Red-wattled Lapwing NO match for the Daman Snake Mount Abu

Red-wattled Lapwing is NO match for the Daman Snake 

6 April 2019.

I have been observing the Red-winged lapwings for a little over a week. This year she changed her nesting site. The birds have been constantly vigilant in chasing away the mongoose, the stray dogs that pass by, and the raptors that approach too close. They avoid the few cats that roam this area. 

Yesterday the ruckus the pair created caused a small flock of lapwings to appear out of nowhere got my curiosity I immediately grabbed my camera and went out to investigate. The birds were battling a losing battle against a nine-foot Daman that had sneaked upon the mother sitting on her eggs. 

All the ruckus and the feigning by the birds to draw the snake away from the eggs failed. It filled me with rage and wanted to intervene, but then held back letting nature take its course. I saw the snake swallow two eggs and then all hell broke loose one bird pecked the snake on the crown of its head, and two others moved in dangerously close to attack. The snake spooked and moved off from the nest with the birds giving it chase. For a long time, they flew around in circles making a ruckus.

The Lapwing approached her nest cautiously, poked around adjusted the two remaining eggs using her protective body and settled down. The chicks in the eggs are probably ready to hatch any day now. Really wonder if nature will be grateful to let the two eggs hatch, but I have my reservations, it’s a eat dog eat world we live in I’m sure the Daman will come to make a meal of the other two eggs left behind. I can hear the birds making a ruckus I'll go have a dekko and get right back to finishing this episode.

Yes, the Daman returned, but the birds being vigilant could steer him away from the nest. They have won this round but for how long before this slippery slimy god's creation decides it’s time for a meal. Till then, it’s adieu 

Red-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus indicus TRYING TO ATTACK DAMAN

Daman at the nest swallowed two eggs 

Red-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus indicus TRYING TO ATTACK DAMAN

Trying to draw out the Daman 

Getting the Damans attention 

Feigning injury 

Daman the Abu Rat snake

Non-poisonous Snake

Two eggs remaining 

Daman made a meal of two eggs.

To read more on this Red-wattled Lapwing click the link below

Folklore and myth of the Red-wattled lapwing Rajasthan.

This small video clip I took today Will the pair see their chicks?

You and your Camera Mount Abu 6 June 15.

From Walker to One-Arm Bandit: A Photographic Journey Through Recovery

When mobility was a distant dream following my injury, I found peace and purpose in an unexpected partner - my Mac. As I overcame the difficulties of limited movement with a walker, I became known as "you and your Mac." I had no idea that this would be the start of a life-changing experience.

Obsession with the nuances of the Apple operating system became a daily practice for me. It was a comfortable distraction, a doorway into the world outside my immediate surroundings. I gradually let go of the walker and welcomed the freedom provided by a one-arm bandit, allowing me to explore the world with greater mobility.

As I went outside, my trusty camera became an extension of me. Hours passed into pure bliss as I studied nature and photographed the few lovely images my neighbourhood had to offer. I focused my camera on anything that flew, moved, or crawled, demonstrating my newfound respect for life's fleeting moments.

Today, I'd like to share with you some of the intriguing items that attracted my notice throughout our outdoor adventures. The camera became more than just a tool for me on my road to recovery and rekindling. I've ditched the moniker "you and your Mac" in favour of "you and your cameras."

Each camera click signifies a step ahead in my recovery process, a visual story of resolve and the quest for beauty in unexpected places. Life may have thrown me a curveball, but through my camera lens, I've learned to focus on the positives, converting obstacles into chances for development.

Join me on this photographic adventure, where the moniker "You and your cameras" has become a badge of honour. It's a testimonial to the flexibility that comes from adversity, as well as the capacity to discover beauty in the ordinary. Every image tells a narrative - a story of recovery, passion, and the unwavering spirit that pulls us ahead, one photograph at a time.

The Large-billed crows have made the tower in front of my house their haunt and attack any bird or animal that transgresses their domain. The only time they move out is when the Peregrine Falcon alights on the tower.
 Birds, insects and beasts around the house.will be posted shortly.

Animals and reptiles.

Monitor lizard

 Monitor lizard

 Squirrel

 Monkey

Daman Rat Snake

Daman Rat Snake

 Doby the hunter was taken away by the 

leopard in December.

Insects.

 Ant attack

 Butterfly

 Dragonfly

 Dragonfly

Flowers.

 Rose

  Rose

  Rose

  Rose

 Wild fruit

 Wild flowers

Shoe flower

Birds.

 Black Stork Ciconia nigra   

 Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata fasciata   

 Common Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus   

 Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis

House Sparrow Passer domesticus indicus

House Sparrow Passer domesticus indicus

Strange colour markings for this species

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Shikra Accipiter badius   - Male

Shikra Accipiter badius   - Female

Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus

Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis  

White-naped Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes festivus

White-throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis

With crab.

Some Abstract photos.

 Paper article flying through the air

  Paper article flying through the air

  Paper article flying through the air

  Paper article flying through the air

If I asked you to guess what's this you 

would probably be at a loss

It's an ice cube melting in the sun.

Full Moon June 2015.

Click on the image to see the beauty of it.

