Fresh Water Turtles, Golden Jackals, and Spotted Deer at the Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park

One of my favourite one-day trips to a National Park, apart from those in the Delhi NCR, is obviously the Keoladeo National Park. The distance from Gurgaon to Keoladeo National Park is about 180-186 kilometers, and the average time taken during non-rush hours is 3.5 hours. I generally leave at 4:00 a.m.. However, since the park opens at 6:30 a.m., it is advisable to leave for the destination earlier. When I visited the National Park on the 10th of October, it was almost deserted since the resident birds had yet to arrive. There were hardly any visitors and we had the entire park to ourselves! Generally, it is a good idea to take an electric rickshaw that seats four, and you could also hire an electric bicycle. the e-rikshaw cost costs Rs. 800/- for two hours and Rs.1200/- for three hours. The electric bicycle costs you Rs. 150/- for 3-4 hours. There are also horse-drawn carriages or tongas to opt for. These cost Rs. 1200/- for four hours.

There is, however, a lot to do at the National Park, even if you don't spot resident birds. The best part, perhaps, is the ride down the allocated paths. Besides the ride, you can visit the temple, where the priest looks after spotted deer, huge turtles, and the assorted monkeys that hang around. The spotted deer are not domesticated. They are free to go anywhere they want. What I experienced at this temple is an example of the coexistence of human beings with wild animals. Rajasthan is a unique state where people really appreciate wildlife. They live in close proximity to wild animals, in peaceful harmony, something I have rarely seen in NCR, where wildlife seems to be driven away, and wetlands are drained out in order to make space for residential buildings.

Interestingly, the pujari or the temple priest, was also the guardian of the spotted deer, giant turtles, and the assorted monkeys present. When we reached the temple premises, it was feeding time, and so the pujari called out to the turtles, and they came rushing to the steps by the edge of the huge pond. It was a surreal experience to see these turtles rush to the steps en masse, huge, alien-looking creatures, eager to feed on bits and pieces of wheat dough that the priest flung for them. Looking at their size, I would claim that they were probably very old turtles, perhaps forty years old or so! A few of them even climbed up a few steps to feed on the dough.

Perhaps the most amazing experience for me was to pat a spotted deer. I have never been so close to a spotted deer, and it was a special moment for me. The pujari, or the temple priest, called out to the deer with a pan of wheat grains, and they flocked towards him.

Some of the most amazing photographs that I took on this visit were those of the pair of Asian Jackals that I was able to photograph. These Canines look quite like domesticated dogs, but they are not! Jackals are amongst the most graceful animals I have spotted! They are an important part of the ecosystem and they are both omnivores and scavengers. Asian Jackals are very protective towards their offspring, and they seem to be dedicated pairs. While I have spotted packs of Jackals in the Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon, the ones I keep spotting at the Keoladeo National Park seem to be better fed and in better health.

Unfortunately, I was not able to spot any migratory birds in the National Park apart from the resident Painted Storks and Oriental Darter birds. The owls were hiding, and the Sarus Cranes had yet to be spotted. The common Kingfishers were missing in action, and all was quiet and peaceful without the ruckus of a thousand migratory birds flocking to the park. Oriental Darters are also called Snake Birds because of their long legs, which can be contorted on demand, making them look like snakes. The last photograph pasted below is a favourite of mine.

A short trip to Keoladeo can be a great way to connect with one another. While photographing migratory birds might not always provide expected results, one should visit the park for a change from the hectic city life.

Reviewing the Canon RF 600 mm F11 IS STM lens used on a Canon R7 Body

I have been photographing wildlife with the Canon F-11-600 mm prime lens and have had to face a few challenges, like the narrow field of view and, well, of course, a fixed aperture, but then, with practice, this lens turned out to be quite good, too, when used with a Canon R-7 mirrorless body. I used focus tracking on the camera, selected animals and eye detection, and for metering went for evaluative metering. For the shutter speed, I switched from 800/Sec all the way to 1200 and beyond. And, yes, I selected the large area focus region for the lens. I wouldn't, however, claim that you would be able to look into the eyes of birds flying in the distance, but then not all photographs have to be that clear? Well, that depends...

I have written quite a few reviews about this lens, and what I have observed throughout is its compact form factor, ease of use, and decent quality of photographs. While some of the other Canon Lenses cost more than a few Lakhs of Rupees, this one will set you back by about Rs. 72000/-! Obviously, the trade-off lies in the fact that this lens needs a lot of light, and you need to have a good amount of gap between the object and the background to get bokeh and the required depth of field! And, yes, it can be done! I am sharing below a few photographs of a Pied Kingfisher that I photographed recently.

As for background blur, this lens works really well. I put the lens through its paces, and these are a few examples of what it can do!

I loved the sparkle of the sun in the Pied Kingfisher's eyes! It was one thing that drew me to this particular photograph, apart from others! This lens is also pretty good at freezing action! I am sharing a photograph of the very same Pied Kingfisher.

