MBC walk to Karnala

Karnala fort - The pinnacle is a welcoming sign to birders.

 Winter is here in all its glory. And 40 birders joined in for yet another excellent birding day with Mumbai Birdwatchers Club on 27th Nov. This time the destination was Karnala bird sanctuary near Panvel. Karnala fort located within the sanctuary is a big draw for hikers in monsoon and winter. As one nears the sanctuary the thumb like pinnacle is a welcoming sign. The tiny hamlets and fields are taken over by the deep green of the forest as one travels along the Mumbai-Goa highway which divides the sanctuary in two.

After the usual introductions, the birders were split in two groups to be led by Saurabh Sawant, Amey Ketkar, Rujuta Phadke and Shashank Dalvi. The two trails, Mortakka and Hariyal, are popular amongst birders. The Mortakka trail is the shortest and easiest and has a winding circular path. Both groups were to bird on this trail but in opposite directions to avoid crowding.

In my past visits to Karnala I have observed the most number of birds just as one enters the sanctuary. And today was no different as we had a succession of sightings only a few meters from the main gate.

We started the walk with the sighting of a pair of Puff-throated Babblers skulking in the undergrowth. Usually these nondescript birds are difficult to spot as they remain hidden in the shadows and are more often heard than seen. Their call is easy to remember, it’s a very sweet rendition of “I will beat you”. The Puff-throated Babblers were quickly forgotten for views of a Brown-cheeked Fulvetta. This is yet another skulker but the lure of the early worm seemed to have brought it out in the open.

The air was full of bird song as the sunlight hit the trees. The yellow of the Black-hooded Oriole that we saw next was as bright as the golden sunlight. The mix deciduous forest of Karnala was sporting some yellowing Haldu trees as well. All along the trail we had excellent views of Ashy Drongos and Bronzed Drongos, quite a few of them flit amongst the trees drawing our attention with their antics.

Bronzed Drongo - Their smaller size compared to other drongos and glossy wings are an identifying feature.

White-naped Woodpecker female - One of the highlights of the trail.

However the day was dedicated to woodpeckers as we saw a Yellow-fronted, Brown-capped Pygmy and later along the trail a White-naped Woodpecker. The woodpeckers were observed gleaning for insects along the main trunk of the tree.

The leaf warblers, Green and Greenish, were also gleaning for insects. Unlike the woodpeckers they were seen searching for food in the leaves and smaller branches. Niche feeding like this reduces direct competition amongst birds which feed on the same tree.

Grey-fronted Green Pigeon - Though I prefer it's old name, "Pompadour Green Pigeon"

Soon we left the open trail and entered the forest, and saw a lone female Grey-fronted Green Pigeon. She sat atop a bare tree with her face towards the rising sun and sang sighingly. Endemic to the Western Ghats, the Grey-fronted Green Pigeon is usually seen in small flocks as they feed on fruits in the tree canopy. Another endemic bird which gave us excellent views were a pair of Thick-billed Flowerpeckers. The pair was quite gregarious, indicating that they were probably nesting nearby. So we quickly moved away to enjoy the sight of a Red-throated Flycatcher.

The heat had increased by now and we hoped to see some raptors taking advantage of  the thermals. But apart from a Crested-serpent Eagle, the raptors were the dip of the day.

Our most notable sightings for Karnala were the migratory Verditer and Ultramarine Flycatcher. Both species travel from Himalayas down south for the winter.

Karnala offers something to everyone, be it nature, history or adventure. However, this tiny sanctuary is threatened by unruly picnickers blind to it’s rich history. Earlier the forest department had initiated a deposit system against any plastic that one carried inside. But the large number of people visiting the sanctuary seems to have deterred the continuation of this practise. The recent news of widening the Goa-Mumbai highway passing through the sanctuary is also disheartening. Hopefully continued visits by MBC and other nature organisations will help put a light on the rich heritage of Karnala, that future generations may hear birdsong with as much joy as we did.

The old must fall for the new to rise.

