A flock of Indian cormorants cooling off during noon at Vendanthangal Lake. Unlike most diving birds, cormorants do not have waterproof feathers. After they swim underwater for their food, cormorants spent their time in the open - on trees or poles - to dry their feathers. Here, the branches of the tree provide a strong counterpoint to the cormorants.
A flock of flamingos are in the middle of their social dance at end of the day near Vedaranyam. The occasional red of their wings and elegant poses contrast well with the blue of the sea.
Snowgeese wait to take off at dawn in Bosque del Apache. Like most ducks and geese in winter, snowgeese roost in shallow open waters in large colonies. With their numbers and bright plumage, they are always pleasing to photograph as a group in the soft morning light.
Snowgeese fill the evening skies at the Bosque del Apache NWR on their way to roost. Mountainous scenery and colorful skies in the area provide a setting for dramatic images at this location.
A flock of cranes are silhouetted against a cloudless sky as they fly back to their roosting grounds past sunset at Bosque del Apache.
I came across this group of avocets feeding in a Bay Area harbor late one evening. It was interesting to observe the flock feeding in a circle. One avocet would dredge the bottom bringing up invertebrates and crustaceans, and the next member would move in to feed in that spot. The steady movement of the birds and low light gave a opportunity for an abstract.
A flock of coots hitch a ride on a log in Milwaukee's L Michigan shoreline as they warm up in the early morning sun.
A flock of snowgeese fly in search for food at Bosque del Apache before they turn in for the day. I liked the scene with evening light, mountains and golden grass.
On one of the mornings at Bosque del Apache, I noticed an unusually large snowgeese flock portending a spectacular take off. I was not disappointed and with the sky providing a perfect backdrop, it was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After creating images of snow geese in large numbers, I wanted to take a closeup of their take off. This smaller group along with the clear blue waters and warm morning light created an intimate scene.
Snowgeese fill the skies in late afternoon at the Bosque Del Apache NWR. The gregarious nature of these birds provide opportunities for dramatic images.
A flock of Indian spot-billed pelicans gather on a dead bamboo trunk to cool off in the midday heat. Pelicans use their large pouch as radiators to remove body heat.
A flock of median egrets preen and socialize on the Kaveri river as they prepare to settle in for the evening. Preening is an important exercise for all birds to remove parasites and dirt. I liked the light and reflections, and the contrasting poses of each egret.
Sandhill Cranes Feeding at Sunset
Sandhill cranes actively feed on the Rio Grande river at sun down. Their food consists of grains, vegetation, insects and molluscs. I was drawn to the texture of the water in the evening light.
The rush of the geese flock as they take off and fly at dawn has to be seen to be believed.
Sandhill cranes land to join their feeding colleagues at a cornfield in the Bosque del Apache NWR. I particularly liked the dynamics in this image that conveys the social behavior of these birds as well as the chaos of feeding at end of the day before going to roost.
Wintering cranes gather on a cornfield in late afternoon to socialize and feed before turning in for the day. Cranes are known for their loud calls, and the noise and dust created by the cranes have to experienced to be believed. I was captivated by the dusty back-light and sheer number of cranes.
Sandhill cranes gather to roost in the Platte River in the midst of their migration. Cranes roost standing up in shallow water bodies where any approach by predators is quickly audible. Here, the weather was cloudy and dark until the sun came out for a few minutes at end of the day and created an arresting scene.
