Brahminy Myna

I was working on my computer when I heard an unfamiliar bird call outside. I rushed to the exterior with the camera in my hand. Birds here are very shy and taking snaps of them is rather challenging. A beautiful creature was sitting on the back wall. There was no time to check the camera settings so I took a couple of quick snaps. Then I tried to move a bit closer for a side profile but the bird was gone in an instant flying low into the high grass.

A little googling revealed that it was either a 'Neelkanth' (نیل کنٹھ) i.e. an Indian Roller bird or a Brahminy Myna. Since I was not able to see it from the sides, I remained confused. Both are said to be common throughout the Indo-Pak subcontinent. 

However, the bird in the picture was without the characteristic bluish hue on its throat which is a hallmark of Indian Rollers. Finally, its prominent crest, beak pattern, and a white under-tail decided the case in favor of the later.

Waxing Crescent

Waxing or growing crescent on the fifth day of Shawwal 1441, Islamabad, Pakistan at around 8 P.M.

Taking pictures of the moon with a basic bridge camera and without a tripod, are quite tricky. Nonetheless, after dozens of attempts, I was able to capture a clear snap. Settings for this shot were ISO 100, f/5.9, and 1/100th sec. shutter speed.

The picture below is of the same moon phase during day time at around 4:30 pm. The settings for this shot were ISO 80, f/5.9, and 1/160th sec. shutter speed. But this shot is rather grainy by the comparison.

Piacentino White and Mr. Chittu

Piacentio white pigeon on neighbor's balcony
and Mr. Chittu, our odd-eye colored house cat, looking up wistfully.

Pigeon keeping as a hobby has waned in its popularity in Pakistan over the years, although it is still practiced by many enthusiasts at places. One such fancier resides in our neighborhood and his prized pigeons sometimes visit our house. 

I spotted this bird with peculiar eyes and searched the internet. It was a Piacentino White (peeaa chen te no), a breed from northern Italy that dates back to the 19th century. The bird remained posed majestically on the balcony for some time and then safely flew away.

Crested Tree Lizard

Today while trying to photograph birds and butterflies in our garden, I spotted a very long lizard. It was more than a foot long with a cute little crest over its head and an unusually long tail. It turned out to be a Crested Tree Lizard (no surprises here, I must say).

Unlike birds, it proved to be highly courteous and gave me ample time to focus and take snaps. In fact, it remained frozen in the same position for nearly an hour. Perhaps it was actually startled and decided stay put.

These lizards are related to New World Iguanas but are much smaller in stature. The males of the specie change color during fights and breeding season, hence also called 'Changeable Lizards'.

An Altercation

An altercation between a Black Kite bird and crows. Everyone wants the premier lookout spot in the area.

Black kites are medium-sized birds of prey that have adapted well to civilization. Mainly scavengers, these are the most common birds in the subcontinent after House Crows, Sparrows, and Common Myna.

A Bulbul in our yard

Red-vented bulbul

Bulbul is the much-loved songbird of Urdu poets. It was used as a metaphor by nearly all of the classical ghazal writers. I remember it from my school days through Professor Qayyum Nazar’s poem ‘Bulbul a Bacha’ (Baby Bulbul) and Iqbal’s ‘Bulbul aur Jugnu’ (Bulbul and the Firefly).  It is sometimes translated as Nightingale in English, but a Nightingale is a very different, mainly European songbird.

It was not long ago that Bulbul, Koel, and other local birds were a common sight in Pakistan. But habitat loss, extensive hunting and chemical sprays on the crops have decimated the bird and insect populations in the area. The remaining ones are shy and avoid people in general.

I noticed this bird a few days ago in our front yard. But it was always cloaked within leaves high up in the tree branches. It took me nearly an hour to get a clear snap of this handsome specimen.