Day 3 3rd May 2012 - 5.30 am
We started our venture for the 3rd safari with high notes, at 5.30 in the morning sharp. Today we saw the queue at the gate has become longer.
Once we entered the jungle, we were on our guards as two sambars were giving alarm calls, within 20 feet distance, we stopped and Bantu whispered that one of the biggest tigers of Tadoba was on the move, and very close. No other jeep was close by, and the thick bamboo bushes blocked complete visibility, so even if the king was very close we could not see them. But it was a really thrilling and a bone-chilling experience. The following pic shows the ambience where we experienced the same.
The sambars stopped calling. We couldn’t see the big cat. We waited for another 15 mins there, but no luck. So we moved further ahead and suddenly we saw a Gaur just slipping into the jungle quickly.
We drove further ahead towards ‘Katijhari’ (?). The way towards the place:
Mahuya Tree:
We saw a horde of spotted deer crossing the road with its big-horned leader, leading the way.
The rest of the group just followed him.
One of the young aspirant leaders perhaps challenged the current head to a duel.
Fruit or leaf?
As I mentioned earlier, the forest actually at some places is occupied by tribal villagers, and we were driving through one of them. The morning light fell on the farmlands which looked so out-of-place inside the jungle.
But the farmland provided food for many of our wild inhabitants.
An Indian Black Ibis:
Indian Roller:
Jungle Fowl (Male and Female from L to R):
And finally a Gaur ruling on the farmland:
We came to a place where a group of gypsies were already waiting and an alarm calls of barking deers were on. A waterholes is very nearby.
Asian Koel (male):
This Machan was built to watch and count the animals by the forest officials, while they come to the waterholes to quench their thirsts.
A long, really really long distance shot of a Kingfisher:
And a couple of them:
Oriental Magpie Robin:
We expected at any moment the female tigress, for whom the alarm calls were still on, would emerge from the jungle with her cubs towards the waterhole, but alas that was not meant to happen. The alarm calls stopped.
A Mongoose:
50% greenish and 50% reddish:
We drove past the Teliya Lake now, an Egret –
On our way back:
Quarters of the Forest Guard and their mode of transport in jungle!
I envy these watch towers a lot for their fabulous locations:
The same tree gave birth to leaves of different colors:
Foliage, non-stop supply:
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