Trekking to Dzongri La

At the viewpoint with Kanchenjunga in the background.

Location: Kanchenjunga National Park, Sikkim
Date:May 4th to 8th 2015
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
From Bangalore, flight to Bagdogra or train to Siliguri and then drive.
Trail type: Wide trail paved with stones and logs. Some places are steep but scrambling not really required. I trekked whole time except the last part with camera and binoculars in hand

 Facilities: We had a full support group with 4 horses, cook, 3 helpers and guide all through the trek. 3-4 campsites are well established along the way where we can pitch our tents, get water and use toilet facilities. Couple of those places even had a small shop, selling most of the stuff that we may require suddenly like snacks, drinks, batteries, toilet paper and even feviqwik! which I needed as the sole of my shoes came off. 
You need the guides and local help though. Independent planning and trekking will be very difficult.

Misc Links:

http://trekking-in-sikkim.com/trekkings/dzongri-trek-4215m/


After getting great views of the Himalayas during a family trip to Manali few years back and hearing about the wonderful Himalayan treks from a friend we had been keen to do one ourselves. The opportunity presented itself when we had to drop our kid in Delhi and as we were wondering if we could add on a vacation along with it, a friends family suggested a trek in Sikkim. Suddenly everything fell into place and we had booked our flights, guide etc for the popular Dzongri Trek in early May.

Early planning was quite exciting for all, adults and kids. Hidden Paradise Adventures, who were our local guide and support team, sent us a list of things to get and be prepared for. Fact that we had to be ready for hot sun as well as snow and rain meant that we were in for an adventure. Kids of course were more interested in what snacks were going to be packed for the trip!

We joined with the second family in Yuksom after a few days stay at Gangtok, a wonderful city to visit. An overnight stay at Yuksom is recommended to acclimatize to the altitude at close to 2000mtrs. We met our guide Bhutia or Yuti for short, who briefed us on what to pack for our backpacks and what to put in our travel bags which would come with the Horses (or cross-bred yaks for some groups) to be used only at campsites.

Day 1: We started late around 10am as it was to be a fairly flat 8km hike to reach Sachen. This also helped us to get used to the altitude a bit. Within a short time of leaving Yuksom the views were fantastic. The lush forest, call of the birds, sounds of the many mountain streams, the bridges had us going without really feeling much of the effort we were putting. Highlight was sighting of Himalayan bears having a swim in a stream far away. Reached Sachen around 2 for lunch and then we just explored around the area until dinner around 7 (it becomes dark here by 6pm) and retired early at the tents set up by our support group.

Campsite at Tsokha

Day 2: Early morning and I mean early...it is bright by 5am! I was up for some great bird watching. Laughingthrushes, blackbirds and finches were all around the campsite. We washed up a bit using water piped in from a mountain stream. Icy cold! Breakfast was egg, oat meal and bread. All through this trip we were fed lots of carbs(mostly potatoes) as they kept reminding us to eat well because we needed that extra bit of energy for the trek, especially at this altitude. Soups were spiced with garlic and popcorn was added on as I believe they are good for higher altitudes. Today was a fairly hard climb to Tsokha which is at 3000mtrs. There was a brief rest stop at Bakim with great views. Here my shoes soles which was peeling off was fixed with feviqwik. Thankfully it sustained for the rest of the trek. From Bakim to Tsokha, the forest changed a bit to more decidous and spread out. Rhododendrons started appearing too. We also got to try out some wild strawberries, smaller but just as juicy. Reached Tsokha in time for lunch at 2pm or so.

Food can never taste as good as it does after a strenuous hike at high altitude. I mean we were devouring noodle soup as if it was made by the worlds greatest chef at the fanciest french restaurant all while sitting on a wooden bench (or ground sometimes) in a ramshackle hut!

Rhododendrons

Typical trails

Day 3: This was to be our hardest trek, Tsokha to Dzongri-La. By the way, La means Hill and Kan means Mountain. Steep trails, slippery ground supported by wooden logs, trekking at 3000+ mtrs. There was an abundance of Rhododendrons on this trail to keep our spirits up. We had lunch on the way at Phedang where our support staff had a hot lunch ready with temperature now dropping to below 10 c. We had one more steep climb here to reach close to 4000mtrs, where we were surrounded by thick mist, ie we were literally in the middle of clouds! After this the trail was fairly flat but with ups and downs. To test us further, there was rain with hailstorms during this part. We reached exhausted around 3pm at our campsite in Dzongri. One kid got a taste of AMS (Altitude Mountain Sickness). She took a nap which helped her recover. It was cloudy and dark here and we received a fair bit of snow in the evening to the children's delight. A wet and tired group, groped in the dark with torchlight for our beddings and retired for the night with Yuti promising to wake us up at 4am next morning provided the weather was clear for the final hike up to the Kanchenjunga View point. The prospect of a successful final climb looked bleak at this point.

