Plum-headed Parakeet: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — There are only two parrot species regularly seen in Rajasthan…or rather maybe I should say “there are” two parrot species that can be seen in Rajasthan. The Rose-ringed Parakeet is super common and super abundant…but I had to look at a lot of Rose-ringed before I saw my first Plum-headed! And the two of them, both females, turned out to be the only Plum-headed Parakeets we saw on the whole trip. These two were very far away…in the top of a very tall tree, and a good ways down the road the way we had already come. This is a deep crop…the bird is tiny in the full frame. Still, it is one of only three photos I managed of Plum-headed Parakeet. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5 @ 1/1000th. +1EV

Green Bee-eaters: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, May 2023 — I might have mentioned that I throughly enjoyed watching this pair of Green Bee-eaters hunting around the canteen at the end of the Keoladeo access road. I like bee-eaters, and have had a chance to enjoy them on three continents now. I have seen them in Hungary, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa…and now in India. Always a treat. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th

White-fronted Kingfisher: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — A Kingfisher in the dappled light under a free standing tree in the picnic area behind the canteen at the end of the road at Keoladeo, showing off all its colors. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +.7EV.

Green Bee-eaters: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Besides our glimpses of Hoopoe, there were many other birds around the canteen at the end of the access road in Keoladeo. This pair of Green Bee-eaters were busy hunting the open area around the trees and picnic tables. Endless entertainment! And, of course, bee-eaters are among my favorite birds, whenever I am anywhere they are. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Asian Pied Starling: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Most of us in North America only have the common Starling to go by, but many of Starlings (or Mynas) are very attractive birds…albeit with the personality of a starling. 🙂 This Asian Pied Starling is certainly a case in point. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Eurasian Hoopoe: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Right a the end of the access road, a long walk but easily reachable by rickshaw, there is a little canteen and picnic grounds and an isolated temple. In my two visits there it was always a great place for birds. They seemed to enjoy the lawns and the exposed trees. We saw Hoopoes several different places in Rajasthan, but they were particularly uncooperative as photographic subjects. This is the only one I managed a decent photo of, and only got 2 frames before it flew off. The Hoopoe is an interesting bird, odd looking certainly, but also taxonomically interesting. It currently occupies its own genus, with three species, Eurasian, African, and Madagascar, along with, according to some authorities, the wood hoopoe. The genus is placed in the same clade as the kingfishers, bee-eaters, and rollers. A consensus is developing that it really belongs with the hornbills, and some are resistant to whole three species thing…it might be only one species. Interesting, if you are into that kind of thing. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +1EV.

Greater Spotted Eagle: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — We saw a lot of Eagles, of several different species in our tour of Rajasthan birding hotspots, but this one that flew into a small island in the Keoladeo marsh, only about 50 feet from the road and our rickshaws, was the closest we got to one. He perched on a downed snag long enough for us to all get a good look and for me to get photos. That is a Painted Stork behind him. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1.3EV.