MBC Bird walk at Bhuigaon

What a fantastic birding day! This was the thought in every birder's mind as the trail by Mumbai Birdwatchers Club ended at the Bhuigaon beach in Vasai. Around 40 passionate birders gathered to explore the hitherto unknown area of Bhuigaon. The mosaic of paddy fields, interspersed by wetland, scrub land, and seaside habitats gave us a superb variety of birds, and we all came back with a list of 75 bird sightings.

White Stork - an uncommon winter visitor

Mumbai Birdwatchers club has recently revived their activities. It’s aim is to offer a common platform to amateur birders to further their interests.The fourth birdwalk in this season was held at Bhuigaon in Vasai on Sunday, 20th Nov. Though not a very known trail, Bhuigaon is a popular birding destination for well known birders like Amol Lopes, Kuldeep Chaudhary, M. V. Bhakta, Sachin Marti and Varun Satose who reside in this area. The trail was led by senior and experienced birders like Saurabh Sawant, Rujuta Phadke, Varun Satose, Amol Lopes, Kuldeep Chaudhary, and M. V. Bhakta.

The weather was cool and pleasant when we started our walk, a welcome respite from the October heat. The approach road leading towards the seaside passed through Bhuigaon. It was lined by large opulent bungalows surrounded by small gardens. The gardens gave us views of Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Purple-rumped Sunbird, and Pale-billed Flowerpecker trying to catch the early rays. The village suddenly gave way to paddy fields, interspersed by marshes and scrub land. Apart from the usual suspects like Red-wattled Lapwings, Common Sandpiper, the whole egret range, Great to Little, we also saw Little ringed and Kentish Plovers feeding in the nutrient rich mud.

A Striated Heron in flight brought our gaze back towards the skies, as we saw a gorgeous Black-shouldered Kite hovering in the distance. An Oriental Honey Buzzard was our next sighting. It showed off it’s unmistakable pigeon shaped head and tail markings as it was relentlessly chased by a murder of crows out for its life. Though both our sightings of Osprey were hazy and far, it was a satisfactory feeling to know they are well fed and that the fish are biting in this area.

It helped that our necks were craned towards the sky looking at an Oriental Skylark, when there was a sudden shout of “Falcon” from Saurabh. Lo and behold a handsome male Amur Falcon flew right over our head giving us a superb view of it’s pied underparts. As fast as it came, the falcon quickly disappeared from view. No doubt it was making it’s way across the ocean onward to its winter grounds in Africa. These tiny birds are one of the longest bird migrants in the world. They breed in the Amur river basin between Russia and China and undertake a journey of 22,000 Kms to their wintering grounds in Africa. They are passage migrants in India, which made this sighting very special as they are only seen for a short period of time during the beginning of winter.

Another notable sighting was of a Short-eared Owl as it circled overhead with a Marsh Harrier in tow. The sighting could be quickly confirmed as photographers produced pictures of this beauty in flight.

Short-eared Owl

The paddy fields produced for us Paddyfield Pipits, a trio chased each other merrily. Two Tree Pipits sat watching their antics from an electric wire. The sun was quite bright by now and the Tree Pipits were bathed in perfect light. This helped everyone observe the yellow wash and striations on their chest which distinguishes them from other pipits.

Tree Pipit showing off striations and yellow wash on chest

Siberian Stonechat, Booted and Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Long-tailed Shrike and an uncommon Red-headed Bunting confirmed that migration was well under way.

The rich countryside gave us ample sightings and we ended up spending nearly 2 hours covering a stretch of 2 kms. By now the sea was beckoning and by 9:30 a.m. we ended up on the a clean beach littered with Little Ringed, Greater and Lesser Sand, and Kentish Plovers, running helter skelter in the sands. Ruddy Turnstones, Terek and Curlew Sandpipers and a lone Sanderling were amongst our notable sightings by the grey Arabian sea.

