Amblog: A bird in hand..

.. is immense satisfaction, however much might be there more in the bushes and thickets. That's the feeling I got when I wrapped up my photo session, spread over two days between 7.30 and 8.30 am at the Puzhal lake bund just 4 km awy from my house. My original thought was to photograph the larger birds, but I found them too far away and the weather too a little foggy, making long shots a little hazy. Having gone there, I did not want to return empty handed and looked for other opportunities. Nature, I am astonished, abounds everywhere, provided you have the mind and eye to look.
My cousin Shoba had written in one of her emails recently that the solution to most of the problems, however hard and far you search, can finally be found right under your nose. That's very true. My recent trips to Rangannathittu in Mysore and Vedanthangal in Chennai, though I enjoyed watching the multitude of birds that come there to nest and breed, did not satisfy my appetite for photography. My gear, the FZ 28, is only a compact ultrazoom at best and to shoot good photos of those migratory birds from a distance calls for more professional equipment.
However, that was not the case with shooting small birds and other flora that abound here, for which my camera is more than sufficient. What was needed was the will to drive there and spend some time in the loneliness. I am happy I was rewarded more than I could think of. Some photos are given here. More can be found at flickr. Look for Baaps - that's my name there!
Flower or fruit? Looks like custard!