Shikra: Accipiter badius (Keoladeo Ghana National Park)

Shikra
Accipiter badius

 

Shikra - I had blogged earlier on this character where I spotted one of its kind at Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Delhi. Unfortunately, that photograph was taken through many branches of Acacia upon which it was roosting. However, at Keoladeo, while wandering into the scrubland, I spotted this predator, foot-and-a-half in size perhaps, quietly looking for prey on a dead tree branch. Almost 20-25 feet above my head.

 

Resembling the falcons, they have blue-grey upper parts and brownish, barred breast and tail. Those talons seize any prey. This one spotted one and flew off to grab it. Too much vegetation intervened between my camera and that action to capture it's swoop.

 

However, I counted it a lucky day.

 

 

Photographed at Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India on 29th December, 2013.

 

Camera used: Nikon D5100 DSLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm VR Lens