Some wonders of the Kohoj Fort

This inhabitant of dense jungles flies low down, takes weak and short flights. Generally seen along forest paths and clearings.

I owe big time to this fellow, I have started taking notice of Dragonflies because of him.

This Dragon has been identified by Mr.K.A.Subramanian
(LAB#23, National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bangalore-560 065)

In fact he is using this photo in his upcoming book on Indian Dragonflies

Found these Painted Grasshoppers feeding on the Giant Milkweed (Calotropsis gigantea). This common shrub can grow into a small tree and produces profuse milky latex and is the food plant of the Plain tiger Butterfly as well.
The presence of this plant in the diet of these insects makes them poisonous to there predators.

Butterfly fort

Found a large group (Large by Mumbai standards) of Congregating Striped Tigers (Along with a few Common Crows) inside the historical Vasai Fort.

One more image of the same

This extremely common butterfly is almost impossible to click. When disturbed it flies erratically and takes for ever to settle - mostly by then you have already lost interest in clicking it.

Found these fellows very close to the Tiger congregation. These fellow unlike most of there Moth cousin can be seen flying around in the daytime.

Birding @ Uran

This pond is probably the best place to bird in and around Mumbai. During the peak of birding season you can find at least 50 species of birds in and around here in less than an hour's time.

Uran didn't fail to amaze yet again - though the water levels
were much lower since my last visit there on the 31st of October.

We (Pragya and myself) were at the pond in front of JNPT Colony Police
Station a little past 7AM on Sunday the 5th of December, to find a
landscape that I would have probably only imagined in Bharatpur (see photos
attached below). We were welcomed by a small group of Ducks, Grey
Herons and Great Egrets, but a closer look thru the binocs a surprise
awaited us in a pair of Comb ducks. Further on, in the pond where we
had earlier spotted the strangler White Pelican, there was a large
group of Pied Avocets (at least 53 nos.) as we were trying to sink in
our first sighting of these wonderful birds a local fisherman walked
straight into the pond and flew them all away. We had to then settle
for the Sand pipers, Shanks, Terns and a few Eurasian Spoonbills (seen
flying overhead).

At our next stop, the pond near the Training centre, there was a largeno. of ducks � Coots, Lesser Whistling Ducks, Garganey Teals, LittleGrebes and a few Unidentifiable Ducks.And at our final halt at a pond near the flyover we spotted a fewBlack winged Stilts, Bar tailed Godwits, and a group of EurasianCurlews (at least 15nos.). I've been told by our dear friend - Addithe Birdie - that such a large group of this species is quiet uncommonnear Bombay.


One more image of the pond near the Police Station

Birding along the creek

Went birding today with the BNHS North Mumbai group to Naigaon to bird along and on the Vasai Creek

But I have to say I was a bit disappointed after the much hype that Vidya had made over this trip.

This is a common water snake from mangrove swamps and river mouths.

Diet comprises fish, such as mudskippers (as in the case in this photo) and gobies, as well as crabs and frogs.

Birding on the creek.

But this guy surely made my day worth while.

These fellows have the black spots on there wings narrower and more like lines as compared to other Pierrots

This little fellow is very fond of sunshine and is usually seen enjoying it in the early hours of the day.

@ the Sacred Grove

Found this effortless glider in a shaded patch of the sacred grove belonging to the famous 'Madai Temple'.

Strange Myna

While birding around MadaiPara area of Kannur Distt. in Northern Kerala, came across this strange looking orange-headed Common Myna. This is the best shot I could get thru my binoculars.

This bird was later identified as a juvenile

Tusharagiri

Found this fellow sipping on some Lantana en route to the famous 'Tusharagiri waterfalls'.

The falls is surrounded by a very dense forest patch which is a great place to watch birds and butterflies.

This common but weak flier can be found all most everywhere, it however avoids thickets and other shaded places and can be quiet often seek basking in the sun with its wings half-open.

Birding at Soochipara ,Wayanad

"Soochi means needle
and para means rock"

Soochipara waterfalls, Wayanad District cascade down from a height of 100 to 300 feet, offering a breathtaking sight. It is near Meppadi, south of Kalpetta. The falls can be reached by a 2-km walk into the dense equatorial forest.

I found a small group of Malabar Grey Hornbills (Ocyceros griseus) in the forest patch near the falls. Check out one of them in this habitat shot.

Deep inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai...

And this is me...

Kaziranga

Just back from a great trip to the North East of the country. Check out a few snaps from the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)

And the most famous resident of the park - Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)

Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, INDIA

Just got back from an amazing tour of Kerala with my friends from Mumbai. One of the highlights have to be our treks in the Periyar Tiger Reserve - one of the best known national park of the country.

We went for two treks - a whole day trek and a two hour midnight trek. Both were exhilarating experiences. Though we didn't see much wildlife because of our lack of knowledge of were to look and bad luck we hardly saw any animals, but none the less being in the jungle is something else. Here's a few snaps just for memory.This was clicked during the early morning boat ride.

And here is the most well known image of the park.