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:
Check list:
- Yellow-billed Babbler(E)
- Barbet(E) (call only. Not sure if it is Brown-headed or White-cheeked)
- Coppersmith Barbet(E)
- Small Green Bee-eater(E)
- Blue-tailed Bee-eater(T)
- Red-vented Bulbul(E)
- Red-whiskered Bulbul(E)
- Pied Bushchat(E)
- Greater Coucal(E)
- House Crow
- Asian Koel
- Spotted Dove
- Little Brown Dove
- Black Drongo
- White-bellied Drongo(E,plenty)
- Short-toed Eagle(E)
- Common Kestrel(J)
- Black Kite
- Tickell's Flowerpecker(E,J)
- Verditer Flycatcher(most likely)(E)
- Common Iora(E)
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Tree Pipit(E)
- Golden-fronted Leafbird(E)
- Small Minivet(E)
- Black-headed Munia(J)
- Scaly-breasted Munia(E,J)
- White-throated(Silverbill) Munia(E)
- Common Myna
- Jungle Myna
- Eurasian Golden Oriole(J)
- Spotted Owlet(E)
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Paddy-field Pipit(E)
- Ashy Prinia
- Plain Prinia
- Indian Robin
- Oriental Magpie Robin
- Indian Roller(T)
- Long-tailed Shrike(E)
- Brown Shrike(E)
- House Sparrow
- Brahminy Starling(E, plenty)
- Red-rumped Swallow(E)
- Common Tailorbird
- Rufous Treepie(E)
- Grey Wagtail(E)
- White-browed Wagtail(E)
- Blyths Reed Warbler(E)
- Greenish Warbler(E,J)
- White-breasted Waterhen(E)
- Oriental White-eye(E)
- Purple Sunbird
- Purple-rumped Sunbird
- Shikra(E)
- Common Woodshrike(E)
