My birding trip to Ganeshgudi was getting postponed since long for one reason or the other. But after the Uttarakhand trip in November 2019 I promised myself to visit Ganeshgudi in the new year. And thus I was at the famous Old Magazine House, the so called Birder's Mecca at Ganeshgudi, in the first week of February 2020 for a 2 day birding trip.
The Old Magazine House is located amidst verdant forest. The set up there is basic but comfortable as it should be at a jungle lodge. The surroundings are absolutely serene giving you the much desired relief from the cacophony and huff that a urban dweller gets 24x7 in the city. And so is the air : pure sans poisonous mixture of fumes of various origins. Very good for the lung detoxification.
The Old Magazine House has a simple photography set up. There is a hide, of about 30 feet in length turning to the right at the end, made of green net cloth with aperture cuts or openings at the height of about 4.5 feet. So the camera must be mounted on a tripod or heavy bean bag if one is using a long lens. Since the birds are not fed here, their arrival is sporadic. That means long waits . As the photographer must stand all the time while at the hide, it is tiring and telling upon leg muscles. The perches and bird baths, about 10 in numbers,
are at about 20 feet distant from the hide. Another peculiarity there is the light conditions. The perches are in the shaded area while the background gets strong natural light. That results in lot of focus hunting.
My first day, started at about 9.00 am after breakfast, ended well . There were hits and misses. In the final tally were Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, , Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Blue-capped Rock Thrush and Giant Malabar Squirrel besides many record shots.
The Old Magazine House is located amidst verdant forest. The set up there is basic but comfortable as it should be at a jungle lodge. The surroundings are absolutely serene giving you the much desired relief from the cacophony and huff that a urban dweller gets 24x7 in the city. And so is the air : pure sans poisonous mixture of fumes of various origins. Very good for the lung detoxification.
The Old Magazine House has a simple photography set up. There is a hide, of about 30 feet in length turning to the right at the end, made of green net cloth with aperture cuts or openings at the height of about 4.5 feet. So the camera must be mounted on a tripod or heavy bean bag if one is using a long lens. Since the birds are not fed here, their arrival is sporadic. That means long waits . As the photographer must stand all the time while at the hide, it is tiring and telling upon leg muscles. The perches and bird baths, about 10 in numbers,
My first day, started at about 9.00 am after breakfast, ended well . There were hits and misses. In the final tally were Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, , Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Blue-capped Rock Thrush and Giant Malabar Squirrel besides many record shots.
The second day started rather early. Led by the resident naturalist-guide Mr. Vinayak we walked a birding trail. About 1.5 km away, by the side of construction site near the main road , we found a Grey Malabar Hornbill perched in a tree in the morning golden light. There were many other beautiful birds and the fellow birders enjoyed clicking them. The regular photo session at the hide started by 9.00 am after breakfast. By the session end I had Black - lored Tit, Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow -browed Bulbul and Black-naped Monarch.
That brought my Ganeshgudi sojourn to an end. I had an early dinner and retired for the night. I needed sleep and rest to my swollen ankles.
My next stop was Nature's Nest , a resort at Sacordem, South Goa, owned and managed by Shreerang Phadke . Shreerang himself is an avid wildlife lover and conservationist and that reflects at his resort which is so green and eco-friendly. Nature's Nest offers many birding opportunities . One can find Sunbirds of various hues and colours in great numbers in the resort compound. Bulbuls, Blyth's Starlings, Black Birds and Woodpeckers can be found at its hide. I spent one day capturing these beauties.
Nest day I headed for the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, which is about 18km distant from the Nature's Nest , in search of the rare Malabar Trogan. I was lucky to get them but unfortunately the male bird was perched on the electric wires. I got a full view of the bird and have kept it as a record shot only as generally I do not snap birds perched on wires /railings etc. But the female Trogan was in the natural habitat and she made a good pose.
A pair of Chestnut Shoulder Patronia was also there perched in a tree.
In the evening I headed for the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary in search of the Blue Eared Kingfisher and the Srilankan Frogmouth. The first one didn't oblige but the second one did. It was sleeping but as luck would have, it opened eyes as I was about to click.
South Goa is very green . However it does need a lesson or two in keeping the environment unpolluted. Empty beer bottles and edible packets littered on the sides of the sanctuary road do not make a good sight and show our poor civic sense. And so is the restaurant located on the right hand side of the bridge whose litter finds disposed off in the beautiful stream flowing below. Will Goa Forest Department look in to it? Please leave your comments.
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