AMRITA'S FEATHERED FRIENDS: পাখ্পাখালির কথা/Story of our Feathered Friends

AMRITA'S FEATHERED FRIENDS: পাখ্পাখালির কথা/Story of our Feathered Friends: পাখির ছবি তোলা আমার বিশেষ একটি শখ। তাদে র রঙের বাহার, আচরণ, আকাশের বুকে ডানা মেলে ওড়ার ভঙ্গি, মনমুগ্ধ হয়ে দেখতে আর তা ক্যমেরায় বন্দী করতে ...

পাখ্পাখালির কথা/Story of our Feathered Friends

পাখির ছবি তোলা আমার বিশেষ একটি শখ। তাদের রঙের বাহার, আচরণ, আকাশের বুকে ডানা মেলে ওড়ার ভঙ্গি, মনমুগ্ধ হয়ে দেখতে আর তা ক্যমেরায় বন্দী করতে সর্বদা উন্মুখ থাকি। আজ  প্রায় ৩-৪ বছর ধরে আমার লোকালয়ের আশেপাশের ও যখন যেখানে যাওয়ার সুযোগ হয়েছে সেখানকার পাখিদের ছবি তুলে আমার সংগ্রহশালার শ্রীবৃদ্ধি  করেছি।

                এতদিন ছবি তোলার পর, এখন মনে হচ্ছে, আমি যে অভিজ্ঞতা সঞ্চয় করেছি ও যেটুকু জ্ঞান আমার ঝুলিতে ভরেছি তা সকলের সঙ্গে ভাগ করে নিলে কেমন হয়?বিশেষ করে যেসব ছোটো ছোটো বন্ধুরা রয়েছে তাদের সাথে এইসব পাখিদের পরিচয় করাতে পারলে আমার খুব ভাল লাগবে। আর সেই ভাবনা থেকেই আমার এই ব্লগ লেখা। 

 যে পাখির কথা দিয়ে শুরু করবো তার ছবি আমি একদম প্রথমের দিকেই তুলেছিলাম। তখন তার নাম ও আমার জানা ছিল না কিন্তু তার গায়ের রং দেখেই মুগ্ধ হয়েছিলাম।

  কালোমাথা বেনে বৌ/ইষ্টিকুটূম

  English name: Black-hooded oriole 

  Scientific name: Oriolus xanthornus 

পুরুষ বেনে বৌ/Black Hooded Oriole(male)

                                                                                                                                                                                            ছবিটি আমার খুব প্রিয় একটা ছবি,৩ বছর আগের তোলা হুগলীর ডানকুনি তে। বন্ধুরা, তোমরা ছবি দেখে বুঝতে পারছো যে এই পাখির মাথার দিকটা কালো,দেখে মনেহয় কালো একটা হুড পরে আছে তাই এই নাম।গ্রামে কথিত আছে,এই পাখি ডাকলে বাড়িতে অথিতি আসে আর এর ডাক শুনলে মনে হয় 'ইষ্টিকুটুম' 'ইষ্টিকুটুম' বলে ডাকছে,তাই একে  ইষ্টিকুটুম' পাখিও বলা হয়।বেনে বৌ কেন বলা হয় তারও একটা গল্প আছে।এক বেনে বাড়ির বৌ শাশুড়ীর অত্যাচারে অতিষ্ট হয়ে উঠেছিল,একদিন খুব খিদে পাওয়ায় সে পিঠে বানিয়ে শাশুড়ীর অবর্তমানে নিজেই খাচ্ছিল,রান্নাঘরে ছিল বলে তার সারা শাড়ীতে হলুদ লাগানো ছিল।শাশুড়ী হঠাৎ এসে যাওয়ায় সে ভয় পেয়ে দৌড়ে পাশের পুকুরে ঝাঁপ দিল ও মরে গেল কিন্তু এক দেবী তাকে বাঁচিয়ে দিল ও তাকে পাখি বানিয়ে দিল।গায়ের রং হলুদ আর মাথাটা করল কালো।সেইজন্য এর নাম বেনে বৌ।

