Image Showcase: Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher in a foggy forest

While I’m not particularly passionate about photographing songbirds – there are a few too many variables to deal with in chasing them – there are some species that do draw my attention. The Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher is certainly one of them.

Found in the woodlands of Bharatpur, this is a bird that is often heard but seldom seen. On my last visit, I dedicated several days to finding and photographing this beautiful and elusive little gem. The challenge wasn’t just limited to spotting them, however.

In the dense forests of Keoladeo National Park, light is a luxury even well after sunrise. Very little filters through the canopy, and photographing a skittish, constantly moving bird in such dim conditions pushes both your senses and your camera settings to their limits.

I followed this individual as it flitted through the forest in pursuit of insects, pausing only briefly to rest or preen. tripod would have been more of a hindrance than a help; I had to continually shift my position and find fleeting windows through the dense tangle of branches and leaves surrounding the bird.

The session lasted around 45 minutes, and by the time I made my way back to the rickshaw, my arms were heavy and my body exhausted. Seeing this image on the back of my camera made it all worthwhile, though.