Thattekad Diaries – Day 5

The fifth and final post from the superb trip to Thattekad.

Our trip was coming to an end. We woke up early and stepped out of the homestay to find an Oriental Magpie Robin greeting us.

We walked to the bridge across Periyar hoping to get some more pictures. The previous day had been a rewarding experience. This time we were lucky to get the solitary boat in the river in our pictures. It added to the loveliness of the pictures. We spent some time here till Eldhose came.

We headed back towards Idamalayar dam to the same area where we had been two days back. En route we stopped when we sighted a Grey-breasted Prinia. It looked so cute and posed for us beautifully. A Red-whiskered Bulbul and a Cattle Egret could be seen in a field on the side of the road.

When we reached there the first sighting was of a White-bellied Treepie. We followed it around for quite some time and managed to get much better pictures than the previous time. A Loten’s Sunbird could be seen sucking nectar high up a tree. Some of the other birds that we spotted here were Black Drongo, Racket-tailed Drongo, Flame-throated Bulbul and Malabar Parakeets far away.

We stopped at a wooded area where we saw a Brown-breasted Flycatcher which posed for the cameras.

On the way back to Thattekad we saw a Common Kingfisher in a small pond by the side of the road. We spent reasonable time here following this beautiful bird.

A Jungle Babbler caught our attention a little further ahead in a field. As we were watching it, we spotted a Black-rumped Flameback Woodpecker busy pecking a tree.

When we reached the bridge across Periyar, a Stork-billed Kingfisher came into view. We decide to head towards the river later to get this lovely bird. A juvenile Oriental Magpie Robin had come right outside our homestay when we reached.

Eldhose would come back soon as we were leaving around 4.30 evening for the airport. He wanted to try and get the Malabar Trogon for us before we left. We told him that the cut-off time for us was 4. We went to the river and stalked the Stork-billed Kingfisher and finally managed to get some close-up shots. It was a hide and seek game though to get close to the bird. Me and Lakshmikanth walked away from where the bird giving it the impression that we had left. All this while Nagesh had gone behind the rocks and reached pretty close to the tree stump where the bird was perched. It was a satisfactory experience after all!

We headed back to the homestay for lunch after which we did most of the packing. Eldhose came around 2.30 and we walked to a wooded area near the homestay where there is a watch tower. Unfortunately the place was locked and we could not go up. We had to come back and take the jeep to head elsewhere.

Eldhose took us to another wooded area where we spotted a Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Pompadour Green Pigeon and a Golden-fronted Leafbird.

In another field nearby we saw a couple of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters flitting around. A Chestnut-headed Bee-eater could also be seen in the distance.

It was almost 4 by the time we left back for the homestay. A Grey Wagtail basking in the evening sunlight was our last sighting. Eldhose wanted to take us to another place but we told him to skip it as we didn’t want to be late in reaching the airport which was a good 40 odd kms from Thattekad. As Eldhose himself would be dropping us to the airport we wanted to go early so that he could be back home early as well.

The family at the homestay where we had a fantastic time came to bid us farewell when we were leaving. The old grandmother who knew only Malayalam and hence could not talk to us came and hugged me. I was touched by this gesture. The whole family had been friendly throughout our stay and treated us like family. They had ensured that we were comfortable at their home. All in all our first experience of staying in a homestay had been pleasant and we hope to go back someday!

On the way to the airport we stopped to buy some banana chips and chakkara varatti (banana chips soaked in ginger flavored jaggery syrup) which is a local delicacy. We reached the airport around 7 and bid farewell to Eldhose.

Our Guide – Eldhose KV
As this series on the Thattekad Diaries draws to an end, a few details on our guide for the tour. Eldhose KV is considered one of the best, if not the best, birding guides in South India. In the Thattekad area he is the best there is. I think we can safely vouch for that. The man is a revelation and not just as a birding guide. He is such a lovely person as well and goes well out of his way to put us at ease and provide all that is needed. And no, I am not exaggerating. If anyone needs a birding guide in this area, our recommendation would be firmly with Eldhose. And here is how you can reach Eldhose.

Contact details can be found from his website.

From our experience, to be specific Lakshmikantha’s – he did all the talking with Eldhose upfront, after the first one or two phone calls it is best to continue the conversation with Eldhose on the details of the trip over email. Probably justifiably so. There are many that Eldhose will be dealing with and email probably helps provide him the necessary context.

