Ranganathittu Trip - 19th Feb 2012

Sightings:

Indian Gray Hornbill

Painted Stork

Open Billed Strork

Spoon Billed Stork

Median Egret

Intermediate Egret

Stone Plover

River Tern (family with 2 chicks)

Night Heron

Pied Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

White Breasted Kingfisher

Stork Billed Kingfisher

Brahminy Kite

Spot Billed Pelican

White Ibis

Purple Heron

Gray Heron

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Black Header Munia

Golden Oriole

Lesser Flameback Woodpecker

White naped woodpecker
Fantail (type??)

Common Warbler

Malabar Hornbill

Mapie Robin

White Browed Wagtail

white naped woodpecker

tickels blue flycatcher
stork billed kingfisher

stone plover


spot billed pelican

spot billed pelicans

spoon-billed stork

River tern family

purple heron

pelican scape

painted stork

open billed stork

marsh crocodile

ibis

Asian paradise flycatcher

Amedhikalu Trek

Trip Report (24-Sept and 25-Sept):

How to reach from Banglaore:
Bus to Dharmasthala from Majestic
Alight at Kokkada
Hitched a ride on a milk van (around 6:15Am) to Shisheela. (Alternately the first bus starts at 7:15Am)
Reached Gopu Gokhale's House. Gopu runs a home-stay at Shisheela for all trekkers.
(Contact Details: ??????)
Note: Shisheela proved to be quite a bird-watcher's delight. During the brief stay at Gopu's house, saw barbets, malabar hornbills, malabar parakeets, drongos, woodpecker, koels, sunbirds, wagtails (all on 1 tree!)
Essential Supplies to carry:
Tent
Water (there is a water source up top but will need to carry enough for the trip to the camp-site. Around 4 lts per head would do you good)
Food (One can request Gopu to pack food)
Torch
Leech Socks came quite handy (recommended)

Additional Expenditure:
Gopu: Rs. 250 /head
Guide: 500 / day

Madhumalai trip report

Elelphant Tusk
Pied Bushchat
Collared DovesSpot Billed Pelican



Shikhra


Scaly Breasted Munia

Small Bee Eater

Dhols & Sambhar face-off

Mongoose

Malabar Giant Squirrel

Garden Lizard (?)

Little Grebe

Large Cormorant

Tusker

Juvenile Elephant

Captive

Dhols

Darter-scape

Langur

Gold Backed Woodpecker Elephant

Copersmith Barbet

Bison

White Bellied Minivet

Shikhra

Darter crested searpent eagle

Trip Report:

Closest town: Masinagudi

Stayed At: Camped at Secret Ivory Resort. Cost Rs. 500 for setting up camp.

Rooms: Rs 1800

Review: Well kept, clean but a tad bit expensive. Ombalan is a nice chap, but perhaps has lost a bit of enthusiasm for wildlife.

Also stayed at: Masinagudi Forest House. Rs. 580

Places to eat:

Safari Hotel. Must go. Absolutely lovely hotel with charming waiters who will regale you with stories of their tiger hunter owner Nawab Shahat Ali Khan. Go there for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Contacts:

1. Araikyaswami (Forest Ranger) - ()

Can be coaxed into taking a jeep safari into the core area if you'd rather not take the 35 Rs bus safari. It will be a tad expensive though, A 2.5 hour jeep safari would put you back Rs. 2100. I did not take it this time, but it seems like a good bet for spottings, since you can take the routes less travelled

2. Maasi (Guide) - (9655562656)

Excellent Guide. In depth knowledge of the local birds as well. Would recommend that you contact him directly rather man going through the Resorts. Would perhaps work out quite a bit cheaper.

Bird Sightings:

Kukkere Belluru:

1. Indian Roller

2. Red Vented Bulbul

3. Black Drongo

4. Babbler

5. Greater Coucal

6. Parakeet

7. White brasted Kingfisher

8. Red Whiskered Bulbul

9. Pied Bushchat

10. White Ibis

11. Baya Weaver

12. Brahmini Kite
Bandipur & Madhumalai:

Small Bee Eater

Spot Billed Duck

Whistling Duck (Greater or lesser?)

Indian Robin
Magpie Robin

Purple Sunbird

Scaly Breasted Munia

Small Minivet

Scarlet Minivet

White Bellied Minivet

Great Cormorant

Little Cormorant

Brahmini Starling

Spotted Dove

Plum headed parakeet

Blue Tailed (Malabar) Parakeet

Peacock

White Browed Wagtail

Shikhra

Gold Backed Wookpecker

Coppersmit barbet

Creasted Searpent Eagle

Black Headed Oriole

Common Woodshrike

Bay Backed Shrike

Common Iora

House Sparrow

Mysore:

Darter

Painted Stork

Spot Billed Duck

Little Grebe

White Ibis

Scarlet Ibis

Common Coot

Open Billed Stork

Little Egret

Spot BIlled Pelican

Pied Kingfisher

Animal Sightings:

Leopard

Bison

Spotted Deer

Elephants

Mongoose

Wild Rabbit (Hare?)
Dhols

Sambhars

Langurs

Coordinates of spots for decent sightings:

Water Hole ()