Beyond the Binoculars is born out of countless hours spent in the field — watching, waiting, photographing, and learning from birds in their natural habitats. For me, birding has never been only about identification or checklists, but about understanding behaviour, habitat, seasonality, and the quiet stories that unfold when one slows down and observes.
Each photograph and every birding trip becomes a memory — whether undertaken alone or shared with fellow birders.
My journey into birding began when I moved to Palakkad, Kerala, and bought a Canon 1300D DSLR with a kit lens (18–55 mm) and an 80–300 mm zoom lens. That zoom lens pushed me to search for subjects beyond the usual. One fine evening, while sitting on my verandah with the camera in hand, I noticed a male Purple Sunbird foraging busily on an acacia bush behind my home. I casually photographed the bird and was left spellbound by the sheer variety of colours — details I had never truly noticed with the naked eye.
That moment marked the beginning of a foray into the small yet beautiful world of birdlife.
Over the decade that followed, what started as an accidental step gradually grew into a deep fascination. I found myself travelling across Kerala and to other parts of India and the world in search of birds. Along the way, I upgraded my camera gear, documented birds more diligently, contributed to citizen science initiatives, and participated in conservation efforts whenever possible.
What continues to draw me back to the field is the constant unpredictability that accompanies every birding journey. You never know when a rare species might appear, and that uncertainty makes each outing uniquely rewarding.
Through Beyond the Binoculars, my aim is to emphasise that birding is not merely about photographing birds or viewing them through binoculars. It is about memories, context, patience, and experiences — moments that deserve to be shared.
In this space, I will be documenting my field experiences from various birding locations, along with notes on bird identification, behaviour, and bird photography.
As I embark on this journey, I invite you to read along, learn to observe more deeply, and share in the stories that unfold beyond the binoculars.