Cormorants using their tail feathers to feel water

I was out to photograph birds along the coast of river Mula, my favorite hangout location. It was morning time and I could find couple of little cormorants out there. I kept observing them and simultaneously setting up my camera.

I began to look through the viewfinder to observe closely and take some pictures. It was observed that, when they are about land they fly very low touching their tail to the water surface.

It appeared to me that they use their tail feathers to get the feel of water to decide the exact position to land. Hence the trail made varies; short on some occasions while long otherwise. A short trail can be seen below.

Unfortunately, lost all my images from that session.

Images shared here are of Indian Cormorant captured in a different session. Have currently observed this among Indian and little cormorant, expect great cormorant as well to do the same, but yet to document it.  A long trail can be seen below.

Black Kite eating in flight

A fine Sunday morning and I was photographing birds at Sangamwadi, Pune. There were some Painted Storks, Grey Herons, Cormorants, Kingfishers and Black Kites.

I was shooting Eurasian kingfisher in it natural habitat. Something in the air drew my attention; it appeared like a black kite was flying with a catch. I quickly released my lens from the tripod and started tracking the action.

What I happen to observe did surprise me a bit as I was not aware about this behavior of the black kite. The black kite was eating in the flight. As the kite was flying 77m away, I had to crop my images to get a closer look to the action.

It was fascinating to watch it do that. Days later I observed another black kite eating in flight. On this occasion three other black kites and a  house crow were trying to steal the catch. Wasting no time this fellow started eating in flight, he was able to grab some pieces of fish. Finally after a bit of circling around and with continuous pressure from fellow challengers he dropped the  catch.

No sooner he dropped another black kite picked it up. It was a pleasure to watch the action.