Nikkor 200-500 VR/TC 14 III @700mm, f8, ISO 560 (+0.3 EV), Nikon Z 6 Afternoon; catching flying insects it loves to perch in the twilight of the canopy in tropical and subtropical forests (Ghats, Kerala area). Local birders observed some also come to winter to the park from the north from places like Himalayan valleys (interestingly, in other valleys, they migrate altitudinally or stay all year in the warm Bhutan valleys in the east). These moist forest little characters are an example of how molecular data as a new source of information in detailing evolutionary relations identify distinct groups for species previously placed in various other families. In this case, it’s a new family of fairy flycatchers with four genera (two species in this genus) and the data revealed the group is related to penduline tits/tits rather than to true flycatchers. Rajasthan forest
Sigma 100-400 OS C @400mm, f6.3, Nikon D750 From time to time a leopard strays to the garden from the rising ridge in the background. Assam
Nikkor 200-500 VR/TC 14 III @700mm, f8, ISO 200 (-0.3 EV), Nikon Z 6 Early morning light; the agile, brightly coloured aerial specialists hunt most of the flying insects. The larger, equally striking European bee-eater has been making attempts to nest in the UK. This depends on available nesting habitats and healthy insect populations as the warming climate suits the strictly migrating insectivore with limited nesting opportunities. Regular nesting in South Moravia, for example started in the mid-80s. Since then, the numbers of the nesting pairs have been going steadily up (though again, suitable habitats have to be preserved). One of the two species we managed to photograph in the park. *Nesting site built by Surrey Wildlife Trust for sand martins earlier this year: https://tinyurl.com/sandMartinsNesting Rajasthan (*It's not to say we come from S. Moravia)
