Bandipur Tales: The Assassins

It’s not the leopard, not even the tiger. The deadliest assassins in the Indian Jungles are Wild Dogs or Indian Dholes (Cuon alpinus). The have the best strategy for hunting – team work.

Their communication skills are fantastic, whistling sometimes, and just intuitive co-ordination at others.

A pack of 14 wild dogs were sighted regularly around Mulapur area of Bandipur National Park. Unlike tigers and leopards, wild dogs in a pack of this size hunt almost everyday. Wild dogs can hunt down prey much larger than their size, and they commonly feast on Sambar and Spotted deers.

An alpha dog leads the attack, and keeps an eye for prey, and threats from other predators.

On a particular day, the pack of 14 dogs showed a remarkable strategy. The divided into two groups of 7 each, and were pursuing Chitals. We were tracking two packs, and the spotted deer for nearly an hour.

Usually found in herds of 10 or more, these two Chitals were separated from the herd by the pack. Their anxious look is evident in the image.

Tall lantana bushes made us lose track of a pack of 7 dogs, and the chitals. Half an hour later, we caught the two packs uniting – one pack well fed, evident from their belly, and the other still looking for a meal.

A Red-Wattled Lapwing chick became the casuality. Within few seconds, right in front of my eyes, the chick was caught and feasted on even as the hapless mother Lapwing looked on (in the background, left of the tree trunk).

Krupakar and Senani have a wonderful documentary, Wild dog diaries, on these predators at Bandipur produced for National Geographic. They were filming the second series of this documentary at the park this time, and i’m sure this pack of 14 dogs will be taking a center stage. I got a chance to meet the wonderful duo at their home – a memory i’ll cherish forever.

On ICUN endangered species list, Indian Dholes are on recovery mode. There are at least 4 packs in the Bandipur tourist area, and is good to see them thrive.

Tranquil Kabini

The landscape of Kabini is mesmerizing. It has everything a wildlife enthusiast can wish for. I made a short trip on weekend,  dull and cloudy weather played spoil sport, but I was proved right in my decision of buying Canon 100-400mm IS USM, and not any other lens that i considered. I will write a detailed review of my reasons to buy 100-400 after few more trips in good lighting conditions.

I just took one boat safari and was a great one in the of birds sighted. Right at the start were Indian Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Great Cormorant and Darter. The little one gave an unusual pose.

Little Cormorant

A scan of the banks of the lake on binoculars showed the a herd of mammoths. Sambhars, Langurs, Chitals, and Wild boars were seen as the boat navigated towards the elephants. Winter visitors – Large Wood-shrike, and Osprey were lifers for me. Pacific swallows, Wire-tailed swallos, white breasted kingfishers, a stork-billed kingfisher, pied kingfisher, Woolly necked stork, painted stork, Asian open bill, and Egrets were all a treat to watch.

A huge mugger crocodile was basking on the banks, while another one was lurking in the water.

A small bunch of Malabar Pied Hornbills were the last of the species sighted. I drove on the stretch from Karapura village to Manandvadi on my car. Many leopard/tiger sightings happen on this stretch, but i wasn’t lucky this time.

This image Grey Heron, roosting on a dead tree, was my frvourite from the trip.

First shot with Canon 100-400

My first photography trip with Canon 100-400 was to my favourite birding spot in Bangalore, Valley school. A pair of Pied Wagtails were bathing in the parking lot. Stopped the car, got out and fired this shot. I am impressed with the lens.

Deepika, thanks a lot!

Falconcrest – Birds of Prey

I never even dreamed of shooting the fastest bird on earth at 10mm, but here i have it. Located at the outskirts of Eindhoven, Netherlands, Falconcrest supplies falconry equipment across the world. After co-ordinating with Frank Lenders, I had a chance to visit this place on a Sunday afternoon.

I reached the place by 1pm, and spent an hour checking out all the birds they house. A gloomy morning cleared up to a bright afternoon, and the Birds of Prey demonstration gave a fantastic opportunity to see the winged beauties fly up close.

European Eagle Owl, Bald Eagles, Chilean Blue Eagle, Harris Eagle, European buzzards, Snow Owls, a mixed-bred Falcon, Perigrine Falcon were all there. On one hand, it was exhilarating to watch these beauties so close, while on the other, it was disheartening to see them put in cages and dealt with a leash.

I could not understand many of the things that was explained as the demo was in Dutch. Lucky to find a translator in a visitor, Crista, who helped me in  understanding some of the things.

