While Jim
Corbett National Park and hills of Kumaoun are filled with wildlife enthusiasts
and tourists narrating their escapades and encounters with tigers and tuskers,
I am happy with my lot of birds’ .For an amateur birder like me, the hills and
foothills of Kumaoun are full of surprises. While the elusive leopard or tiger
may always be difficult to sight to which I have no remorse in saying that have
again managed to elude me, the feathered species never disappoint. There are
raptors, migratory birds, water birds, waders, forest birds and every time, the
forests and the river greets me with a new story.
As again I
was at my in-laws place and apart from amazing hospitality and food offered by
my In-laws, the trip to Jim Corbett and Birding trip has always remained an
added incentive to visit this beautiful landscape of India. And as always there
has been Rajesh Panwar of Camp Milleu to always ready and full of enthusiasm to
take me out for birding tour.
The part
about being with Rajesh is that there is tremendous amount of flexibility on
tour and he also being a Bird enthusiast makes it even better proposition.
We decided
to go to Jim Corbett and as it was already 20th of June, the Dhikala
entry of the park was already closed and we decided to enter the park from
Bijroni Side. It was swift and smooth Jeep was lined up, we approached the park
gate got the registration done and on boarded appointed Guide and off we went.
Just inside the park and we could hear calls of Indian Pitta and just a little
bit of probing on ground along the dry leaves, there it was… a bird as
beautiful as its name in Hindi. It is called Navrang and Hindi and no wonder
why this bird is called so. The entire park was filled with nesting and mating
calls or acts of birds. A pair of spotted doves was relentlessly chasing each
other on ground, river lapwings sitting on stony river bed on eggs, Oriental
Magpie Robins carrying nesting materials to nesting sites and crossing the
trail more often than not. Peacock calls were echoing the entire Ramganga river
basin. And just as we were about to
cross a rivulet we came across a huge Brown Fish owl sitting pretty on a big
perch over the rivulet. I have encountered this owl twice and both the time I
have come across this owl in same habitat as described by Salim Ali Sir in his
books. Sometimes it baffles me that how on earth a person can study each and
every bird in India in such a great detail that still when we come across these
birds the habitat, behavior of these birds comes out verbatim as per his books.
And as we were focusing hard on the Owl, a sudden staccato rattle beneath the
bridge on which we standing introduced us to the first reptile of the Corbett
for me, out came an “Indian Black Turtle” and as it realized it is on our
radar, the head went inside. It was still dark and Sun was still not at its
full glory and overcast conditions were not helping either. High ISO and low
shutter speed were showing its affects of quality of photographs.
|
Brown Fish Owl |
|
Male Peacock |
|
Indian Black Turtle |
As we moved
ahead a barking deer came out from under growth of bushes and just after
observing our jeep got confused which way to go. It first wanted to go back and
turned full and again started to move ahead and eventually kept on moving
straight on the trail and in the process gave us some good shots. After some
time it went towards river bed and then went inside meadows. One thing that has
always amused me about Jim Corbett that it such a complete wildlife destination
it has all kinds of landscapes like area of hills, riverine belts, marshy
depressions, grass lands and large lake. So it makes a perfect home for every
fauna which is a part of this landscape. Every species is complete in Corbett.
|
Barking Deer |
As our
driver and guide were both aware of the fact that we were not very keen on
spotting the tiger and were more interested in Birds, they took us to a trail
with a lot of greenery. The trail was full of Sal, Haldu, Pipal, Rohini and
Mango trees and I was getting answers to my question that why these forests are
home to over 500 bird species.
Rains had
just started 2 days back were not enough to suppress the sounds of dry leaves.
We were getting alerts when a family of wild boars was coming to cross the
trail to movement of red Jungle fowl inside the bushes. Even a smaller puff
throated babbler could not suppress the sound of dry leaves. Nesting activity
of Oriental magpie robin and Asian Paradise fly catcher were on full throttle.
Long white tailed males were flying across the trails in to the trees far off,
but the sight was such that I still get sleepless moments when I recall those birds.
