Pench - Nov 2018 Photos

Scopes Owls

Jackal

Pench Landscape

Squirrels

Male Sambar Deer

Flying Squirrel

Serpent Eagle

Kingfisher and blooming Orchids

Scopes Owl

Mottled Wood Owl

Giant Wood Spider

Indian Gaur

Durga

 

Jungle Stories - Part 1 - Scavenger becomes Predator

Jungle Stories - Ranthambhore Apr 2017

Scorching heat of summer makes all the animals to roam during dawn and dusk. When the sun comes out, the predators prefer to live in shade. Both predators and prey rest throughout the noon. The strong predators like Tigers kill early morning or late evening and drag their prey near water hole. Tigress and cubs carve the kill and waterhole with their names. Leopards also take their food to the treetop. That make life tough for the scavengers.

Scavengers like jackal are smaller in size. They always steal the food from the predators to satisfy their hunger. Being smaller in size it becomes tough for them to steal the food from bigger predators if they are guarding their kill. Scavengers do have the killer instincts but do not have enough ammunition. But the hunger intensifies the instincts!

I was lucky to see the killing instinct of such scavenger. While in Ranthambhore in afternoon ride I got to witness something unique, very unique! As we were keeping our eyes open for searching the king in the jungle, we heard an alarm call of the spotted deer. Everyone got curious as they were hoping to see the king coming out of somewhere. To our surprise, we saw a juvenile spotted deer being choked by the jackal. Jackal was holding spotted deer's mouth and nose tightly by its jaws. Its jaw was not big enough to hold the deer's neck. We did not understand what we were seeing. We were getting goosebumps. The spotted deer was still breathing and the cunning jackal was trying its level best to choke it.

But as the jackal spotted us, it got scared of the vehicle and tried to get away. The spotted deer was still breathing but had no energy left. It was struggling for its life, was trying to move his legs, was trying to open its eyes. Another gypsy came over and pushed the jackal further away. Its scare for gypsys was bit surprising. I have seen jackals walking past gypsies very often.  This time the jackal had almost killed the deer but was still scared of the vehicles.

Though we pity the little deer, the jackal also had to live. Due to our disturbance, it got distracted. So after talking to our driver and the driver of other gypsy, we decided to reverse our vehicles. With agreement from everyone, we kept ourselves away from the deer. By this time, we saw some big Sambar deers driving jackal away. But jackal was also very determined. As we moved away, it again came close to the spotted deer.

By this time the deer had gathered some breathe. Seeing jackal coming, it gathered all the energy and stood up. It made a clever move. It came running towards our vehicle. With spotted deer's tail up, he had played well so far. The jackal was again scared of the vehicle and was not ready to pursue the kill. It was keeping its eyes on the deer and wanted it to make a mistake.

The juvenile deer stopped for a while but thought, it had enough energy to run away and tried to ran across the road. Mistake! A big mistake of its life!! As it ran away from the vehicles, the jackal ran very fast behind the deer. Just few hundred meters from us the jackal got held of its well earned kill.
Again we got to see a great example of the symbiotic life. The herd of sambar deer again tried to come to rescue the deer and tried to distract jackal by giving alert calls and trying to charge the jackal. This time jackal was so determined that he did not look back towards Sambar deer. He griped the spotted deer again. The Sambar deer got to know that its impossible to save the deer now. They turned their backs to the jackal and its kill. Jackal continued to chock the deer and ended its life.

One got killed, other got energy to stay alive. That's the rule of the jungle. Fittest the survival!

We were lucky to see something unimaginable. Our guide working in Ranthambhore for last 10 years had also not seen something similar before! I rate this sighting as one of the most thrilling sightings so far!

Thanks for reading! Photos to follow..

Jackal chocking Spotted Deer

Jackal waiting for us to go away

Its my kill

Holding back its breathe

Sambar trying distract Jackal

Fate!

A paradise called Pench - Apr 2016 - Camp 23 (By Rucha Sahasrabudhe)

First Flight:

With wings of hope, feathered with care,

We began the journey, yet unaware,

Of the beauty awaiting us at bay,

Of the dry lands where wild animals play,

In windy sun and mildew of night,

We found our way through harsh sunlight,

And in these forests of Pench we saw,

A myriad of changes in the foot, claw and paw,

Oh what a cherished sight it made,

To see how far the forest laid,

It's trees so scattered and so few,

It's life so fresh and death so new,

Yet it wasn't the sorrow, there was no strife,

For in the wild, this is the circle of life.

Pench national park is a beautiful place to be in. It gives you peace of mind and the silence after the city lights is a blessing. So is the dark night filled with stars that one can see almost from horizon to horizon.

Pench National park is located between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. It can be accessed from two gates.

Despite a recent attempt at poisoning the lake, all is well in the park. The authorities have also now made sure that no such incident takes place again. Security at the gates has been increased and checking is much stricter. For more information about Pench National Park please click the link below:

Pench National Park

A ride among clouds and trees:

The anticipation of seeing a tiger, the hope of seeing nature at it's best, the will to wait it out till these wishes are fulfilled is what makes the journey from home to the jungle so exciting. And of course there's the ice-breaking with new people and hoping we find a friend in them all. We started our journey, all of us, with dreams of rustling of leaves,crackling of gravel and the scent of the earth, for we knew we were to find it all where nature flourishes.

