The Travel Connection

Flying Malabar Squirrel Kabini as a winter wonderland was a stark contrast from the lush green paradise I had experienced earlier. Nothing better than foggy mornings and chilly late afternoons to get lost in nature and sight our four legged friends. The back drop of dry twigs and leaves of all colours make for good pictorial memories. And most of our friends obliged for our cameras. But It’s going to be tough summer for them as the water is scarce right in the month of January. Hope they are going to be alright! The elusive black panther remained elusive to our disappointment but we did get a  brief sighting of the Indian Leopard. And of course our other friends, the Indian gaur with its young ones, the flying Malabar squirrel putting up a show for us, the many water birds, all of it just made it another wonderful holiday in a green paradise. Indian leopard  little Egret Darter Asian Elephants Indian Gaur Mom and bab...

Until recently Sattal was just another town in Uttarakhand. The influx of tourists especially the birders, is turning the place into one more popular hill station on the Himalayas. No, it's not pristine and peaceful and middle of no where. But one can enjoy a kayak ride surrounded by lush green hills without many buildings or hawkers in sight. That is saying a lot considering the pollution of all sorts that surround almost all lakes in India. At 1370 m relatively lower compared to Pangot, Sattal is small in size but big in its avian attraction.  The ecology of  this district makes it an oasis for the 500 odd species of birds migratory or otherwise. The many birding outings I have been on generally involved driving, hiking or boating. Now imagine ring side seats for Cirque du Soleil of the avian world. Set amidst oak and pine trees on the surrounding rolling hills and the stage designed along a little stream with twigs, offshoot branches, is like none other. Withou...

Red breasted Parakeet Common Myna Rose Ringed Parakeet Asian Pied Starling Cattle Egret and common crow Yellow footed Pigeon  and Parakeet Blue Throated Barbet   My recent trip to kolkata left me with few unexpected surprises. The stark contrast of the day to day life out there from the one out in Bangalore was expected but to see friends of the feathered kind galore amidst of the harsh life in a metropolitan city left me in a state of amazement. The first morning in this city was the best i had in a long time. Though we were staying in the heart of the city, we were woken to chirps of hundreds of sparrows. It was a bitter sweet moment as i was enjoying the wake up call, i also recalled that the sparrows of Bangalore have almost completely disappeared. I wish sparrows would come back to Bangalore and feel at home like they do in Kolkata The second morning in Kolkata just got better. We decided to visit Victoria memorial ...