Finishing up, I think, the wildlife posts from Keoladeo National Park, in Bharatpur India, this is a Indian Golden Jackal, a handsome wild canine common throughout Asia and into Europe. It is most closely reflected to the wolf and coyote, and, in fact will cross breed with Asian Wolves and domestic dogs. It is about the same size as the North American Coyote, and favors river bottoms and agricultural areas, as opposed to foothills and mountains. Sony Rx10iv at 238mm equivalent. (It was right beside the road.) Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Deer and Antelope of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, March 2023 — We can’t leave Keoladeo without showing off the ungulates. We have here the Chital or Spotted Deer, a group of females and a single male; then two shots of female Nilgai, one shot of a male Nilgai or Blue Bull, a male Sambar Deer, another male Nilgai, a family of Sambar, and what might be another Blue Bull and his harem. All taken with the Sony Rx10iv at or near 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.
Rhesus macaque monkey: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, March 2023 — before moving on completely from Keoladeo, I need to spend some time with the other wildlife we saw there. I was amazed by the numbers and variety of the wildlife that a country like India has managed to preserve. Of course this wildlife, the Macaque as it is called in India, has managed to survive and thrive right along-side the human population. Primarily a vegetarian, the Macaque is happy to live in villages, temples, ruins, around farms, and even cities where there is any open space. Troops were a common sight everywhere we went. They are not, as far as I am concerned, among the “cute” monkeys, and can be quite aggressive. They certainly are survivors though and you have to admire them for that. Sony Rx10iv at various focal lengths for framing. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.
Mottled Owl: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — One last Mottled Owl before we leave Keoladeo. We saw at least a dozen in our 3 days there. They apparently have no fear of humans. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Black-crowned Night Heron: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I posted a photo of a Striated Heron, misidentified as a Black-crowned recently and had to correct it…but these are definitely Black-crowned Night Herons. 🙂 From our last morning in Keoladeo. Again, as I said in the last post, they have one of the largest ranges across 5 continents of any bird in the world. Sony Rx10iv at 586mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Black-necked Stork: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I think this stork might be just coming into adult plumage. We saw it several times in our three days at Keoladeo. Such a magnificent bird! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 and 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th and 1/800th. +1.3 EV
Ashy Drongo: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — On our last morning in Keoladeo, we took a longish hike back trough the heavy thickets between the road and the marsh in hopes of a roosting owl. No owl, or at least not the one we were looking for, but we did encounter a number of other interesting birds, including this Ashy Drongo, our first and only one for the trip. Though some of us tried to turn it into the more common and more likely White-bellied Drongo in hindsight…I am pretty sure, from both the photo and the habitat, that it is an Ashy. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +1EV.
Indian Thick-knee: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I posted a photo of one of these Indian Thick-knees while I was still in India in March. We spent, realively speaking, more time looking for this specific bird than for any other on our trip, as we hiked back into the brushy area to the side of the road between the first and second entrance gates many times before we found them. If they are hunkered down, like the bird on the right, it is very easy not to see them. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Brahminy Starling: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I always say, of all the Starlings in the world that might have been introduced into North America, our common Starling is least attractive. Starlings would get more respect if they looked like this Brahminy Starling, especially when having a bad feather day as this one was. Pesky wind and bit of breeding territory excitement. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +1.3 EV.
Grey Heron: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I have to admit that I do not get too excited about Grey Herons when I am traveling. They are so much like our Great-blue Herons, which are pretty much every where in the US…and the Grey is pretty much every where, well, ever where else. It ranges from Great Britain across Europe, most of Asia, and Africa south of the Sahara. In Australia they have the White-faced Heron, also a very similar bird. So, while I photograph every one I see…I don’t get overly excited. 🙂 Not that it is not a great bird. It is. The grayish herons are one of the birds I like to show to other’s, especially children, as it never fails to impress. And it has a great a range of feather textures as any bird alive…and they are very visible because the bird is so big. These birds were out on one of the side roads at the end of the access road in Keoladeo. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 640 and 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.