I didn’t know:

1. Perigrine Falcons develop an oily substance to cover their eyes while diving to catch a prey so that their eye won’t water – organic goggles!

2. From the color of Owl’s eye you can say whether they are day hunters or night hunters. Yellow – day, and Red – night.

Chilean Blue Eagle or Black-Chested Buzzard Eagle is a huge bird of prey, found in Southern America.

This huge bird preys on small to mid-sized mammals, and occasionally known to hunt Gray Fox – two to three times it’s weight. The birds are dealt with a leash when training, and are let to fly without leash after ‘graduating’.

These birds they say are still ‘wild’ and unpredictable. Some birds escape even after months of training. The size of this bird is evident in the hands of a pretty falconer.

Falconers feed these bird with chicken, some times with other game birds such as Doves when used for hunting. Harris Eagle covers it’s reward with it’s wings.

Traditionally, Falcons were used for hunting.  Now, they make decorative show pieces especially in the Middle-East. The cost of a falcon depends on the breed, age, and gender. Yes, gender. Mostly they are hosted in cages, but their authority and charisma is still vivid.

Birds’ eyes are usually covered with a head gear to keep them calm. The funky helmet helps them to focus before the show.

This mixed-bred falcon surveyed the area with super fast rounds. Usually Falcons go at full speed once per attempt on prey, but this bird was trained to optimal fitness for 3 dives or flying sprints in succession.

This magnificent bird responds very well to ‘whistles’ of the falconer and was exhausted after the flight and landed gasping for breath.

Few of birds are raised as a chick, few are bought from other falconers, and others are caught/rescued from wild. A pair of Snow Owls are bred here. Snow owls fly without making even a minute noise. They fly past you, and you don’t even feel until you see.

Snow Owls females are larger and more authoritative than males – nothing new for we people huh?

My favourite from the visit was the young Peregrine Falcon. He was still under training, and flew with a leash attached. I was told he is aggressive and bites, but was surprisingly comfortable with me.

Master falconer Frans Lenders runs this park. Many famous people including the former president of US, George Bush, have visited this place. Bus stop at Tempellan is the nearest to this place, and it takes 5 minute walk from the stop. If you can dirve, nothing like it.

P.S.: Hope I have made up for the dormant status of past few months.

happiness…

Why is it that i can’t be happy for a long time continually?!

I try not to get pissed off.. but still..
Another thing,
why is it that just when i think i am good, i realize i can be better??
When do i become the best? Why do i see someone being better than me!!?

11/6/07

Random events, made me think,  and go back to this movie quotes:

It was at that time that I thought about Thomas Jefferson writing that Declaration of Independence. Him saying that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I thought about how he knew to put the ‘pursuit’ in there, like no one can actually have happiness. We can only pursue it.

Maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it no matter what.

Countdown to Tour of Nilgiris 2009

More than three months back, just about the time TFN 2009 was announced, I wanted to start a blog about the unique event in this part of the world. Err.. Hold it.  Are you wondering what is TFN?

TFN is passion. TFN is a cult. TFN is madness. TFN is about challenging yourself. TFN is about making a statement. TFN is about raising awareness. I would be wrong to say TFN is just about cycling. It is all these and more. Tour oF Nilgiris is an 8-day-900km cycling tour across the Blue Mountains (Nilgiris). It’s not a race, it’s a tour. Read about the tour here.

Now, why didn’t i write this three months back, and why am i doing it now? I created a blog for TFN 2009. I wanted to make a documentary on the event on the lines on Iditarod, I contacted the people involved in TFN and other documentary film-makers to assist me. Worst case, i wanted to blog about the event.

Unfortunately, I have to earn my bread and had to travel on work. A zillion other personal things caught me. Not that i am free now (probably obvious since i haven’t updated my blog for long time), but like i always say I don’t have time for only something i don’t like to do (at least priority-wise). I saw the contest for the official blogger of TFN – and thought this might be my last chance.

So, why should i be the official blogger?

1. I have the passion about natural environment and I try to spread awareness in whatever little way I can – as evident from this and this.

2. I can take good photographs and narrate a story (cat chase).

3. I have compiled enough travelogues on this blog, and written about relatively unknown travel spots.

4. I can write blog on the fly ( as i am doing now :P ) and still make it interesting (ya, i wish).

Above all, i have the zeal for TFN – I don’t have the endurance to ride 900km, but admire the ones who do. I have friends who have been training for TFN for quite some time, and i want to be there to witness their win as every rider is a winner on TFN.