Will close out with a little photograph of Eldhose pointing out the Nilgiri Flowerpecker near Munnar to Nagesh and Lakshmikantha. Thanks Eldhose for the super trip!! We WILL be back for sure :)

Bird Log

Common Name	Species	Family
Babbler, Rufous	Turdoides subrufa	Timaliidae
Bee-eater, Blue tailed	Merops philippinus	Meropidae
Bee-eater, Chestnut headed	Merops leschenaulti	Meropidae
Bulbul, Flame throated	Pycnonotus melanicterus	Pycnonotidae
Bulbul, Red-whiskered	Pycnonotus jocosus	Pycnonotidae
Cuckoo, Common hawk	Hierococcyx varius	Cuculidae
Dove, Emerald	Chalcophaps indica	Columbidae
Drongo, Black	Dicrurus macrocercus	Dicruridae
Drongo, Racket tailed	Dicrurus paradiseus	Dicruridae
Eagle, Crested Serpent	Spilornis cheela	Accipitridae
Egret, Cattle	Bubulcus ibis	Ardeidae
Flycatcher, Brown breasted	Muscicapa muttui	Muscicapidae
Heron, Indian Pond	Ardeola grayii	Ardeidae
Hornbill, Malabar Grey	Ocyceros griseus	Bucerotidae
Kingfisher, Common	Alcedo atthis	Alcedinidae
Kingfisher, Stork billed	Pelargopsis capensis	Halcyonidae
Leafbird, Golden Fronted	Chloropsis aurifrons	Chloropseidae
Minivet, Little	Pericrocotus lansbergei	Campephagidae
Oriole, Black-hooded	Oriolus xanthornus	Oriolidae
Oriole, Eurasian Golden	Oriolus oriolus	Oriolidae
Parakeet, Malabar	Psittacula columboides	Psittaculidae
Pigeon, Pompadour Green	Treron pompadora	Columbidae
Prinia, Grey breasted	Prinia hodgsonii	Cisticolidae
Robin, Oriental Magpie	Copsychus saularis	Muscicapidae
Sunbird, Loten’s	Cinnyris lotenius	Nectariniidae
Treepie, White bellied	Dendrocitta leucogastra	Corvidae
Warbler, Large-billed Leaf	Phylloscopus magnirostris	Phylloscopidae
Wagtail, Grey	Motacilla cinerea	Motacillidae
Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback	Dinopium benghalense	Picidae

Thattekad Diaries – Day 4

The fourth day of the Thattekad trip.

Though Birds were our primary focus, the serenity of Periyar river seen from the bridge on the main road had captivated us. We decided to head to the bridge early in the morning before the birding session. We were hoping to get some pictures of the river at dawn before and after sunrise. We spent some time here admiring the beautiful scene that unfolded before us as the Sun came into view.

After getting some pictures we went with Eldhose to his home. He had informed us that Common Hill Mynas had come to the feeding station on the day we had been to Munnar. He was expecting them to come again. The first birds to come to the feeding station were the Malabar Grey Hornbills followed in close stead by the White-cheeked Barbets and the Rufous Treepies.

The Hill Mynas took their sweet time and the other birds tried to shoo them away when they tried to grab a bite. We got some wonderful closeup shots of these lovely birds.

As we were leaving we saw a Black-naped Hare being chased by a dog nearby. We had breakfast at Pappalil Restaurant and headed to the core area of the sanctuary. The first sighting was of the beautiful Asian Fairy-bluebird which was partially hidden by leaves. It gave us few seconds before disappearing into the thicket.

Then came the Common Iora, Crimson-backed Sunbird and the Little Spiderhunter. Though the Iora allowed us to take some pictures, we did not manage to get shots of the other two tiny birds. Flocks of Hill Mynas could be seen high up in the trees. Their shrill haunting sounds could be heard for quite some time.

The next sighting was of a White-bellied Blue Flycatcher.

A Dark-fronted Babbler darted into the bushes allowing us only a brief glimpse like the previous day. The Black Drongo could be seen for a while. A female Purple-rumped Sunbird was busy drinking nectar to take any notice of us. We went in search of the Kingfishers in vain. A Crested Serpent Eagle could be seen far away. The Malabar Trogon gave a peek-a-boo appearance with no chance of us being able to even see it properly let alone take pictures. A Little Minivet could be seen high up on a tree.

We returned exhausted to the homestay and indulged in some sumptuous lunch followed by a brief siesta. When we stepped out for the evening session we realized that a Eurasian Golden Oriole was right outside the homestay. It allowed us to take a few pictures.

We headed towards the rocky area of Kalipara. We had to pass through a rubber plantation followed by a climb up a stream interspersed with boulders and low hanging bushes. Leeches were thriving here and lost no opportunity in clinging onto us. We somehow zipped through and reached the rocky section which was devoid of any form of vegetation and no leeches therefore. The only bird that we spotted along the way was a Malabar Woodshrike.

