The White Splendour (Cruising through South Goa)

It was Anil's idea to cruise through South Goa, with the aim of photographing the early morning happenings, typifying life in Goan villages. Our cruise began at 6.30 am on 4th Sept. 2008, from Ponda, passing through Chinchinim, Betul, Balli, Chandor and back.

Earlier, on all the trips I would concentrate on photographing birds and other wildlife, this time in Anil's company I ventured into photographing people centric moments (which happens to be Anil's specialty) . I managed to frame some fisher women and a lone PILOT (motorcycle taxi operator) at a one of the bazaars on the way.

Later at Betul jetty, while Anil chatted with and photographed the fishing trawler crew, I trained my lens on the other creatures busy at the jetty. I watched a flock of Median Egrets in their brilliant white plumage, confusedly flying in circles over the water surface. I could not understand as to what the flock was up to. Each bird would circle down to the surface and then suddenly take off, a few meters away a Brahminy Kite in flight, elegantly scooped away a fish.

Were Egrets taking fishing lessons from the Kite? the flock progressively moved farther away, simultaneously circling and probing the water surface and finally landing into the shallow waters.Voila.....! I realized that all the time the flock was judging the depth of the water!!!!!!!!