We ended the day with a vote of thanks to all the participating birders. Some of the birders quickly headed over to the nearby saltpans for another uncommon sighting of White Stork, a widespread winter visitor to the Indian subcontinent. In the past there have been some very uncommon records from the Vasai area, like White-tailed Lapwing, Crab Plover, and very recently the White Stork. Local birders with their sustained efforts have come up with a list of 250 birds and a birding app “Vasai Birds”. It is vital that this region receives popularity as a birding destination. MBC hopes that their efforts to bring light to such unknown areas will help in their conservation as the city rapidly takes over the last bits of green and converts it to a dreary grey.

Terek Sandpiper with unmistakable orange legs and slightly upcurved beak

Skipping Diwali

Shadow Forest

Being chased by an elephant is not funny but perhaps as an afterthought, it is. I was in the heart of Pakke Tiger Reserve, a 800 sq. km. verdant forest situated on the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Out on an early bird watching sojourn, I wandered alone on the main trail or was I really alone?  Ahead on the trail I saw the Panchali camp elephant Rajah, having an early morning breakfast on the side of the road. I cut short my trail and turned back. To make up for lost distance I ventured just a few meters off the main trail and into the undergrowth to look for beauties like Niltava, Tesia and Puff throated babblers, who are usually only heard and not seen.

The sun rays still not at their strongest failed to pierce the shadows in the undergrowth. I stood alert for any sound or the slightest of movements while a Tesia and a Niltava gave me the briefest of looks and melted away. Behind me at the point where I entered the thicket suddenly materialised Rajah, deciding that the ginger leaves that he is partial to, are more succulent in only that part of the forest he stood there munching away merrily. Having heard many stories of Makhna’s (tusk less elephants) chomping on human heads and elephant tails alike, I was not particularly keen on knowing what a full grown tusker would do next.  I froze, the birds were forgotten and the thicket a minute before filled with bird song became unnaturally quiet and the only sound filling my ears was my heart beating at an insane rate. Rajah now decided that the cool of the undergrowth was far more appealing than the early morning sun, he turned his magnificent head with his beautiful ivory tusks and started to walk resolutely towards me. Perhaps he only wanted to say hello or maybe off with her head, I did not wait to find out and crashing through the undergrowth made my way to the main trail. On reaching the camp I found that Rajah has a penchant for not allowing people out of the camp and if left free to graze claimed the whole trail to himself, not allowing anyone to pass until his mahout got him out of the way. This mischievous streak in Rajah and other camp elephants is as charming as it is terrifying at the same time.

Pakke is full of such classic stories. The incident of how Manek, another camp elephant who had run away since 2 months was finally found and captured, lured with countless buckets of rice and salt licks and how the Mahouts fought amongst themselves as to who would first mount him so as to claim the Rs. 5000 award announced by the DFO and how all the Mahout's and their Jugali's (helper) and anyone remotely connected or not, trooped to claim the reward and then party is the stuff Gerald Durrell books are made of. Pakke is simply magical.

Plumbeous Water Redstart (Rhyaconis fuliginosus)

I stayed in Pakke for twelve days as a volunteer to help Nandini Velho, a PHd student from James Cook University, with another volunteer Binod Borah for company. Twelve days of sheer bliss, days spent walking, bird watching, talking to the forest watchers and enjoying wide open skies and beautiful landscapes. Gently undulating hills and mid-sized mountains form a major part of the Pakke landscape and add to it year round gurgling streams. Bauhinia trees in full bloom, birds calling from every bush and tree, bugs like fat bomber planes flying above the streams was an everyday scene. Barking deer’s announced my arrival into their territory with dog like barks, Elephant, Tiger, Leopard and Gaur signs in every available soft sand and muddy shore, Pakke is a wild lifers paradise.

Early morning in Pakke

The villages surrounding Pakke are home to indigenous tribes like the “Nyishi”, hunting is a part of their life and even today they are expert hunters and trackers and a great shot be it a gun or bow and arrow. Just a couple of years back Pakke was open hunting ground and logging was rampant. Hunting parties would catch anything they could get their hands on, as a result wildlife had depleted and the forest was empty of the calls of squirrel's and hornbill's and the barking deer.

A Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak) peeking out through the undergrowth in the early morning sunlight.

