYING FLAT ON THE GROUND AND TAKING OUR SHOTS. IN A BID TO GET CLOSE TO THE BIRD, WE WERE LITERALLY CRAWLING AND WRIGGLING ON THE DUSTY ROAD, CONTINUOUSLY CLICKING AS WE ADVANCED. THE FINAL SHOT CAME FROM A DISTANCE OF JUST 1.5 METER WHICH IS ALSO THE MINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE OF THE LENS I WAS USING ( NIKKOR 70-300MM ED VR). WHAT AN ADVENTURE IT WAS !! ABSOLUTELY UNFORGETTABLE!! HERE ARE A COUPLE OF SHOTS TAKEN THAT NIGHT. NOTICE THE THE SHUTTER SPEED AT WHICH THESE SHOTS WERE TAKEN AND THE THREE CATCH-LIGHTS IN THE EYE OF THE BIRD.

CAMERA : NIKON D300S
LENS : NIKKOR 70-300MM ED VR
ISO : 640
SHUTTER SPEED : 1/20 (HANDHELD, CAMERA FIRMLY PRESSED AGAINST THE GROUND)
APERTURE : F8
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION : -0.7 STEP
METERING : CENTER WEIGHTED AVERAGE
FOCAL LENGTH : 125 MM
SUBJECT DISTANCE : 1.5 METER
LIGHT SOURCE : THREE TORCH LIGHTS

INDIAN NIGHTJAR UPCLOSE

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:04 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

10:38 PM, ROAD LEADING TO THE BUFFER ZONE OF TADOBA ANDHARI TIGER RESERVE, PITCH DARK, LEOPARD INFESTED AREA.....WE NOTICE A TINY LIGHT SHINING ON THE GROUND, ABOUT 20 FT FROM OUR CAR. IT WAS A NIGHT JAR. I WAS THRILLED BEYOND WORDS WHEN ISMAIL CONFIRMED IT’S IDENTITY. I QUICKLY SWITCHED OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THANKS TO ISMAIL WE HAD THREE TORCH LIGHTS ONBOARD. WE SWITCHED THEM ON AND HANDED THEM OVER TO A NON-PHOTOGRAPHER FRIEND WHO ACCOMPANIED US. THE NEXT MOMENT WE WERE OUT OF THE CAR, LYING FLAT ON THE GROUND AND TAKING OUR SHOTS. IN A BID TO GET CLOSE TO THE BIRD, WE WERE LITERALLY CRAWLING AND WRIGGLING ON THE DUSTY ROAD, CONTINUOUSLY CLICKING AS WE ADVANCED. THE FINAL SHOT CAME FROM A DISTANCE OF JUST 1.5 METER WHICH IS ALSO THE MINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE OF THE LENS I WAS USING ( NIKKOR 70-300MM ED VR). WHAT AN ADVENTURE IT WAS !! ABSOLUTELY UNFORGETTABLE!! HERE ARE A COUPLE OF SHOTS TAKEN THAT NIGHT. NOTICE THE THE SHUTTER SPEED AT WHICH THESE SHOTS WERE TAKEN AND THE THREE CATCH-LIGHTS IN THE EYE OF THE BIRD.

CAMERA :NIKON D300S
LENS : NIKKOR 70-300MM ED VR
ISO : 640
APERTURE : F8
SHUTTER SPEED : 1/25 (HANDHELD, CAMERA FIRMLY PRESSED AGAINST THE GROUND)
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION : -1 STEP
METRING : CENTER WEIGHTED AVERAGE
FOCAL LENGTH : 240MM
SUBJECT DISTANCE : 1.5 METER
LIGHT SOURCE : THREE TORCH LIGHTS

THE DIVE..

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:03 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

I remember the day when I had first clicked a Pied Kingfisher 2 years ago. That shot was taken from quite some distance and the bird was simply perched on the branch of a tree, doing nothing. I was delighted to add a new species to my photo-stream. I then aspired to click this bird from a closer range and a few months later I got what I wanted. The next level was to click it with a fish in it’s beak....It took some time and I got that too. Next target was to click it while it hovers in pursuit of it’s prey...I nailed it yet again. Wants never end... I further raised the bar on myself and this time I wanted to capture this bird when it emerges out of water after a successful dive for a prey. I managed to get my shot but the Kingfisher failed to fish. Here is the drama...

ABSTRACT BIRDING :-)

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:03 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL THIS. ABSTRACT BIRDING, MAYBE ;-). ANYWAYS, THESE TALONS BELONG TO AN OPEN BILLED STORK.

PEEK A BOO WITH A MONGOOSE :-

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:02 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

AS SOON AS IT REALIZED MY PRESENCE THIS LITTLE CHAP HID BEHIND THE ROCK. I IMMEDIATELY DUCKED AND WAITED FOR FOR IT TO REAPPEAR. HERE HE IS, GIVING ME THAT "KYA KARRA RE??" LOOK ;-)

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE MAHARAJA OF SASAN GIR !!! :-)

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:01 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

ASIATIC LION (MALE) SHOT DURING MY VISIT TO GIR NATIONAL PARK, GUJRAT. SASAN GIR IS THE ONLY HOME FOR THESE MAJESTIC BEASTS ON THIS PLANET. CAPTURED THE KING OF THE JUNGLE IN DIFFERENT MOODS. IN THIS IMAGE, HIS MAJESTY SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE PISSED OFF :-). WILL SHARE OTHER IMAGES SOON.

HERE'S THE FIRST LADY :-)

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:23:00 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo:

ASIATIC LION (Female), GIR NATIONAL PARK, GUJARAT, NOV-2012

'V' FOR VICTORY

nobody@flickr.com (Masood Hussain) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:22:59 -0800

Masood Hussain posted a photo: