Dhanauri hummed with the quiet hum of learning. Brij and Maan, masters of their craft, were patiently unravelling the secrets of video making for me. Suddenly, the air crackled with a shift in focus. A juvenile, Black-necked Stork, a feathered fugitive, streaked across the sky, drawing every eye, every lens.

My fingers instinctively reached for the record button, the thrill of a chase replacing the calm of learning. It wasn't just any chase; it was a ballet of survival, predator and prey locked in a furious tango. The adult, a whirlwind of black and white, relentlessly pursued the twisting, turning juvenile.

The drama escalated in heart-stopping bursts. Once, the adult, with a furious lunge, clamped its beak onto the juvenile's tail, feathers flying like snow in a sudden storm. The juvenile, undeterred, continued its desperate flight, leaving a trail of white behind.

Twice, the adult lunged again, snapping at the juvenile's legs with a ferocity that sent shivers down my spine. But the juvenile, fuelled by an unknown fire, refused to yield. The chase continued, a relentless pursuit etched against the vast canvas of the sky.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the marsh, the drama finally reached its enigmatic conclusion. The juvenile, seemingly exhausted, opened its long beak and let go of a fish it was carrying all along in fear and fright. This was all that it was about. And then suddenly after the chase ended, but the tension lingered, leaving us, the silent witnesses, breathless and amazed.

And the most amazing thing which we all seem to missed was expertly caught by Mr Jaswinder Waraich Sir who was at the other end. Experience and expertise always pay off. Hats off to Jaswinder Sir!

This wasn't just a wildlife encounter; it was a story etched in feathers and fury, a reminder of the raw power and complexity that lies beneath the surface of even the seemingly serene natural world.

#blackneckedstork
#thefinalchase
#achasetoreckon
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#dhanauri
#wildlifephotography
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#juvenilestork
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#delhincrflats
#wetlandwildlife
#india
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#naturesbeauty
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#furiouschase
#captivatingstory
#mustsee
#unforgettable
@bbcearth
@natgeoindia

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