So how is it that today the forest is well and alive with animals? To make it what it is today, has taken immense efforts on part of the FD mainly the current DFO Mr. Tana Tapi. He mobilised a band of forest watchers STPF (Special Tiger Protection Force) giving them shoot on sight orders for poachers. Though that may be the case, he has also like a headmaster correcting an errant child, literally caned a couple of the caught poachers and given them a choice, either work for the forest or else don't expect to be alive next time. Many of the poachers now work with the FD to protect the very forest where they earlier hunted.

Loving yet stern, approachable yet gruff but respected and loved by one and all, Tana Tapi and his band of raggedy ann soldiers, most of whom work on minimum wages, is what holds Pakke together. And the results are there for anyone to see. Malayan Giant Squirrel’s like giant rufous balls of fur, chatter away in the canopy while their cousins the Red bellied squirrels keep them company. Wreathed, Great and Oriental Hornbills announce their arrival with a loud whooshing sound of their wings. One dark night we heard a flying squirrel calling “Oh Aai”, a call our guide Koliya had heard again after 27 long years. We also got to hear the charming folk story behind the flying squirrels call.

Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolour)

River Heliodor (Rhinocypha sps.)

Stream Glory (Neurobasis chinensis)

River Lapwings gave voice to the gentle streams near Denai and DG camps. Crested Kingfisher’s, Plumbeous Water Redstart's, White wagtail's, glittering River Heliodor's and Stream Glories called home the stream near upper Dekorai camp. Butterflies and Elephants like wild party animals hogged all the best watering holes. Bird-wings and Paris Peacocks, Orange Oak Leaf and Dragon-tails, Fluffy tits and Lacewings all became active in the late afternoon sun. The quiet trails carved out by the beat guards were their favorite haunts, flying soundlessly they added motion to the quiet afternoons while still maintaining the sanctity.  Night came quickly and by 4:30 p.m. it was sundown with the shadows lengthening fast and by 6:00 p.m. it used to be pitch dark and the sky ablaze with a million stars like coins spread on a deep blue cloth. 

Paris Peacock Butterfly (Papilio paris)

Leopard Lacewing Butterfly (Cethosia cyane)

Mating Pair of Fluffy Tit Butterfly (Zeltus etolus)

Orange Oakleaf Butterfly (Kallima inachus) 

Late evenings were spent chatting with the forest watchers, as we sat around a blazing fire to combat the winter chill and share stories about the forest, stories about the various animals they encountered during their patrol and about their lives outside of the park. And in the process I heard the most hilarious of wildlife stories and I was amazed with how shy they were and yet how readily they became friendly and welcomed us into their fold, and to watch their easy camaraderie was a joy. Pakke will remain in my mind for a long time, my sunny place to be on dark days. Hope this place endures unscathed for many generations and they may experience firsthand the magic that is Pakke.

Enjoying a ride on the (over) friendly camp elephant, "Rajah"

To learn more about Pakke please visit http://www.pakketigerreserve.org/. You can also read more about Pakke and its unsung heroes at http://ebookbrowse.com/nandini-velho-battling-for-pakke-sanctuary-asia-tapi-pdf-d282901743

Pakke Bird List https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bz_4Df4HjKiMLS1jbEpEbVAzazA

More Pictures

One of the camps in Pakke Tiger Reserve

Seijousa Trail

View from Upper Dekorai

Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus)

Red-headed Trogon (Harpactes erythrocephalus)

White wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus)

Evening in Upper Dekorai

Nagla Block

All Pictures Courtesy Saurabh Sawant

In the midst of our burgeoning, cosmopolitan, chameleon like city like lies another city, an island within an island, Sanjay Gandhi National Park is one of a kind national park, unique in the fact that it is surrounded on all sides by an extremely populated city like Mumbai, which threatens any day to break its boundaries and spill over into this one last bastion for the voiceless. 

