The Silent Corbett

Visits to the Corbett National Park usually mean that extra batteries and memory cards for your cameras are di-rigeur, since every drive through the park pathways brings up something.

IF you think this is another of those odes to Tigers, you are mistaken. Every National Park has a huge life support system comprising flora and fauna, which are essential for the Tiger; which is an apex Predator to survive. Many of us make the mistake of running after the "glamour" species and end up missing experiences which could leave us with a lifetime of memories. Here is one such trip.

Filled with prime real-estate which will leave you slackjawed and filled with awe.

Despite being a repeat visitor, the landscape leaves me hungry for more, every single time. The Sal forest overhangs with the trees competing with each other for the sunlight, making for tall and slim trees or at another location, where the trees have more space resulting in thicker tree trunks and spreadout foliage.

Step out in the early morning to catch the mist (unlike the smog in our cities!!) rising up from the Ramganga waters, the crisp sunlight warming your cockles as the mist and the breeze do their best to keep you chilled.

Watching the jungle dwellers waft out of the mist like apparitions is a sight to behold, here are some pictures....

Island in the Sky....thats what this shrub looks like in the thick river fog

Nature's way of telling you...no matter how big you are, you will still be brought to your knees. This is the remains of a huge Sal Tree that was stuck by lighting that all but destroyed it. The base of the trunk is easily over 10 feet around, so you can imagine how large this tree would have been.

 As far as the hardcore Big Cat fans, yes we did get to see them too, a tigress and a Leopard...here you go....

The other forest dwellers that gave us an opportunity to say hello....

Black Necked Stork - Male

Changeable Hawk Eagle Pair Basking in the morning Sun.

Common Bushchat

Crested Kingfisher 

Pallas Fish Eagle bringing home the catch

River Terns 

Great Thicknee

Asian Elephant - Male

Water Pipit

Lesser Coucal

Fulvous Breasted Woodpecker

Scarlet Minivet

Siberian Lesser Whitethroat

If you have reached here...you deserve to get a look at the highlight of the trip - A mini tussle between two Tuskers...

See the Video here...Tusker Tussle

Looking forward to getting back to Corbett Soon for another set of memories, but thats for another day.... Sayonara!!

Bandhavgarh - A revisit

Wild Life trips

Male Cub of Dotty

Having been to Bandhavgarh in November last and come away with facinating memories, as a family we were eager to be back at the first opportunity. My daughter having graduated from high school was busy preparing for her College admissions. Being in regular touch with Kesava Murthy helps get a heads up on trip (I'd like to think....earlier than others... ;) helped make the plan much earlier despite the uncertainities around the College counselling dates. Like they say all is well that ends well and the admission process was completed exactly on the day that we were to travel.

Once the admission at one of the leading colleges in Bangalore was done, it was time to let our hair down. Since the trip plan included my parents, we decided to travel by train, which would give us some quality time with each other. There being a direct train to Jabalpur from Chennai, we took the overnight train to Chennai and met up with the parents. We all boarded the weekly train from Chennai Egmore to Gaya and settled in for a 27 hour journey to Jabalpur, where we were picked up by cab to Tala and our home for the next 4 days - Tiger Trails Resort.

Blue Bearded Bee Eater

Having reached the resort fairly early in the day, we found the place to quiet, since folks on safari rides were yet to return while the ones leaving had already checked out. Quiet of the place meant that quite a few birds were out. Check out some of the birds here.....

Hooded Oriole

Indian Nuthatch

Indian Grey Hornbill

Oriental Whiteeye

Plum Headed Parakeet

White Browed Fantail

Yellow Fronted Leafbird

Rest of the day was spent lazing around the resort and it was an early night to bed, after the rigours of the travel and the need for an early start next morning for our first foray into the Jungle. All our Safari trips were booked for either Tala or Magadhi zone and we started the day with Tala.

Siddh Baba Juvenile

Almost immediately into the Safari we got a glimpse of one of the Siddh Baba Cubs. The heat of the day meant that the Tigers were well into the sheltered areas in the underbrush and hard to sight. But this was a significant sighting since this happened to be the first time my parents ever saw a tiger in the wild.  This trip was different from the previous one in the sense that we were to see juveniles while the adults were rarely seen if ever.

Driving ahead, we were lucky to get a glimpse of a Sloth Bear, who had come out of the forest looking for water. Unfortunately the visitors in the vehicle ahead screamed in excitement, which set the bear off running for cover. So much for the oft repeated warnings by drivers and guides to keep silent....

Sloth Bear

Indian/ Long Billed Vulture

White Backed Vulture

Soon after, we were greeted by the sights of Vultures coming off the Bandhavgarh cliffs for their early morning drink of water. A mix of Long Billed Vultures, White Backed Vultures. It was good to see these birds who have been poisoned to the very brink of extinction and are only now reaching a somewhat stable state maintaining their population.



The other notable sightings during the various safaris were Bamerason sitting on a kill made by one of his cubs from the tigess Solo.

Indian Pitta

Tigress Solo

Bamera Son sitting at the Kill made by one of his cubs

One of Dotty's Cubs

Dotty Juvenile

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Lapwing Harassing a Crested Serpent Eagle trying to get a drink

The Deadly Stare - Jungle Owlet

Sambar Scape

My first ever Nightjar - Savannah Nightjar

Another First... Stork Billed Kingfisher

Sheshshaiyya - Lord Vishnu reclining on Sheshnag

The Stare....

I'd recommend that you look up https://birdwing.in/ and get in touch with Kesava or Santosh if you are looking for a trip that combines thrilling experiences that wildlife encounters bring, combined with a healthy dose of photography inputs.