COLORS of NATURE - Avian Opera at Ganeshgudi

TRIP DATE : Dec 2014

I had seen the bark of a tree with dark green moss… I had seen those dark brown mushrooms on them… and as an icing those pretty birds on perfect perch. Questions arose as to was it so easy to get those colourful beauties at one place or did we require to trek around the forests of Dandeli.

The answer was this magical paradise called Ganeshgudi. Ganeshgudi is about 460 KMS away from Bangalore and is located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Ganeshgudi has become quite famous as a tourist destination because of river rafting and bird watching.

We started our journey towards Ganeshgudi a day before Christmas day. It was fantastic weather and the well laid out NH4 made things easier for us to glide through villages and cities. At first we had decided to go all the way to Hubli and sleep over but then since we had a late start we changed plans and settled at a nice hotel at Davangere, I would say fantastic value for money that place. Couple of shots of our favorite poison got the evening going and we were all excited and eagerly waiting to see what the next few days had in store for us. We paid some INR 1800 for the stay for 3 of us guys and it was no less than a 3 star accommodation. That is when I realized how this cosmopolitan city I stay has spoiled us.

Early next morning we planned to have some famous Davangere Benne Dosas (Butter Masala Dosa). But the hotel guy guided to one other mall hotel and did we enjoy our piping hot Idlis with crisp Vadas. We were now pumped up to cover our next 2 hour journey towards Dandeli. There is a tricky turn on the highway and if you miss that you will end up going an hour longer.

“I hoped there aren't too many cameras at the Old Magazine House!” was my first thought as I entered the Old Magazine House at Ganeshgudi, near Dandeli.

As the name says it literally turned out to be an Old Magazine House… they were still doing the place. Apart from a few cottages there was this huge tree in the middle and a green screen drawn as a fencing. As I peeped across the fence I saw those familiar water mud pots and the trade mark mushrooms. While we were searching for the dorm we realized it was right behind the table where the naturalists were seated.

So "This was it" is what we all wondered and it was very unlike a JLR property which usually is designed in a way to cater to even International guests. Reminded me of the Munna Bhai MBBS dialogue "Maamu Ei Tho Under Atthe Hi Khatham Ho Gaya". As we entered the dorm you should have seen the expression on the faces of some of my friends who are so used to staying in plush JLR properties.. common wash rooms and bath. To top this we could hear anyone using the loo as it was right behind your bunker beds.

The building where you have dining on the terrace and the dorms below. Even while having our breakfast and lunch our eyes were set on the birding spots. That was the kind of passion within our group and as soon as the naturalists let us know that there was a particular bird which has just appeared we would run down the spiral iron stair case at times without even washing our hands and start shooting. It was hilarious if I think about it !!!!

Image Credit: Arjun Haarith

As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. There weren't any and we were the first to arrive. So we set up our tripods after have a lovely meal. While most of us were indeed focused on getting the perfect images, the ardent birding enthusiasts were there just observing the birds and making notes there were enough birds around for all of us to see, and close enough for even me to get some decent clicks! However, the best part of Ganeshgudi was that we didn’t have to go to see the birds – they came to us! All we had to do was sit quietly and observe!

But the challenge I realized was to be absolutely still and at times stand for hours to get this perfect crisp shots. Also the net is sprayed with similar images and how would i make my image better or look different.

Image below shows what would happen if you end up in a season of plenty.

Image Credit: Mohan Kris

Birds here come in waves and you keep wondering either to ride the wave or to sit back and watch those beauties bath and pose. There are many birding spots in the resort, the best spots being the dining area and the bird baths below. A group of noisy Dark Fronted Babblers make their way to the bird bath. A shy pair of Chestnut Tailed Starlings await their turn, slowly hopping down the bamboo. White-bellied Blue Flycatchers, Oriental Magpie Robins, Blue-capped Rock Thrushes and Emerald Doves, all followed suit.

One of first visitors was this Blyth's Starling !

The chestnut-tailed starling or grey-headed myna (Sturnia malabarica) is a member of the starling family of perching birds. It is a resident or partially migratory species found in wooded habitats in India and Southeast Asia. The species name is after the distribution of a former subspecies in the Malabar region. This resident population has a white head and is often treated as a full species, the Malabar Starling(Sturnia blythii).

BLUE CAPPED ROCK THRUSH 

The blue-capped rock thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus) is a species of chat. This thrush-like Old World flycatcher breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and winters in the hill forests of southern India.

The male is bright blue and black on the upper parts with a prominent white wing mirror. The underside is rufous brown. The female is dark olive and appears barred on the underside.

BLACK NAPED MONARCH

The black-naped monarch or black-naped blue flycatcher (Hypothymis azurea) is a slim and agile passerine bird belonging to the family of monarch flycatchers. They are sexually dimorphic with males having a distinctive black patch on the back of the head and a narrow black half collar ("necklace") while the female is duller and lacks the black markings. They have a call that is similar to that of the Asian paradise flycatcher and in tropical forest habitats pairs may join mixed-species foraging flocks. Populations differ slightly in plumage colour and sizes

DARK FRONTED BABBLER:

The dark-fronted babbler (Rhopocichla atriceps) is an Old World babbler found in the Western Ghats of India and the forests of Sri Lanka. They are small chestnut brown birds with a dark black cap, a whitish underside and pale yellow iris. They forage in flocks in the undergrowth of forests constantly making calls and uttering alarm calls when disturbed.