পুরুষ বেনে বৌ /Black hooded oriole(male). এই ছবিটি হুগলীর রিষড়াতে তোলা

পরিচয় ও আবাস

এসব তো গেল গল্পকথা,এবার এর আসল পরিচয় একটু জানা যাক। এরা 'ওরিওলে'(oriole) পরিবারের সদস্য। এদের স্থায়ী আবাস হলো ভারত, বাংলাদেশ, শ্রীলঙ্কা, ইন্দোনেশিয়া এইসব গ্রীষ্মপ্রধান দেশ।এরা পারিযায়ী পাখি নয়, সারাবছর একজায়গায় থাকে,সেখানেই ডিম পাড়ে ও বংশবিস্তার করে।এরা গাছেই বাসা তৈরি করে ডিম পাড়ে আর গাছেই থাকতে পছন্দ করে।

স্বভাব 

এরা খুব লাজুক প্রকৃতির হয়।মানুষের সংস্পর্শ এড়িয়ে চলে।গাছের ডালপালার আড়ালে লুকিয়ে থেকে ডাকতে পছন্দ করে।এদের ভাল ছবি তুলতে গিয়ে আমাকে তাই অনেক অপেক্ষা করতে হয়েছে । লোকালয়ের থেকে বন জঙ্গল এদের বেশি প্রিয়।

দেহের বর্ণনা

এদের গায়ের প্রধান রং সোনালী হলুদ আর তা্র উপর ল্যাজ ও ডানাতে  কালো দিয়ে সুন্দর কাজ করা। মাথাটা পুরো কালো।এককথায় অপূর্ব।পুরুষ আর মহিলা প্রায় সমান দেখতে,শুধু মহিলাদের হলুদ রং পুরুষদের তুলনায় একটূ অনুজ্জল পেটের দিকে জলপাই রং এর ছোঁয়া আছে। এদের উভয়ের ঠোঁট হাল্কা গোলাপী ও চোখ লাল।অপরিণতদের ঠোঁট ও চোখ দুই কালো হয়।কপাল হলুদ ও তাতে কালো ছিট ছিট দাগ থাকে।গলার দিকে সাদার উপর কালো দাগ পেটের দিকে হলুদের উপর হাল্কা কালো ছিট ছিট দাগ থাকে। এরা লম্বায় ২৩ - ২৭ সেমি হয়ে থাকে।

 অপরিণত/Juvenile/immature (হুগলী,রিষড়া/Hooghly,Rishra)

সন্তান ও বাবা/Child with its father

তরুণ/Subadult (in Sundarban ) 

এদের ডাক খানিকটা বাঁশির সুর ও খানিকটা কর্কশ এর সংমিশ্রণ।শুনতে মিষ্টি লাগে।

খাদ্য 

এরা পোকামাকড় ,গাছের ফল এসব খেতে ভালবাসে, ফলের মধ্যে ডুমুর এদের সবচেয়ে প্রিয়।

           

                  

 এরা যখন তাদের ডানা প্রসারিত করে আকাশের বুকে ওড়ে তখন দেখতে বেশ লাগে,এদের এই মুহুর্তকে ক্যামেরাতে ধরা বেশ সময়সাপেক্ষ ।আমি অনেকটা সময় ব্যয় করার পর পেয়েছিলাম। এই পাখিটির দেখা আমার রিষড়ার বাড়ীর আশেপাশে অনেকবার পেয়েছি, এর সুমিষ্ট ডাকের সাথে আমার পরিচয় বেশ নিবিড়।

                                                                                                  

তাহলে বন্ধুরা, কালোমাথা বেনে বৌ এর সাথে তোমাদের কিছূটা পরিচয় নিশ্চই হয়েছে।বিশেষ করে আমার ছোটো বন্ধুরা, তোমরা যদি একে কখনো দেখ তাহলে চিনতে ভুল করবে না নিশ্চয়।

English version 

I am a bird photographer. It was my hobby when I had  started it 4 years back but now it has become my passion.I really enjoy to observe their behaviour, movements,activities and beautiful coloration of plumage. I become delighted to see them flying or gliding in the sky .It gives me a heavenly pleasure. I am starting to write this blog to share my experience about them. I will be glad to introduce them with you ,specially with my little friends.

