ML163556991

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

The upper slopes of the Himalayas is home to a magical bird with an iridescent plumage and metallic crest - The Himalayan Monal. This species of pheasant is found at elevations between 8000 to 12000 feet in the Himalayas extending all the way from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, southern Tibet and Bhutan. This montane species is found on steep grassy slopes of upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with alpine meadows. Winters are considered a better time for bird photography in the Himalayas. There is very little movement of vehicles through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and birds are mostly undisturbed. The road between Kedarnath and Badrinath - the two religious places of the Char Dham Yatra, is open to vehicular traffic during the summers which disturbs the birds. Trying for two whole days to get a decent shot of this beautiful bird only on the third day was I lucky enough to get a good shot of the Monal with a foreground of beautiful green grass and wild flowers as opposed to most of the Monal images I have seen against barren trees, snow or dried grass.

Technical information

Model

ILCA-77M2

Lens

150-600mm F5-6.3 SSM

ISO

3200

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

800 pixels x 1200 pixels

Original file size

399.56 KB