Trek to Dzongri view point

Day 4: Yuti gave the early morning rooster call at 4am that the weather was indeed clear and we should set out asap. Miraculously, the exhaustion and depressive feeling of the previous night was gone from everyone! All of us set out in high spirits in pre-dawn light with the kids setting the pace up ahead. As the light started getting brighter, we were greeted with different spectacular views of the mountains. We could truly see and enjoy the majestic Himalayas up close. The trail was made even more beautiful with the fresh snow from previous day. The trail itself is very steep in the start and then flattens out to ridge trail to the view point. There were other groups already there to witness the dawn and sunrise from the view point. We made it in time for Sunrise and it was indeed all worth it. After rounds of group shots, selfies and enjoying the presence of Kanchenjunga, we scrambled down fairly quickly to be back at our campsite by 7am. A relaxed couple of hours allowed us to do some bird watching and take in a good picnic breakfast with pancakes. It was a much easier trek back to Tsokha where we camped at a different place for the last time on our trip. On the way we got some amazing sightings of the very beautiful and exotic Fire-tailed Sunbird.

Fire-tailed Sunbird

Day 5: Though it was going to be mostly downhill we were in for a strenuous hike as we had to do 16kms in a single day to reach Yuksom by 2pm. It was going to be 14kms from breakfast to lunch at 1am! So, start was early and progress was to be steady. But we still managed to stop by for a dip (of our legs!) in a mountain stream, eat some wild berries, get a sighting of the aptly named Scarlet Finch.

We were late by about an hour but enjoyed a relaxed lunch next to a mountain stream. Sore but happy, we washed up at Yuti's house, had some nice tea and set off on the long ride to Darjeeling our night stop, with our legs not required to do any work.

Final thoughts. Trekking in the Himalayas is wonderful. The mountain air and the views makes it spectacular. The altitude, weather and climb makes it challenging. So, its the whole package and definitely worthwhile if you can put up with some discomforts of living outdoors for a few nights. The flip side is it makes you appreciate what we have in our urban setting! :)

As always, when you are on the trail in these pristine environments, please take only photographs and leave only footprints. Avoid all littering and preserve the habitats.

More photos below. Do the slide show for my caption commentary!
https://picasaweb.google.com/108744378062761981880/DzongriTrekPeople
https://picasaweb.google.com/108744378062761981880/DzongriTrekNature

Videos:
Asian Black Bear sighting from far. (you can see it move in the last 10 seconds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zucIOFxneBM

GPS capture of some parts of our trek. With google earth plug-in you can experience a fly-by.

1. Yuksom to Sachen

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/984896003

2. Sachen to Tsokha

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/984892179

3. Tsokha to Dzongri

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/984898713

4. Climb to Dzongri view point (check the elevation gain graph on this)

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/984899927

5. Tsokha to Yuksom

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/984901457

Wild antelope in 2 hours!

Location: Jayamangali or Maidenahalli Blackbuck Reserve
Date: Jan 26th 2015
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
From Bangalore take the Tumkur Road
Distance: About 115 kms from Bangalore and 60 kms from Tumkur
Trail type: Flat scrub jungle. It can be very hot in summer.

Facilities: Forest bungalow with skeletal staff. I believe overnight stay is possible with reservation done at Tumkur. Closest food places are at Madhugiri (20kms) so you need to pack a picnic and carry potable water. Many watchtowers are spread out on the sanctuary. Couple of them near the Forest bungalow are large ones from where one can do some relaxed nature watch. Many mud trails crisscross the reserve, most leading to a smaller watchtower.

Misc Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayamangali_Blackbuck_Reserve

Few people are aware that we have a sanctuary within a couple of hours drive from Bangalore primarily for the conservation of near threatened Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) which is the sole surviving species of the genus Antelope. And then there are some like us who knew about it but never got around to visiting! Well, that changed last week. :)

Republic day happened to be that magical day when we were all free, kids did not have any "must finish" homework and our friend and "guide" in Tumkur was also not tied up. We were up around 6 am, packed our sandwich lunch and were on the road by 7 am. About an hour later than what we had hoped. Thankfully, traffic was not too bad and we were at Pavithra Idli place, about 5 kms before Tumkur to rendezvous with and pick up our friend. After indulging in their famous "Thatte Idli" we were on our way towards the reserve by 9.30am which is quite late for birding. But as our birding focus was on raptors, specifically harriers on this trip, which stay active at high noon, it was acceptable.