 I will inaugurate with the introduction of one of my favourite birds, 'Black-hooded oriole.' If you see them, you can observe, with a golden yellow body they have a solid black head. It seems that, they have worn a black hood.This is the reason behind the name. 

The black-hooded oriole (Oriolus xanthornus) is a passerine bird and a member of the oriole family.They are widely found in tropical countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. All over the year they live in the same place, they never migrate. They are very shy in nature, always try to avoid human contact.This is why they prefer forest area than human interaction. In human area they like to hide themselves behind the leaves and branches. I have faced a lot of difficulties to get a clear picture. You need patience to frame them.

They love to stay in the open woodlands and cultivation. For building a nest, they always prefer a tree. They spend most of their time in the tree canopies, they don't like to forage on the ground.Their favourite diet is insects, fruits, berries. Fig is most-liked among them.  

The male is striking, with the typical oriole black and yellow colouration. The plumage is predominantly yellow, with a solid black hood. They also have beautiful black designs in the wings and tail centre.

The female black-hooded oriole is similar with male, but comparatively their yellow feathers are duller than the male and has an olive green underpart. The female has also the black hood. Both male and female have a light pink bill and red eyes. They are 23 to 27 cm in size.

Young birds are like the female, but have dark streaks on the underparts, and their hood is not solidly black, especially on the throat. Their bill and eyes are black.

 The Black-hooded oriole's flight is strong and direct with some shallow dips over longer distances. 

The call of these birds is very soft and sweet with the mixture of fluty and harsh sound. In Hooghly area I have met with them many times and have a deep relation with their sweet tone.

So friends, now you have got an idea about this yellow bird. I am sure, when you will see this bird, will never do a mistake to identify it. :-)  

In the next blog I will introduce you to a little green bird.

 please post a comment for inspiration. :)

 অবশ্যই মতামত দেবেন। :)

                                                  

BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA (part 1)

Friends, get ready for a ride into the world of australian birds of my collection. Between 2010 to 2011 I spent wonderful time in Australia and fell in love intensely with its dazzling natural treasures. This country is the native of various beautiful birds. I feel very lucky to get the scope of capturing some of them through my lens which I am going to share with you.

                                                           
                                                              CRIMSON ROSELLA
                                                   Bionomical name:Platycercus elegans
                               
Crimson rosella is a parrot which is found in eastern and south eastern Australia.They are widely distrbuted from southeastern Australia,Tasmania, Victoria,coastal New South Wales and  southeastern Queensland.These birds mainly prefer to live in mountain and coastal forests but they are also habituated to live with human contact such as at parks,gardens,golf courses,farmlands etc.

This pic was taken  in Blue Mountain of New South Wales during trekking time.

Juveniles have completely different plumage than adult. Their plumage coloration is dominated by  olive green. After growing older green turns into crimson red. Adults are 14 inches long.

captured in Canberra

These birds rummage in trees,bushes and on the ground for fruits,nectar,berries,seeds and nuts.Beside that different insects and their larvae like termites, beetles, moths, caterpillar etc are also in their diet chart.

Was enjoying foods in Blue Mountain

Crimson Rosella build nest on high tree hollow and female lays 4-6 white eggs.                                                

                                                        Rainbow Lorikeet
                                   Bionomical name:Trichoglossus moluccanus

   a  Rainbow lorikeet is a very colourful australian parrot which is found in northern Queensland,eastern coastal regions to southern Australia and in Tasmania.Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bushes and woodland areas.

pic was taken in Sydney botanical garden

It seems that God has played with colours to create these charming birds. They have magnificent plumage coloration with bright red beak. Both males and females have blue head and belly,green wings, tail and back and an orange/yellow breast.Adults are 10 to 12 inches long.
                         