The sightings were scant. We saw the Brown-backed Needletail and White-rumped Needletail flocks flying high. A flock of noisy Plum-headed Parakeets could be seen at a distance.

We didn’t spend much time here given the clouds and we didn’t want to go back through the leech laden path in darkness! As we came back to the rubber plantation we spotted a frog in the well. Soon it started raining and we had to rush to the jeep.

We headed to a restaurant in Punnekadu village and had some snacks and tea while waiting for the rain to stop. When the rain subsided we went to the same place where we had spotted the Nightjar on the first day. We wanted to get the colourful Indian Pitta this time. It was getting dark by the time we reached there.

We saw a Dollarbird high up on a tree and managed to get only a silhouetted picture of it due to bad light. A Rufous Woodpecker scurried away.

After a while we sensed the presence of the Pitta. We chased it around for a while and managed to get decent pictures with the help of Eldhose’s torch.

It was soon pitch dark and the day had come to an end for us. We headed back to the homestay for some lip smacking dinner.

Bird Log

Common Name	Species	Family
Babbler, Dark fronted	Rhopocichla atriceps	Timaliidae
Babbler, Puff throated	Pellorneum ruficeps	Timaliidae
Barbet, White cheeked	Megalaima viridis	Megalaimidae
Bluebird, Asian Fairy	Irena puella	Irenidae
Dollarbird	Eurystomus orientalis	Coraciidae
Dove, Emerald	Chalcophaps indica	Columbidae
Drongo, Ashy	Dicrurus leucophaeus	Dicruridae
Drongo, Black	Dicrurus macrocercus	Dicruridae
Eagle, Crested Serpent	Spilornis cheela	Accipitridae
Flycatcher, Asian Brown	Muscicapa dauurica	Muscicapidae
Flycatcher, Asian Paradise	Terpsiphone paradisi	Monarchidae
Flycatcher, Blue throated	Cyornis rubeculoides	Muscicapidae
Flycatcher, White bellied blue	Cyornis pallipes	Muscicapidae
Hornbill, Malabar Grey	Ocyceros griseus	Bucerotidae
Iora, Common	Aegithina tiphia	Aegithinidae
Minivet, Little	Pericrocotus lansbergei	Campephagidae
Myna, Hill	Gracula religiosa	Sturnidae
Myna, Jungle	Acridotheres fuscus	Sturnidae
Needletail, Brown backed	Hirundapus giganteus	Apodidae
Needletail, White rumped	Zoonavena sylvatica	Apodidae
Nightjar, Jerdon’s	Caprimulgus atripennis	Caprimulgidae
Oriole, Eurasian Golden	Oriolus oriolus	Oriolidae
Parakeet, Plum headed	Psittacula cyanocephala	Psittaculidae
Pigeon, Pompadour Green	Treron pompadora	Columbidae
Pitta, Indian	Pitta brachyura	Pittidae
Robin, Indian Blue	Luscinia brunnea	Muscicapidae
Spiderhunter, Little	Arachnothera longirostra	Nectariniidae
Sunbird, Crimson backed	Leptocoma minima	Nectariniidae
Treepie, Rufous	Dendrocitta vagabunda	Corvidae
Trogon, Malabar	Harpactes fasciatus	Trogonidae
Warbler, Large billed Leaf	Phylloscopus magnirostris	Phylloscopidae

Thattekad Diaries – Day 3

The third day from the amazing trip to the Birding heaven of Thattekad nestled in God’s own country.

Eldhose told us that we would try and use a hide to watch the Grey Junglefowls. The hide to be used turned out to be a set of makeshift tents where we would have to sit down without making any movement/sounds. These birds are extremely shy and will go into the bushes as soon as they sense the presence of any humans around. To reach the hide, we had to cross a small bridge over a stream made of two logs with just one log to hold on to while crossing.

When we reached the tent, some grains were being scattered for the birds by one of Eldhose’s helpers. There were two tents and we split into two groups. Me and Nagesh in one while Eldhose, Lakshmikanth and Shalini in the second tent. Given that the ground was slushy from a spell of rain early in the morning, we decided to squat down. As he didn’t have his tripod, Nagesh had to carry his bulky camera in addition. There was a small opening in the hide through which we could peep and see outside. When the birds came we would have to point the lens through the opening to click pictures. Nearly 45 minutes passed with no signs of the birds. Only the squirrels were making merry on the grains! We took turns carrying the camera. We aren’t really used to squat for such long durations and boy was it tough! Finally we saw a retinue of Junglefowls shyly making their way towards the grains. The cameras got into action swiftly. The effort had been worth it :) We had also spotted Red Spurfowls amidst the flock of Junglefowls.

