Tal Chapar, Rajasthan

A NEW DAWN - The sun rises over a new day at Tal Chapar. An early morning mist often hangs over the place in winters, giving it a magical look.

CONSERVATION - A forest guard patrols the park early in the morning. The Forest Department has worked hard to help the grassland and its denizens thrive. A degenerating habitat where Blackbuck had to once be fed every summer due to scarcity of grass now has enough and more grass for its 3000+ Blackbucks. What follows in this photo essay is largely the result of this passion for wildlife and conservation.

HARRIER ON A HUNT - Harriers are the amongst the first raptors to get active and, very soon, they are seen gliding all over the grassland. This Montagu's Harrier seems to have gotten lucky.

TAKE-OFF - Blackbucks are India's fastest land mammals, clocking speeds of around 80 km/hr. They are often seen stotting - leaping high above the ground - in the midst of a run. This is meant to be a signal to a predator that the animal is healthy and not worth the chase.

KESTREL RAAGA - A good old stretch is so refreshing in the morning. This Common Kestrel seems to be expressing the same sentiment. And enjoying it too. Kestrels visit the park during winter. They can be spotted all over, especially with their distinguishing hovering (remaining still at the same place while flapping their wings) over the grassland looking for prey.

LAND OF THE LAGGAR - A juvenile Laggar

CUTENESS - As the morning warms up, this Indian Desert Jirds pops it head out of its burrow. After assuring itself that the area is predator-free, it would go ahead and start feeding on plant matter around its colony. Jirds live in underground colonies, with an intricate system of tunnels. They form one of the key prey-bases for birds of prey and small predatory mammals in the grassland.

On flatter (and slightly harder ground), thousands of Spiny-tailed Lizards start emerging. These miniature Godzillas are in fact primarily herbivores! Being cold-blooded, they warm up in the sun before setting about their feeding activity.

THE EARLY BIRD - This resident Tawny Eagle seems to have gotten lucky. In its strong talons is firmly gripped an unwary Spiny-Tailed Lizard. However, the eagle has to be careful here. There are enough and more hungry raptors around that'll try to snatch the prize away. Sadly, Spiny-tailed Lizards are also prized by humans for their tails - the oils extracted are believed to have medicinal properties. In Chapar, good protection principles ensure that they thrive in large numbers.

PUFF AND ROLL - Chapar is on the birwatcher's hotlist due to its long list of rarities. This composite image shows a Stoliczka's Bushchat. What a name! Named after the zoologist Ferdinand Stoliczka, this bird is an enigma. It's distribution is very patchy across North-Western India and is very rarely encountered in its range. No one knows where the bird disappears to breed - a nest has never been seen by a human. And the display it puts up - puffing its chest, the bird sways from one side to the other (as seen in the composite) - seems to have inspired some Bollywood moves! The black and white bird on the left is getting out of breeding plumage (late monsoon). The brown bird on the right in complete non-breeding plumage (early summer).

THE KID - Not your average kid though. This juvenile White-tailed Eagle towered over every other eagle in the grassland while it was around. Standing just under a metre tall, it could be seen from virtually any corner of the grassland. This incredibly rare bird (for India) was recorded for the first (and only time) in Tal Chapar in the winter of 2012-13. The first sighting at Chapar was by our group (on a Darter Photography Tour). The star of the season, it spent the entire winter in the grassland.

RAMP WALK - Another superstar of Chapar. The Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing is often seen here in winters. A small brown bird that is found in groups, this bird migrates here from its breeding grounds in Russia and Kazakhstan. Population estimates of this bird are less than 5000 birds (that's lesser than the number of people in some apartment complexes) and numbers are predicted to fall by 80% in a decade.

DESERT COLOURS - After a dazzling array of different shades of brown, this one seems to stand out. And with a bang! The Blue-cheeked Bee Eater is also very different in another way - it is a summer visitor the park. Traveling all the way from Africa, this bird visits the park in summer to breed. After the breeding season, it makes the long journey back only to return next summer.

MATERNAL CARE - This plain sparrow-like bird is a Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark. This rarity is typically recorded around the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch. The young one seemed to have an endless appetite, as the mother was continuously occupied in finding more and more insects to feed it. Of course, the smart mother would gobble down some of her prey to keep her energy resources going. It took me almost an hour of lying on the ground, making only small adjustments to face the birds, to make this photograph. Well worth the effort, as this remains one of my fondest memories from Tal Chapar.

MY DOMAIN - This Desert Fox kit enjoys a playful evening close to the family den. Desert Foxes, Indian Foxes, Jungle Cats and Desert Cats form the key small predators in this park. They primarily feed on reptiles, small mammals and birds.

CO-EXISTENCE - In any grassland, water is a critical resource. Even more so when it is located on the edge of the Thar Desert. It is not uncommon to see many different species of animals congregate here on a warm afternoon to cool off. In this case, we spent a good amount of time observing this Bonelli's Eagle chilling out, while she was visited by a Blackbuck, a Greenshank and a Monitor Lizard!

PLAYFUL UNDER WATCH - When young ones are around, it is a time of extra caution for the parents. Here, the Grey Francolin was on her way into the safety of the grass when the young ones found something interesting. She had to urge them to move on so as to ensure that they get to their safe roost before nightfall.

ROOSTING TIME - As sunset approaches, the skies of Chapar come to life with thousands of Rosy Starlings flying around in formations. Here, they are all converging onto a potential roost, probably to fly off again if this one doesn't suit their purpose.

INTO THE SUNSET - Tomorrow is another day. Full of action. Full of possibilities. Full of hope.