That morning was one of enjoyment as we gathered to celebrate a birthday.

In the evening we had some introductions and laughter. The youngsters all had a celebration of their own and we were all hollering as we teased some and backed some up on our debate of how 5-3-2 is played.

All of us were rather tired after reaching Hotel Baaz. Our bellies full of idlis and dosas, and dosing from time to time, yet euphoric, we began traveling for our first ride.

We saw many birds that day. A jackal strolled out from the bushes to walk beside us for quite some time. A pack of wild dogs lounging near a small pond of water and deer grazing calmly with peacocks strutting along...These were the sights that told us how sleepy the forest was feeling. It did show promise of activity later though and we returned with satisfied spirits.

It was in all a wonderful start. We ended up after three days, exploring bits of ourselves as we explored the forest!

In midst of the woods:

There we were, early next morning hoping for a wake-up call from the forest. This second ride was the best of all. It merits a poem :-

As dawn rose against the April sky,

I found birds are not all that fly,

For our thoughts flew right into space,

Our heartbeats tried to keep them pace.

For we had hopes in our minds of a good sight,

As in our eyes we had some sleep to fight,

That day was a fair share for us all,

And we returned with memories of more than a call.

So how does news travel in the forest?

Among animals, it travels with the speed of sound;literally. Whereas among us humans it travels with the speed of gestures. The center point is like the listening side of the wall.Here the news is passed from mouth to ear swiftly.

Our gypsy was stationed at the center point and we were having breakfast. Out of the blue (or rather, green) it seemed, a tigress had come our way;literally. We didn't stop to debate, there was no thought. As a unit,we packed up unfinished breakfast in a hustle and drove away like bats in hell. To see Collar-wali rumored to be spotted on Route 1. 

On the route were many gypsies waiting for her majesty to grace us with her presence. We silently joined them. After sweating for a long time in a pin-drop silence in the burning sun, we drove a little ways ahead and saw some jackal cubs completely camouflaged by leaves. After a while, we backtracked, and voilà!

There she was, the beautiful Collar-wali. She walked right towards our gypsy and crossed the road, making her way along it for a long time. How awe-inspiring the sight was!

In the evening, we chatted a lot as a group, had some fun....and then went on a night trail!

As stars burn out:

Feathered skies and trailing sun, 

gone in a split over the horizon,

A twilit trace of silent night, 

comes creeping in with faded light.

And the trail began. We were armed with torches, sticks, hope and courage...and as a group we set out, walking a long winding road in the forest. That's the beauty of it.

When the shadows slither in the torch's beam,

when the sounds turn out to be far from what they seem,

you still hear and see the electricity of silence and nervousness,

your tired eyes and ears want to rest,

but you don't feel it as much as you feel the beauty of the forest.

That's the beauty of it.

We reached a gate where we were later to learn, two tigers and a leopard had been spotted not less than a year ago. We crossed a bridge flung over a drying canal where one recorded had walked. Our eyes popped after we realized, back at the hotel, where exactly we'd just been.

There was a lake beyond the gate and we all stood along the bank wanting to get a glimpse of something. Much time was spent in getting everyone to quiet down, and then some in star gazing.

As we sat on the bank with our torches off, I remember thinking,"What if I were alone here?" Imagining that, and it can only happen in that pin drop silence, was truly a blessing. For once, you want to feel like you're all alone in midst of a crowd. And then you are. You forget about everyone as two eyes gleam at you in the dead of the night, whether it's a bird or a tiger.

We were fortunate enough to see two birds flying away and then, as we got up and strolled along the shore, lo and behold ! Out of a shady bush, two green eyes gleamed in the flash of a torch, bobbed up and down in the gait of the majestic walk, paws hushing the ground below.

Had it not been for the lucky swing of the torch and the brilliant eyes of people, we would never have seen the tiger/tigress make his or her way along the shore for about quite a distance. It was rather dark and none of us could capture an image before the tiger or tigress vanished into the thicket. It was more than worth the sight, all the long walk, the keeping a pin-drop silence, the nervousness, the excitement...all worth it.

The next day dawned quick and clear, and it was time for our last ride. We set out like the day before dressed like bandits with our heads and mouths all covered, most of us wearing sun coats.

That's another thing about going out to a camp like this. You don't have to worry about how you dress, how you look. Nobody cares; not even you. You're not there for yourself, as much as that is actually true. You're there for a chance to see some of the most beautiful creatures ever to exist.

The last ride too was like the first one: we heard calls, saw many birds, jackals,wild boars and wild dogs. We said goodbye to the forest with a sorrowful heart that yet vowed to return. And return we will someday to the forest, for the nature is truly where we belong, where we can be ourselves without the pressures of the society.

And as the sun's burn lessened, we felt like the night before, when the stars had started to burn out....it was time to go, and we knew what awaited us. With routine, there's only one way the day and night can go. In the jungle, the day and night hold surprises you never get tired of.

