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Down Memory Lane


Down Memory Lane
Photo Information
Copyright: Ram Thakur (ramthakur) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3295 W: 167 N: 9901] (32112)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Sony DSC-P200
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-18 6:45
Viewed: 734
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
HIMALAYAN MONAL

Friends, my 400th post -- a combination of two bird images stitched together -- is dedicated to MY OWN PAST dating back to my childhood when these birds flew around freely in my native place and could be seen from close quarters.
Today they are almost gone, but, fortunately, not from the earth.
The one on the right is a male Himalayan Monal and the other on the left is the female of the same species.
I shot these pictures in an aviary at Shimla, India, last year. The single male in it was shy and reclusive and never allowed me to get closer. Female, on the other hand, was more cooperative. In fact, I could manage only one shot of the male from the rear and that too in a hurry and in very bad light conditions at noon.
So allow me to indulge in personal nostalgia on this occasion with a set of these poor quality pictures.
However, Pam and Janice (See here) from New Zealand and Biswarup from Germany have posted some lovely images of these birds on TN from time to time.
Here is some information on the bird:

The Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) also known as the Impeyan Monal is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the Pheasant family Phasianidae.
It is a relatively large sized bird with reference to family Phasianidae. About 70 cm in length, the weight of males and females range between 1980-2380g and 1800-2150g respectively. Adult males possess a long crest and are feathered with multicoloured plumage throughout their bodies while the females, like in other pheasants, are dull in colour with the upper parts covered with dark brownish-black feathers. Notable features in males are a long crest that is metallic green, changeable reddish copper on the back and sides of the neck and, a prominent white back and rump while in flight. Tail feathers of males are uniformly rufous being darker towards the tips, whereas the lower tail coverts of females are white, barred with black and rufous. Females have a prominent white patch in the fore neck and a white strip on the tail.
Himalayan Monal has been declared as the national bird of Nepal and the state bird of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in India. Its natural range spreads from eastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas including countries of Pakistan, India (states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, Southern Tibet and Bhutan. It occupies upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes, cliffs and alpine meadows between 2400 – 4500m, mostly concentrating in a narrow belt of 2700 – 3700m.
Population of this species is threatened due to poaching and other anthropogenic factors. Male monal has been under heavy hunting pressure for its crest which could be seen embellishing the hats of Himachal men until 1982 when hunting was banned in the state.

Source: WIKIPEDIA

TFL
garyfudge, Matt-Bird, pankajbajpai, fartash, cicindela, haraprasan, eqshannon, jcoowanitwong, Jamesp, jaycee, ridvan, dew77, jmp has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Maite: A mistakeramthakur 2 06-20 09:38
To maheshpatil: Hiramthakur 2 06-20 01:51
To pankajbajpai: Thanksramthakur 1 06-18 13:22
Male, female.Matt-Bird 1 06-18 07:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-06-18 6:51]

Hi Ram,
an interesting collage.
Sharp and detailed in both photos.
Well done,
Joey

hello mr thakur,

400th post wow, :-)

please accept my heartfelt wishes and this shows your dedication & your love for photography & nature.

The notes are nice and so is the shot, looking forward to another century from you, you are creating records here in TN just like sunil gavaskar did in criket. Scored more then 10,000 marks( 12224 ) & now posting 400th picture,

we are proud of you,

best wishes,

pankaj

Hi Ram,

Congratulations on 400. It makes my 39 seem fairly embryonic!
These look alot like our Pheasants. Same size and shape and facial features.
Fantastic colours on the male.
Keep going RAM!!

Gary

Hey Ram,
Interesting composition. The male has such brilliant colours. Good notes.
regards
Matt.

