Trying to finish up some of my India photos from 2010 with some of the assorted birdlife of Assam and Aranachal Pradesh. The first two shots were both taken handheld from a canoe, no easy task with the long telephoto lens in use. Notice the shallow depth of field when using such long focal lengths, particularly with wide apertures. Fast shutter speeds were essential and thank goodness for image stabilization technology.
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is the only jacana to have a different breeding plumage (as seen here). Jacanas are a group of waders that are identifiable by their wide feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes. This is a common species, not considered threatened or endangered.
The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Tibet. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world where it is considered an invasive pest partly due to their habit of damaging fruit crops and dispersing the seeds of invasive plants.
Canon 5D Mark 2 at 700mm F8.0, shutter speed 1/400 second at ISO 1000. (exposure increased by 1.0 stop in post-processing)
For more, check out the Assam Wildlife image gallery! ~KD.