Farewell to the Land of Mowgli:

We were in Haldirams at Nagpur when we said our goodbyes, as half of us were going by train, and half by plane. It was time to go where we came from. But instead of gifts and presents we usually bring home for family and friends, we brought back memories.

And fabulous photos, credits for which go to Kedar Kulkarni, Ninaad Joshi and Amodh Joshi. A long and frankly tiring effort by Shreya Kulkarni, a good friend and birder, is the bird list below the photos. There is also an animal list below it.                  

Card Games

Bus Travel

At Ajani Station

Happy birthday Amit!!

And Celebration

Jo Khayega Ber, Use Dikhega Sher!!

Ready for the Safari!

Deciduous Jungle

Dirt Tracks

Mahua

 

Ghost Tree

Roller with a kill

Catching it

Ready to Eat now!

Malabar Pied Hornbill

White Rumped Vulture

Golden Flameback

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Yello Wattled Lapwing

Brown Headed Barbet

Brown Headed Barbet

Golden Oriel

Red Jungle Fowl

Pea Fowl Display

Crested Serpent Eagle

CSE

White Eyed Buzzard

Painted Spurfowl

Indian Grey Hornbill in Flight

Grey Headed Starling

Sirkir's Malkoha

Orange Headed Thrush

Jackal

Mom and Me!

 

Jackal Pup!

Wild Dog

Sambar Deer surrounded by pack of 15 wild dogs

Wild Dog, locking new targets

Kill

Half Eaten, but alive!

My Water hole!

Fight for the remains

 

Monitor Lizard

Thirsty spotted Deer

 

Dead Python!

Eyes of the Jungle in Making!

The Eyes!

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Raiyakasa Male

Raiyakasa Male

Territory Marking

Baddeo Female

Collarwali

Baddeo Female Cub

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Baddeo Female Cubs

Baddeo Female and a male Cubs

Signed up on Kedar's cap!!

Where is our Kill!

Kids Gang

35!

List of  Birds:

1.    Rufous tree-pie
2.    Brown headed barbet
3.    Crested serpent eagle
4.    Asian paradise flycatcher
5.    Indian roller
6.    Black naped monarch
7.    Jungle owlet
8.    Spotted owlet
9.   Tickell’s blue flycatcher
10.  White rumped vulture
11.  White throated kingfisher
12.  Common myna
13.  Malabar pied hornbill
14.  Grey hornbill
15.  Shikra
16.  Indian peafowl
17.  Wooly necked stork
18.  Black hooded oriole
19.  Golden oriole
20.  Black drongo
21.  White bellied drongo
22.  Racket tailed drongo
23.  Red crowned woodpecker
24.  Black rumped flameback woodpecker
25.  Laughing dove
26.  Spotted dove
27.  Eurasian collard dove
28.  Rose ringed parakeet
29.  Alexandrine parakeet
30.  Plum headed parakeet
31.  Pied kingfisher
32.  Coppersmith barbet
33.  Changeable hawk eagle
34.  Grey headed fish eagle
35.  Tawny eagle
36.  Black shouldered kite
37.  Honey buzzard
38.  White eyed buzzard
39.  Common crow
40.  Jungle crow
41.  European roller
42.  Chestnut tailed starling
43.  Pied myna
44.  Bramhiny starling
45.  Asian openbill stork
46.  Black headed ibis
47.  Painted stork
48.  Cattle egret
49.  Little egret
50.  Pond heron
51.  Yellow wagtail
52.  White browed wagtail
53.  Jungle babbler
54.  Tailor bird
55.  Ashy prinia
56.  Plain prinia
57.  Common woodshrike
58.  Oriental white eye
59.  Red vented bulbul
60.  Painted spurfowl
61.  Red jungle fowl
62.  Oriental magpie robin
63.  White throated fantail flycatcher
64.  Purple sunbird
65.  Gold fronted leafbird
66.  Sirkeer malkoha
67.  House sparrow
68.  Scaly breasted munia
69.  Tricolored munia
70.  Yellow throated sparrow
71.  Red wattled lapwing
72.  Eurasian thick knee
73.  Rock pigeon
74.  Green bee- eater
75.   Indian robin
76.  Orange headed thrush
77.  Greater coucal
78.  Yellow footed green pigeon
79.  Singing bush lark
80.  Pied bush chat
81.  Paddyfield pipit
82.  Indian nightjar
83.  Barn swallow
84.  Wire tailed swallow
85.  House swift
86.  Dusky crag martin
87.  Red naped ibis
88.  Silverbill
89.  Crested treeswift
90.  Grey wagtail
91.  Black kite
92.  King vulture
93.  Great tit
94.  Little cormorant
95.  Intermediate egret
96.  Common hawk eagle
97.  Common kestrel
98.  Asian koel
99.  Small minivet
100. Great egret
101. House swift
102. Yellow wattled lapwing

List of animals:

1. Tiger
2. Spotted deer (Chital)
3. Barking deer
4. Sambar deer
5. Blue Bull (Nilgai)
6. Indian Gaur (Gawe)
7. Wild dogs
8. Jackals (Landga)
9. Monitor Lizard
10.Wild Boar

Thank you all for reading till the end.