Birding with Rahul

Name: Birding with Rahul
Address: Bangalore, 560076, IN
Telephone: +919449855835

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15/05/2026

I captured this male Purple Sunbird in breeding plumage while it was walking along a wire and feeding along the way at the BRT Tiger Reserve.

In this light, the dark body displays flashes of blue and green depending on the angle. The color changes again with a small shift, which makes it difficult to read in real time.

Never staying in one place for an extended period of time, it kept probing and moving. Short pauses, quick checks, then on to the next location. This is a simple sequence, but sufficient to observe how active and alert it remains during feeding.

13/05/2026

In the Himalayas, a female Gray-headed Woodpecker probed the bark for grubs while working on a low branch.

It moved along the branch in short steps, checking one spot after another before moving on. This species often spends time feeding on branches rather than drilling deep into trunks.

The green body blends into the forest, so movement is what draws your attention.

12/05/2026

I conducted my first bird walk with the Ataavi Bird Foundation in Bangalore last weekend.

With the migratory season now over, I honestly expected only a small group to join. But surprisingly, registrations touched the threshold of 20 participants and we had to close entries.

What stood out to me was not just the number, but the effort people made to be there.

After a full week of work and exhausting Bangalore traffic, people still showed up at 6 in the morning on a Sunday. Some even came with their kids. There were some who traveled 25 kilometers. It says a lot about how deeply Bangaloreans value spending time in nature.

This walk had many first-timers. Their curiosity and enthusiasm made the morning even more enjoyable. There were questions, discussions, observations, and many moments of shared learning.

One thing birding constantly teaches you is that nobody is ever a complete expert. Even when you are guiding a walk, you continue to learn from others around you. Sometimes a first-timer notices something that experienced birders miss.

And that is exactly what happened during this walk.

I shared what I knew, but I also returned home with new insights and perspectives from the group itself.

That exchange of learning is what makes bird walks so fulfilling and worth waking up early for, every single time.

11/05/2026

I spent some time watching this Village Weaver in the forest of Mauritius, fully focused on its work. Continually moving in and out of the nest, it picks up fresh strands and weaves them in with quick, precise movements.

There is something distinctive about the rhythm. Neither is it hurried nor is it paused. Each visit adds a small change, and gradually the structure begins to take shape.

Since the forest was relatively still, it was easier to follow the bird.

08/05/2026

A White-browed Fantail is rarely still. It moves from perch to perch, usually returning to the same spot just long enough to examine the ground.

The white brow stands out first, followed by the contrast between the black throat and pale underside. The tail flicks open and closed as it balances, always alert, always on the move.

06/05/2026

In the Himalayas, the female Kalij Pheasant blends into the forest floor, moving along branches and damp ground at a steady pace.

It begins to reveal its details the more you look at it. The layered brown pattern across the body, the subtle crest, the red patch around the eye.

As it feeds quietly in the cover of the forest, stepping over fallen leaves, moss, and wet wood, spotting it becomes increasingly difficult. You learn that you have to learn to slow down in order to spot it effectively.

05/05/2026

I am glad to share that I have collaborated with the Ataavi Bird Foundation to conduct bird walks in Bangalore.

Ataavi is a non-profit initiative that works towards building a deeper connection between people and birds around us. Their focus is simple and meaningful. Create awareness, encourage observation, and help more people appreciate the richness of our avian life.

They do this by working with local bird guides across different cities and bringing small groups into natural spaces to learn directly from the field.

These bird walks are open to everyone. It does not matter if you are just curious about birds or have been birding for years. The idea is to step out, slow down, and start noticing.

As part of this initiative, I will be leading a bird walk in Bangalore on May 10 (Sunday). We will explore Anjanapura in the early morning hours when the birds are most active. It is a great time to observe behaviour, listen to calls, and understand how these species use the landscape around us.

What I enjoy most about these walks is not just the sightings. It is a shift in attention. Once you start noticing birds, you see your surroundings differently.

And more importantly, we all learn from each other.

If you are in Bangalore, I would be happy to have you join us.

Registration
https://forms.gle/E2rsueSL1F6bm9CJ8

More information
https://ataavi.org/event/bird-walk-at-anjanapura-central-park-bangalore-karnataka/

04/05/2026

At first glance, the Northern Shoveler catches the eye, but when you notice the bill extending from its green neck, you keep watching it.

It slides across the water, using its bill to filter the water. It does not rush in its feeding, just a steady, methodical rhythm. It occasionally raises its head, water dripping from its bill, and settles back into its routine.

A brief flash of light catches the chestnut and green on its head as small ripples spread out and fade away.

A bird like this holds your attention. The kind of bird you end up watching for a long time.

01/05/2026

The Indian White-eye rarely sticks around for long, so it's always difficult to get a clear look. As it moves through branches, it pauses just enough before shifting again.

The contrast is striking. A sharp white eyering against yellow face, green back, pale underside, and soft green back.

It's a small bird, but it keeps you alert. You follow its movement more than everything else.

29/04/2026

In the Himalayas, the Rufous-throated Partridge blends in so well with the forest floor that you usually notice the motion before the bird.

As you look closer, the details stand out. The rufous throat catches the light, the patterned flanks feel layered, and those red legs move steadily over loose stones. It never rushes, just works its way through the soil.

Standing still, letting your eyes adjust to the terrain, you suddenly realize that it has always been there.

27/04/2026

Taking photos of some birds looks simple until you try photographing them in flight.

The Black-winged Stilt taught me that the hard way.

In theory, it seems simple. A clean black and white body, long pink legs, and an open background of water. But once it takes flight, the difficulty rises dramatically.

It is a fast flyer. The body is long and stretched. The wings cut through the air quickly. If you shoot from a distance, you lose detail. If you move closer, fitting the entire bird in the frame becomes a challenge.

My earlier attempts were not successful. Either the frame was too tight and clipped some portions of the wings or legs, or the bird looked soft.

And even when I clicked the entire bird nicely, one detail was missing.

THE RED EYES.

The red color in the bird's eyes only appears when soft light hits it at the right angle. When the bird is in flight, that moment is very brief.

I realised I was approaching it wrong.

I was using the lens's full focal length of 500mm on a crop sensor body, which effectively pushed it to around 750mm. At close range, it makes framing difficult.

So I changed a few things.

I reduced the focal length to around 200mm to give myself space in the frame. I set the aperture at f/8 to keep the entire bird in focus. I increased the shutter speed to 1/3200 to handle its fast pace.

I observed and studied its take-off pattern.

A Black-winged Stilt cannot lift off instantly. It needs to pull its long legs out of the water (mostly mud) and build momentum. It often gives a call just before taking flight, maybe to alert other birds.

I started locking focus while the bird was still in the water. The moment it called and began to move, I was ready. I followed it through that initial lift, before it reached full speed, shooting in continuous mode.

This improved my success rate.

But the red eye still remained inconsistent.

So I paid attention to the light. I positioned myself where the angle of light could hit the eye during the flight. It took a lot of time and many failed attempts.

Finally, last month, I was able to capture a sharp photograph of a Black-winged Stilt in flight with bright red eyes against a background of water.

Address

Bangalore
560076

Telephone

+919449855835

Website

https://turuhi.com/

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