Short-toed Snake Eagle

The drive which should have taken us around 90 mins instead took about an hour longer because of road construction activity and our own indulgence on birding along the way. The highlight was a large raptor perched on a boulder about 50 mtrs away from the road sometime before Madhugiri. We stopped and enjoyed its presence for almost 30 mins as it sat regally surveying the land around it constantly. Later, we were able to identify it as most likely a Short-toed Snake Eagle.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

We reached Jayamangali around 12 and as soon as we turned onto the mud road leading to the sanctuary, a peacefully resting Blackbuck under a tree gave us a fantastic visual treat. As we pulled away from there, my friend investigating what he thought was an odd-shaped rock at some distance realized that it was a Sandgrouse later identified as Chestnut-bellied. A wonderful sighting and a lifer for me. This elusive bird is hard to spot when at rest and we were indeed very lucky.

Southern Grey Shrike

Driving on, we saw many active shrikes including the rare Southern Grey Shrike found here which is a striking grey, black and white bird. Inside the Sanctuary we drove onto a nice area with a couple of pavilions, one at a height made for resting as well as bird or Blackbuck spotting. Binoculars is required as the area is vast and patience to let the animals show themselves. We had good views of Blackbucks ambling along or chasing each other. Harrier's activity was a bit less and our only luck was what we think was a Montagu's Harrier flying low on the ground, too far away to make any image.

Male Blackbuck

We started back around 2.30pm and reached Tumkur at about 5pm with some stops along the way.

Female Blackbuck

The sanctuary itself is a scrub jungle and grassland. Some areas sadly have been destroyed in an ill-fated attempt at afforestation by planting trees destroying the habitat conducive to Blackbuck and Harriers. Many watchtowers and muddy tracks exists for those who wish to exert themselves a bit and walk around and get up-close encounters with the Blackbucks hopefully without disturbing them.

As always if you do visit, remember, Leave only Footprints, Kill only Time and Take only Photographs!

Male Surveying the visitors!

Chennai's water source is birds paradise

Chembarambakkam Lake

Location: Chembarambakkam Lake near Chennai
Date: Feb 18th 2012
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
It is close to Queensland Amusement Park on the Chennai-Bangalore National highway. To get on the Lake Bund Road, turn right into a narrow kutcha road next to corner temple (small) while going towards Chennai, about 3kms after Queensland and 10kms after Sriperambattur. From Chennai, this road comes about 4-5kms after Poonamallee,  right after some official water treatment plant and you have to turn left onto it.
Distance: About 10 kms from Sriperambattur or 25kms from Chennai.
Trail type: There is a motorable road on the Bund, wide enough for 2 cars that one can also walk on comfortably. We drove on it for about 4kms and I believe it continues for couple more and joins the highway near Sriperambattur. Ideal for car birding by stopping along the way or if you prefer, park the car at any widened area and walk the trial.

Facilities: None, though the highway has plenty of eateries and lodges.

Misc Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chembarambakkam_Lake

It was a family get-together planned at an resort near Queensland Amusement Park near Chennai that prompted me to scout that area for potential birding sites. One look at the Google Satellite view of the area was enough to show Chembarambakkam Lake and its magnificent spread. As always, myself and my wife planned to get there early morning on Sunday for a much anticipated birding session.

Crow harassing Brown-headed Gull

Finding the turn-off road was a little tough as it is quite narrow from the main road but with help for several roadside vendors we finally found it and were soon bumping along a bad road. After about a kilometer, the road becomes a bit smoother as we reach the bund with the huge lake spread to our right.

Eurasian Wigeons

We stopped as soon as we reached the edge of the lake where there was much vegetation taking in the early morning freshness of the water body. Immediate sightings were of a many Open-billed Storks flying overhead. They were leaving their roosting trees in the periphery for some undisclosed destinations! The lake itself had plenty of common birds such as Herons, Phesant-tailed-Jacana, Moorhens, Egrets, etc.

Whiskered Tern

In addition there was quite a bit of fishing going on. As we slowly drove along the road stopping every few hundred meters at any spot which we fancied, we attracted the attention of the local people, who it turns out, were hanging around waiting for the catch to come in. They advised us to move further up as the birds were "better" there. Accepting the local knowledge we drove up further quickly as the sun was ominously climbing up higher and it was getting hotter.

