Rajasthan birding - Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur)

Rajasthan trip report here...

With spare days now on hand and Raja not available in Jaipur, we dashed off to Keoladeo Ghana National Park or more commonly called the Bharatpur bird sanctuary to spend our remaining days of the trip that turned out to be an excellent decision with us being there at the right time. Bharatpur, is as small area but is an excellent avifauna sanctuary that hosts thousands of birds, especially during the winter season and people flock here for many reasons – photography, bird watching, cycling around the whole park or just walking and spending quality time listening to the birds and nothing else.

Rajasthan Birding - Jorbeed, Chhapar

Rajasthan trip report here...

Early next day, we were off to one of the most anticipated places on our list – a dumping yard! Yes. Jorbeed is a carcass dumping yard where carcass is treated and dumped and where you get to see a huge diversity of birdlife. This small patch of land is probably where you will see the highes congregation of vultures of many kinds, all in one place. Diclonofenac literally had wiped out the vulutre population from India, but awareness and banning of the drug has seen the population of vulutres recover slowly, but the threat remains large as few species of vultures are still classified as critically endangered.

Mookanamane falls & Hoysala temples

A quick visit to Gandikota was on the cards but as always, with only few people confirming and the long distance overwhelming us, we rather chose to explore few Hoysala temples around Hassan as well as visit the Mookanamane Abbi falls near Sakaleshpura.

Impromptu decisions and next morning me, Prashanth (Payaniga) and Avinash were off towards Sakaleshpura in search of the Mookanamane falls. Prashanth had a vague idea of the location of the falls having visited it few years ago. Sakaleshpura town was very quiet considering that the Shiradi ghat roads were closed for repair and also that the tourist flow is low during the rainy season. We were happy with the almost non-existent crowd and had a heavy breakfast at Surabhi restaurant, right next to Hotel Ashritha where we planned to stay for the night. With packed lunch we proceeded towards the falls but it turned out to be trickier than expected as we lost sight of the route and had to scout for people at many crossroads on where to go. Google maps assisted to an extent but considering the patchy network, it was not very reliable.

The landscape changes as soon as you cross over Hassan and being monsoon time, it was all shades of green everywhere all along the route and the smell of the earth after the rains is infectious. Cool breeze, drizzling rain and the shades of green along the countryside kept us company throughout the day infecting us with some wonderful vista views, pure air and dollops of energy to keep us going.

Sometimes, asking the locals for directions can actually detour you as we experienced this and after losing a couple of hours of going around, we finally reached closer to the falls. Rains were reluctant to leave and stayed with us and those umbrellas we carried came to our rescue as we embarked on the path to the falls being half a kilometer away. We could hear the roar of the falls getting louder as we moved closer and finally we reached the upstream area navigating ourselves on the slippery track all along. The water flow was heavy, strong currents, muddy water (due to soil erosion) and it did look scary at first sight but then, monsoon is the only time when you get to see a waterfall in full glory.

We had to navigate through the bushes, rocks holding on to them dearly and watching every step or lunge we took to finally reach the downstream or rather bang in front of the mighty falls. The umbrellas we carried became defunct as we were all drenched due to the rain and the splashing water from the falls. I was mighty impressed by the size of the falls being very wide and the water gushing down from a decent height to create the roars we were hearing. We were thrilled to be there enjoying the nature’s beauty in its rawest form but were also skeptical in staying long in front of the falls as a heavy gush of water would be trouble for us standing exposed in front. At times we had to shout to communicate to each other in front of deafening sound of the falls.

After the customary photo shoot and with growling stomachs, we cautiously made our way back to the parked car where the packed food was devoured in a flash. Manjarabad fort remains unseen as the delays during the day ensured we would be late and the gates locked. Back to Ashritha hotel, we spent the evening chatting through the night and making plans for the next day.

(Kondajje temple and below Chennakeshava temple, Saalagaame)

Early next day, we left early as we had quite a few places to cover and the intention to see the historical Hoysala temples that are spread around the Hassan region. We did manage to see the Kondajje temple near Belur followed by Chennakeshava temple located in Saalagame near Belur and then Boocheshwara temple located in Koravangala and finally the Aanekere Chennakeshava temple near Channarayapatna (CR Patna) before heading back to Bengaluru. Of all the lot, the Kondajje temple presents a sorry state of affairs to such an extent that you cannot make out that it’s a temple of the Hoysala era.

(Boocheshwara temple, Koravangala & below Aanekere Chennakeshava temple)

Lava, North Bengal birding

view of K2 mountain range

I have traveled to the Kutch in the West, Ladakh in the North and most of the South region but never got an opportunity to explore the East beyond Kolkata. With a couple of spare days in March, I zoomed in on the place Lava located in North Bengal, a birder’s hot spot, for my next journey hoping this trip would be a gateway for more exploration of the East. Nishcay and Prabhu teamed up with me for the first time on this journey in search of some birds and wildlife.