After the Junglefowls left, it was time for us to return back. We went to Pappalil restaurant in Punnekadu village for breakfast. After feasting on the delicious Appam and Stew, we headed towards Idamalayar Dam. We stopped a few kms before the dam and then proceeded on foot on the winding road in the hill looking for birds. As always, Eldhose seemed to know exactly where to look! This area was lush green and small bushes with flowers attracted the Honey bees.

The initial sightings were of a Nilgiri Flowerpecker and a White-bellied Treepie. The Treepie looked so majestic and it was hard to believe that it is a cousin to the humble Crow! As we headed further a Yellow-browed Bulbul came into sight. The striking yellow colors make this bird such a lovely sight.

A Dark-fronted Babbler darted into the bushes and we managed to get just a brief glimpse of this bird. We realized that a Blue-bearded Bee-eater was nearby but it was a tad too dark in the shade of the tree where it was perched. We could only get record shots of this beautiful bird unfortunately.

The next sightings were of an Asian Brown Flycatcher and a Flame-throated Bulbul which seemed to be posing for us willingly :)

Though the Banded Bay Cuckoo could be heard it remained elusive and did not venture out of its hiding nook. Eldhose tried to flush it out by making the calls which he makes to flush out birds. But the bird only responded back without showing itself :( We finally gave up and walked back to the jeep as it was almost lunchtime. Scarlet Minivets and Racket-tailed Drongos could be seen far ahead.

After a hearty lunch at the homestay we had a brief siesta in the afternoon before the evening session started. We stepped out at 3.30 and first sightings within the sanctuary gates were of the Malabar Grey Hornbill and a group of noisy Malabar Parakeets.

A pair of Little Cormorants perched on the left and right sides of a bare tree stump seemed to be acting as bodyguards to a White-throated Kingfisher which was perched atop the centre.

Eldhose pointed out a Little Heron slightly farther than the Kingfisher. If not for Eldhose’s keen eyes, we would have mistaken it for the regular Pond Heron.

The weather was very pleasant and the pond near the sanctuary looked so serene. A flock of Lesser Whistling Teals could be seen on one side of the pond.

After watching these birds making merry in the water we drove towards the other side of the pond. A Shikra had been spotted but we missed taking pictures as it disappeared. An Indian Pond Heron basking in the golden light came into view and we didn’t miss this one :)

As we were driving a Greater Coucal landed on a tree nearby and we managed to follow it for a while as it basked in the lovely evening sunlight.

Our next stop was in a wooded area where Eldhose said we could find the Jungle Owlet. We managed to get just a brief glimpse of this bird which has always eluded us till now. It flew off as soon as it realized our presence. The light was fading fast as the ominous clouds loomed over. As we turned back disappointed, a surprise was in store for us. A pair of Heart-spotted Woodpeckers were pecking at a tree nearby and we were more than happy watching these beautiful birds.

It started raining and we were forced to head back. We stopped at Pappalil restaurant for some snacks and tea before returning to the homestay.

Bird Log

Common Name	Species	Family
Babbler, Dark fronted	Rhopocichla atriceps	Timaliidae
Babbler, Rufous	Turdoides subrufa	Timaliidae
Bee-eater, Blue bearded	Nyctyornis athertoni	Meropidae
Bluebird, Asian Fairy	Irena puella	Irenidae
Bulbul, Flame throated	Pycnonotus melanicterus	Pycnonotidae
Bulbul, Grey headed	Pycnonotus priocephalus	Pycnonotidae
Bulbul, Yellow browed	Acritillas indica	Pycnonotidae
Cormorant, Little	Microcarbo niger	Phalacrocoracidae
Coucal, Greater	Centropus sinensis	Cuculidae
Cuckoo, Banded Bay	Cacomantis sonneratii	Cuculidae
Drongo, Racket tailed	Dicrurus paradiseus	Dicruridae
Flowerpecker, Nilgiri	Dicaeum concolor	Dicaeidae
Flycatcher, Asian Brown	Muscicapa dauurica	Muscicapidae
Heron, Indian Pond	Ardeola grayii	Ardeidae
Heron, Little Green	Butorides striata	Ardeidae
Hornbill, Malabar Grey	Ocyceros griseus	Ocyceros griseus
Junglefowl, Grey	Gallus sonneratii	Phasianidae
Kingfisher, Stork billed	Pelargopsis capensis	Halcyonidae
Leafbird, Golden Fronted	Chloropsis aurifrons	Chloropseidae
Minivet, Scarlet	Pericrocotus flammeus	Campephagidae
Myna, Common Hill	Gracula religiosa	Sturnidae
Needletail, White rumped	Zoonavena sylvatica	Apodidae
Owlet, Jungle	Glaucidium radiatum	Strigidae
Parakeet, Malabar	Psittacula columboides	Psittaculidae
Prinia, Grey breasted	Prinia hodgsonii	Cisticolidae
Shikra	Accipiter badius	Accipitridae
Spurfowl, Red	Galloperdix spadicea	Phasianidae
Sunbird, Crimson backed	Leptocoma minima	Nectariniidae
Teal, Lesser Whistling	Dendrocygna javanica	Anatidae
Treepie, White bellied	Dendrocitta leucogastra	Corvidae
Woodpecker, Greater flameback	Chrysocolaptes lucidus	Picidae
Woodpecker, Heart spotted	Hemicircus canente	Picidae