Tricky lighting conditions are handled fairly well by the lens and the camera. I was able to photograph a few juvenile Flamingo birds in spite of the fact that the water was throwing back light, thus overwhelming the actual image. Call it backlighting?? Well, these are a few photographs that I have pasted below.

  

I like the above photograph. It shows two juvenile Flamingos close to each other, probably sharing an assurance of support. I am sharing a few more photographs of the adult Flamingos that were on the other side, away from the juveniles. I guess juveniles need to be weaned away and learn to fend for themselves before joining the adults!

But then, I would like to reiterate my statement that the Canon 600 mm prime lens is a fine lens to work with.

I am sharing below the equipment I used by me to photograph the above birds. You might like to try the combo. For any queries, drop in a comment in the comment section of the blog post.

Greater Flamingos of Gurgaon

Gurgaon sees a large number of Greater Flamingos, especially during the winter months. I guess the area lies on an important migration route for Flamingos. It is, however, a great joy to spot these rather colourful birds in spite of the shrinking wetlands. Gurgaon is on the way to losing most of its wetlands within a few years. The Basai wetland has disappeared; the Sultanpur National Park is gasping for survival because of a lack of fresh water reserves. One should, therefore, enjoy the wildlife while one can!

Changing climate patterns, shrinking biodiversity hotspots that alter food patterns, human development, and competition for resources with other species, especially domesticated cattle, have led many migratory birds to leave Gurgaon as their winter destination. High-tension wires, camera-equipped towers, and noisy visitors have made Sultanpur National Park less of a protected area and more of a tourist spot where families can spend time.

Flamingos are a welcome sight for all those who can find time to spot them. The first time I spotted Greater Flamingos in Gurgaon was when the Basai Wetland existed. Dozens of Greater Flamingos used to visit the Basai wetland. These days, migratory birds are moving away from Gurgaon to the outskirts of the town. Unfortunately, developmental activities have started even in the outskirts, and demand for land for townships has sounded the death knell for all those wetlands that once hosted  migratory birds from all over the world.

The equipment used for the above shots included a Canon R7 Body and a Canon 600 mm F11 zoom lens. The lens, although light in weight, has its downside as it hungers for a lot of light. I was, however much satisfied with the images taken.

Shooting Flamingos in flight can be tricky when using the Canon F11 600 mm prime lens because of its narrow field of coverage, but it can be done; you can see in the photographs I have shared. It is easier to photograph Greater Flamingos while they are on terra firma. 

Flamingos are social birds, and they move around together. I have noticed that there is one bird that acts as a leader of the community. Usually, this one bird stands guard while others are foraging for food. The bird photographed in flight was taller and seemed to be the leader of the flock.

A Day with a Travelling Liturgist and a Music Evangelist

Today's service at the Church of the Epiphany, Gurgaon, was in the form of a convention led by Dr. Benny Prasad, the Travelling Liturgist and Music Evangelist, and Author of the book 'UNTHINKABLE'. Benny is also credited with designing the world's first Bongo Guitar and a 54-stringed instrument called the Bentar. Benny is also credited with establishing a new world record for the fastest time to visit 245 countries.

In our childhood, we may have read Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days. In this fictional story, six countries were covered. However, Brother Benny Prasad is a World Record Holder. He became the fastest country traveller in the shortest period of time in 2010, having travelled to 245 countries, including Antarctica, in six years, six months, and twenty-two days.   

Brother Benny & Zanbeni Prasad presently run a cafe ministry called Chai 3:16 in Bengaluru. This restaurant seats 400 people and is an interactive community space where you decide the price of your tea – the only item on the menu.  

With this background, he spoke to us today on the theme 'From Broken Vessel to Instrument of Praise '.

The key takeaway of his message was that one should go out into the world and share the good news. He spoke at length about the importance of carrying the Gospel within oneself and that Evangelism can be done not only by the ordained but also by those in various professions.

It was indeed a most inspiring moment to join a praise and worship session led by the Church Choir, along with some uplifting numbers by Benny and his wife, Zanbeni.

Of course, how could I forget the theme of the day! It was of course, from 'Broken Vessel to Instrument of Praise', an apt metaphor for how God makes use of each one of us in his service. The cornerstone that was rejected by the Mason went on to become the foundation of one of the largest cathedrals of the world. The story of this Travelling Liturgist is associated with the story of how God steps in and makes use of those who have lost all hope in order to make them the light and salt of the Earth.

The pews were packed, and the basement hall was full, as church members and their friends had gathered in large numbers to listen to words of inspiration, encouragement, and hope from one who was once on the verge of giving up hope to one who became the 'Travelling Liturgist'. The message of Hope and Positive Affirmations rang loudly in everyone's ears as the thirsty and hungry fed on the word of assurance with enthusiasm!