Author Archives: rahulalvares
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution! An HDR image In the beginning of April 2019 I spent two days birding in Hampi. My partner Simirna and I were guided by Pompayya Malemath who is extremely knowledgable … Continue reading
The Sri Lankan frogmouth is a most bizarre looking nocturnal bird found in the western ghats. The bird is so well camouflaged that is almost impossible to spot when roosting on branches! But once discovered the bird is easy enough … Continue reading
Chrysopelea ornata Maximum length: 5.5 feet Can a snake really fly? Of course not. True powered flight is only achieved by animals with wings like insects, birds, and bats. The flying snake, like flying frogs, flying lemurs, and flying squirrels, … Continue reading
Click on the pics themselves to load them in high resolution Mud dauber is a term commonly applied to a number of wasp species that build their nests out of mud. The females of this species mould mud into a … Continue reading
In September 2014 I did a road trip to the Mojave desert with the sole purpose of finding rattlesnakes and beautiful landscapes. My guide, driver, mentor, entertainer, cost splitter, and companion for the trip was Zeev Nitzan Ginsberg. Without him … Continue reading
The Vigor’s sunbird is one of the few birds that is much better seen during the monsoons than during the dry season in Goa. The photograph below is probably my most prized bird photograph. I shot this bird in very … Continue reading
Click on the images to load them in high resolution The trouble with most camera equipment is that it gets outdated very quickly. Photography equipment is evolving so rapidly these days that many professional photographers simply change their cameras altogether … Continue reading
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution I noticed this very colorful jumping spider on my hand while I was relaxing in a chair outside my house one evening. The little spider was actually tiny (barely a … Continue reading
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution A male Anna’s hummingbird photographed at a feeder right outside where I lived in Eugene. I hid the feeder in some flowers to camouflage it and got this picture by … Continue reading
This oriole sized bird is most closely related to leaf birds. The sexes show strong sexual dimorphism as evident in the pics below. Click on the pics to load them in high resolution. Adults feed primarily on fruit (mostly figs … Continue reading
Ahaetulla pulverulenta Average length: 3 feet Vine snakes are synonymous with the color green and are the epitome of camouflage when they inhabit plants and trees. So why is this species of vine snake brown in color? For the simple … Continue reading
Click on the images themselves to load them in high resolution The Indian moon moth is a species of Saturnid moth found in Asia. It is widespread and found from India to Japan and Nepal to Borneo. Like most moths … Continue reading
In the beginning of July 2014 I did my most spectacular and exciting wildlife trip in the US so far: a road trip to Yellowstone National park! Heidi did the driving for most of the 3000 mile round trip. She … Continue reading
Here’s a collection of some of my best owl shots! Click on the pics to load them in high resolution Jungle owlet Spotted owlet Brown fish owl Barn owl pics below
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution Nyctibatracus Average length: 2.5 inches ‘It simply has to be a bird. The call is unmistakably bird-like. But why would a bird call in the middle of the night in … Continue reading
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution Atlas moths are among the largest moths in the world and found in the forests of Southeast Asia. Their wingspans can measure over 11 inches. Females are a fair bit … Continue reading
The following photographs are a collection of landscape shots taken on the west coast of the United States. All are HDR images and I shot three photographs for each image created. Sunset in Portland: I’m driving the car on the … Continue reading
Common Kingfisher Common Kingfisher Common Kingfisher White throated Kingfisher Black capped kingfisher Black capped kingfisher Pied Kingfisher Pied kingfisher Pied kingfisher Pied kingfisher Pied kingfisher Pied kingfisher Collared kingfisher Oriental dwarf kingfisher Oriental dwarf kingfisher Blue eared kingfisher Blue eared … Continue reading
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution. Venomous Average length: 2 feet ‘Have you seen the bright yellow viper in the bush in front of the building?’asked Chetana ‘Is it still there?’ I asked while continuing to … Continue reading
The longhorn beetle belongs to a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle’s body! The family is large, with over 26,000 species described! I am clueless … Continue reading
For higher resolution images click on the images themselves. Sunset in the Yarra range ‘Hey! If you gonna take me pictures of me plants, you gotta pay me!’ I freeze hearing the gruff angry voice coming from a short old … Continue reading
When I brought out my coffee table book ‘Birds of Goa’ coauthored with Heinz Lainer, I compiled almost 300 images for it that were all shot over a span of one and half years. Interestingly 40% of these images were … Continue reading
Click on the pics below to load them in high resolution With a body like a creeper, a tail as slim and delicate as a tendril, and a parrot green color finish, the Vine snake secures a place as one … Continue reading
Click on the pics to load them in high resolution As you can clearly see in the pictures below this butterfly is excellently camouflaged in the shape and color of a dry leaf! Infact the butterfly is so confident of … Continue reading
For high res images click on the pictures themselves It’s six in the morning and yet there’s a surprising amount of traffic on the road to Auckland city. ‘Oh don’t worry about that, you’ll see plenty of deserted places once … Continue reading