India Part 3

Sunday 23rd

We drove a couple of kilometres to the edge of town and got the shuttle bus into the Tiger Reserve. We donned our leech socks (they have spares for those who don’t have any) which were definitely needed as we saw quite a few and had several on our shoes at the end. A local guide hauled us across the river on a bamboo raft and we went for a walk around. 

on the bamboo raft

It felt a bit odd walking in a tiger reserve with an unarmed guard so we were hoping not to bump into any large stripey cats! Among the birds we encountered there were Malabar Parakeets, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Grey Junglefowl, Yellow-browed Bulbul and Puff-throated Babbler.

Porcupine tracks; we also found a quill

Red-wattled Lapwing

Back across on the raft to the centre, we had coffee in a caged café – to keep the monkeys out, not any stray cats! 

On the lookout for an easy snatch

Enjoying a healthy snack...

White-browed Wagtail

Across the lake was a distant Legge’s Hawk-Eagle, along with six Black Baza and three Black Eagles. We then walked the 5km back to the car park, birding along the way, seeing Red Spurfowl and Jungle Owlet.

Jungle Babbler

Jungle Myna

Completing a hat-trick of jungle birds - Jungle Owlet

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Sambar feeding in someone's front garden

This is what happens when you cross a tortoise with a cafe!

We had lunch back at the hotel and then went back into the tiger reserve, getting the bus there and walking straight back. We abandoned the walk about halfway back as it started pouring with rain.

Monday 24th

It was still raining as we checked out of the hotel after breakfast. We had a long drive ahead but managed a couple of roadside stops along the way, getting Rufous Babbler, Nilgiri Flycatcher and Jerdon’s Leafbird. We stopped for lunch in a nice restaurant with views over the countryside and spent most of the time finding moths on the windows! 

A selection of unidentified moths

Afterwards, we climbed up into tea country although the rain and low cloud were still around. 

Highlands

Tea country

We reached the Deshadan Mountain Resort in Munnar mid-afternoon at 1,600m and went birding around the hotel where we saw our first Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, Nilgiri Woodpigeon and White-bellied Blue Robin. 

Nilgiri Woodpigeon

Square-tailed Bulbul

After dark we drove to a local spot to try for Bay Owl which we heard but couldn't get close to as there were Elephants feeding in the river, however we did see another Indian Scops Owl. 

Indian Scops Owl