Red billed Blue Magpie

The property we were staying at Near Satal, Uttarakhand at height of approx. 5000 feet had a few wonderful furry visitors, one such Red billed Blue magpie was a treat to the eye.

The red-billed blue magpie is a brightly colored member of the crow and jay family. Bird species in this family, called Corvidae, are known for their intelligence and problem-solving skills. It is believed that their showy tails play a role in courtship displays. Its long tail is a brighter violet-blue, and it has a wide white tip. The main feathers on its wings are also violet-blue. One of the most striking features is its bright orange-red bill. Its legs, feet, and the ring around each eye are also this same bright red color. Sometimes, this red color can look almost yellow in some birds, depending on where they live.

The red-billed blue magpie lives across a large area. You can find it in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. It also lives further east, stretching into countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It is also found throughout central and eastern China, reaching up to southwest Manchuria.

These birds prefer to live in evergreen forests and bushy areas. They especially like hilly or mountainous places. They have even learned to live in cities! You can see them in big Chinese cities like Beijing and Hong Kong. Red-billed blue magpies build their nests in trees and large bushes. Their nests are usually not very deep. A female magpie typically lays three to five eggs.

These birds look for food both in trees and on the ground. They eat many different things. This includes small bugs, other tiny animals, fruits, and some seeds. They are also known to take eggs and baby birds from other nests. are very good at copying sounds. Their calls are quite varied. However, their most common calls are a harsh rattling sound and a high-pitched whistle that sounds a bit like a flute.

© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing

#travelphotography#rajatghoshphotography #biketaleswithrajat #wildlifephotographer#redbilledbluemagpie

Bolpur, shantiniketan, west bengal waiting room

Waiting room at bolpur station

Delightful and cute Small , clean, ac r/s 10 per hour,

Sits 30 people at a time , has water n snack counter , n a picture if Mr Tagore for company, Location on platform 1

Rajat Ghosh

Dalma Bird festival 2026

Plum Headed Parakeet, what an apt name , seen in Dalma, bird festival time, in Jharkhand The Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a small, vibrant green Indian subcontinent native, distinguished by the male's plum-red head (grey-blue in females) and long, white-tipped tail. Measuring 33–37 cm, these social, affectionate birds inhabit forests and woodlands. They are protected in India and generally not kept as pets • Appearance: Males have a dark red head with a purplish-blue hue, a black collar, and a maroon shoulder patch. Females have a bluish-gray head with a yellow collar. Both have white-tipped tails. • Behavior: They are known for their swift, twisting flight and high-pitched "tui" calls. • Habitat: They prefer woodlands, forests, and cultivated areas, typically below 1,500m. • Diet: Primarily seeds, fruits, and berries. • Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, although their population is decreasing.

Location : Dalma, state : Jharkhand The Jungle Owlet is an insect connoisseur. It feeds on a variety of these invertebrates including beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, and cicadas. But its diet doesn't stop there. This small owl will also feed on reptiles, such as lizards, small birds, and small mammals, such as rodents. The jungle owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) or barred jungle owlet is native to the Indian Subcontinent. The species is often found singly, in pairs or small groups, and they are usually detected by their calls at dawn and dusk.

Jerdons Bush lark : Location Dalma Range State : Jharkhand INDIAN BUSHLARK. It is distinguished from Jerdon's bush lark by its shorter bill and legs and longer tail. The plumage of the Indian bush lark is pale and it has a cheek patch completely bounded by a white supercilium and post-auricular border. The crown and upper-parts are heavily streaked. Their stout beaks enable them to crush most seeds they handle. Most larks have a well-developed song which they often deliver as part of a song flight; the song of the European Skylark has been the subject of numerous poems; probably the most well-known is Shelley's To a Skylark: Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!


© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing


Some of the images and about birds as seen in Dalma,

Summer

What makes a good image ?

LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHY

Story in picture, message in picture

As summer drawn near do remember to put out water for the birds, seed-eating birds such as finches and sparrows have diets low in moisture and therefore need to drink water more frequently than fruit-eating species like toucans or orioles,

© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing

#Thirst#storytellingimage #wildlifephotographer#biketaleswithrajat#photographyworkshop

Holi

Holi is celebrated as a festival of triumph of good over evil in the honour of Hindu god Vishnu and his devotee Prahlada.

Yes, Holi is joyful and colourful—but behind the fun lies a powerful inner message: burn what is negative, and colour life with virtues.

Holi is usually celebrated over two days: Chhoti Holi (Holika Dahan) and Dhulandi (Rangwali Holi). On Chhoti Holi, a pyre is lit—known as Holika Dahan. The tradition comes from the story of King Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahlad. The king, blinded by arrogance, tried to destroy his son’s devotion to Lord Vishnu. He asked his sister Holika to sit with Prahlad in fire, hoping the flames would consume him.

Holika believed she would remain safe because of a fireproof cloth. But destiny changed everything—the cloth flew to Prahlad, protecting him, while Holika burned to ashes. This is why Holika Dahan is remembered as the victory of good over evil and faith over arrogance.

• Holika represents our vices—anger, ego, greed, jealousy, and attachment.

• Prahlad symbolises faith, purity, and truth.

• The fire represents divine wisdom that burns away impurities.

In some places, people burn koki (a sweet bread) tied to a thread. The bread burns, but the thread remains—symbolising that the physical body perishes, but the soul is eternal.

The second day of Holi is filled with colours, laughter, and celebration. But beyond external colours lies the spiritual meaning of Holi colours—God colours our souls with virtues.

The Colour of Happiness: Divine remembrance removes sorrow and fills life with inner bliss. When the mind is with God, every moment feels like a celebration.

The Colour of Power: Real strength is not physical might—it is inner purity. When we burn weaknesses, we gain the power to uplift others. Instead of only applying colour to the face, let's immerse ourselves, us souls, in these divine colours. Festival of Holi - A chance for transformation.

© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing

#Holi#storytellingimage #wildlifephotographer#biketaleswithrajat#photographyworkshop

Lunar Eclipse

Lunar eclipse: What is a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon,

A lunar eclipse, also called a blood moon, is an astronomical event that occurs when the Moon orbits through Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses occur during eclipse season, when the Moon's orbital plane is approximately in line with Earth.

© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing #LunarEclipse#storytellingimage #wildlifephotographer#biketaleswithrajat#photographyworkshop

Compositional elements in wildlife images

What makes a good image ?

LEARNING WILDLIFEPHOTOGRAPHY

Compositional elements in Photography

. Typically being able to see the eye makes an image interesting , here we see the eye of the chestnut-tailed-starling, just like when we talk to someone we look at there eyes, same way, focusing on the eye is ideal and details of the eye makes an image more appealing.

Pattern- adding elements which are similar / repetitive and breaking the monotony by adding one which is different,

Like here we see: One ruddy shelduck Along with a bunch of Cormorants

Ruddy shelduck is a common winter visitor in India where it arrives by October and departs by April. Its typical breeding habitat is large wetlands and rivers with mud flats and shingle banks, and it is found in large numbers on lakes and reservoirs. It breeds in high altitude lakes and swamps in Jammu and Kashmir.

© Rajat Ghosh, stock footage / pictures available for licensing

#rajatghoshphotograph#storytellingimage #wildlifephotographer#biketaleswithrajat#photographyworkshop