Flamingos mirrored on the shimmering Rann

Flamingos mirrored on the shimmering Rann

ID: Greater Flamingos (in formative plumage)

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S NIKKOR 200-500MM F/5.6E ED VR
Focal Length: 500mm (35mm equivalent ~ 750mm)
Exif: f/7.1, 1/4000 sec, ISO 5000(Auto)
Location: Great Rann of Kutch, India

   Did you know that the Rann of Kutch (Great and Little) and the Sambhar Lake are the only breeding sites of Greater Flamingos in India.

   There are no touch-ups or tricks involved in the above pic.

   The Great Rann annually becomes an endless natural mirror stretching from horizon to horizon as the summer water dries up to centimetric depths; it continues drying up fully to reveal the famous white desert of shiny salt crust deposit or 'Safed Rann' for 3-4 months of winter before becoming a sea again as south westerly winds of monsoon cause the rising seas to re-inundate it.

Flamboyance in a flaming sunset

ID : Greater Flamingo

Gear : Nikon D7200 with AF-S NIKKOR 200-500MM F/5.6E ED VR

Focal Length : 220 mm (~330mm (35mm equivalent))

Exif :   f/7.1, 1/2500 sec, ISO 200 (Manual Mode, ISO Auto)

Location: Great Rann of Kutch, Kutch, Gujarat

   Did you know that the collective noun for a group of flamingos is called a Flamboyance !

Quite an apt term, don't you think so. BTW, the word flamingo itself is derived from 'flame' due to their colour.

   At times things don't go quite as planned, this was among my first few usage of shooting with the heavy Nikkor 200-500mm (compared to the Nikkor DX 55-300mm) , and while I was positioning myself to click close up shots with maximum zoom with the sun behind my back and lighting the birds, a passing road construction vehicle disturbed them causing them to fly, I had to quickly swivel and somehow managed to zoom out the heavy lens (which was hand held) and click them flying into the sun over the shimmering Rann. Well, the results were far better than what I had originally planned.

   This pic was clicked while driving bang through the Great Rann of Kutch during a beautiful flaming sunset in the month of October.