Thattekad Diaries – Day 2

This is the second installment of the weblog of our visit to birding heaven, Thattekad. You will find the first installment here.

We decided to head to Munnar on the second day of the trip to Thattekad.  As we wanted to avoid the crowd, we had an early start at around 4.30 AM. Eldhose had arranged for the cab and we started on time. The drive took around 2.5 hrs. We reached the outskirts of Munnar at around daybreak. The sights were truly mesmerizing. I had never expected Munnar to be so beautiful!  The lush green hills dotted with tea estates looked ethereal.

We proceeded to a rocky area on the outskirts of Munnar after taking a short break for tea inside the town. The rocky sections of the hill were filled with Hill Swallows. It seemed to be impossible to shoot them as they hardly stay still and are so tiny.  While Nagesh was busy chasing the swallows, I started clicking pictures of the views of the hills from the edge of the road.  A Red-whiskered Bulbul was flitting around the bushes on the hillside. As we were about to leave, we spotted a Pied Bushchat and it allowed us to take some pictures.

The Eravikulam National Park would open at 8.30 and Eldhose wanted us to reach there as soon as possible to avoid crowd. However we reached the park entrance a tad too late. There was already a small queue for the tickets as well as the bus that goes up the hill. We managed to get into the second bus that left and started walking up briskly. This is a tip to anyone who wants to visit Eravikulam National Park. Get there bright and early, especially on weekends and holidays. After the bus ride of 5 km up through winding roads inside the park, we were dropped off at a point from where he last one km of the (allowed area within the) national park needs to be covered on foot. The area of the park that can be visited is very less compared to its actual size is what we felt. Being used to the “safaris” of Kabini etc, this felt weird.

It seemed to be a dry day for birding. Hardly any birds could be seen or even heard.  We made use of the opportunity to shoot few more pictures of the landscape. The houses in the foothills looked so tiny from this height. We saw a few Nilgiri Tahrs which are endemic to this region and endangered. Ironically the crowd did not seem to know this and pained these poor animals by chasing them. Some even went to the extent of calling it a goat of all things! Many tried to get close to them and “pose” for photographs! There was not much point trying to educate these boors. It is really a pity that these poor animals have to bear with such boors for the sake of “popularising” wildlife.

As we were walking back towards the bus, a Nilgiri Pipit suddenly came into view. All of us were excited. The bird seemed to be posing for the cameras. The resulting pictures were satisfactory indeed. Our visit here had been worthwhile. A Common Kestrel could be seen flying very high over the hills.

The pangs of hunger had set in by the time we took the bus back and reached the cab. Without wasting further time we headed to the town and had a hearty breakfast. We headed back in the direction of Eravikulam and stopped at a spot where the bird activity was high. Our first sighting here was of a Black Bulbul. A tapping sound in the undergrowth revealed the presence of a Greater Flameback Woodpecker. A Nilgiri Flycatcher flew past us but it had vanished by the time we realized :(

We then proceeded to a field near the Government School. The Black Lored Tit posed for us on a shrub. Eldhose heard the call of a Brown Babbler and tried to make a call which he always makes to try and flush out the birds.  We saw a few Oriental White Eyes and lo and behold, suddenly there were white-eyes popping out all over the tree. There must have been hundreds of them. We were blessed indeed to have witnessed this unforgettable moment. This bird had always eluded us and it seemed to be posing for us now.  These super cute tiny furballs are a treat for the eyes!

As we were going back to the cab, we sighted a Long-tailed Shrike basking in the sunlight perched atop a shrub. The presence of leeches made us walk faster.

