The main reason for going to Saswad was the vernal hanging-parrots. During the monsoon they come into the jowar fields to feed, and that gives good chances to watch them at close range. I then extended the trip to Bhigwan, a place I had last visited in winter.
Parrots in the Saswad fields
Saswad, near Pune, is known among bird photographers for these parrots during the monsoon. They move onto the mature seed heads and get busy feeding. Once they settle, they don't seem very concerned about photographers being present.
That was the interesting part for me. The birds climbed around the seed heads, sometimes upright and sometimes hanging completely upside down. I could spend time watching the different feeding positions instead of trying to grab one quick frame before the bird disappeared.
Their green plumage worked well against the soft field backgrounds. The overcast monsoon conditions also kept the light even, without the hard contrast that can make these bright birds difficult to expose. The colours came through well without needing direct sun.
Bhigwan after the winter
I had been to Bhigwan the previous winter, when much of the landscape was almost barren. In the monsoon it looked like a different place. The ground was green, and most days brought some drizzle.
The breeding season was already clear from the birds. I kept finding them in pairs or calling from open perches and rocks. There was activity in many places, but not always the sort that happens exactly where the camera is pointed.
Photographing in drizzle was interesting. The light stayed diffused for much of the day, and the wet-season greens gave clean backgrounds and saturated colour. It was a practical advantage of the weather, even if the drizzle itself was always there.
Eight wolves and a fox
The biggest surprise at Bhigwan was not a bird. I encountered a family of eight Indian wolves in the green landscape. After seeing the same area dry in winter, finding a wolf family there during the monsoon was quite an experience.
Some of the wolves stood together, while others moved across the grass and open ground. One also lifted its head and called. With several animals around, I had to keep watching where the rest of the family was rather than staying fixed on only one wolf.
I also came across a Bengal Fox in the drizzle. It sat out in the short green grass long enough for a clear view. That sighting added another mammal to a trip that had started with a very specific plan to photograph parrots.
Saswad gave me the feeding behaviour I had gone there for, especially the parrots hanging from the jowar heads. Bhigwan was less predictable. The birds were in breeding-season activity, and the family of eight wolves and the fox were unexpected additions to the trip.