                                Rainbow lorikeets mainly forage on the flowers of bushes and shrubs to collect nectar and pollen.They also eat fruits,seeds and insects.These birds are often seen in loud and fast moving flocks or in pair. At dusk they perch in a group. 
                   
                                Parrots are called 'jewel of forest' in Australia.                              
                             
                                             
                                                          Rose Breasted Cockatoo/Galah
                                                Bionomical name: Eolophus roseicapilla     
                                                                   
         Cockatoo family embraces a large group of parrots from the continent of Australia.  
Galah or Rose breasted cockatoo is one of the most common cockatoos and can be found on a large scale almost in all parts of Australia.            
                                 

In Jindabyne (NSW) when I was roaming around in afternoon then I saw this loving pair in romantic mood and couldn't resist myself to frame them

These cockatoos have rose pink face and breast with grey wings, back and tail. They fluff up their light pink crest in excitement.Adults are 14 inches long.Juveniles are almost grey in colour.Male has black irises and female has light brown or red.

Galahs are seeds eating birds .They forage on the ground to collect seeds in a group.They also eat fruits,nuts,crops like wheat,oats. Occassionaly they also eat small insects. They travel in flocks a fair distance from their roost in search of food.
               They make nest in hollow trees and nesting hole is lined with leaves and twigs.Female lay 3-4 white eggs.

                                                                  Little Corella
                                             Bionomical name: Cacatua sanguinea

Little corella is a small cockatoo of Australia. It is also known as little cockatoo, bare eyed cockatoo, blue eyed cockatoo or short billed cockatoo.These birds are found in inland and northern parts of Australia. Their population are also in eastern coast of Queensland and New South Wales.

Pic was taken in Burwood park in Sydney.

                                           
 Little Corella is a white and small (14 to 16 inches) cockatoo with little crest.It has some pink feathers around throat and bill and blue eye ring.This bird looks similar to Western Corella but smaller in size.
                       These birds eat fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, shoots, roots and grubs.they build nest in a tree hollow,cliff cavity or termite mount.Female lays 3-4 white eggs.
                        these birds are very social and often seen in large flocks sometimes with other species such as Galahs ,Sulfur crested cockatoos.

                                                             
                                                             Sulfur Crested Cockatoo
                                                       Bionomical name:Cacatua galerita
                                                                   
Sulfur crested cockatoo is the largest white Australian Cockatoo which are widely found in northern and eastern coastal area to Tasmania in south.They are largely seen in urban areas such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ,Canberra .

captured in Sydney botanical garden

These cockatoos are white in colour with bright yellow crest. Their beaks are black.They are very big in size 17 to 22 inches long.their habitats are woodlands,forests, cityparks etc.
                      They eat fruits ,nuts,berries,seeds, plant shoots and roots, grubs etc.

 These cockatoos build nest high in hollow trees and lay 2-3 eggs. They have adapted very well with urban environment and very popular as a pet.By nature they are curious and intelligent.

                                                                          Cockatiel
                                                 Bionomical name: Nymphicus hollandicus

          Cockatiel is a small grey bird of  cockatoo family in Australia. It is also known as Quarrion. They are found in all mainland states in bushland, shrub land, grain field, open woodlands, roadsides of Australia.             

At zoo

Cockatiel is very small in size (30 cm) .it is grey in colour with dainty crest and orange cheeks.They are very popular as cage birds or as pet.
                       They build nest high in hollow trees and lay 4-6 eggs.In their food habit they like fruits ,seeds and grains.This bird is the only member of genus nymphicus.



                                             Take a break for now ,the ride will continue. :)

STUNNING NATURAL BEAUTY OF AUSTRALIA ,THE MAIN INSPIRATION OF MY PHOTOGRAPHY

I  had started my first blog post with the story of my journey into the feathered world and concluded with my word that from the next post onwards I will start to introduce with each bird of my collection.However,  I could not resist sharing a memorable experience from my reminiscences.