I was pretty excited for the fact that many of the species I would be seeing would be lifers (i.e., never seen before) and while browsing through the internet, I stumbled upon Joseph Lepcha from Lava who agreed to be our host, guide and also plan our entire trip schedule.

We took the Indigo flight from Bengaluru to Bagdogra via Kolkata. Our car was ready at the airport to ferry us to the small village of Lava, about 120 kms away. Lava can be reached either via Gorubathan or Kalimpong from Bagdogra. We traveled via Gorubathan as the route via Kalimpong is unpredictable and caters to heavy traffic towards Sikkim. It took us about 4 hours to travel the distance with some good roads and also missing roads in between but our drive was comfortable owing the modified shocks of the WagonR that took on the rough stretches with ease.

We reached after nightfall and soon realized that we were in for a very cold surprise, it was cold owing to the higher altitude. Lava is also the entry point to the Neora Valley National Park. We then met Joseph Lepcha who showed us our place of stay and then we ended the long day with a hot supper and met few other birders who were there. Joseph also briefed us about our plan for the next 3 days.

Next day, we hit out early with Guru, our guide and driver for the day to cover the Rachet trails. We parked the vehicle at the start of the trail and started hiking on the Upper Rachet trail in quest of seeing as many species of birds as we could. Golden-naped Finch, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Whiskered Yuhina, a whole lot of Babblers and Warblers kept us entertained. As we progressed we realized that we had traversed a long distance and decided to descend down to Lower Rachet trail skipping going back to Lava for the brunch. It turned out to be a wise suggestion by Guru as we got to see a lone brilliant red colored Scarlet Finch as well as the Fire-tailed Sunbirds, Himalayan Blue Tail and many more of those colorful species.

After some steep downhill descent and navigating rocky stretches, we hit a trail from where we continued birding while Guru went on to fetch the vehicle. Evening time and the sun quickly fades out and hence we decided to end our session and travel back to Lava. Happy with our day’s bounty, we gulped down an early dinner and sat around Joseph to identify the birds we had seen.

Next day, we were out by 6:30 on our way towards Neora Valley National Park. We were to visit the Chaudapheri camp and Zero point inside the park and Joseph had procured the necessary permits beforehand. We just did not hit the camp but did a fair bit of walking on the trail to the camp birding while the vehicle followed. The weather in Neora valley was all cloudy and foggy, being located at a much higher altitude and as a result the bird activity were also low, they were around and audible but just not visible. Yet, we managed to sight the Green-tailed Sunbird, Scarlet Finch again, Brown Bullfinch, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Mountain Bulbul, Rufous-vented Yuhina and many more.

We halted at a place for the much needed breakfast and a breather while a Streaked Spiderhunter whizzed above us not wanting to perch anywhere. Neora valley also hosts the engendered Red Panda as well as the highly elusive but brilliantly colored Satyr Tragopan, but as with our luck we couldn’t sight either of them. Next time!
Chaudapheri camp located inside the park is the place where most of the tourists end their journey, have a cup of chai or some food and return back. It’s also the place where you can easily sight the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Black-faced Laughingthrush and Eurasian Wren that come on to feed on the food waste put out for them. So, while the food is getting ready at the camp, you just sit out and watch them move around.

After the sumptuous simple lunch, we headed towards the Zero Point beyond which the core area falls and you are not allowed without additional permits. The weather here was foggier and visibility very low at many stretches and so was the bird activity. We came back to the camp to sight a flock of Yellow-billed Blue Magpie’s and were also treated to the calls of the Hill Partridges that were very vocal but not visible. We reached back Lava after dusk for some piping hot tea and snacks and went on a stroll around the village. Next day would be our final day at Lava.

Next morning, we waited for the sun to come out before heading out as it was a little foggy and ventured around the village for some birding. Grey Bushchat, Golden Bush Robin, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Green-backed Tit and many others were added to our list of birds sighted. After a productive session and some breakfast, we headed out towards the Pipeline trail. It’s a walk track next to the pipeline amidst thick vegetation that hosts a whole lot of birds. Having said that, hearing them is easier but not sighting them owing to the vast area and the dense foliage. The calls of the Great Barbet resonated through the valley while the Streaked Spiderhunter teased us flying high above while a Black Eagle soared just above our heads.

Next, we headed back to Lava for the much needed lunch and set out towards Alagarh road thereafter. The stretch until a couple of years ago was a birders dream stretch that housed many varieties and bounty sightings all along the single lane road stretch. But, currently as the road is being widened as it is a strategically important highway leading to Nathu La and the China border, the bird activity has reduced drastically owing to the work in progress. Rusty-fronted Barwing, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Whiskered Yuhina were the highlights from the stretch.

