Rangantathittu is 15kms north of Mysore and is accessible to scores of bird lovers from Bangalore to make an easy day trip. It was advocated by India’s famous Ornithologist Salim Ali and was established in 1940. Bird lovers can forever be thankful for this lovely sanctuary – hordes of visitors throng this sanctuary to get their fill of birdlife.
Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary is fascinating. Birds supposedly come from as far away as Siberia and Australia during migratory season. Vast colonies of birds make this an ideal destination for one to observe various bird behaviors. Time flies by as one observes these amazing creations in their natural habitat.
Six islets have been created to provide the best possible environment for migratory birds for breeding & feeding. Visitors can rent boats to get close to the islets which houses several colonies of these birds. During our visit last week (mid-Jan), the most common birds sighted were Openbilled Storks, Black Cormorants, River Terns, Painted Storks, Little Egrets, Night Herons, Spot billed Pelicans, Darters. I missed sighting the Stone Plover however. Apparently a lot of other varieties such as Kingfishers, Hornbills, Wagtails and many other species can also be found. Marsh Crocodiles were lazing on the rocks. While I spotted a Golden-Oriole, I could not get a clear shot of the bird. However two River Terns who have gotten quite accustomed to humans getting so close, allowed for some really wonderful shots (one closeup shot below in article). [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Bird Sanctuary,
birding,
Birds,
Karnataka,
Ranganathittu
Topslip is located in the Anaimalai Forest Range bordering Tamilnadu and Kerala. The erstwhile Anaimalai Wildlife Santucary is now known as IGWS – Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. A Forest Preserve, this range houses a variety of wildlife and birdlife. Wild elephant and bison sightings are quite common. Quoting from an article in The Hindu, “The IGWS and National Park harbours over 250 species of birds of 49 families and is enormously rich in other biodiversity. According to the latest reports India is home to nearly 1,300 bird species in the diverse habitats.” The neighboring Parambikulam Sanctuary is to the West of Topslip in Kerala.
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Tagged as:
Anaimalais,
Elephant,
forest,
Safari,
TopSlip,
wildlife
There is an exciting road expedition of 20 cars going to Bhutan. Flag-off is in Delhi on December 12. There are still some slots available – would you like to be a part of this adventure? Its for anyone, not just 4-wheel off-roaders. You cannot ask for anything better this holiday season? Interested? Read the following message from the organizers: [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Bhutan,
Delhi,
Drive,
Motorsports

Are you headed to Ladakh this summer? And have about ten days with you? Here is a suggested itinerary for you assuming you are on the road from Manali onwards.
Posts on Ladakh
- Click here to read all my posts on Ladakh so far
- For driving tips from Delhi to Leh in Ladakh, click here
[continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Drive,
Ladakh,
Leh,
manali
Image taken in Munsiyari
Explore some of the lesser known and frequented areas of Kumaon in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand and be up close and personal with the lesser touched nature. And enjoy some stunning views of Himalayan peaks in their full majesty while you drive through wooded terrain where rivers and waterfalls give you company all along.
Delhi to Munsiyari
DISTANCE
706 km
DRIVING TIME
23 Hours [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
abbott mount,
Advaita Ashram Mayavati,
Bageshwar,
Baleshwar,
Champawat,
Delhi,
munsiyari,
Patal Bhuvaneshwar,
uttarakhand,
uttaranchal,
Vijaypur,
Wayfarer Resort