Cotton-Pygmy Goose

As we moved towards the center of the lake, we were greeted by many flocks of ducks and water birds. Eurasian Wigeons, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Pelicans. Wigeons were by far the largest in number, about 300-400 in the stretch we traveled on.  Barn Swallows and Whiskered Terns could be see flying overhead all through. We also got lucky in watching a Brown-headed Gull struggling to feed on a large dead floating fish. It was however harassed badly by crows causing it to abandon the fish and move to another spot. The Crows were not anymore successful in getting a bite of the dead fish!

Early morning Fog over the Bund Road  on Day 2

On the 2nd day, ie Monday morning, only I ventured out to the lake. But the fog rolled in about 7am and pretty much covered the whole lake. Visibility was about 10mtrs which made birding near impossible. I still drove the trail and was rewarded with some Brahminy starlings, Grey-Francolin sightings on the other side of the bund. Spotting an unidentified Quail foraging in the shrubs was also exciting.

This is not really, what you may call a family trekking trail but surely a nice birding trail of a lake habitat if you happen to be near that area for whatever reason. Since you are on the asphalted road atop the bund, you avoid the usual unpleasantness when walking along edges of most lakes in India.

Highlights from the Bird Checklist:

1. Eurasian Wigeon (100's)
2. Cotton Pygmy Goose (50's)
3. Spot-billed Pelican (50's)
4. Lesser Whistling Teal (pair)
5. Asian Open-billed Stork (100's)
6. Barn Swallows (many)
7. Brown-headed Gull (solitary)
8. Pheasant-tailed Jacana
9. Whiskered Terns (many)
10. Little Grebe

Birding in an urban Lake

Location: Puttenahalli Kere or Puttenahalli Lake, near JP Nagar, Bangalore
Date: Dec 15th, 2011
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
It is located in South Bangalore next to Brigade Millenium.
Distance:  < 10Kms from Vidhana Soudha! :)
Trail type: Walking path going around the Lake. Educative and a good work out for kids aged 1 to 8. Too easy for older kids and adults. So, it is more of a nature walk for them.

Facilities: Benches to sit in few places. I did not notice any toilet facilities but should be there. Food, you are still in the city so plenty of places close by. Avoid picnicking. If you have to, get only finger food in reusable boxes and do not litter.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

One of my favorite birds to spot whenever I see a lotus covered pond is the Pheasant-tailed Jacana. PTJ and its cousin Bronze-winged Jacana are 2 beautiful birds which gingerly walk on the wide leaves of the Lotus plants earning the name leaf-walkers. Nature has provided them with feet having long fingers which are suited for this type of life style.

Mom and Me! Common Coot 

Unfortunately, one usually needs to drive to the outskirts of Bangalore to spot them. Lalbagh and Yediyur Kere both of which contain lotus vegetation have not been successful in attracting and protecting these birds long enough for them to call it their homes. But, Puttennahalli Kere, in JP Nagar, is an exception now. This lake which was once a dump yard and encroached upon has been restored through a citizens initiative PNLIT led by Usha Rajagopalan. The key point in this restoration project is that, they have not made this lake into a "soup bowl" like Ulsoor, Sankey or Lalbagh tanks. The edges are left to nature to create an habitat which can sustain these and other birds.

Purple Swamphen

So, for us nature enthusiasts, we no longer need to drive 30-40 kilometers out of town to see these beautiful birds. One can take nature stroll, or ramble if you will, around this lake in the middle of Urban sprawl and enjoy them in leisure. When we went there, we also spotted many other equally colorful water birds such as Herons, Coots, Purple Swamphens, Lesser Whistling Teals and the migratory Garganeys.

So, if you have a couple of hours to spare one day and wish to observe and enjoy some nature, head out to this lake and you wont be disappointed.


As always, do not litter the place. Even though some spots may look bad, we don't really want to add to that, do we?

 Lesser Whistling Teal(open wing), Common Moorhen (Red knob),  Pheasant-tailed Jacana (foraging on left) and Garganeys (huddled at the top)

Karnataka Pelagic Trip 2011

My first task after I got the opportunity to go Pelagic birding was to Google the term  "Pelagic"! As an active amateur birder I had heard the term before and seen reports on few of the trips from Kerala and Karnataka. I knew they went out in a boat and looked for birds, but I had no idea on what Pelagic actually meant.

Well, the ever dependable wikipedia gave me the necessary enlightenment. Pelagic zone means the surface of a water body which is not close to the shore. And so, Pelagic Birding meant looking for birds which live mostly in the Pelagic area. Uh, huh. Got it. These birds live over the ocean surface coming to the shore, usually on uninhabited islands, only for breeding. Amazing nature! And now I had a chance to see it first hand.