Next, as a final attempt on sighting the Red-billed Leoithrix, we headed towards Rishop, a village on the hills hoping to catch the common species that we had missed all along but alas we were not lucky enough to sight them. Next time, hopefully! We also missed the view of Kanchendzonga peak owing to cloud cover. Rishop has a whole lot of hotels, homestays that offer window views of K2 peak and it looked like a popular tourist getaway place.
Back at Lava, we went to the Monastery only to find it closed. Dinner time and conversations with Joseph Lepcha over various topics and recapping the hits and misses of our short stay at Lava. Next morning, we left Lava early in the same WagonR towards Bagdogra picking up some Darjeeling tea on the way at Siliguri.

Closing notes:
It was a short but productive trip and I enjoyed great company with Nischay and Prabhu. Joseph Lepcha was a very good host and good at birding. He guides people and groups on birding trails while not at his contractual duty with the forest department. Happy to have known him and hope more such local talent grow and prosper. He can be reached at +91 99320 95242 and the best time to contact him would be in the evenings when he would be back home.

Rewind 2014

Coming from 2013, this has been a fast year...a very fast one indeed :)

2014 has been exciting in more than one ways for me and I personally am ending it on a high and very well looking forward to 2015.

January - A start to the year with a visit to my personally favorite destination, Dandeli. A solo trip and a nice meet up with some wonderful travel bloggers. Another trip back our favorite jaunt, this time with the group and the year starts with a bang with a much cherished sighting of the Great Hornbill, something that I was waiting for years.

February - A special day when your blog is recognized as the 'best travel blog' by BlogAdda here. Bird survey at Melagiris and a much awaited visit to the Seethanadi camp kept be busy through the month.

March - Awed by the sight of congregation of more than 5000 Bar headed Geese at Magadi lake, Gadag... a conservation success story indeed. Bird estimate in Nilgiris (around Mukurthi) and some fine birding there at Ooty.

April - June - dry months for the year... probably a first time witnessed such a lean period due to hectic work schedules.

July - A long pending trip to the heaven, Kashmir/Ladakh, courtesy Amith, the traveler and a wish fulfilled and a dream accomplished... way to go!
After the Adda award, a quick weekend to Goa to test drive the new Tata Zest as a top blogger, an event where I met a lot of awesome bloggers from different worlds.

Aug-Sep - 2nd set of dry months for the year... well...!

Oct-Nov - the volunteering work started in full force... volunteering for crowd/traffic management at Bandipur during Dasara/Deepawali and jaathre (temple fair) times, lots of appreciation and new learnings.

Dec - Closing the year with yet again a trip to our favorite jaunt, the Old Magazine House at Ganeshgudi.

Been a hectic and a fast paced year that had a lot of challenges for me and ending the year on a high with an apt change in the professional life and looking forward to 2015 with a lot of plans and hopes.

Being true to self, blogging took a backseat and I appreciate all the readers/followers who have steadfast been with me, trust and hope will be posting more content on regularity henceforth :)

Three Cheers!

Friends and being friends...

God chose your parents... you choose your friends!

Well, I've been blessed with some to the best I could wish for and our journeys have been nothing short of being adventurous and memorable.

Friends constitute an important part of my life and this post an ode to the best of my buddies!

(we have traveled far and wide... to the jungles)

(here at KGudi-BR hills)

(and in pursuit of many falls...)

(here at Magod falls, Yellapura)

(through the streams...)

(here at a stream in Sakleshpur trekking from Rottikallu homestay, Sakleshpur)

(commuting by train...)

(train journey to Londa, near Ganeshgudi)

(rejoicing on accomplishment...)

(here at Sathodi falls, Yellapura)

(helping hands in water...)

(here, river rafting on river Kali, Karnataka)

(for the conversations and discussions...)

(here at Bandipur National Park)

(relaxing times after a long day...)

(here atop Kodachadri peak)

(rejoicing moments...)

(here on a break en-route conquering Kodachadri peak)

(wandering through the fields...)

(here wandering through a field in Sakleshpur with Gaitonde, hero from Karavali region)

(posing with the best buddy...)

(here with Raja...a prince in true sense)

(going downhill with backpacks...)

(here descending from peak KumaraParvatha)

(the camping spirit...)

(our best camping atop peak KumaraParvatha)

(together in search of the elusive tiger...)

(here at Tadoba tiger reserve...)

(moments of joy and togetherness)

(here with Guru... a guru for us for many things!)

(for the joy of sunsets...)

(here at Jenukal view point, Yellapura)

(and during the fatigue of climbs...)

(here ascending a steep cliff en-route KP)

(visiting heritage places...)

(here at Doddamane-Malgudi house, Agumbe)

(or on a trek...)

(or helping out to relax...)

(rejoicing in unison over an accomplishment...)

(here at Hidlumane falls, Kodachadri)

(friends are forever... an extension of yourself... truly!)

 

All I can say is thank you for being a part of me!