10 May 2014

10 May 14 - Centennial Post (Part 1) - My Best Non Passerine Photos

It doesn't seem that long ago since I bought the Canon 7D camera & 400 mm lens & started blogging. The first trip out was the 24th October 13 & I was lucky to catch up with a Pallid Swift at Stanpit. Since then I've had some excellent birdwatching with memorable twitches to Shetlands for Cape May Warbler, Rum in the Hebrides for Mourning Dove & Holland for Hawk Owl. Foreign trips have also been a lot of fun with an extended trip to India (Dec 13 - Jan 14) as well as trips to Morocco & Western Sahara (Feb 14) and Israel (April 14). All these trips have been a great opportunity to really get to know the camera & settings. At this point, I should say thanks to my good mates, Peter Moore & Brian Field, for help in getting use to the camera & the best settings. Thanks guys.

I've just had a quick tot up & have already photographed 84 families of birds so to celebrate the 100th post, I've decided to put together a compilation of my favourite photo from each family over the previous 99 posts. Here are the Non-Passerine photos & the Passerine photos will be in the next post. Enjoy.
Divers: Great Northern Diver - South Haven (13 Nov 13). Not the sharpest of photos, but I like the posture
Grebes: Dabchick - Oued Massa, Morocco (14 Feb 14)
Pelicans: White Pelican - Bharatpur, India (28 Jan 14)
Boobies & Gannets: Gannet - Crossing to Rum (31 Oct 13)
Cormorants & Shags: Cormorant - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)
Anhingas: Oriental Darter - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)
Herons, Egrets & Bitterns: Yellow Bittern - Chiriya Tapu (25 Dec 13). It has to be this Yellow Bittern which we rescued from the clutches of 2 young boys & released
Storks: Woolly-necked Stork - Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India (22 Jan 14)
Ibis & Spoonbills: Red-naped Ibis - Tal Chappar, Rajasthan, India (25 Jan 14)
Flamingos: Greater Flamingo - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)
Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl: Lesser Whistling-duck - Sippighat, Andamans, India (23 Dec 13)
Osprey: Osprey - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)
Hawks, Eagles & Kites: Black-winged Kite - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)
Falcons & Caracaras: Lesser Kestrel - Beit Yatir, Israel (8 April 14)
Pheasants, Grouse & Allies: Painted Bush-quail - Eravikulum, Western Ghats, India (4 Jan 14)
Buttonquails: Barred Buttonquail - CEDO, Gujarat, India (20 Jan 14)
Cranes: Crane - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)
Rails, Gallinules & Coots: Andaman Crake - Chiriya Tapu, Andamans, India (27 Jan 13). Whilst I have better photos of other members of this family, this had to be the selected species given how long it took us to see an Andaman Crake
Jacanas: Bronze-winged Jacana - Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (28 Jan 14)
Oystercatchers: Oystercatcher - Brands Bay (21 April 14)
Stilts & Avocets: Black-winged Stilt - CEDO, Gujarat, India (19 Jan 14)
Thick-knees: Indian Stone-curlew - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)
Pratincoles & Coursers: Cream-coloured Courser - Aoussard Road, Western Sahara (8 Feb 14)
Plovers & Lapwings: Red-wattled Lapwing - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)
Sandpipers & Allies: Marsh Sandpiper - CEDO, Gujarat, India (20 Jan 14)
Gulls, Terns & Skimmers: Sabine's Gull - Cogden Beach (4 Nov 13). No problem in deciding which was the best species photographed in this family
Sandgrouse: Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)
Pigeons & Doves: Mourning Dove - Rum (31 Oct 13). Although there were other good photos of other Pigeons, it had to be the Mourning Dove as this is my first published photographs (Published in Scottish Birds, March 14)
Parrots: Vernal Hanging-parrot - Chiriya Tapu, Andamans, India (26 Dec 13). For sheer character & attitude means it has to be this Vernal Hanging-parrot
Cuckoos: Common Koel - Bhuj, Gujarat, India (19 Jan 14)
Owls: Oriental Scops Owl - Parambikulam, Western Ghats, India (2 Jan 14). Tough decision as a few other strong candidates
Frogmouths: Ceylon Frogmouth - Thattekad, Western Ghats, India (5 Jan 14)
Nightjars & Allies: Red-necked Nightjar - Oued Massa, Morocco (13 Feb 14)
Swifts: Little Swift - Oued Massa, Morocco (14 Feb 14)
Trogons: Malabar Trogon - Parambikulam, Western Ghats, India (2 Jan 14)
Kingfishers: Pied Kingfisher - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)
Bee-eaters: Little Green Bee-eater - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (29 Dec 13)
Rollers: Indian Roller - Tal Chappar, Rajasthan, India (24 Jan 14)
Hoopoes: Hoopoe - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (30 Dec 13)
Hornbills: Malabar Grey Hornbill - Thattekad, Western Ghats India (5 Jan 14)
Asian Barbets: Coppersmith Barbet - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (29 Dec 13)
Woodpeckers: Speckled Piculet - Travelling Chinnar to Munnar (3 Jan 14)
That all for the Non-Passerines, I will cover all the Passerines in the next post.