Still, I was not sure what to expect from this expedition as I stood on the wharf, smelling strongly of fish, at Malpe Port looking at the smallish fishing boat which was to be our(about 22 of us!) home for 2 days and a night. The 3 man crew, one substituting as cook as well, looked at us with some bemusement as we piled our bags containing cameras, books, binoculars, snacks at one end of the boat. Different kind of catch, this!

As we headed out of the port, we got to see Western Reef Egrets perched all along the rocky coastline. Pretty soon, we were out in the open sea and got our first thrilling sightings of Pelagic birds, the Parasitic Skua and a Great Crested Tern.

It is indeed a whole new way of birding out there. As we keep scanning the mostly deserted waterscape, suddenly we would hear a shout from the lookouts scanning the water at the bow. "Tern" or "Petrel", as the case may be.  All of us would then scramble for our respective binoculars or cameras.

If it is a Tern flying over, well, we have to be quick, as amazingly even in this wide open space they disappear from our vision within seconds of the first sighting. If it is Petrels as was the case most often on our trip, we have to scan in the indicated direction carefully to spot the small black dots dancing on the waves. But, if we are lucky, it may be a floating debris on which we will find a perfect model of a Pelagic Bird which will pose to our hearts content as we bob around, with the engine switched off, just few feet away from it. After such brief darshans of our feathered friends, we would slink back to our respective spots until the next call to wake us up from the semi-slumber. "Petrel at 3 0'clock"!!!

On this trip, I had been quite hopeful on seeing other sea creatures such as Whales. I had entertained visions of seeing these majestic animals spouting water and swishing their fins as they swam past our boat. Alas, they had other plans for that weekend. Hopefully next time. However, we got to see the sea snake  and large schools of jelly fish several times.

Nighttime was quite an experience, especially when all the lights were turned off to pitch darkness.  We had hoped for some nocturnal visits with maybe a few birds perching on the boat as is possible, I believe. We were not lucky enough. Early morning though we got a surprise visit from a Bat, which upon finding our Boat decided to hitch a ride all the way to coast instead of flying the 80 odd miles. As we headed back to the coast, the highlights were a large flock of Petrels, Skua harassing a tern and a sudden flyby of a Masked Booby.

Overall, it was a good, adventurous trip. We were lucky that the sea was calm on both the days and all of us managed without any extreme sea-sickness. Our cook did a great job with just  a stove and few vessels for cooking, even providing tea both evenings. Truly, an experience to be cherished for ever.

Some more images from the trip can be viewed here.

A short video which gives you an idea on how it is from the boat.

Bird list from Dr. Subramanya report :

1. Swinhoe's Storm Petrel: encountered first at 10.61 Km from Malpe Port, 58 birds seen in all during the trip
2. Parasitic Jaeger: first seen at 12.50 Km from the Port, 27 birds in all, with several instances of their marauding attacks on Great Crested Terns
3. Great Crested Tern: first seen at 16.03 Km from Port, 78 birds in all
4. Bridled Tern: first bird seen at 16.88 km from Port, 95 birds in all
5. Common Tern: 2 birds seen in all, the first one seen at 16.91 Km
6. Wilson's Storm Petrel: 98 birds seen in all during the trip with the first one encountered at 20.48 Km
7. Masked Booby: Solo seen on the second day when we were about 12.31 Km from Malpe Port. The bird that we observed was a juvenile with a distinct white collar behind a dark brown head. The bird departed swiftly with two Skuas in hot pursuit.
8. Gulls : 3 birds identity to be confirmed

A related blog on this trip by L. Shyamal: Adrift

A look at the East: Tyda park in Araku Valley

As soon as my niece announced her wedding location, Vishakapatnam, with the dates towards the end of our summer holidays, we decided to use the opportunity and extend it for a vacation. When we asked people for places to visit around the city, Tyda and Araku Valley were prominently mentioned. After some Internet research, we booked at Tyda Jungle Bells Resort run by Andhra Pradesh Tourism. You can book the rooms online at their site.


After the wedding, we left for Araku Monday morning about 11am. The road out of Vishakapatnam is busy for about 10 kms from NAD Junction. After that it is quite a nice drive and can be enjoyed by going at a leisurely pace. We stopped to pick up some "Nungu" (Ice apple in English). 12 for 10rs. 25% of what it costs in Bangalore!