Today we saw the indifference in the heart of man for this park whose worth is beyond money and beauty beyond words. Saurabh Sawant  and I visited the Nagla Block on 15th, for an early morning trail. Reaching by 8:00 a.m. we began birding in the pale gold of early morning sunshine.  At the very start Nagla is quite dry, teak & dalbergia trees dominate the scene, teak's dry leathery leaves cover the forest floor in a carpet of brown and yellow. As you start walking in the flora changes, green peeks out from amongst the browns and the yellows. Also to add colour to the drab one can see a splattering of red in the form of “Kusum” trees. In their newfound glory these trees are a sight for sore eyes. Their bright red leaves against the blue sky will make any artist run for his money or his brushes.

The trail was alive with bird calls and just upon entering we had wonderful views of Common Iora, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Sunbirds etc. A few meters of walking inside we heard the most melodious of calls of a White-rumped Shama. A pair of these beautiful birds regaled us with their nimble flying and their fresh plumage. The male kept showing off his rufescent belly and his snow white rump with just a few downy feathers peeking out from under his tail. A Banded Bay Cuckoo calling from deep within signalled the onset of summer. 

                                Fire along the trail (Pic courtesy Saurabh Sawant)

Having enjoyed the Shama to our hearts content we walked further inside when we heard a snap of dry twigs being burnt on the right side of the trail. We thought it was perhaps a fire line, a controlled fire lit by the forest department to control the spread of a wildfire or forest fire. But there were no forest officials in sight and it dawned on us that this was a forest fire, spreading fast consuming the forest floor. Smoke and ash, the scene was disturbing and we felt utterly helpless with its magnitude. Finally we gathered our wits and first and foremost called up the forest department control room and notified them about the fire. We decided that it was up to us to do something to arrest the spreading fire. Gathering a couple of twigs we started to beat the fire and also removed dried leaves from the fires path so it would have less fuel to burn. Creating a fire line, working our way upwards for more than an hour, we managed to stop the fire from spreading further to the west. At the top of the steep slope we realised that the fire had already spread down the slope on the south side, the smoke billowing upwards showed us the extent of the fire.

We could only watch as the fire kept spreading further down on the south side, showing us that the elements of nature are beyond our control. Perhaps the fire had been raging since the earlier night; around half a kilometre patch of the forest in the east side was completely burnt, the blackened forest floor smoking with hidden embers. Maybe it was a carelessly flicked stub of cigarette or the embers of a bonfire or perhaps just nature’s way of regeneration, we may never know but to watch the fire eat up the forest floor was troubling. The  few people we saw collecting firewood walked by nonchalantly, this being a scene they might see every year and so it makes no impression on them for they know that the forest will regenerate, life goes on. By the time the season changes all traces of today will be washed off and life will endure, as it should. But will we?  

                                View from Vasai bridge (Pic courtesy Saurabh Sawant)

Note: We notified the forest department around 8:30 a.m. about the fire but by 11:30 a.m. when we moved out the park the forest department officials had still not managed to reach the scene. Probably when we left they approached it from the south at the base of the hill. If you ever come across a forest fire or any illegal activity taking place in the park please help the forest department respond on time by calling the Borivali control room on 02228866449

Karnala Bird Sanctuary

Mumbai Biodiversity Group had arranged a trail to Karnala on 4^th march, a Sunday. The 12 sq. km. Sanctuary just off the Mumbai-Goa Highway is home to 150 resident and 37 migratory birds. Karnala in the rains and in the summer are two different experiences, in rains it is filled with the noise of water, the gurgling of streams, and the footsteps of trekkers, in summer with birdsong and the rustling of leaves. It is famous for the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher that nests here in monsoon, its nesting sites are now all dried up, the stream beds just a collection of pebbles of all sizes and shapes, smoothed by countless monsoon rains.

 Karnala is still in the grasp of a crisp and cool winter and the early morning air was invigorating. The recent sighting of Ashy Minivet drew birders and photographers from miles around like bees to honey.  We had a glimpse of the Ashy Minivet and much much more.

As we reached by 7:00 a.m., we could take full advantage of the early morning bird activity. The forest in the morning was like a grand old painting painted by one of the old masters but hidden under a layer of dust and as the sun rose higher in the sky, it started adding colour to the drab and the dull. Nothing could hide from its golden rays and every leaf, every bird shone as if freshly painted. The Black- hooded Oriole was the brightest yellow I’ve ever seen, no wonder it’s called as “Haldya” in the local language. The sunbirds true to their name were active as soon as the first rays came up, in pairs they flew around the forest, searching for the flowers of the Red Silk Cotton, Palash and Mango for nectar.

