Panorama of Marine Drive of Mumbai

Panorama of Marine Drive of Mumbai. Stitched 16 images to get this. This image is 5 times smaller than the original image.

Clicked with Canon 7D&Canon 70-200 L 2.8 IS ii USM@ 135mm
Used Photoshop to convert the raw files to Jpeg and for final exposure correction and cropping and filling in the blank space. Used PTgui to stitch the images.

Please scroll towards right ==>

My very first wish - Owning of a Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500

I was around 5 years old and first thing that I thought of when I sat on my uncle's (mama - Maternal uncle) Royal Enfield Bullet was, I too will also get this bike like Kishore mamaya.
The smell, the feel, the tank grip, the console, the thump of that bike is still fresh in my mind. On 1st Feb I finally got one for myself. This one is not anywhere near to the model that my uncle used to ride. But this is for belongs to same lineage.

I tried to get one back in 2007 when I was in Hyderabad but due to the need of the hour I had to spend the money saved to get my first car "Lady in Red" Fiat Palio Stile 1.6 Sport.

I never knew the exact model name of my mamas Bullet. But since I got the understanding of the specs and started following automobiles I wanted to get a 500 CC version.

Almost a month back I got to talk a dear and near friend of mine, we happened to discuss this unfulfilled wish of mine to own a RE Bullet. She felt that its time that I should get it and it kicked off the itch to get it. I wanted to get a 500CC from 70 or 80s line up. I was tight on budget and all of the 500s advertised were priced almost double.

I tried finding a used 500 through my friends in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Banglore and Ahmedabad and all of them said that no 500s are available for sale. So I kind of at reached dead end.

I decided to go for brand new bike. I approached a colleague who owns a Thunderbid 350 he told me that wait time for a new 500 Classic is around 6 to 8 months. He suggested me to check with a local mechanic for a used bike. He got me the contact from one of his co rider from "One Ride".

I casually called up the mechanic and to my surprise Mechanic confirmed that he has a 500 and asked me to come down to check the vehicle.

Next day I visited the owned of the bike and tested it. Bike was in great shape other than couple of small dents and scratches. First ride was amazing, the amount of power it delivers and the ease of handling it. with few seconds into the ride I made up my mind that I am going to buy this bike. With in 5 days I brought it. It was quick and smooth transaction. As of now the transfer of ownership is in progress.

The very next day I took it out for a 30km ride to a place call Por Timibi near Waghodia and did a little shoot of my beautiful possession.

Vadhvana/Wadhwana/Wadhvana Eco camp/Wet Lands/Bird Sanctury - The mini Birds paradise

Vadhvana/Wadhavana is a small lake situated 50 kms form Vadodara. 150 kms from Ahmedabad. This is used as a small reservoir for agricultural in surrounding villages.

Its very well connected with motor able road. So one can drive there in vehicles. Following is the rough sketch of the directions to Vadhvana.

One can take State transport buses till near by Dabhoi town and take auto rickshaw from there to Vadhvana or take cool Narrow Gauge train till Vadhvana/Wadhvana village and hire an auto to the lake.

3rd alternative is to take train from Vadodara (Anand to Chota Udaipur) starts from Vadodara at 6:50Am and reaches Vadhvana by 8:00Am. From railways station its a kms walk or you can take an auto. For returning you can again take Train to Vadodara scheduled  12:45 and 18:00

Best season to visit this place is Nov starting  to Jan end. Nov is the time when migratory birds will start flying in. As many as 34 types of Migratory birds can be spotted over here. Right from Flamingos to Eurasian Wrynecks. Following are few of the birds that I managed to click at Vadhvana.

How Vadhvana looks in summers



To start off with, a common sight at Vadhvana during migratory seasons.



Sparrow lark



Syberian Stone Chat Female



Black Winged Stilts and Lesser egret



Brahminy Ducks or Rudy Shell Ducks in flight



Marsh Harrier in flight


Black Headed Gull adult nonbreeding in flight



Godwits



Common Coot



Cotton Pygmy Geese


Take off of Brahminy Ducks or Rudy Shell Ducks



Flight of Glossy Ibis



Northern Shoveler in flight




Couple of Pied Kingfishers



White throated kingfisher



Eurasian Wryneck



Couple of Stilts



Pond Heron



Purple Heron in flight


Eurasian Wegion



Olive Sunbird



Osprey In flight


On perch warning a crow

Paddy field Pippit



River Tren's slipped catch



Northern Shoveler (Male) and Comb ducks Basking in Sun



Northern Shoveler (Male and Female)



Greater Egret waiting for prey



Odd man out a mammal



Red Headed Bunting (Female)



Green Footed Green pigeon





White Browed Bulbul



Couple of Brahminy Starling



Asian Koel (Male)



Common Wagtail



This Osprey is always there to welcome you at Vadhvana. This was only time when I saw so much of water at Vadhvana



Copper Smit Barbet



Asian Koel (Female)



Indian Robin (Male)



White Throated Kingfisher



Red Headed Bunting (Male)



Common Sparrow (Male)



Common Sparrow (Female)



Indian Open Bill



Shikra feasting on a skink



Ringed Plover



Painted Snipe



Comb Duck in flight



Eurasian Spoonbill



During summer almost whole lake dries up. This was in june we had to walk down to middle of the lake to spot birds.

Painted Stork, Glossy Ibis, Lesser Egret, Eurasian Spoon bill



Grey heron, Spoon bills



Painted Storks



Pied Kingfisher



White/Black headed ibis



Pratincole



Grey Heron in flight



Juv Greater Flamingo





Booted Warbler



Couple of Gereb



White Wagtail



Yellow Wagtail



Orphean warbler



Pheasant-tailed Jacana



Red naped Ibis



Hoopoe





Wire Tailed Swallows




Purple Moorhen



Yellow crowned Woodpecker



Shikra/Sparrow Hawk



Bronze winged Jacana immature



Bronze winged Jacana mature



Small Minivet



Commmon Pochard (Female)



Long Tailed Shrike



Grey Lag Goose



River Tren

A

A couple of Black Necked Storks




Ruff



Cormorant taking off



Ringged Parakeet



Common Blue Kingfisher



Blue tailed Bee Eater



Black Drongo



Golden Oriole



Common Hawk-Cuckoo


Common Teal



Honey eyed Buzzard

Need to ID the following birds:

Red headed bunting (female) or some other bird


A pair of Little Gerbe

Female

Male:

Falcon


Sandpiper (Need ID confirmation)