The Ghat section starts about 60 kms from Vizhag. 15 kms later after just a gentle climb into the Eastern Ghats, we reached Jungle Bells which is right on the Roadside. On the way you do cross a town, Kothavalasa, where you can stock up on biscuits, drinks etc. Tyda Jungle Bells has no shops and you can only buy Mineral Water from the restaurant. 4kms further north is a small village or 10kms more you get Ananthagiri. Araku itself is another 35 kms or so from Tyda.


The resort is actually done well, surrounded by lush green forest cover. Each cottage is quite isolated to give privacy. Ours was the New Bridge Cottage shown in the photo here. No TV or cell phone coverage means family has to entertain each other which can be a good thing once a while! :). Resort service though is quite lacking. They have a shortage of staff and those who are there do try but don't expect anything close to even a 3 star accommodation. Lack of Intercom facilities adds to the guests woes. One has to climb up and down steep steps to get anything. Restaurant is run more like a Dhabha and food served is similar. Tasty, not very clean and choice limited to what they can sell! That is, dont except soup even though it is on the menu. My review along with others can be read at Holiday IQ.

We stayed for 2 nights and 3 days. It rained heavily in the afternoon of day 2 and stayed cool for the night. Other times it was quite hot. For the kids they had some adventure stuff like rope climbing, Burma bridge etc., which we did not try. They also organize a trek in the morning which is mostly a walk in the jungle, that we did take. We spent rest of the time in the room playing some games or reading books.


Around the resort, you need to be a birdwatcher or nature lover to appreciate the place. Both mornings the place was alive with calls. However, we are still novices with calls and could not ID using just that. The physical activity though was quite less compared with Western Ghats, in my observation. In Muthodi, mornings brought many Scarlet Minivets and Sunbirds out into the open. I like to think it could be because of the heat here. We certainly did not feel like wandering around too much after 8am and the birds probably felt the same.


Even though bird activity was much less that we had hoped for, there were still plenty for us to be excited about. A pair of Black-crested Bulbuls were residents and could be seen flying around most of the time. There was also a pair of Black-naped Monarch that were active inside the resort. White-rumped Shama was another resident. Catching sight of this skulker off and on was quite exciting. Sounds were plenty in the morning, the main caller being Puff-throated Babbler. At one time, we could make out the 2 of them calling to each other from either side of our Cottage.


The morning trek is a walk in the forest just adjacent to the resort. Once I got to know the path, I chose to walk alone on both mornings. We were rewarded with close up sightings of Brown-headed Barbet and Rufous Woodpecker. The Woodpecker later visited us during our breakfast at the resort and spent more than 10 minutes pecking away on a nearby tree. The highlight during the walk was sighting of 3 Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds. They were highly active, wagging their tail up and down, hopping about on a far away tree. It was truly exciting to see this colorful bird in pristine conditions.



Day 2, just me and my daughter visited Borra caves. It is about 15 kms from Tyda. Easy drive. The cave itself is enormous and awe inspiring. However, the formations inside are not that great or have been lost due to poor maintenance. A large crowd was there on a weekday itself and they do not mind walking over or touching/scratching all the delicate stalagmites and stalactites that takes 1000's of years to form. Sad really.

On day 3, we checked out early and drove up to Araku town. It took about 1.5 hrs but the views were very nice. In Araku, we visited the Tribal Musuem and the close by Coffee museum where you can get some really nice drinks like Ice-Choclate along with the usual Latte's. Both also host handicraft shops. We did not have time to explore anything else and heading back to Vizhag around 1pm and made it back before 5pm.

Overall, we enjoyed the 2 days. The greenery is similar to Western Ghats though not as dense. Tyda is not too deep into Eastern Ghats and so the bio-diversity may be a little less that what can be expected.

Some of the notable Birds we spotted around the resort:

1. Red-whiskered Bulbul


2. Red-Vented Bulbul


3. White-browed Bulbul


4. Black-crested Bulbul


5. Black-naped Monarch


6. White-rumped Shama


7. Oriental White-eye


8. Purple Sunbird (one looked like Loten's also)


9. Purple Rumped Sunbird


10. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird


11. Gold-fronted Leafbird


12. Common Iora


13. Puff-throated Babbler


14. Rufous Woodpecker


15. Brown-headed Barbet


16. Copper-smith Barbet (call)


17. Black Drongo


18. Green Bee-eater


19. Greater Coucal


20. Spotted Dove

Some more images can be seen here: https://picasaweb.google.com/naturerambles/TydaNatureCampInArakuValley#

Climbing Chamundi Hills

Location: Chamundi Hills, Mysore
Date: Apr 3rd, 2011
To get there: Chamundi Hills is a well known landmark and visible from anywhere in Mysore city and anyone will be able to guide you. Ask for the steps to climb it as you get close else they will direct you to the road going up.
Distance: 150 km from Bangalore
Trail type: Flight of stone steps, about 1000 in number.
Facilities: Refreshments are available at the top. At the start and on the path also if you start late.
Map: Click here for the Google map.

