caravahan

The road less traveled... has grown a mohawk

Our forest guide told us that the forest is walking into what were earlier farms. It is slowly reclaiming land at its edges. The forest department is not planting trees.

Meeting spot

Once manus leave...

#river #water

Jungle

Always a sucker for electrical engineering

#windmill #windmills #sugarcane #maharashtra #sahayadri #caravan

The caravan is back in action after many months, traversing the Sahayadris

The sky was very dramatic, all day long

Just pics of people looking cool on a yacht.

Did I mention that we all caught a cold. But it was 💯 worth it.

The current was strong enough to require tethering at all times - with two hands, or hands and feet. Otherwise we'd end up in the sea.

The high point was definitely jumping into the river while the boat was anchored. The fast flowing current whisked us away as soon as we hit the water.

Random gorgeousness

Most of these pics haven't been taken by me. Which explains how they've turned out so beautiful.

Although it might appear from this pic that he is being towed, M1 did kayak back and forth quite independently.

My prior experience with kayaking 🛶 was a bad one 20 years ago. This was definitely a lot of fun, and something I'd like to do over and over again.

So, you know, we could do this if you come visit us.

We went kayaking to an island that appears and disappears with the tide.

The sunset was gorgeous. Such colours in the sky. The photographs do not do justice.

The changing light at sunset time meant that each photograph has come out applied with its own unique filter.

Someone actually took a pic of me... although it isn't a flattering pic at all.

The boys had a lot of fun ❤️

Sunday was spent sailing on the Chapora River

Icarus

The Oriental Magpie-robin

The Himalayan Blackvein butterfly.

Sind Sparrow. गौरैया।

"Whaddaya say buddy. Do we go in?"

We were lucky to come across a hoard of birds and animals, clustered around the foliage under a tree. I suppose an animal had died there, and they were all having a morning feast. We saw what we thought was a dog, but @upcycling.artist identified to be a jackal. What luck!

The Greater Coucal.

Rufous Treepie.

Can you identify the trickery involved in this photograph.

Black Drongo. Contemplative.

"Sharing is caring". "No, you're the wrong species, dimwit. Birds of a feather flock together. Look at yours and look at mine."

Actually the Robin did not reply to the Sunbird. If it opened its mouth, the insect would be gone.

"I have the goods. In my mouth."

This Indian Robin flitted about for a very long time, from branch to branch, tree to tree, with its catch in its mouth. Was it trying to impress someone?

The Purple Sunbird, female. I've always only photographed the male before, with its striking colours.

And the cuckoo flies away

Would you mind if I posted another couple of pics of the Jacobin Cuckoo. This is the first time I've seen this bird and it is indeed spectacular.

The Jacobin Cuckoo. In India it is considered to be the harbinger of rain. Indeed it had rained in Gurgaon the night before I captured this pic.

तोता। Rose-ringed Parakeet. Just look at the details on the feathers.

Black Kite. चील। This one was really close - so close that I had trouble taking a picture.

It was scavenging from a garbage bin - which is sad.

Guess where is this place

[This was at Sanjay Van, Delhi. We visit again on Wednesday morning. Care to join us?]

Binge watch the entire series, they said. What could go wrong, they said. Now look at me eyes.

Blue Whisting-thrush. Again, not a crow as you might assume.

Are you having trouble spotting me on the tree? That's the whole point genius. Its called camouflage.

Just hanging about. Doing my thing. Being plump.

Ninja. I'm a ninja girl. Hai-ya!

Ei! Freddie! Are we doing this or what?

See boss, the thing is, it's the little one's birthday today, and I don't wanna get home all wet and mottled.

The mooning continues. This time by a White-throated Laughingthrush.

My face isn't just stuffed full of food. My face is stuffed IN food. Nom yum yum.

Did you think I'm done with his majesty the Magpie? You thought wrong.

Behold the long tail of the Red-billed Blue Magpie

Excuse me while I puff up my chest to thwart any other birds trying to get at this buffet.

The Red-billed Blue Magpie, y'all. Wait till you see its tail in the next post.

A Plum-headed Parakeet couple, om nom nomming. Repeat after me - awwwwwwwww

La Plum-headed Parakeet. तोता.

I'll be walking.
Walking in the rain.

The Oriental Turtle Dove. Who names these things? Isn't कबूतर enough?

Le Plum-headed Parakeet, तोता. Who refused to eat the plums I offered it, eating बाजरा (millet) instead.

Not your ordinary crow. This is the Grey Treepie.

You have been #mooned

See, bite, gobble.

These pictures of the lesser yellowpane were taken at what is called a "hide". After all the traipsing through rainy Uttarakhand forests with leeches and bugs harassing us, we thought it would be nice to just sit back and have the birds come to us.

A hide operates by offering food to birds. The birds flock to the food and you can observe them from up close. Its what we do in our backyards all the time, and think nothing of. But when you do it commercially, next to a forest, you risk turning wild birds into feral ones.

Not an experience I'd repeat again, most probably. Even though the food offered was just fruit and बाजरा.

When wet in the rain, all birds resemble a chicken 😂

Lesser yellownape woodpecker, कठफोड़वा

See how beautiful the feathers are, of a yellownape woodpecker (कठफोड़वा)

The lesser yellownape woodpecker. कठफोड़वा.