Many of my friends are into wildlife, some just to observe and experience it, and others as photographers. They often tell me that being a wildlife photographer requires a lot of patience, Me being a very restless guy, I never paid much attention to it. However, this March, when my son got married, several of my college friends traveled from abroad to join the celebrations. One evening, we got talking, and I was captivated by their stories about nature, birds, and wildlife. They spoke about how these experiences help them relax and become more attuned to the sounds of nature.

 

Curious, I started googling wildlife photographers and discovered some unbelievable shots of birds in flight, realizing how much the human eye misses. As I explored more online, I found that it was an entirely different world. I began reading about bird behavior and was amazed by their daily activities. I became intrigued by bird calls and started using the Merlin app to identify them wherever I went. I realized I was hearing a lot more than before and could search for birds based on their calls.

 

This newfound hobby became very therapeutic for me. I invested in a new set of camera gear and went on a few outings with friends who have been doing this for over a decade. I learned a lot from those trips and conversations.

I started taking my camera gear, which weighs about 5 kilograms, on long walks to get used to it and to turn it into a workout. During these solo walks, I learned how to use the gear effectively. One day, I realized that my screen time on my mobile had significantly reduced, and that’s when I thought, “This is for me!” I decided to give birding a serious try and signed up for my first birding trip in July 2024 to Karnala, Bhigwan, and Saswad.

 

I was quite excited, but the day before the trip, reality hit—there was heavy rain in Mumbai, and the government had declared a red alert. I called a few friends to ask if it was advisable to go, and their reactions were discouraging: “Why would you go during the rains? You may not find any birds.” Despite their concerns, I decided to go and see what would happen, and I’m so glad I did.

 

The trip lasted for five days, and I will be posting details along with photos of the approximately 50 plus bird species I saw. My interest lies in photographing birds in flight, as I’m fascinated by the details not visible to the naked eye. During the trip, I interacted with other birders and learned about the ethics of birding. We observed birds from man-made hides and from a vehicle, ensuring minimal disturbance except for a few occasions when I had to get out of the car, accidentally making loud noises and scared the birds away!

Most of the pictures I took are edited for clarity, with no manipulation such as adding or removing elements. Although I’ve been told that cropping isn’t ideal in birding, I do crop to my heart’s content! I realized how critical a good tour leader is, and we were fortunate to have Dilip Gupta from Avian Trips, who handled all logistics and helped identify birds in the wild. Our local guide and driver was also excellent, knowing both the birds and what photographers might like.

 

Birding has become a new hobby that I’m eager to explore further. If any of you are bird and wildlife enthusiasts, I would love to travel with you and learn more together.