After having lunch, we went to a house surrounded by trees on the outskirts of Munnar. A Large billed Leaf Warbler posed for us beautifully. The Long-tailed Shrike was also here. An Indian Scimitar Babbler was playing hide and seek with us and not willing to let us take pictures of it. As the guys went behind the house trying to get this bird they saw a Malabar Whistling Thrush and a Grey Wagtail. The migrant Grey Wagtails could be seen in many places around.

Eldhose spotted a Black and Orange Flycatcher but we missed it by a whisker! Alas our attempts at getting to watch the brightly coloured birds for the day had been in vain. We proceeded to watch the Shola area by going to the Deshadan resort which is the highest resort in Kerala supposedly. It started raining heavily as we reached the resort forcing us to go indoors.

When the rain had stopped we stepped out to try our luck and see if any birds would come. The resort staff were excitedly telling us that two elephants could be seen cutting their way across the hills in the far distance. We tried spotting them with the help of binoculars but they were too far away. Then came a magical moment. I suddenly saw bright colours ahead of me. It turned out that a Scarlet Minivet couple had decided to come and meet us. Both birds were perched on a bare tree allowing us to take pictures. Eldhose was also super excited.

After spending some time watching these beautiful birds, we walked back towards the cab. We managed to catch a glimpse of the Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher before it went into hiding. The path was dotted with cardamom creepers.

It was time to head back to Thattekad. The day had been mediocre in terms of number of species sighted but some of the moments were priceless. On the way back we stopped at a Tea stall just outside Munnar. Eldhose had told us that this is one of the spots where we can expect to see birds. But the gloomy weather seemed to have kept them away when we were there. However we did see a Crimson-backed Sunbird, a Red-whiskered Bulbul and a Nilgiri Flowerpecker. We also saw a Giant Wood Spider weaving its web.

We spent some time here enjoying the lovely scenery in the fading evening light!

After purchasing some cardamom tea powder and homemade chocolates from the shop, we were back on the road again. We were back in Thattekad by around 7 PM.

Bird Log

Common Name	Species	Family
Bushchat, Pied	Saxicola caprata	Muscicapidae
Wagtail, Grey	Motacilla cinerea	Motacillidae
Swallow, Hill	Hirundo tahitica	Hirundinidae
Bulbul, Red whiskered	Pycnonotus jocosus	Pycnonotidae
Pipit,Nilgiri	Anthus nilghiriensis	Motacillidae
Kestrel, Common	Falco tinnunculus	Falconidae
Warbler, Large billed Leaf	Phylloscopus magnirostris	Phylloscopidae
Bulbul, Black	Hypsipetes leucocephalus	Pycnonotidae
Woodpecker, Greater flameback	Chrysocolaptes lucidus	Picidae
Thrush, Malabar Whistling	Myophonus horsfieldii	Turdidae
Tit, Black Lored	Parus xanthogenys	Paridae
White-eye, Oriental	Zosterops palpebrosus	Zosteropidae
Shrike, Long tailed	Lanius schach	Laniidae
Wagtail, White browed	Motacilla maderaspatensis	Motacillidae
Minivet, Scarlet	Pericrocotus flammeus	Campephagidae
Babbler, Indian Scimitar	Pomatorhinus horsfieldii	Timaliidae
Flycatcher, Grey headed Canary	Culicicapa ceylonensis	Stenostiridae
Flowerpecker, Nilgiri	Dicaeum concolor	Dicaeidae
Sunbird, Crimson backed	Leptocoma minima	Nectariniidae
Flycatcher, Nilgiri	Eumyias albicaudatus	Muscicapidae
Flycatcher, Black and Orange	Ficedula nigrorufa	Muscicapidae

Thattekad Diaries – Day 1

An impromptu trip to the birding paradise in God’s own country. Our friends Lakshmikanth and Shalini had booked a 5 day trip to Thattekad and Munnar in the last week of October 2011 through Eldhose who is supposedly the best birding guide in South India. They asked us if we would be interested in joining them and we agreed heartily.

Journey

We took an additional day off and spent a day in Fort Cochin. Our friends joined us early next morning and we went to Thattekad in the cab which Eldhose had arranged for us. It took us close to 2 hours to reach there from Ernakulam. We passed through the gates of Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary and reached the Jungle Bird homestay where we were put up. Our hosts were Mrs. Sudha, her son Girish and his wife Sandhya. I had read up about this homestay in one of the blogs before the trip. Both Sudha aunty and Girish are birders themselves and take people out for birdwatching.

