Hello All,
A Heart Thumping Experience which happened yesterday at KGudi is worth Sharing. I prepared for a day's visit to BR Hills and left bangalore at 3.45 AM ( MidNight ) on Wednesday ( 25th APR ). With a One Pit Stop strategy, reached BR Hills at 7.30 AM. The Bird life was Amazing. Did some birding through car window all the way till JLR campus and hence missed the Morning safari. I got a sad news that Evening safari is also not possible because it'll go on till 7 and the gates close by 6. I had to return back on the same day ! I cursed myself for picking a Wrong day to visit BRHills. After Breakfast , I took a drive along main road uptil Biligiri Rangana Temple and spotted few more rare birds, A russels Viper, and a huge Cobra. After lunch, I decided to leave since the evening safari was also not possible. Just then my friend Vikranth, Asst Manager of JLR suggested me to trek inside the forest. It sounded great to me and I started off with Narayana ( naturalist, trekker ) , My cousin shashank, My cam and a Binoc.
Initial one hour of trek was really nice. Spotted some rare birds like Malabar Whisteling Thrush, Brain Fever Bird ( Hawk cuckoo ) etc. After a while something cought my eyes at a 20-25 mtr distance. Narayana told me " Guru, its a common sambar deer " . I took a clean look through the Binocs but it was staring at something on its left side. I watched it carefully but couldnt see anything towards my left as thick high grasses and bushes were blocking my way. We started to move and just then the sambar deer started Calling... loudly. We stopped , I took my binocs and watched it. The sambar kept on calling for sometime and never took its eyes off from the direction. After about 15 calls, came the REAL ONE ! THE CALL OF THE WILD ! A loud growl of a TIGER !! My heart thumped. Its growl was echoing all around the place.. narayana said " Dont move a step, We are very Close ".
It'd have been a joyful moment for me if I was in a safari jeep. But i was on ground with a cam and a binoc , Narayana with his Wireless set. We were tensed. My cousin started sweating !
Then some action. We could hear all that but I could never sight the Tiger. The drama went on for about 10 mins but the Tiger never got a clean shot ... Sambar Escaped.., The angry n hungry Growl got harder n louder. For a second I though " Is that it ? Im sure he can sense my presence here. Will I be his next target ? "
I probably would'nt have known what'd have happened if a call of a Barking deer had'nt cought his attention. Narayana gave me a signal " This is the time , lets push off " we cleared the place quickly. I was thrilled and Amazed eventhough I could'nt spot the tiger, I was close !
We waited in a safe hide next to a water hole nearby for about 30 mins, hoping to witness some movement after the Barking deer kill. But nothing more exciting happened. Tiger never came there as we expected. Everybody at JLR were thrilled to listen to the entire story me and naturalist Narayana narrated. I had my DAY ! I was DONE with what I had experienced. All that is still running in my mind. BRT is truely a WILD HEAVEN !
Should I say " I got lucky to see another Day ? " ..... I dont know ! But it was a Hellova Experience ! :-)
Sightings in KGudi
Red Wattled lapwing
Malabar Whisteling Thrush
Indian Hawk Cuckoo ( One More Bottle )
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Brain Fever Bird )
Grey Jungle Fowl
Spotted Dove
Blue KingFisher
Forest Wagtail
Spotted Dove
White Breasted King Fisher
Indian Pond Heron ( while waiting for the Tiger to turn up near water hole ;-) )
White Cheaked Barbet
Jungle Myna
Common Myna
Green BeaEater
Rose Ringed parakeet
Pariah Kite
White throated Fantail Flycatcher
Brown FlyCatcher
Black Drongo
Tickels Blue FlyCatcher
Red Vented Bulbul
Red Whiskered Bulbul
Indian Robin
Oriental magpie Robin
Asian Koel
Spotted Owlet
Jungle Owlet
Brahminy Kite
Lesser Pied Kingfisher
Little Ringed Plover
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Grey Wagtail
Red Jungle Fowl
Nilgiri Wood Pegion
Red Breasted Parakeet
Brown Headed Barbet
Collored Dove
Green imperial Pegion
Wood Pecker
Mammals --> Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Russles Viper, Indian Cobra, Hanuman Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Elephant.
Feild Guide - The Book of Indian Birds, 13th Edition by Dr.Salim Ali
Could'nt do much with my camera, but the ones I've Photographed are worth Sharing. Please do have a look
http://picasaweb.google.com/kj.avinash/KGudi
P S : Never Go to BRT , you will fall in love with it !!! :-)
Regards,
Avi
A Heart Thumping Experience which happened yesterday at KGudi is worth Sharing. I prepared for a day's visit to BR Hills and left bangalore at 3.45 AM ( MidNight ) on Wednesday ( 25th APR ). With a One Pit Stop strategy, reached BR Hills at 7.30 AM. The Bird life was Amazing. Did some birding through car window all the way till JLR campus and hence missed the Morning safari. I got a sad news that Evening safari is also not possible because it'll go on till 7 and the gates close by 6. I had to return back on the same day ! I cursed myself for picking a Wrong day to visit BRHills. After Breakfast , I took a drive along main road uptil Biligiri Rangana Temple and spotted few more rare birds, A russels Viper, and a huge Cobra. After lunch, I decided to leave since the evening safari was also not possible. Just then my friend Vikranth, Asst Manager of JLR suggested me to trek inside the forest. It sounded great to me and I started off with Narayana ( naturalist, trekker ) , My cousin shashank, My cam and a Binoc.