After exploring well wooded region and spotting the 3 woodpecker species (Grey Headed, Black rumped flame back and greater Flame back) we went towards
river bed and open areas.
|
Puff Throated Babbler |
|
Female Red Jungle Fowl |
|
Red Jungle Fowl- Male |
|
Wild Boars |
|
Grey Headed Woodpecker |
As we went
in to open areas our eyes kept on searching for raptors sitting high up in
trees, and there on an barren perch was Mountain Hawk Eagle. A species
restricted only to these forests and Southern Western Ghats. Just ahead and we
could see groups of Yellow footed pigeons sitting on fig tree and having
breakfast. As the sun rose the temperatures started to rise and we could see
young Sambhar deers laying themselves in pool of water to get rid of fire
flies.
|
Hawk Eagle |
|
Sambhar Deer- Beat the Heat |
Just a few
meters ahead as we crossed the river bed and entered in to a meadows landscape
we came across something very interesting. From far off we observed a Jackal in
the long strands of dried grass bed. Spotting it was not easy as its skin
colour gets mixed with grass so effectively that its very hard to spot it
initially. As we approached closer we heard panic calls of Red Wattled lapwing
(Titahiri), this being breeding season for Lapwings and since they nest on
ground it appeared to a nest raiding attempt by the Jackal, but the Jackal we
observed was in front of us, we looked closer and out came the partner in the
crime, a second jackal. After this both moved towards meadows and one started
to do urine and then rolling over it and then again rolling over at a fresh
piece of land, it was clearly area marking activity by the couple and they were
doing this rigorously.
|
The Game of Jackal |
The worst
part about being in Jim Corbett is the fact that you never know when the time
gets and over and makes you feel more eager to spend more time inside it. But
the best part is; it is so wonderful to be inside and see the nature’s drama
getting unfolded in front of you.
We went out
of the park as Rajesh had suggested that a reserve forest area by the name of
Sitavani juxtaposed to Corbett is also worth exploring. While approaching
Sitavani I asked Rajesh about this forest he told me that Tusker and tigers
both frequent these forests and there have been many incidents of tigers
attacks on human in these forests and farm land inside the forest. It is just a
stone’s throw away from Bijrani Exit gate. Just by the time our talks could
complete we were in Sitavani forest area. I always had a longing desire that
while doing a forest trail a monitor lizard should cross my trail and forget
about the photographs even the sighting of this reptile will make my excursion
a great success. And as we were driving through the pakka road of Sitavani
Forests a Big Yellow Monitor lizard started crossing the road. We stopped the
car and got out of it chased the Lizard. The Lizard still cold (suggested by
its sluggish movements) took shelter in to dense bushes. I all was so elated
that I forgot to change my Camera settings and after a few initial clicks came
in to senses and reviewed the snaps, the snaps were not doing justice to beauty
of this magnificent reptile. Every time while watching monitor lizard on
Television/ Photographs I always thought are beautiful creatures. They can get
surprising large and have interesting camouflage patterns across their backs,
big clawed feet and a long tail - ok not everyone’s idea of beautiful, but I
like the look of them. I regained my composure and after realizing that
the lizard is not going to move due to low body temperature along with the fact
that it was finding itself secured in bushes, I started to change camera
settings and started to take clicks of this yellow beauty. I have a never
ending fascination for this majestic reptile, whenever in wild, if I ever have
felt exhausted I always tell my partner Satya that if a monitor lizard comes in
front or even a slightest of sight of this majestic reptile will send new wave
of energy in my body. And herein Sitavani forests I was taking close ups
of this beauty. I took ample close ups; photos of forehead, nostrils,
eyes, scale patterns. The lizard was still relaxed and thankfully undisturbed
as till now there no signs of hissing sound or any attempt to escape.
|
|
|
Yellow Monitor Lizard |
After some
15 minutes of our tryst with this glorious reptile we went ahead and reached a
well wooded forest, a rocky riverbed was the spot that rajesh told is home to various
Birds. It was a shady patch of forest with a small stream of water making its
way in between. We just waited for a few minutes and the place started coming
to life Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch, Chestnut headed Bee Eater Oriental White
Eyes, Grey Tree pie, Blue bearded Bee Eater sitting near a Bee hive and many
birds could be seen in canopy. All of a sudden distress calls of Bonnet
Macaques started echoing from very nearby and even some sound of restricted
movement in near Bushes captured our attention and Rajesh thought it would be
wise for us to retreat and come out of Bushes.
|
Chestnut Headed Bee Eater |
It was
already 11 AM and we thought to start going back as we had to take lunch and go
Drive all the way to Saat Taal area near Nainitaal which as per Rajesh was
going to be an unforgettable trip, and I was eager to reach there. While
driving down the hill of Sitavani Forests an Oriental Honey Buzzard was
sitting pretty on a nearby perch, and out of nowhere a Grey Hornbill came out.
I was smiling as I took it as a good omen for the trip we were about to begin.
|
Oriental Honey Buzzard |
It is one
of the rarest place where you’ll tire of asking but offering will remain one
step ahead. Once you visit Jim Corbett; you simply can’t resist yourself of
describing the matchless beauty, the wilderness, the unparalleled thrill, and
many such words which is not sufficient to capture the whole aura of its
divinity…. Go Explore…
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