Every bird has put on a new coat of feathers, the better to attract a mate in this mating season. Many of the birds have already set up homes; we saw a Flowerpecker’s beautifully camouflaged purse like nest and also a Common Woodshrike on its cup shaped nest.

An Asian Paradise-flycatcher with his ribbon like tail flew among the branches with acrobatic finesse; he held our attention for a long time as he put on a display fit for Cirque du soleil. The Black-naped Blue Monarch with a little black cap on his head and his azure wings gave us a fantastic sighting, as did a Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, while a pair of Red Spurfowl ran for cover. Along the Mortakka trail we walked in search of more feathered beauties and were rewarded with a lone Pompadour Pigeon, through a Swarowski spotting scope we could see its bright blue eyes, in complete contrast with its yellow green body and maroon wings. Just like our last visit to Tungareshwar, here we could see lots of Ashy Drongos flocking together, in preparation of their journey northward.

Near mid-day the birdsong had not subsided but the sun had made us forget the cool of the morning, we sat and had a delicious breakfast of Pulao, bread-omlette and shira, as Crested Serpent Eagles circled above our head piercing the air with their loud calls. After our very satisfying and much needed break we walked towards the tar road leading out and suddenly saw a small bird fly into the dry grasses near our feet, we searched in vain, as the wily bird kept quiet and before we knew it had flown out a little distance away and into more dry grass. Saurabh, Ameya, Rujuta, Pradnyawant and I led a small search party while Dr. Vaibhav and his friend Mr. Pravin Kawale watched from above. We dug in the grass to flush out the little guy but he was wily, he was stubborn, but we were not willing to give up and continued our efforts. Finally as we were about to give up, he rose out of the grass, sat on a stalk for a split second and then flew off, but not a good enough look for an ID. During the course of this search we came also across a Bltyh’s Reed and a Sulphur-bellied Warbler.

As it continued to get hotter we decided to head out home and near the cages we had a good sighting of the Blue-capped Rock Thrush. And thus we ended the day and headed back to Mumbai having a day well spent.

Note:  As a recent initiative the forest department has started charging Rs. 200 as deposit against every plastic bottle that you carry inside, which you can get back once you exit the sanctuary. They have also put up a board with names of people who have broken park rules and the fines they have incurred, littering can attract a fine of up to Rs. 1200, feeding monkeys has a fine of Rs. 5000 and drinking inside the sanctuary Rs. 1200. I hope that this practice continues strictly, the results of which can be seen in the sanctuary in the form of much cleaner surroundings.  

Here’s a complete list of the birds seen

1)      Cattle Egret

2)      Oriental Honey-buzzard

3)      Shikra

4)      White-eyed Buzzard

5)      Crested Serpent Eagle

6)      Red Spurfowl

7)      Pompadour Green Pigeon

8)      Plum-headed Parakeet

9)      Rose-ringed Parakeet

10)   Jungle Owlet (Heard)

11)   Green Bee-eater

12)   Brown-headed Barbet

13)   Coppersmith Barbet

14)   Rufous Woodpecker

15)   White-naped Woodpecker (Heard)

16)   Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

17)   Common Iora

18)   Golden-fronted Leafbird

19)   Black-naped Oriole

20)   Black-hooded Oriole

21)   Black Drongo

22)   Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

23)   Ashy Drongo

24)   Common Woodshrike

25)   Common Myna

26)   Rufous Treepie

27)   House Crow

28)   Large-billed Crow

29)   Large Cuckooshrike

30)   Small Minivet

31)   Ashy Minivet

32)   Red-vented Bulbul

33)   Red-whiskered Bulbul

34)   Puff-throated Babbler

35)   Yellow-eyed Babbler

36)   Red-throated Flycatcher

37)   Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher

38)   Asian Paradise-flycatcher

39)   Black-naped Blue Monarch

40)   Ashy Prinia

41)   Blyth’s Reed Warbler

42)   Common Tailorbird

43)   Sulphur-bellied Warbler

44)   Greenish Warbler

45)   Green Warbler (P. nitidus)

