It had been a while since we sighted a Hoopoe and photographed the beautiful golden-coloured, crested bird. Hoopoes are normally found on the forest floor, either close to or right on the Jeep tracks itself. However, they tend to fly away when the vehicles get too close.
During one of our safaris into the Bandipur national park, we spotted a Hoopoe on the Jeep tracks and decided to get close to it. So we switched off the Jeep engine and waited. We believe that letting the subject, especially a bird, come close to the Jeep on its own will most of the times result in frame filling compositions. And this time too, we were rewarded for our patience.
To our luck, this Hoopoe turned out to a friendly one. It came close to the Jeep and plonked itself right in the middle of the track. Looking at the way the bird was sitting on the track, we wondered whether it was injured or not. We got our answer in a few moments when the Hoopoe decided to take a Mud bath! This was the first time we saw this behaviour of the bird and we were quite amused to see the Hoopoe really enjoying itself while taking the mud bath.
During one of our safaris into the Bandipur national park, we spotted a Hoopoe on the Jeep tracks and decided to get close to it. So we switched off the Jeep engine and waited. We believe that letting the subject, especially a bird, come close to the Jeep on its own will most of the times result in frame filling compositions. And this time too, we were rewarded for our patience.
To our luck, this Hoopoe turned out to a friendly one. It came close to the Jeep and plonked itself right in the middle of the track. Looking at the way the bird was sitting on the track, we wondered whether it was injured or not. We got our answer in a few moments when the Hoopoe decided to take a Mud bath! This was the first time we saw this behaviour of the bird and we were quite amused to see the Hoopoe really enjoying itself while taking the mud bath.