                     Between 2010 to 2011 I got the oppurtunity to stay in a beautiful oceanian country of Australia due to my husband's  official project.As you know this country is renowned  for its diverse landscapes , picturesque beaches ,rare wildlife and colourful birds and flowers.There is no doubt that natural beauties of this country was my main inspiration behind choosing photography as a hobby. We were also lucky to get the scope to stay in the largest Australian city, most wonderful Sydney. Situated on the east coast it is the most populous city in the country and is built around world's largest harbour. At that time I had only a basic Nikon digital point and shoot camera to play with. After staying there for a few days, I was desperate for an upgrade. As an experienced photographer my husband helped me a lot to search for a better one and I received one of the most wonderful gifts from him, a Fujifilm S200 Exr.It is a bridge camera having the ease of a point and shoot yet gives the feel of a DSLR. My experience with this cam was excellent and I framed whole Australia trip through my lens.      

 Now I am sharing a glimpse of Sydney and some other parts of this beautiful country from my archives.                                

Sydney City And Harbour

Sydney Harbour

Lighting Upon Opera House

Sydney Skyline

Sydney Hobert Yacht Race

Darling Harbour

Sydney Harbour From Sydney Tower

Night View Of Sydney 

Colourful Beach

 Canberra

Canberra

Kiama Beach(NSW)

Pacific Grand Drive

Garie Beach(NSW)

Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain  Three Sisters

WentWorth Falls(NSW)

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Port Stephen

Port Stephen

Landscape

 Colourful flowers ,birds and wildlife  of this gorgeous country  are waiting in the queue so please keep in touch :).

           

THE STORY OF MY JOURNEY INTO THE FEATHERED WORLD

Hi ,I am Amrita .I am a nature lover and passionate to take photographs of our beautiful nature.But friends I have  extra special feelings towards our  amazing colourful feathered friends ,birds.:).I really become excited to frame them through my lens.I have created this blog to share my  pics of these beautiful creatures and my experiences which I have gathered  during the  shooting time.

     

     I belong to a small town  in Hooghly  district  near kolkata city and still get the essence of countryside partialy in this concrete age. Natural greenaries, ponds  are there  in my locality which attract birds easily.  Two years back my  journey into this world started very casually .In the end of February when winter gets ready to take farewell and spring starts to enter with his gorgeous beauty , almost regularly I loved to roam around on the rooftop to enjoy the charming weather in the afternoon.There is a big red Sandalwood tree just beside my house which is clearly visible from the rooftop.First day I heard some chirping sound from the tree and noticed few birds were sitting on the tree ,they were jumping and dancing from one branch to another.I observed them for few minutes and realised  that they were actually basking in the afternoon sun,this was the group of common myna. after sometimes when the group left the tree ,

another single bird came and sat on the top of the tree to enjoy  the warmth of the sunlight,this bird was yellow in colour and it's head was black like a hood.I didn't  know it's name at that time but I was extremely happy to see it's beautiful coloration of plumage.Later I got the information about this bird from net .It was Black Hooded Oriole  .From the next day I took my bridge camera(Fujifilm s200 exr) , and started to wait silently with excitement.My effort  didn't go in vain, I framed many different birds like Red Vented Bulbul ,Green Bee Eater ,Purple Sunbird , Asian Pied Starling etc.(later got the name from net).Most afternoons of that spring I  spent on the rooftop to increase the numbers of my collection  and became addicted  and curious to take pics and gather knowledge about this world.                        

                    I am sharing some pics of birds which  I captured  as a beginner with my Fujifilm s200 exr camera ...

                   

Black Hooded Oriole(male)

Red  Vented  Bulbul 

Green Bee Eater

Yellow Footed Green Pigeon

Spotted Dove

Flying Green Bee Eater

Asian Pied Starling

Common Myna

Purple Rumped Sunbird(male)

Purple Sunbird (female)

Purple Sunbird(

From  next time  I will strat to give details of a particular bird and will share my pics .Hope all of you will enjoy my blog ;)