That’s all folks!

P.S.: Still have tons of images from Bandipur, Cologne, Eindhoven, Amsterdam, Pottery Town, Valley school, and TG Halli. Hope to publish soon.

P.P.S.: Heading to a non-descript village in northern Karnataka – follow me @SandeepEmbar. Hope to be back by Sunday morning for Canon PhotoMarathon.

Life Updates

The time of life when you plan something and life plans something else. I was hoping to post a series of images from Bandipur, get hands on my new possession, and met some nice people in Bangalore. But i landed up in 51°27′0″N / 5°22′28″E.

Took 4 different trains from Frankfurt to Eindhoven, with a stop over at Köln and caught up with a college friend there. Eindhoven is non-existent but for Philips, and the statue of the man himself is at the city center.

P.S.: Trying to catch US open, more later!

and No, i don’t work in Philips, and am not here for work in Philips. :)

Lalbagh flower show 2009

The biannual flower show at Lalbagh botanical gardens started on 7th August. I did a quick visit today morning. The focus was bird waching and hence reached there by about 6:30am. Walked around the lotus pond, and lake till about 9:30am. Then, went to the glass house.

Crowd had gathered near the Glass house, and barged in as soon as they opened it. Apart from the usual varieties, few exotic species are also at display.

Mermaid, beautifully decorated with orchids, is  impressive

Dinosaurs crafted out of 50000 flowers (see aircrafts in the background)

I was keen on spotting owls, but i couldn’t find. A pelican was lazing around in the lake and got to play around with exposure.

Spot-Billed Pelican

A Spotted dove near the Glass house

Flower show is the main crowd puller. Except for the attractions such as Dinosaurs and Mermaids, nothing changes year on year. Read about last year’s flower show here.

Prem wished he would rather go to Valley school. Prinias, Kites, Mynas, Crows, Cormorants, Pelican, Grebe, Doves, and Moorhen. Where does one find the wood owls and spotted owlets?! Deepa, any inputs?

Bandipur tales : The Big Cat Chase

Panthera tigris and Panthera pardus are the two big cats in the southern Indian forests. Almost every visitor wants to see a tiger, but there are many who want to see only a tiger. On most days, the safari will be a chase for the the elusive Leopard, and the majestic Tiger. More so for the latter than the former.

On June31st-July1st, surprisingly, there was only one guest, a young British girl. Her eagerness and excitement to see elephants and other animals was more than that to see a tiger. Learning that i had never seen a tiger in the wild, she wished me luck.

We were driving out of the park, almost at the end of the morning safari. We were close to the highway. It was about 8:30am. A forest department safari van stood right in front. The driver flashed the headlights. Kiran, JLR driver, stepped on the gas and at about 50mtrs we saw the tigress Gowri leading her 4 cubs. Kiran stopped the jeep instantly, and by the time i could clearly see, Gowri and one of her cubs had crossed. Other 3 cubs too were very swift. There was no time to get my camera out. I just enjoyed the sight of those wonderful cubs walking with their long tail held up. We tried to track her for nearly an hour after that, but no luck.

The expectation and disappointment was higher for the visitors who came after 1st of July, as the sightings board at the Pug Mark restaurant read ‘Tiger (Mother & 4 cubs) -  1st July -  8:30am – Minister Guthi road‘.

At times, I wished to get a chance to photograph a big cat. It would be disappointing to go back without even a record shot. Once, we tracked a fresh pug mark (first image on the post) and drove in that direction. Just then, a forest department jeep came from the other side. The smile on driver’s face gave away what we had missed. Two minutes!

Alert Fawn

It was the time for the last safari. I had accompanied two Indian-American guys on previous day. We had tracked alarm calls for nearly an hour, and then left the spot only to know, later in the night, driver Kiran, in another jeep, had spotted a tiger at the same spot, soon after we had left. I didn’t want to rub my bad luck on them again. I accompanied a family with two 10 year olds.

Now, what are the chances of sighting a big cat when you are with a group making lot of noise as against with a group of disciplined wildlife photographers? I’d say equally likely :)

I suggested Ramesh we first scan the Mularpura area instead of the other route we usually take. We were looking for wild dogs, and so were Krupakar-Senani. Nearly an hour into the safari, no sign of any predator. The guests were asking the question almost every visitor asked, Where is the tiger, When was the tiger seen last?