Early Morning session

Eldhose came to meet us immediately and we were taken to our rooms on the first floor. The rooms were very basic but clean. After partaking some tea and biscuits we set out in the jeep with Eldhose. Our first sightings would be in the feeding station that Eldhose has set up outside his house. He placed a few chairs on the verandah outside his home and asked us to sit there. Nagesh and Lakshmikanth sat in the front armed with their cameras while Shalini and me relaxed at the back. In a hollow branch placed horizontally in front of the house, banana pieces and grated coconut were placed. Within the next 2-3 minutes a Malabar Grey Hornbill flew to the branch and started eating voraciously unmindful of our presence. What an experience to watch this beautiful bird at such close quarters.

The White-cheeked Barbet and Rufous Treepie soon followed suit and had their share of the food. The place was soon swarming with multiple birds including Mynas. After spending some time here we set out to an open field nearby. The first sighting was of a pair of Grey Junglefowls walking warily behind the bushes. Next came the White Cheeked Barbet, Rufous Treepie, Jungle Babbler and the Common Myna who were flitting and feeding on the grated coconut placed in a wooden vessel attached to a tree.

We stopped further up the path near lantana bushes waiting for Black Throated Munias who supposedly made an appearance around that place for feeding. Eldhose had set up a feeding station here too. Our wait was duly rewarded. We saw not one, not two but 10-11 of these tiny super-cute birds. It was a treat for our eyes!

The Spotted Dove was walking nearby and we managed to get good pictures of it. Eldhose excitedly pointed a Malabar Woodshrike which was beautifully perched on a plant nearby. As we were going towards the road we spotted a Cattle Egret and a Pin-tailed Snipe nearby.

It was close to 9 AM and the pangs of hunger had already set in. Eldhose asked us if we would mind eating in a small hotel in the nearest village. We said that we would be more than happy to eat good food no matter how small the place was. He took us to Pappalil Restaurant in Punnekadu village. We had a sumptuous breakfast of Appam and Stew followed by tea. We munched on the Idi Appam (deep fried sweet snack) that Eldhose got for us from a shop nearby.

Core forest area in Thattekad

We proceeded to the core area of the forest and set out in search of the SriLanka Frogmouth which is like an icon of Thattekad. No trip to this place is complete without spotting this bird. It is a nocturnal bird and is blind during the day due to its large pupils receiving so much light that it cannot see anything at all. These birds are usually found in dense overgrowth and normally in pairs. While it is a treat to watch these beautiful birds at such close quarters there is no escape from the leeches which thrive here as sunlight hardly penetrates in such places. We were lucky to spot a pair and the birds were much smaller than what I had imagined them to be looking at photographs online. We spent some time clicking pictures. By the time we returned to the main path we realized the presence of leeches on us and shook them off.

The next sighting was that of a Blue-throated Flycatcher which is such a colourful bird. It allowed us to click a few pictures before flying off. The Great Tit which had eluded us while in K.Gudi posed for us readily :) Then came the Asian Brown Flycatcher and the Large billed Leaf Warbler. A glittering jewel of a bug landed on a leaf nearby and let us take some pictures.

It was almost lunch time and we headed back wearily to the homestay. The heat had increased considerably as the day had progressed. Aunty greeted us and we discussed about our sightings during the course of the morning. We then went downstairs to have lunch. The food served was traditional Kerala fare and tasted very nice. Aunty ensured that we had a hearty lunch. It was time for a short nap now. Eldhose had said that he would pick us up around 3.30 PM. It started raining as we went back to our rooms.

Evening session

It was still raining when we were up and ready to go. We were delayed by almost one hour in setting out. We went to the bridge across Periyar river. A lot of birds normally perch on the wires near the bridge. We sighted Ashy Wood Swallows and a White-browed Wagtail. We then went on a path that led to the river. We saw a White-breasted Waterhen peep out shyly from behind the bushes. As we sat silently it slowly came out and started feeding oblivious of our presence. Eldhose excitedly pointed towards a Grey-bellied Cuckoo which is supposedly difficult to spot.

Eldhose took us next to an area where the Jerdon’s Nightjar can be found. We saw a Heart-spotted Woodpecker on the way. We waited there for a while till it became pitch dark. The Nightjar arrived promptly as expected by Eldhose but we could not get a single shot due to darkness.