INDIAN BLACK-LORED TIT:

(This image was showcased in Cochin Photo Exhibition)

The Indian black-lored tit or Indian yellow tit, (Parus aplonotus) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The yellow-cheeked tit is probably its closest relative, and they might be related to the yellow tit. This species is a resident breeder on the Indian subcontinent. It is a common bird in open tropical forests, but does not occur in Sri Lanka. It is an active and agile feeder, taking insects and spiders from the canopy, and sometimes fruit.

SPIDER HUNTER:

The spiderhunters are birds of the genus Arachnothera, part of the sunbird family Nectariniidae. The genus contains eleven species found in the forests of south and southeastern Asia. They are large representatives of the sunbird family, with drab plumage and long strongly curved bills. They feed on both nectar and a range of small arthropods.

TICKELLs BLUE FLY CATCHER

Tickell's blue flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family. This is an insectivorous species which breeds in tropical Asia, from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to Southeast Asia. Its range stretches across all the countries from India to Indonesia. They are blue on the upperparts and the throat and breast are rufous. They are found in dense scrub to forest habitats.

BLYTH's LEAF WARBLER

The Blyth's leaf warbler is a species of leaf warbler. It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is found in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

At night I slept on the top bunker and I am no way a feather light guy. So every time I turned around my friend who was lying below would wake up stunned thinking it was an earthquake. While you are in the Western Ghats, you don't need an alarm clock, a Malabar Whistling Thrush will wake you up. One started whistling right next to our dorm early in the morning, it woke me up and then soothed me back to sleep.

Day 2:

It was a misty morning and after the onslaught of birds the previous day I though of taking it easy in the morning. As I grabbed my coffee I could see my friend already putting his tripod and ready for action. I was amazed by his spirit.

It was at that moment an Emerald Dove couple landed near the water pot. I wish I had my camera but then I enjoyed their presence and they were gone in no time into the jungle. But they did come back again when I took this shot but never got them in one frame.

EMERALD DOVE:

The common emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica) is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and east through Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, to northern and eastern Australia. The dove is also known by the names ofgreen dove and green-winged pigeon. The common emerald dove is the state bird of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

ASIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER (F):

'The Asian paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Asia. Males have elongated central tail feathers, and in some populations a black and rufous plumage while others have white plumage. Females are short-tailed with rufous wings and a black head. They feed on insects, which they capture in the air often below a densely canopied tree. Regret was we could never see the male variety here.

ORANGE HEADED ROCK THRUSH

The orange-headed thrush (Geokichla citrina) is a bird in the thrush family. It is common in well-wooded areas of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Most populations are resident. The species shows a preference for shady damp areas, and like many Zoothera thrushes, can be quite secretive.The male of this small thrush has uniform grey upper parts, and an orange head and underparts. The females and young birds have browner upper parts.

RUSTY TAILED FLYCATCHER

The rusty-tailed flycatcher ( Muscicapa ruficauda) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in the mainly in the northern regions of the Indian Subcontinent and some parts of southwest India, as well as pockets of Central Asia including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The species is partially migratory, with the Central Asian populations migrating to India, as far as the southwest Indian coast along the Arabian Sea, to Karnataka and Kerala.

Other populations, especially those across the lower Himalayas, remain in their native regions year-round and breed there. The species is also an occasional vagrant to other areas in India.

Day 3:

We decided to head to Timer Yard which was an hour away to check out the Horn bills. This place has an amazing congruence of Malabar and Greater Horn bills. We could see around 100 plus birds all perched high up on the teak trees and were flying around and munching fruits. Some of us got shots of the flight and their feeding.. popping those fruits into their large beaks.

ORIENTAL WHITE EYE:

The Oriental white-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is a resident breeder in open woodland in tropical Asia, east from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, extending to Indonesia and Malaysia. They forage in small groups, feeding on nectar and small insects. They are easily identified by the distinctive white eye-ring and overall yellowish upper parts. Several populations of this widespread species are named subspecies and some have distinctive variations in the extent and shades of yellows in their plumage.

WHITE BELLIED BLUE FLYCATCHER (F & M)

The white-bellied blue flycatcher (Cyornis pallipes) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats (including the Nilgiris) of southwest India. Males are dark blue with a lighter shade of blue on the brow and have a greyish white belly. Females have a rufous breast, a white face and olive grey above. It was nice to get both the male and female in one frame.

BROWN CHEEKED FULVETTA:

The brown-cheeked fulvetta (Alcippe poioicephala) (or brown-cheeked alcippe as the fulvettas proper are not closely related to this bird), is included in the Pellorneidae family. It was earlier also known as the quaker babbler. This babbler builds its nest in a tree, concealed in dense masses of foliage. The normal clutch is two or three eggs.