46)   Magpie Robin

47)   White-rumped  Shama (Heard)

48)   Indian Robin

49)   Blue-capped Rock Thrush

50)   Small Sunbird

51)   Purple Sunbird

52)   Crimson Sunbird

53)   Thick-billed Flowerpecker

54)   Pale-billed Flowerpecker

55)   White-rumped Munia

56)   Chestnut-shouldered Petronia

Tungareshwar WLS

I know I've had a long hiatus, but I am back and how. A lovely early morning trail to Tungareshar WLS in the perfect sort of weather. We started birding around 8:00 a.m., the sun playing peek-a-boo from behind silvery grey clouds and in the early morning it was cool in the shadows. Black hooded oriole greeted us just at the gate of the sanctuary and with many promising bird calls inviting us to explore further we started our day. Black drongos and Racket tailed drongos were the talk of the town, they flit among the tree branches with tails made of black lace while a small Minivet and its mate gave us unstinted views.The forest is  in the midst of this great transformation, the greenery of rainy days is long gone, almost all the trees have as if prepared for the coming season in the way of fashionistas, "Oh green was so last season". Now they have put on reds, browns, orange and yellows, all the warm tones to welcome the coming summer. The Palash was up in flames and not to be outdone was the Indian Coral tree though they both would have to bow to the Kusum, her bright red leaves brightened up the drab landscape in bold splashes of color.

Most of the deciduous trees are now shedding, every old leaf fell to the forest floor with the grace of a bird flying, drawing our attention every single time. The Teak tree leaves are turned to lace and all the forest paths crackled under our feet as we walked. Though the trees were in full bloom and Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Ioras, and Leafbirds were seen taking full advantage of the summer bounty, there were no butterflies except for the spot tailed swordtail and a couple of striped tigers. Along a turn we gazed into the tangle of dried branches to see a dove, dark and spotted, with no way of telling for sure whether it was one the spotted or laughing until it flew straight at us and its emerald wings glimmered in the sun.

 The main way leading towards the summit was covered with a layer of fine silky dust that billowed in the wake of motorbikes and noisy rickshaws that broke the silence and like a patron at an opera I would have liked to shush them. Though it does seem as if the birds have accepted this intrusion with disdain, they flew they sang along the paths with abandon, or is it because it is the season of love? Magpie Robins were singing their hearts out and the sunbirds flew everywhere in pairs like newlyweds showing off their love. Greenish warblers are still calling but soon their song will fade as they prepare for their journey northward. A Sulphur bellied warbler vanished in the undergrowth while ahead a tickells blue flycatcher and a black naped monarch paired up probably to catch flies. Speaking of flies today a lot of tiny houseflies troubled us all day long, their twitchy movements and buzzing continued all the way, perhaps attracted to the leftover food and garbage strewn from the recent Mahashivratri.

The larger raptors were absent, but a Shikra and a sighting of a juvenile Shikra both of which gave us long views on the way up more than made up for their absence. Thus we ended the day on a high note and returned with birdsong in our hearts and eyes full of the colours of summer.

Note 1: This is probably one of the best times to visit Tungareshwar, the summer is yet to come to full force, the weather is cloudy and the mornings are still a bit cool. The trees have shed leaves and the landscape is more open, you can sight birds easily and the winter migrants are yet to leave. Below is a complete list of birds sighted today

Note 2: Also seen were flocks of Ashy drongo in huge numbers. Perhaps theyy are preparing to migrate, i did not find any reference on the net reagrding this behaviour, except for a small note on this site http://vietnambirdnews.blogspot.in/2011_02_01_archive.html, does anyone have references for same?