I guess a little bit of Luna does enter my upper attic, making me reach for my camera so that I'm compelled to snap the satellite of ours. Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Me and my Mac Abu

Bought my Mac on the 15^th Feb 2012, it’s really AN IMPRESSIVE MACHINE the clarity has me blown. It has an amazing array of awe-inspiring gadgets or software. The camera is out of this world; it would be a pleasure talking to friend’s n relatives via it.  It will take me a while to figure out the INS n outs of its workings it’s quite different to windows.

To be honest I still miss my win 7 operating system, yea I do have it instated in parallel with this operating system and once in a while I know I will have to fall back on it akin to visiting an ole mate who has shared my deepest and darkest secrets.

The Mac reminds me of a beautiful woman with extremely slender and refined features, one that makes one take notice straight away, yea that’s how I got hooked for this sleek Mac hook line and sinker. It reminds me of Liz when I first met her after my jaunts around the world. My roving days came to an end after meeting her, could this be an adieu to my window episode with this newfound OS. 

Look at Mount Abu through my eyes

Over the years I have taken photographs of my home town Mount Abu. It is a paradise in reality and not like the mystical "Shangri-La". Welcome to the Amaturers corner of photography.

My eyes are my camera Appreciate Mount Abu

ELIZABETH MY BITTER HALF PART II Mt.ABU

Liz's ordeal with "Takayasu arteritis" 

As promised, I am here to continue my story concerning my bitter half. After the removal of her small toe, I brought Liz home to Abu. It was bitterly cold as it was the month of January. To keep Liz warm I made sure the room’s temperature never fell below 22 C, mentally and physically worn out. Her ordeal had just begun. Her life changed with Takayasu arteritis, but she was fortunate it only affected her ankle as it can be terminal if it affects the heart. The nights were terrifying as she went through agonizing pain; even powerful painkillers had little effect on her. Her toes turned black and began to resemble something from a horror movie as blood flow decreased. Dry Gangrene had set in.

I called Dr. Anandan in the Maldives and inquired how much longer Liz would have to bear this bombardment. He responded calmly, saying they needed to wait and see how much damage there was before deciding on amputation. I am a complete cynic; his soothing remarks left me shattered. Liz, on the other hand, had complete trust in her mentor's prognosis; she endured the pain with dignity and awaited his return from the Maldives.

Dr. Anandan couldn't make it on his scheduled dates, which made me worried. Liz seemed a bit anxious, something I hadn't seen before.. Her big and second toes were gone to charcoal, shrivelled, and were not a pleasing sight to behold.

A lot has happened since I posted my last blog on her. Today I am in a better frame of mind and do not have the proverbial ‘sword of Damocles’ hanging over my head. After the removal of the small toe, the other toes followed suit. Here are some photographs taken by my web camera of her foot to forward to Dr.Anand.

Dr. Anandan who was one of the chief physicians to the President of the Maldives and had to be away for long breaks, kept in touch with me via e-mail. Here is one such extract.
Dr. Anand.
M.S., M.N.A.M.S., F.I.C.S.,
Dip. Laparoscopy (Germany),
Consultant surgeon,
E-Mail - dranand108@yahoo.com
Dear SIR, NICE to get your mail. You can continue to use the ointment for the foot and request Dr Sharma to have a look periodically to see the foot to decide whether further disarticulation of the toes is needed. Since they have requested me to visit another hospital to take care of a few more surgical cases, I may have to delay my return to Mt Abu. I will try to come as soon as possible. Meanwhile please send me mail often
Anand---

Ainsley wrote:

> Good Day Dr Anand,

How are you? Here is a report as to the progress of my better half, Elizabeth. Although she's improving, there's a minor problem - her skin opens up and there's a reddish and yellowish fluid coming out of her foot when she walks. The third toe at the joint is pink, but the rest has turned black, she has stopped taking painkillers and does not experience the pain that she had previously felt. Also between her toes, she has some raw skin which is difficult to clean. Should we use some medicated cream to keep these parts moist as the climate has turned very dry and the skin also has turned dry?

Do you believe in miracles? I do not, but what I have witnessed is certainly a miracle, the miracle of wonder drugs that have made the impossible possible. Sal Hospital doctors suggested that amputating Liz's leg above the ankle was the best solution to save her life. They did the angiography in 2003 in the month of December, it’s now five years and the team of doctors who had attended to Liz still cannot believe that this adorable woman is still alive and kicking. She’s still on medication, moves around and is in good health. Her foot does give her trouble, especially in the winters, so each winter we leave our Abode in the Mount and head like migratory birds for warmer destinations; Goa, Madras, Ahmadabad and Bombay have been a few of our winter destinations these last few years.
The tide that had taken a turn for the worse in our lives with Liz’s ordeal has helped us to come out of it with a better understanding of what life is all about. We know we are not yet out of the woods, but are thankful that we still have each other to tide us over if the next tsunami hits. Her foot has healed but she has to be very cautious and careful that she never hurts her foot accidentally, as it would take ages to heal. This is a snapshot of her foot as of today.

To have a better idea of this rare disease "Takayasu arteritis" click on the links below

http://vasculitis.med.jhu.edu/typesof/takayasu.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takayasu