Brown-cheeked fulvetta measures 15 cm including its longish tail. It is brown above and buff, with no patterning on the body or wings. The crown is grey, and the cheeks are dark.

YELLOW BROWED BULBUL:

The yellow-browed bulbul (Acritillas indica) is a species of bulbul found in the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka. It is mainly yellow on the underside and olive above with a distinct yellow brow. They are easily located by their loud calls but tend to skulk within foliage below the forest canopy. Three subspecies are recognised within its range and its generic placement has changed over time with some considering it as a sole species in the genus Acritillas.

BROWN BREASTED FLYCATCHER:

The brown-breasted flycatcher or Layard's flycatcher (Muscicapa muttui) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcherfamily Muscicapidae. The species breeds in north eastern India, central and Southern China and northern Burma and Thailand, and migrates to southern India and Sri Lanka.

MALABAR GREY HORNBILL:

The hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the shape of the bill, "buceros" being "cow horn" in Greek. They are the only birds in which the first and second neck vertebrae (theatlas and axis respectively) are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill.The family is omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals. 

WHITE RUMPED SHAMA: (Male)

The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere. 

An amazing trip ended and the memories of which will linger forever. This place is really a bird watchers paradise. A two night stay is advisable here during winters. Apart from birds there was an array of butterflies which flew around .. some of them with huge wing spans.

Some other avian beauties captured:

Flame Throated Bulbul

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Stork Billed Kingfisher

JLR staff only sprinkle water for the mosses to grow and also they fill the water tubs. I did not find this unethical and was surely not staged. What surprised me was how the birds chose this place every days at a specific time to take their bath and share a drink.

Phew.. seeing 80 + specials on a 2 day trip is not bad at all. We also saw a Jackal trotting along with a huge array of butterflies. We signed off on a fabulous visit to this birder s paradise and would like to visit soon to get an image of the Malabar Trogon and Whistling Thrush.

List of Birds seen during the trip:

1 Ashy Drongo 

2 Ashy Prinia 

3 Asian Koel 

4 Asian Paradise-flycatcher 

5 Black Drongo 

6 Black Kite 

7 Flame-throated Bulbul 

8 Indian Yellow Tit 

9 Black-naped Monarch 

10 Black-shouldered Kite 

11 Blue Capped Rock Thrush 

12 Blyth’s Reed Warbler 

13 Brahminy Kite 

14 Brahminy Starling 

15 Bronzed Drongo 

16 Brown-cheeked Fulvetta 

17 Chestnut-tailed Starling 

18 Common Iora 

19 Common Myna 

20 Common Tailorbird 

21 Coppersmith Barbet 

22 Crested Serpent Eagle 

23 Crimson-backed Sunbird 

24 Dark-fronted Babbler 

25 Emerald Dove 

26 Indian Golden Oriole 

27 Forest Wagtail 

28 Great Hornbill 

29 Great Tit 

30 Green Warbler 

31 Southern Coucal 

32 Greater Flameback 

33 Western Crowned Warbler 

34 Grey Wagtail 

35 Heart-spotted Woodpecker 

36 Hill Myna (Common Hill Myna) 

37 House Crow 

38 House Sparrow 

39 Indian Black Bird 

40 Indian Peafowl 

41 Indian Robin 

42 Indian Roller 

43 Indian Silverbill 

44 Indian Scimitar Babbler 

45 Jungle Myna 

46 Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo 

47 Little Spider Hunter 

48 Malabar Grey Hornbill 

49 Malabar Parakeet 

50 Malabar Pied Hornbill 

51 Malabar Whistling Thrush 

52 Orange-headed Thrush 

53 Oriental Magpie Robin 

54 Oriental White-eye 

55 Pied Bushchat 

56 Plum-headed Parakeet 

57 Puff-throated Babbler 

58 Purple Sunbird 

59 Racket Tailed Drango 

60 Red-vented Bulbul 

61 Red-wattled Lapwing 

62 Red-whiskered Bulbul 

63 Rock Pigeon (Common Pigeon) 

64 Rose-ringed Parakeet 

65 Rufous Woodpecker 

66 Rusty Tailed FLycatcher 

67 Orange Minivet 

68 Spotted Dove 

69 Scarlet Minivet 

70 Stork Billed Kingfisher 

71 Nilgiri Flowerpecker 

72 Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher 

73 Velvet-fronted Nuthatch 

74 White-bellied Blue Flycatcher 

75 White-bellied Woodpecker 

76 White-browed Wagtail 

77 White-cheeked Barbet 

78 White-rumped Munia 

79 White-rumped Shama 

80 Wire-tailed Swallow 

81 Woolly-necked Stork 

82 Yellow Browed Bulbul 

Facts on Birds: Credit WikipediaEquipment Partners: Pixception.com

Gear Used: Canon 1D Mark 4 (Body), Canon 200 - 400 & 500 IS1 (Lens)