1)      Cattle egret

2)      Black Kite

3)      Oriental honey buzzard

4)      Shikra

5)      Crested serpent eagle (call)

6)      Emerald dove

7)      Rose ringed parakeet

8)      Plum headed parakeet

9)      Greater coucal

10)   Jungle owlet

11)   Asian palm swift

12)   White throated kingfisher

13)   Brown headed barbet

14)   Hoopoe

15)   Common iora

16)   Golden fronted leafbird

17)   Blue winged leafbird

18)   Black Hooded Oriole

19)   Black naped oriole

20)   Indian oriole

21)   Black drongo

22)   Ashy drongo

23)   Bronzed drongo

24)   Racket tailed drongo

25)   Common woodshrike

26)   Common myna

27)   Rufous treepie

28)   House crow

29)   Large billed crow

30)   Small minivet

31)   Large cuckooshrike (call)

32)   Red-vented bulbul

33)   Red-whiskered bulbul

34)   Puff throated babbler (call)

35)   Red throated flycatcher

36)   Tickell’s blue flycatcher

37)   Asian paradise flycatcher  (Female)

38)   Black naped blue monarch

39)   Grey-breasted Prinia

40)   Blyth’s reed warbler (call)

41)   Sulphur bellied warbler

42)   Common tailorbird

43)   Green warbler (P. nitidus)

44)   Greenish warbler

45)   Small sunbird

46)   Crimson sunbird

47)   Purple sunbird

48)   Thick billed flowerpecker

49)   Pale billed flowerpecker

50)   Chestnut shouldered Petronia

51)   Crested serpent eagle (call)

As i walked on the streets of Guwahati, with hordes of mayflies milling around, their transparent wings akin to a veil which i parted to be transported back to Lama Camp. Situated at 2000 mtrs, a motley gathering of tents and few permanent structures, it was to be our home for four days. The journey began on 4th april for those who travelled by train, the cacophany of shrill children aside the outside scenery cooled my eyes. From Guwahati to Nameri the journey was a change of season, from summer we entered monsoon in a couple of hours.

Having tasted wildlife in Nameri in the form of 100 sps. of birds, Indian large civet, Indian giant squirrell, our appetite was only whetted for more things to come. Lama and sessni offered us rufous necked hornbill, long billed wren babbler, beautiful nuthatch, rufous backed sibia, pale blue flycatcher, blue fronted robin, brown bullfinch even though wards trogon and bugun liochichla eluded us.

Lama camp teemed with jewels on wings, sapphire, ultramarine, verditer flycatcher we saw eveyday while white browed shortwing, small niltava and indian robin flashed their blues and disappeared. The minla's we saw all, red, blue and chestnut, the yuhina's were straited, white naped, whiskered, stripe throated and black chinned and the black faced, grey hooded, golden spectacled, grey cheeked, chestnut crowned and white spectacled flycatcher warblers added yellow to our day.

Sessni was a true rain forest, with tall trees and huge overflowing canopies and the rains always unannounced. We walked 14 kms one day, a walk which gave us glimpses of some very rare and endangered birds while also exposing us to the threats that this place faces in the form of a deliberately lit forest fire which the guys put out with a huge efoort.

My favourite trail was a walk from Eaglenest pass towards lama camp a distance of 10 kms. The path hugged the mountains, winding up and down, the air was crisp and all around us magnolia's, pines and other high altitude trees. Looking at the opposite mountain we saw signs of elephants while around us was an un-natural quite. Adding to the mystery was fog which enveloped us in thich layers and evaporated just as it came. This quiet was sometimes broken by loud bird-calls, the birds unwary of us sang lustily while we searched for them and then suddenly as the fog lifted in lithe little ribbon we would see the bird just as they would see us and vanish into the mountainside leaving echoes of whirring wings.

The trip is now like that echo, an echo of memories that flash in my mind. A thousand images and sounds, a view of tibets mountains in the far distance lit afire by the rising sun, the dark night in sessni without a pinprick of light, the clatter of a thousand hails on the corrugated roof, threatening to bring the house down, a shallow river crossed in a tiny boat and then a sea of pebbles polished to a rounded smoothness showing off jewel like colours, the huge white blooms of a magnolia and ruby red rhododendron, a thousand more images i cannot describe.