Welcome to ‘The Birds in My Backyard.....& Elsewhere’!

A microbiologist by education, an ex-banker by profession, a home-maker by choice, a wildlife enthusiast by passion,  a bird photographer & Photo-blogger on a mission!  That’s me in a nutshell!

In 2005, when I came to know that we were moving to Vapi, a small, industrial town in Southern Gujarat, I was filled with trepidation. Looking back, that was possibly the best thing that happened.  Situated along the Tropic of Cancer, Gujarat is one of the greenest states in India. The trees in my backyard attracted a variety of birds - rare visitors and permanent residents alike. Their calls were distinctive, melodious, and hard to ignore. I’d carry on with my day to their birdsong, occasionally drawn to the windows by their mating/courtship calls, conversations, and alarm calls to warn their kin about predators like snakes or raptors. Oh, the pleasure of waking up to the beautiful philharmonic orchestra of these feathered creatures!

After my own fledglings left the nest, I had plenty of time and opportunities to observe and study their life stages and behavioral traits. That’s when I progressed from just bird watching to bird photography. My curiosity drove me to identify the various species, note their physical appearances, and differentiate between calls.

My first Guru and guide was a book by Dr. Salim Ali, a great ornithologist and pioneer birder of India; which was gifted to me by my dear husband some twenty years ago. Over the years, I honed my photography skills, and our love of traveling helped me expand my repertoire of bird photographs.

It was the desire to tell their stories and share my experiences, which led me to begin photo-blogging. And with some encouragement of my husband, son, daughter, and daughter-in-law, I was spurred to turn my passion into a mission. I created this website to share with you, the immense joy I get in observing these birds and telling their stories - I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

You can follow me on Instagram and enjoy my video channel Aditideshp YouTube.

Click here to visit a detailed bird registry to find the bird you’re looking for!

Welcome again, to ˜The Birds in My Backyard................and Elsewhere!

Aditi Deshpande