Bird Log

Common Name	Species	Family
Babbler, Jungle	Turdoides striata	Timaliidae
Barbet, White cheeked	Megalaima viridis	Megalaimidae
Baza, Black	Aviceda leuphotes	Accipitridae
Bee-eater, Green	Merops orientalis	Meropidae
Bluebird, Asian Fairy	Irena puella	Irenidae
Bulbul, Red vented	Pycnonotus cafer	Pycnonotidae
Cormorant, Little	Microcarbo niger	Phalacrocoracidae
Cuckoo, Grey bellied	Cacomantis passerinus	Cuculidae
Dove, Spotted	Spilopelia chinensis	Columbidae
Drongo, Racket tailed	Dicrurus paradiseus	Dicruridae
Eagle, Crested Serpent	Spilornis cheela	Accipitridae
Egret, Cattle	Bubulcus ibis	Ardeidae
Flycatcher, Asian Brown	Muscicapa dauurica	Muscicapidae
Flycatcher, Blue throated	Cyornis rubeculoides	Muscicapidae
Frogmouth, Srilanka	Batrachostomus moniliger	Podargidae
Fulvetta, Brown cheeked	Alcippe poioicephala	Timaliidae
Heron, Indian Pond	Ardeola grayii	Ardeidae
Hornbill, Malabar Grey	Ocyceros griseus	Bucerotidae
Junglefowl, Grey	Gallus sonneratii	Phasianidae
Kingfisher, Pied	Ceryle rudis	Cerylidae
Kingfisher, White throated	Halcyon smyrnensis	Halcyonidae
Lapwing, Red wattled	Vanellus indicus	Charadriidae
Minivet, Scarlet	Pericrocotus flammeus	Campephagidae
Munia, Black throated	Lonchura kelaarti	Estrildidae
Munia, White rumped	Lonchura striata	Estrildidae
Myna, Common	Acridotheres tristis	Sturnidae
Nightjar, Jerdon’s	Caprimulgus atripennis	Caprimulgidae
Parrot, Vernal hanging	Loriculus vernalis	Psittaculidae
Pitta, Indian	Pitta brachyura	Pittidae
Robin, Oriental Magpie	Copsychus saularis	Muscicapidae
Snipe, Pintail	Gallinago stenura	Scolopacidae
Spurfowl, Red	Galloperdix spadicea	Phasianidae
Sunbird, Crimson backed	Leptocoma minima	Nectariniidae
Tailorbird, Common	Orthotomus sutorius	Cisticolidae
Teal, Lesser Whistling	Dendrocygna javanica	Anatidae
Tit, Great	Parus Major	Paridae
Treepie, Rufous	Dendrocitta vagabunda	Corvidae
Wagtail, White browed	Motacilla maderaspatensis	Motacillidae
Warbler, Large billed Leaf	Phylloscopus magnirostris	Phylloscopidae
Waterhen, White breasted	Amaurornis phoenicurus	Rallidae
Woodpecker, Heart spotted	Hemicircus canente	Picidae
Woodshrike, Common	Tephrodornis pondicerianus	Tephrodornithidae
Woodswallow, Ashy	Artamus fuscus	Artamidae

My Wishlist – Dachigam National Park

One more national park added to my wishlist. This time its the Dachigam National Park which is not such a known place though it is very close to Srinagar in Kashmir. Dachigam probably stands for the ten villages that were relocated to form the park.

It is just 22 kms from Srinagar making it convenient to stay there and make a day trip to this park. Unlike other national parks there is supposedly no entry fee here! But permission needs to be taken from the Chief Wildlife Warden whose office is near Dal Lake below Grand Palace Hotel (Info Courtesy – Outlook Traveller’s Wildlife Holidays in India).

The main inhabitants of this park include the Hangul (Kashmir Stag) the only species of Red Deer found in India . Other than this there are the Himlayan Brown and Black Bears together with the elusive Leopards and Jungle Cats. The bird list is impressive with the likes of Kashmir Flycatcher, Himalayan Monal, Red Billed Blue Magpie and other exotic birds.

The best time to visit this place is September-October when bear sightings are frequent.

Please click on the below image to read more about Dachigam in the Kashmir tourism site.

Some of the useful links that I found while reading up about Dachigam are given below.

• EcoIndia.com has a detailed page including how to get there, safari info etc -> http://goo.gl/LjqHT

• Wildvistas.com has most of this and much more information. It also has a map. -> http://goo.gl/v38Wo

My Wishlist – Satpura National Park

A recent addition to my travel wishlist is the Satpura National Park. This is in Madhya Pradesh and about 210 kms from Bhopal. The nearest town is Pachmarhi (a hill station) where the highest point of Satpura Range is located.

Fauna of Satpura includes Tiger, Deer, Leopard, Gaur, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear etc. The important thing to note is the relative lack of tourists as compared to other popular parks there like Kanha and Bandhavgarh which makes it favourable for us. Though animal sightings might not happen we can still enjoy watching birds for sure.

Please click on the above image for the Satpura National Park website which has all the information about the national park.