Initial one hour of trek was really nice. Spotted some rare birds like Malabar Whisteling Thrush, Brain Fever Bird ( Hawk cuckoo ) etc. After a while something cought my eyes at a 20-25 mtr distance. Narayana told me " Guru, its a common sambar deer " . I took a clean look through the Binocs but it was staring at something on its left side. I watched it carefully but couldnt see anything towards my left as thick high grasses and bushes were blocking my way. We started to move and just then the sambar deer started Calling... loudly. We stopped , I took my binocs and watched it. The sambar kept on calling for sometime and never took its eyes off from the direction. After about 15 calls, came the REAL ONE ! THE CALL OF THE WILD ! A loud growl of a TIGER !! My heart thumped. Its growl was echoing all around the place.. narayana said " Dont move a step, We are very Close ".
It'd have been a joyful moment for me if I was in a safari jeep. But i was on ground with a cam and a binoc , Narayana with his Wireless set. We were tensed. My cousin started sweating !
Then some action. We could hear all that but I could never sight the Tiger. The drama went on for about 10 mins but the Tiger never got a clean shot ... Sambar Escaped.., The angry n hungry Growl got harder n louder. For a second I though " Is that it ? Im sure he can sense my presence here. Will I be his next target ? "
I probably would'nt have known what'd have happened if a call of a Barking deer had'nt cought his attention. Narayana gave me a signal " This is the time , lets push off " we cleared the place quickly. I was thrilled and Amazed eventhough I could'nt spot the tiger, I was close !
We waited in a safe hide next to a water hole nearby for about 30 mins, hoping to witness some movement after the Barking deer kill. But nothing more exciting happened. Tiger never came there as we expected. Everybody at JLR were thrilled to listen to the entire story me and naturalist Narayana narrated. I had my DAY ! I was DONE with what I had experienced. All that is still running in my mind. BRT is truely a WILD HEAVEN !
Should I say " I got lucky to see another Day ? " ..... I dont know ! But it was a Hellova Experience ! :-)
Sightings in KGudi
Red Wattled lapwing
Malabar Whisteling Thrush
Indian Hawk Cuckoo ( One More Bottle )
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Brain Fever Bird )
Grey Jungle Fowl
Spotted Dove
Blue KingFisher
Forest Wagtail
Spotted Dove
White Breasted King Fisher
Indian Pond Heron ( while waiting for the Tiger to turn up near water hole ;-) )
White Cheaked Barbet
Jungle Myna
Common Myna
Green BeaEater
Rose Ringed parakeet
Pariah Kite
White throated Fantail Flycatcher
Brown FlyCatcher
Black Drongo
Tickels Blue FlyCatcher
Red Vented Bulbul
Red Whiskered Bulbul
Indian Robin
Oriental magpie Robin
Asian Koel
Spotted Owlet
Jungle Owlet
Brahminy Kite
Lesser Pied Kingfisher
Little Ringed Plover
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Grey Wagtail
Red Jungle Fowl
Nilgiri Wood Pegion
Red Breasted Parakeet
Brown Headed Barbet
Collored Dove
Green imperial Pegion
Wood Pecker
Mammals --> Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Russles Viper, Indian Cobra, Hanuman Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Elephant.
Feild Guide - The Book of Indian Birds, 13th Edition by Dr.Salim Ali
Could'nt do much with my camera, but the ones I've Photographed are worth Sharing. Please do have a look
http://picasaweb.google.com/kj.avinash/KGudi
P S : Never Go to BRT , you will fall in love with it !!! :-)
Regards,
Avi
4 comments:
Macha
At my first glance of the picture -
mouth wide open and only words buzzing in my mind What the F***??
Slowly then recuperating to my early senses of my mind like the "rock of gibraltar" i saw how was avi's brain to render such an outlandish sanp on this blog.
The enticing background for the elephant reminds me of a hope which still exists to harmonise the relationship between nature and human.True avi that needs brilliance to capture.
Your experience of the tiger strikes me those days of rudyard kipling stories encounters with Tiger.True indeed you must have experienced a lot in those minutes.
In baayz language " maga vodeees aagi idhey pickturoooo"
in baayz language " voddeess aagi idhey picturooo"
photo - brilliance at its best
experience - reminiscent of those rudyard kipling stories
avi - intelligent enough to render an outlandish snap.
wow... that's some experience you had... wish you'd managed to get a good look at the tiger, though. i think tigers are among the most beautiful predators today. but i wonder if it would've done YOU any good, to be visible to the tiger!!!
@Hegde
That was too much a compliment for me saar ! Thanks anyways :)
@Neha
True, Tigers are one of the most amazing and powerful predators in the world today.If it would've done any good to me to be visble to the Tiger -- You'll find an answer when you get lucky on a Tiger Sighting :-)
Post a Comment