Female Purple Sunbird: This image captures a female Purple Sunbird carrying nesting material to her nest, photographed on January 27, 2026, in the Navi Mumbai, India wetlands. My attention was first drawn to her while a male sunbird sang from a nearby bush, inadvertently revealing her quiet, focused activity as she built her nest. The original frame shows the nest suspended from a thin twine about 3??“4 feet above the ground. I photographed it from a walking path slightly higher in elevation, which provided a clear view into the scene. I returned to the wetlands on February 25, just a day before leaving for the U.S., to check on the nest. The female was peeking out from inside, and I believe she was incubating her eggs. I only wish I had the chance to witness the chicks. For the final presentation, I cropped the image, subtly darkened the background, and applied Topaz AI for noise reduction.
Nikon Z8: 500mm, f/8, 1/2000s, ISO 11400
9 comments posted
Dr Isaac Vaisman
Sarita, great capture with the bird "hands on", actually; beak on in the construction of the nest ready for breeding. It seems that the male is directing the job. Nice collection of images telling the story. Posted: 04/02/2026 19:29:36
Sarita Yeola
Thank you Isaac. Posted: 04/12/2026 21:31:32
Doug Fischer
Terrific sequence. Well composed and edited. ISO 11400? That is pretty high but with a modern camera and software it worked out fine. Nice work. You were a long ways from home!
Did you see flamingos in the reserve? I read that the area is noted for them. Posted: 04/02/2026 20:14:05
Sarita Yeola
Thank you Doug. I was also surprised how well the camera handled the light situation and of course Topaz AI denoise took care of the little that was present.
Yes we did see Flamingos! Although this year they came in to the Navi Mumbai area a little later than the previous years. Posted: 04/12/2026 21:31:01
Gerhard Geldenhuys
Great shot Sarita ! Focus ,exposure ,composition and colouring is outstanding . The feather detail is great. Posted: 04/06/2026 05:32:38
Sarita Yeola
thank you Gerhard. Posted: 04/12/2026 21:25:42
Grace Cohen
Wow Sarita - right subject, right timing, right photographer - you knocked it out of the park! This is a wonderful sequence of images of the breeding cycle of these lovely little (?) Purple Sunbirds! These images are sharp, nicely cropped, and highly-effective - worthy of an editorial submission! Posted: 04/10/2026 00:37:12
Sarita Yeola
thank you Grace. Posted: 04/12/2026 21:25:16
Gloria Grandolini
Sarita great shot. I really like the composition and the texture of the image. The eyes are very expressive, and the blues are very nice. Posted: 04/17/2026 20:07:10
