I flew into Leh, the capital of Ladakh in the last week of November when winter’s chill had set in. The Indus river snaked its way across the sleepy town, and the Zanskar range created a jagged horizon against picture perfect skies.After a couple of days’ acclimatization to Leh’s altitude of 13,500 ft above mean sea level, we set off northwestwards for Ulley – our destination to track the elusive snow leopard.On our three hour drive through the Leh valley towards the ridges, we came across many
Common ki Pied – dakho ?!! A travelogue on the Sunderbans by Mohan Common ki Pied – dakho ?!! asked our boatman Manoj to our Naturalist Samar when he spotted a Kingfisher as we cruised the waterways of Sunderbans. Queried with authority, it surprised me that the boatman should know the bird and the species. What blew my mind was the ability of both Manoj and Samar to spot the smallest of birds from the distance of our boat. Sunderbans is home to 6 species of Kingfishers or Machranga (as called in Bengali). And I call them the “Super Six of Sunderbans”.…
On my first safari, and the month had just turned December. A chilly and cold morning and within less than five minutes a jungle cat was sighted. It disappeared into the tall grass and then further into the woods. Later on the in the day, a jackal trotted along without a care in the world. Amongst all this, of course, I must mention the multiple numbers of white eye buzzard who had made the woodland their stronghold. When I look back now, I must say that the impatient part of me hoped for the tiger lurking around the corner waiting…