It was a friends with family get-together that got us to stay at a resort in Mysore close to Chamundi Hills. A few of us took the chance to do a good trek and shed some of the calories that we were surely going to gain in the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet everyday. The choice was to climb up Chamundi Hills, yes, using our own god given 2 legs.

Even though, I have been to Mysore many times, this was the first time I actually did this climb. After getting directions we found the start of the steps. There is ample parking and some shops here. When we reached the place at about 7am on a Sunday, there were quite a number of people already coming down!

The steps are just like that for any of the numerous hill temples in India. We didn't count them, but I believe it is about a 1000!

For me of course, it was a chance to look for some birds along the way. However, it was disappointing as the Great Tit turned out be the best sighting. There was also a quick glimpse of Common Iora and another uncommon flycatcher which flew away before I could view and ID it properly.

The climb itself is not too strenuous if done in a proper pace taking rests at good view points. We did it under an hour and were fine after. The steps end close to the temple and you can immediately buy some rejuvenating tender coconut or Nandini flavoured milk to reward yourself. :)

The views are better enjoyed coming down and you can see the palace grounds and most of Mysore on a good clear day.

Start early...preferably right after day breaks. Give yourself 2-3 hrs to complete the trek. Carry some water/snacks and as always don't add to the trash that is already there! Enjoy.

All are welcome at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Location: Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary near Srirangapatna
Date: Feb 6th 2011
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
From Bangalore take the Mysore Road. After you cross Srirangapatna fort (main junction with Fort Entrance on right), watch out for the Sanctuary board on the right after about a km. It comes right after you cross 2 bridges. Take the right and drive along a country road for another km or so and you are there. From Mysore side, it is even closer. Just reverse the directions above.
Distance: About 125 kms from Bangalore and 15 kms from Mysore.
Trail type: There are no trekking trails that I am aware of here. I have noticed a dirt track going to the left of the boating point. We have only gone about 200 mtrs (due to lack of time) on it so not sure how much further one can walk. However, it has ample space, including a maze with hedge walls, for kids to enjoy.

Facilities: Fairly decent KSTDC run eating place and toilet facilities. Srirangapatna and Mysore are close by.

Misc Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranganthittu_Bird_Sanctuary

In case you wondered, the "All are welcome" in the title was meant for the birds since we 2 legged, non-flying, large brained but prefer to travel in machines species, have to pay dearly to enter this place! Well, I think it is not

too high considering the natural wealth this place possesses, but then I may be in the minority with this view. We paid Rs. 50/person to enter. Boating is again Rs. 50/person in the general boat or (a very steep) Rs. 1000 for your own boat which can seat 8 persons.

We ended up there Sunday morning in keeping with a promise along with another family to go "someplace nice" post New year. 1 month too late, but we made it. Left Bangalore around 6.30am, lunch near Maddur about 9am and we were at the Sanctuary before 11am. A bit late but early enough to enjoy the place.

The place itself is a bunch of islets in the river Cauvery providing

natural protection to nesting migratory birds. There are only rowboats

to keep the disturbance to the birds minimal. Guides are quite knowledgeable about the birds which inhabit the sanctuary including their migration patterns and characteristics. Do not hesitate to ask them questions.

There is really no season as such because you will find some activity all-round the year even if it is just resident birds. During the migratory season which varies according to each species and is from Oct to about June, you will find each species in different stages like arrival, nest building, chick rearing and finally lessons on flying before heading

back to their home. During our visit, we got to see Painted Storks, Asian Open-billed storks (nesting), Eurasian Spoonbill (nest building), Spot-billed Pelicans prominently in the trees. Others were Great Thick-knee (or Great stone plover), Marsh Harrier (migrant), River Tern, Night Heron, etc. You will also surely spot few crocodiles which is a thrill for all the youngsters.

The facility has some space around it to picnic or just hang around. There is also a maze made of hedges which our youngsters enjoyed. After a quick stop-over to see Daria Daulat Bagh, Tipu's summer palace, we headed out to make it for a late lunch at McDonalds(kids choice), which is few kms after Maddur on the way back. Reached Bangalore by 7pm.

