Summer update - Two

Okay, these shots are not about Summer update related. Its just that I wanted to start with some colourful shots. 

I actually find it difficult to include bright coloured shots of different subjects in a post even when I like each shot individually, if colours arent in very much harmony, when together they create lot of visual conflict. I am trying a work around of separating them by some text so that both doesn't occupy screen at once and brain also doesn't jump from one colour to another straight away. that is why text in previous post was between two Sunrise shots and so is this text.

In below shot, actually I was attracted to this bright thorn (Spine actually as it was part of leaf, wikipedia tells me) and that mite is just at the right place purely by chance. as with my all shots with mites, I saw it only after it was in frame. 

Coming to the Summer update, correct title should have been an update of Summer that isn't. for almost last one week, reality felt like no less than a dream. Dark clouds, some rain followed by cool and refreshing breeze for a week was amazing but at the same time, I hope this relief now isn't indication of problems with monsoon ahead.

Keeping with the season, damselflies of all different colours and sizes are back. yet to take a good shot though.

Also around are those jumping spiders I never get tired of shooting. I see them in less numbers though compared to last year.

On birds front, saw this happy lapwing pair. at first I thought one of them, who was making large circle in front of other and then landing in a way that other had to save itself by ducking was a manner of fight but later their happy dance made it clear that it was some courtship ritual and not fight.

Photo is not good as is taken from a distance but I did not have much option as going nearer might have meant they going away and more importantly, standing under the Sun wasn't an option even if they didn't mind me standing at 10ft.

Then, I had an encounter with this completely unexpected and never seen before visitor. As I came out of front door when it was already dark outside, I sensed some movement just two three feet away on ground. Couldnt see properly but it appeared like thick short snake. I was almost sure it wont be a snake as all my previous encounters with them were of the individuals that moved very swiftly and wary of humans while this something, if there was anything at all in first place was there unmoving as I tried to see what shape it was. I then got a small torch and it was indeed a snake. When after another minute or two I finally remembered that I can take a shot with flash and came back with camera, snake was still there, but moving slowly now.

Eryx johnii

Eryx johnii - Red Sand Boa

Naming this snake was yet again an experience that makes me realise that what probably I don't lack so much in intelligence is made up by lack of presence of mind. Basically my Identification effort progressed like this. Before I start: "wow, this is a new snake. how it looks like having heads at both ends! let me try to find its ID." -- spend unreasonably long time looking at snake pictures where this species is also present but cant make up my mind -- taking a break from trying to find ID, I google after all what does that snake which is called a two headed snake (Do-muha in Hindi) looks like.

I would have concluded this post with red sand boa positioned as high point of this summer update but.. two days back, looking out of window, mom calls me and claims something is running around out there. As I see, there indeed was a tiny ball so well camouflaged over ground, running around. I could only think of it as francolin baby - except that if it was one, I expected it to be running along with its five six siblings behind their parents and not alone like this. a better look with 400mm quickly made it clear that its body language was that of a confident adult and not any juv plus, it looked like a quail! Now okay, I have never seen a quail, but aren't they much bigger? turning some pages of book gives the ID. its a buttonquail - a small bird that looks like quail but isn't.

Cloudy low-light day and restless bird meant shots weren't as good, but it didn't matter that much.

Barred Buttonquail (Female)

as a bonus, I got to see this big rat snake that was passing by. Buttonquail was not afraid of him and walked to reach as close as few inches of it's tail.