A WALK IN THE WOODS – HIMALAYAN TREK SERIES
“In order to see the birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence” – Robert Lynd We had set off early morning from Chennai, South India and reached Bagdogra close to the afternoon. A slow drizzle began, and we had to hurry on, for a long 5-6 hour drive to Maneybhajang. […]
WILDCATS LOST AMIDST PINK PINEAPPLES IN SINGAPORE
One fuzzy circle surrounded by soft petals can take your breath away. Imagine a 250-acre sprawl of flowers. I was lost in a fragrant paradise, except that it was right on earth – Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. One day is not enough to feast your eyes on the vibrant floral carpet that seems […]
THE LAND OF COFFEE BERRIES & PLUMHEADS
It was a scene straight out of a dream. A jeep ride through a 100-acre coffee plantation amidst the mist-shrouded hills. We were hunting for coffee berries at the heart of Coorg. So were the butterflies. I spotted two stained-glass wings perched on yellow-hearted coat button flowers. It was a gorgeous Blue Tiger Butterfly. He […]
THE NAWAB OF BENGALURU
I spotted two unusual looking leaves that seemed to be inserted in brown frames. Then, the leaves unfolded in perfect symmetry. It was a winged king who bore the name Common Nawab but was truly a spectacle to behold. The tips of his wings resembled a scabbard, yet I knew he was a gentle creature. […]
THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE WINGED BUDDHA
I and my friends were excited when we got the opportunity to visit the Thattekad Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, described by the renowned ornithologist as the richest bird habitat in Peninsular India. The Malayalam word ‘Thattekad’ means flat forest. The bird sanctuary is nestled between the Cheruthoni and Periyar rivers in Kerala. We discovered […]
A TIGER, A TREEPIE, AND A TAWNY COSTER
It was exciting to return to college after 16 years. I was accompanied by a bubbly bunch of 5 students. We were out chasing birds and butterflies, except that we didn’t bunk class to do it. We wanted to explore the diverse species that resided in the Anna University Chennai college campus. An […]
BLUSHING BALLET DANCERS ON A BLUE DAIS
Surrounded by the urban jungle, I longed for the sight of an azure lake. Luckily, I found great company in a bunch of birding enthusiasts, many of whom were IT folks with expensive cameras. I was content with my Canon SX 60 HS camera. What I saw through the camera of my eye, and later […]
A BLACK RAJAH ON A COAT BUTTON
There are fairies on earth. They flutter around flowers and tempt you to touch their vibrant wings. Butterflies are magical little creatures make your heart go pitter-patter. I looked forward to meeting lakhs of these beauties at a butterfly park after the rains. Armed with my Canon SX 60 HS, I stepped through a giant […]
STARLINGS AND SUNSHINE
Not even the scorching summer can hold me back from my birding adventures, especially when an enthusiastic bunch of amateur birdwatchers counts on me to lead them. We set out with hats, sunscreen and all our summer essentials, to a forested area on the outskirts of Chennai. We had hardly walked 300m, when we […]
THE WORLD OUTSIDE MY WINDOW
The World Outside My Window is Ruskin Bond’s book, which captures the interesting facts of flora and fauna in Indian peninsular. This book takes you to the little world of nature from a firefly insect to the great tall trees grown in the Himalayas. I bought this from Amazon online store at a good discount. […]