Overall, a must visit if you are a nature enthusiast and live around Mysore or Bangalore. Perfect for a day trip or even a 1/2 day trip. I would recommend reaching there before 10am, ideally 9am to be able to experience and photograph better in the morning light.

Click here for more images from the trip.

Elagiri Hills: A break from the plains!

Location: Elagiri or Yelagiri Hills Date: Dec 24th to 27th 2010 To get there: [Click here for Google Map]. You can take the train to Jolarpet and hire a taxi from there or Drive on the Hosur Road until Krishnagiri. Take NH 46 from there towards Chennai. Then take SH 18 turnoff towards Elagiri. Distance: About 150+ kms from Bangalore Trail type: We did mostly birding from car, stopping at good locations. So, not much trekking as such. I do believe there are a couple of good trails. Facilities: Several resorts/hotels in all ranges. Food places were plenty but just average, I thought. Lake with boating, nature park with musical fountain show, various temples are the spots to visit.

Misc Links:

http://www.yelagirihills.com/ (has more detailed directions)

It was our annual vacation with relatives during Christmas. We had always noticed these enticing hills from the train and decided to check it out this time. The drive from Bangalore was quite easy. The climb up the hills is similar to Nandi hills maybe a little steeper with 14 hairpin bends. The views were tempting in many places but any idea of stopping was thwarted by the line of monkeys sitting on the parapet looking expectantly at each vehicle passing by!

The place was quite chilly during the nights and morning. Rest of the day was pleasant. The main road through Athanavoor has many resorts and eating places. Most of them were average or just road side dhaba types. The 2 main attractions of the hills, Lake with boating and Nature Park are on this road.

We mostly did bird watching in the morning, starting at 6am until nearly afternoon, taking advantage of free grand-parent baby sitting. :). There were Brahminy starlings, Rufous Treepies and Grey-bellied Drongo's all over the place in addition to the more common Pied Bushchats, Sunbirds, Indian Robin, Tailorbird and Mynas. We had the best outing when we drove on the road towards Neelavur and took breaks near the Murugan Temple where we saw the Verditer Flycatcher, Leafbird and Common Iora. Migrants Grenish Leaf Warbler and Blyths Reed Warbler could be beard all over the place.

Boating was OK, nothing great. The Lake is man-made, so more like a soup bowl. Still Red-rumped Swallows gave us a show drinking water by flying low over the surface. The nature park looked good but we did not check it out properly nor watch the musical fountain show. Lets just say, most of our free time was spent eating, lazing around or playing cards and other games.

Photo albums:

Birds

People and sights.

Check list:

1. Yellow-billed Babbler(E)
2. Barbet(E) (call only. Not sure if it is Brown-headed or White-cheeked)
3. Coppersmith Barbet(E)
4. Small Green Bee-eater(E)
5. Blue-tailed Bee-eater(T)
6. Red-vented Bulbul(E)
7. Red-whiskered Bulbul(E)
8. Pied Bushchat(E)
9. Greater Coucal(E)
10. House Crow
11. Asian Koel
12. Spotted Dove
13. Little Brown Dove
14. Black Drongo
15. White-bellied Drongo(E,plenty)
16. Short-toed Eagle(E)
17. Common Kestrel(J)
18. Black Kite
19. Tickell's Flowerpecker(E,J)
20. Verditer Flycatcher(most likely)(E)
21. Common Iora(E)
22. White-throated Kingfisher
23. Tree Pipit(E)
24. Golden-fronted Leafbird(E)
25. Small Minivet(E)
26. Black-headed Munia(J)
27. Scaly-breasted Munia(E,J)
28. White-throated(Silverbill) Munia(E)
29. Common Myna
30. Jungle Myna
31. Eurasian Golden Oriole(J)
32. Spotted Owlet(E)
33. Rose-ringed Parakeet
34. Paddy-field Pipit(E)
35. Ashy Prinia
36. Plain Prinia
37. Indian Robin
38. Oriental Magpie Robin
39. Indian Roller(T)
40. Long-tailed Shrike(E)
41. Brown Shrike(E)
42. House Sparrow
43. Brahminy Starling(E, plenty)
44. Red-rumped Swallow(E)
45. Common Tailorbird
46. Rufous Treepie(E)
47. Grey Wagtail(E)
48. White-browed Wagtail(E)
49. Blyths Reed Warbler(E)
50. Greenish Warbler(E,J)
51. White-breasted Waterhen(E)
52. Oriental White-eye(E)
53. Purple Sunbird
54. Purple-rumped Sunbird
55. Shikra(E)
56. Common Woodshrike(E)