Just then, alarm calls of spotted deer. Ramesh bought the jeep to a halt and we scanned the area. Alarm calls got stronger. Deer started moving. Deer ran from one side to another. I had not seen a herd of spotted deer run so fast. 20 minutes flew past. Kids were getting edgy. Soon, herd settled down and started grazing again. Alarm calls subsided. There goes my last chance!

Chitals running, soon after alarm calls

Ramesh started the jeep, and Kiran’s jeep came from the other side, informed Kiran about the alarm calls and left. Our alertness had dropped a little. We had moved about 150 mtrs, and suddenly something big and yellow with black spots ran, in a flash, from one side of the track to the other. Ramesh yelled ‘Tiger!’ My mind said No.. spotted deer! Within a second, we utter in unison ‘Leopard!’ No one else in the jeep saw the leopard. It was huge.

We took a left turn and stopped the jeep, hoping to see him again. Scanned the area for 10-15 minutes. No sign and no calls. Ramesh takes a u-turn. A jeep comes from the other side, and whirs past. We head back to the place where deer were grazing, and thought of going to another area. I didn’t want to miss the leopard, I said ‘let’s go back now‘. A U-turn and a left turn, we see the leopard walking at a distance. Guests missed again.

Ramesh stopped the jeep. I got out to see if he is still on the jeep track. I walked some 10mts from the jeep and saw him walking on the track undeterred. Took a few shots, my first shot of leopard on foot:

Got into the jeep and drove towards the leopard, but he hid behind the bushes. I got on top of the bonnet of the jeep, and there he was staring straight at me.

Standing on the bonnet without making any noise, hand holding the camera in the drizzle, i fired 3 shots at 1/30s keeping my shaky hands as steady as possible.

I was waiting for him to move into more open area. He kept staring, and i kept waiting. Guests inside the jeep could barely see him, and their patience didn’t out last that of the leopard. A small noise and he ran behind bushes, not to be seen again.

The Leopard Look – Parthenium in the foreground, forest fire charred branches amidst lush green bushes in monsoon

I got in the jeep and showed the image to the guests. They say ‘Wow… You have a very good camera!’

Then they say ‘Where is the tiger? Can we see the tiger?‘

P.S.: Click on the images, color redention in smaller version doesn’t seem right. Larger images look better.

Bandipur tales : The unexpected

A mother and calf running for safety as a reckless driver sped past them on the highway. We were coming back from evening safari, four elephants were on the highway, two mothers and two calves. One of the elephants was drinking water from a pothole on the highway, and we were watching the beautiful sight. There were few other vehicles waiting for the elephants to cross. Just then, a speeding  jeep honking recklessly maneuvered past the elephants and other vehicles. Elephants ran for cover and i was standing on the jeep to take a shot. Our jeep driver moved the vehicle fearing the other jeep would hit us. This is the image i clicked as the elephants ran and our jeep moved.

This is how my experience has been in the last few months – unexpected and eventful.

One of the things in my mind as i drove to Bandipur was to photograph the hunk of Bandipur, Onti Kombu. The famous elephant was known for its notoriety to torment commuters on Mysore-Ooty highway. He preferred to charge rather than just mock. Soon after I reached, I inquired about his sightings. To my disappointment i learnt that he had been shot down by poachers a month ago. It was really disheartening.

In the evening safari, we saw a huge tusker, Mental Manja, romancing his mate. He is the new hunk in the Bandipur tourist range. He was seen frequently after that.

In the image above, he is reaching out to bamboo leaves. The image was shot when we were waiting for a big cat near a water hole.

The time i spent at Bandipur has been one of the best times of my life. Here’s how it all started:

On a Friday afternoon, nearly a month ago, I casually visited Karthik at his office. I had carried my camera to give it to service at Canon service center. I did not expect i would walk out with an offer to volunteer as Naturalist at Bandipur JLR. Within a day, i packed my bags and drove to Bandipur to live a dream for the next two weeks.

In the first of a series of posts about my experience at Bandipur, i share the unexpected surprises, pleasant and unpleasant. Biggest of them being the opportunity i seized as i walked out of Karthik’s office.

Mental Manja, undeterred by monsoon, enjoying the lush green grass

P.S.: I lost a few images i had shot on first two days. I accidentally deleted them. Trying to recover using undelete software. Will post if i can recover them.