As far as I can remember, I always wanted to be a bird photographer. Not really. Just an overdose of Scorsese.

Few days back I came across this beautiful poem at quitsmoke Mokashi’s blog, and got inspired

Dark.. almost sunrise
geese call as they fly over rooftops-
to spring home with Artic view.
when do I fly to see you?

[you need to pause here and read it again]

Life after all is a recursive loop. I’m such a loser that even after two years in the heart of Everglades, I’ve never been to the park and now I’m not going. Whenever I wanted to go on a bird trail, I get bad company. The first guy I remember is my fishing friend. He took me fishing, promising that he’ll catch a parrot for me. I used to dig out earthworms for him, clean his net and even keep his dragging on beedi a secret – all that for getting hold of a parrot and maybe killing it or something, I don’t remember. Then one fine day this dude told me that there are no parrots left in Kerala and I started my famous moaning – I do that all the time. Then he said with a wry smile that all the good birds come to temple in the evening and he’ll catch one for me there. I trusted him again. I was eight then, he was fifteen and an idiot.

About photography, I’ve always said,

“To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”

It does not surprise me a bit that Cartier Bresson has also said the same. Without trails or trips, some birds were lucky enough to fall into focus of my unique photographic eye. And here are some snaps, you could clik on the images to see the bigger picture- its that easy.


This classic shot inside the amazon rainforest in Galveston covers the entire group of parrots including cockatoos, amazons, macaws, conures, lovebirds, parakeets, cockatiels and budgerigars and of course parrots. Parrots eat flowers which give them their colour and are good at conversations. I had a two hour chat with the blue one in the picture.


Morning shot of a Weston white stork. Usual habitat is in the intersection of fair lake and Indian Trace. These migratory birds face extinction. This one in front of our house doesn’t migrate nor gets extinct. Such a pain.


Gloomy day shot of Black-kiwi-looking brids. Total population is 13, as I counted correctly – which means one of them is very lonely. Afraid of – ME. See how they fled.


Shivering hand shot of a stubborn Greywhite beach bird at Dania beach. Greywhite beach birds eat fish and have an overarching tendency to commit suicide. The photo says it all. They are found near beaches.


High speed chase shot of Orange-peak-beach birds. Someone said they are albatross, I’m not sure. The camera was set to the maximum of fourteen frames per second. If you look closely you can see a Greywhite beach bird sitting there refusing to fly.


Potrait shot of my favourite, Duck. Usual habitats are right below my window, Thai restaurants and cricket grounds where Bangladesh plays. Its a two legged bird, with webbed feet. Eats Lays potato chips, pizza waste. Does not eat cigarette butts, but you can try. Attacks mobile phones, small kids, storks, me.

Note : Ducks CAN fly, this particular duck is lazy.

Post-lunch telephoto shot of Ahinga. Ahinga is also called Snake bird. Its main occupation is drying its wings in the sun. It lacks the oil glands which keeps other birds dry. If you don’t have proper gear, why do you go into water ? – hence classified as a moronic bird. Usual habitat is in front of my office. Female of Ahinga is called Ahingari.

High focus low light shot of Brewer’s blackbird, I called it mynah initially – both could be wrong. This is so painful. This black bird does nothing significant, it keeps staring at the Ahinga making some sarcastic sounds, well aware of the fact that it will never be a white stork even if it dips in water. Sarcasm after all is a loser’s last resort. Loser bird.


Rear end shot of a two-legged-Shell walker bird. It walks on shells. Eats nothing significant, else it wouldn’t be this small.


Wide angle shot of Pelican at Boca Raton. Main occupation is watching boats and counting waves. Points to note are the second most famous hollywood flick on a bird is Pelican Brief (first is Cuckoos Nest) and I don’t like Julia Roberts and this post is really painful.


Close up shot of some frickin bird. Who cares.


In memory of my fishing friend who is still alive and his idea of birds. A Wide Eyed shot of American Blonde in Universal Studios. They have the largest brains among birds if its not clear from the picture. In case you are a blonde scroll down —>

This will keep you busy for sometime. This was my most painful post and I’m bored to death, hope you guys meet the same fate.

P.S : All photos are mine and if you copy them, I’m not sure about the exact legal term, but something very bad, they say, will happen.