Hi Ram,
Very beautiful collage work.Good presentation with excellent sharp, colours and details.TFS.
Best regards.

hAyAti

Hello Ram
First,congratulation on 400th post,
and This one is a great combination
shot,Great lighting,composition,framing,
Superb shot,Ram .Keep it up, TFS

Good Luck
Fartash

Hi Mr. Ram,
Congrats on your 400th post. It is a beautiful capture of two nice looking birds and eye catching colors on the first one. Excellent work. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Yours sincerely,
HP

Dear Ram!
At first my best congratulation because of the 400th post! You spent here a lot of time and gave a lot of beauty pictures and interesting lessons! And thanks you for that :)
According to the picture I have to say that this is really something new in your collection. At first there are not to many birds on your pictures, and the second I belive it is the first presentation made using more than 1 pictures :>
Here you presentad both sexes of the Himalayan Monal what clearly show the sexual dimorphism in this species.
Bravo also for the note!
Once again bravo and I am waiting for the 500th post! ;>
Radomir

One colorful and the other somewhat drab, but those are the coats they were issued. Is there a protected species law which heps these to survive on into the future? A very informative presentation in contrast and notes.

BobPacific NW Wilderness

Hi Ram,
Congratulations to your 400th post. Nice image of these male and female of Himalayan Monal. However, sorry to hear about the fate of this species. Also thanks for your informative note.
JC

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2007-06-18 10:08]

Hi Ram

An amazing accomplishment - 400!

I like the account(as ever) and the collage - the male looks superb!

James

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-06-18 10:28]
  • [+]

Wow! The 400th! You are really sovereign here! And for good!
These birds have a tasty look. Maybe that's the reason why they can't be seen them as much as before. They have beautiful plumages. It is strange that the female has brighter colors than the male.
Excellent documentation about this fantastic bird.
Thank you very much for sharing and congratulations on your 400th.
Greetings
Maite

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-06-18 10:52]

Hi Ram,

Wonderful post for your 400th - here's to the next 400! It's nice seeing the male and female in this pairing of pictures. The male is so colorful and the female so drab. I wonder what nature is trying to tell us. Congratulations!

Jane

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5578] (18516)
  • [2007-06-18 11:02]

Hi Ram,
Congratulations on your 400th posting. It must have been an incredible journey and you deserve huge accolades for it. Even greater oppurtunities lie ahead of you now and further challenges greet you with open arms. I for one, wait with great expectations to see your new shots from India.

Outstanding collage of these two Himalayan Monals illustrating their sexual dimorphism. Sharp images and nice colours. The POVs are great to portray them. Very informative and poignant note and an apt title. Some memories are so nostalgic. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 1627] (5989)
  • [2007-06-18 12:28]

Hello Ram, great picture of this couple, the male is so collorful. Very sharp and detailed capture, congratulations in a fine picture.

  •      
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 555 W: 0 N: 1134] (5196)
  • [2007-06-18 17:34]

selam ram; excellent shot of this monals , nice collage with good details presented ,nice BG and POV well captured with splendid colours TFS p.T:)
regards
ridvan

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2007-06-19 6:19]

Ram Sir interesting collage and lovely shot from different angle. The picture is sharp and nice. Ganesh

Hello Ram Sir,

I saw this bird :0 the same place where you did- Aviary at shimala. But i was not fortunate enough to capture these birds as they were behind mesh. it was not possible to capture them in camera through that mesh. Also they are so shy that they just remain in their artificial homes.........may be because of fear of death. :(.........
Pictures are not great.but its always not about the pictures...its about love towards nature (for which this TN site is working)...you brought these endangered species on TN with such a good note.
Same as Maite, i also suspect that the right one is female and left one is male....my logic is female birds are never so attractive, and males do. Take a simple example of Peacock. male birds attract female counterpart with thier looks, colorfull feathers. :D

Thanks for sharing
Regards
Mahesh

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2904 W: 34 N: 8600] (32056)
  • [2007-06-19 11:41]

Hi ram. Well done 400th congatulations. A very nice shot to. time to look back. good clours and detail from the two shot. great notes to read as well. many thanks
Nick..

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-06-20 6:51]

Hello Ram,
Beautiful capture.Each frame is well exposed and composed.
TFS..:-)

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2007-06-25 16:22]

Hi Ram,
Perhaps one day this bird would be free again by your native mountains, when humans control their endless growth.
Congratulations for the impressive 400th post!
TFS and best regard, José M.

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