Grey headed lapwing

Mangalajodi, Chilika.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 400mm f2.8 L IS USM, EF 2xII, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/2000, full frame image.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

What a catch! Awesome one, Sabyasachi! This is a first timer for me. Superb angle and pose. Lovely eye contact too. This is what I call as treat. Is this a rare site at Chilika too?

Tushar,
This is also a first time for me. I am told they do visit chilika lake, but I hadn't seen them in previous years. I could sight a few this time. This was clicked from a boat. Winter is setting in and there should be more birds soon. Will post more details about the bird later.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Lovely shot Sabyasachi, details and eye contact are nice. Even I hadn't seen this before, nice find
tfs

Superb shot,

First time for me.And did you spot dolphins in chilka lake,If yes can you post them.

Akshay,
I remained in the mangalajodi side. Dolphins don't visit this part of the lake as it is more shallow. If you are going to Nalabana from Balugaon/barkul, you will find those. Also if you go to Satapada you will definitely find dolphins. Satapada is about 47kms from Puri and Puri is about 60kms from bhubaneswar. Frankly speaking I am not sure why I am not frequenting these places as I used to earlier.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

what a treat.... Excellent image of this rarity. Nice eye contact and pose.Heard someone spotted one near pune some time back ?? Yet to see one.TFS.
Roopak

Details about Grey Lapwing from Birds of South Asia, The Ripley Guide by Pamela C Rasmussen and John C Anderton:
Scientific Name: Vanellus cinereus

"A large pale lapwing recalling White-tailed, but lacks dark crown and readily told by brighter white underparts, yellow base of bill (with small lore-wattle) and reddish eyes. Adult has dark breast-band, somewhat obscured by pale fringes in duller non-breeding plumage; sexes similar. Juvenile lacks breast-band, and has narrow buff fringes on upperparts. In flight, much like Sociable but, from above, alula white, separating black wing-tip from brown forewing; from below, wing pattern like Sociable and White-tailed. Moderate extension of yellow legs beyond tail.

Occurs: Winter visitor (regularly) to eastern plains from Central Nepal and Bihar through Assam, South Assam Hills (Manipur and Cachar at least), N and C Bangladesh, SW Bengal (Calcutta) and Orissa; a few reaching Delhi and Bharatpur areas, and straggling to Kashmir, N and S Gujarat, S Peninsula, Andamans (South atleast), and Vagrant once SE Sri Lanka; lowlands, reaching c.1300m in valleys of Himalayan foothills."

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Yes,Rahul Rao had spotted one in Pune sometime back. It had got coverage in news papers then :)