This is a brief report on a 2 day trip to Ranthambhore National Park in the middle of May 2010.
We drive down from Jaipur to the Sawai Madhopur Lodge (SML or Taj Lodge) in the afternoon of 11th May, 2010. SML is the old Hunting Lodge of the Jaipur Royal Family. My wife, two teenaged boys and I are happy to accept the invitation of RKVS and KrDS and spend two nights in this wonderful property.
We are welcomed by several Golden Orioles that fly over the lawns to and from the many tall Neem, Ashok and Ardu trees. As soon as we are shown our rooms the luxurious accommodation lulls the senses but I am determined to explore the 12 acres of gardens, orchard, and walkways before the sun sets. I am accompanied by the Deputy GM in our little ramble. We soon come across most of the usual suspects, and it is clear that several birds are nesting here. A heartening sign.
While we are observing a flock of Oriental White-eyes in the Tamarind trees, we disturb a raptor perched behind us. The light is still good but the Falcon(?) flies low and fast directly away from us, and I am only able to make an ‘educated guess’ based on its size, wing shape and general colouring – probably a Laggar Falcon or Peregrine Falcon.
12th May morning drive in Ranthambhore Park Route 1 –
Our first Game Drive is in a Gypsy and we are allotted Route 1. Other than the four of us, our companions in the vehicle are a very young couple from SE Asia, and the mandatory Naturalist and Driver. Route 1 is reputedly one of the driest Routes in the Park and I have inwardly resigned myself to the thought that wildlife would be thin here at this time of the year in the hot weather. In any case the 5 different Routes are supposed to be allocated at random to the various Gypsies and Canters that ply in the Park. It appears Routes 2 and 3 that also skirt the large lakes have been throwing up most of the tiger sightings these days. Our Naturalist appears somewhat puzzled when I say that I am quite interested in birds and other attractions of the Forest, and that we are not just here for the Tigers.
We enter the Forest through a Gate just beside an ancient Banyan Tree. The spread of the aerial roots and the span of this specimen is enormous and I am reminded of the giant Banyan near Jogi Mahal in another area of the Park. It is just past sunrise and even though most well-wooded areas are still cool, the heat is rising. The terrain is indeed dry. The natural waterholes are dust bowls. All the Dhok trees are leafless. However, old natural watercourses are defined by green Tendu, and the occasional stately Mahuwa and Gurjan. Surprisingly White-bellied Drongos are more common than Black Drongos. We count up to 10 individuals on and around one tree. Oriental Magpie Robins are displaying. Meanwhile we start to come across small groups of Sambhar and Cheetal. Our young couple have been very quiet, only communicating with each other in barely audible whispers thus far. However, when we stop to observe a pair of Spotted Owlets in their nest in the hollow of a dry tree, the girl suddenly springs to life, clutching excitedly at her companion and cooing in delight. In response, since we are quite close to the Owlets, typically one of the birds starts to bob and weave its head, sending her into further paroxysms of delight.
I have several target species for this trip, and since we are in fairly good forest I ask whether we can hope to see the White-naped Woodpecker and the Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker. The Naturalist says yes, but that they are fairly rare. We see several Black-rumped Flamebacks and Yellow-crowned Woodpeckers, but not any of the others. One other target bird soon appears. As we climb a steep track with a rocky ravine to one side, there is a rustle in the undergrowth, and out steps a female Painted Spurfowl. She is soon followed by the striking male as they pick their way though the boulders and bushes.
When we stop for a while with the other vehicles at the terminal point by a small waterbody, I realize with a shock that this is the only water we have seen in the past hour in all of the forest. A solitary Wild Boar is in close proximity to a solitary Eurasian Thick-knee. There is the usual assortment of common birds near the water, but also a pair of Crested Buntings and a few Chestnut-shouldered Petronias. We wait for several minutes in the Gypsy close by since this is one of the beats of a resident Tigress and her two cubs. There are no alarm calls in the vicinity so we know it is an unlikely stakeout. But our patience is rewarded when two Paradise Flycatchers soon appear in the trees. A juvenile with long brown streamers and an adult with white streamers. Even though we see several more of the species later, it is this first sighting which is most enchanting. Both birds are calling and in song. The adult is then chased off by a Black Drongo, both birds involved in a high-speed aerial pursuit, dodging through the trees with their black and white tails fluttering gracefully. This is also a likely spot for the Indian Pitta, but they only migrate in here some weeks later.
As we wind our way back, the sun is higher and the first of the raptors have started riding the thermals. We observer a circling Red-headed Vulture and several Oriental Honey-Buzzards. A fruiting Banyan has attracted several Plum-headed and a few Alexandrine Parakeets. We stop in an open area beside a dry waterhole to look at some Yellow-wattled Lapwings. While I am scanning the scrub trying to find an Indian Courser, there is a commotion next to the vehicle and a Monitor Lizard wriggles off at speed in a cloud of dust.
When we are back on the main road (that leads to the Temple and Fort), we stop to scan the rocky cliffs. Though there are several nests on high ledges (easily located by the whitish streaks from droppings down the cliff face), only two are occupied by Long-billed Vultures.
Back at the Lodge, rejuvenated after an excellent breakfast, I make a leisurely survey of the extensive grounds. In the area behind the Swimming Pool with scattered bamboo clumps and several closely packed trees I spot a male Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher and marvel at its splendid blue and orange plumage.
12th May afternoon drive in Kundhal –
In the afternoon we are booked to visit the Kundhal area. This is in the non-core area of the Park and I am looking forward to my first trip here. Wisely the wife and boys opt out as the sun is fierce. Just as we are leaving in the Gypsy I am joined by one of the young Staff at the Lodge.
As it happens Kundhal is adjacent to the area we explored in the morning on Route 1. We connect with a few Chinkara in the dry scrub very close to the entrance. Soon we are into a flat grassland. There is a waterbody here which is replenished daily from a nearby borewell. Naturally in the middle of the afternoon this scarce source of water is a magnet for animals and birds. We approach ‘Kundhal Kui’ and park quietly a short distance away. We are under a mostly bare Flame of the Forest tree from which a couple of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons explode away. I look up at the scraggly leafed branches and fail to see any more of these birds until they actually take wing. We count 10 birds and they were amazingly camouflaged in this impossibly inadequate cover. There are the usual Vultures and Buzzards squatting where the Sambhar and Cheetal have churned up the margins of the pond into a muddy quagmire. Crested Buntings and Ashy-crowned Sparrow-larks hunt through the damp areas. I am able to observe a pair of Sirkeer Malkoha for several minutes. One individual lowers his head, extends the tail low to the ground and scampers forward with quick steps. He then raises his head straight up with bill vertical and makes a curious sound. Possible breeding behaviour I wonder ?
We move through the grassland and scrub. I keep a sharp lookout for Quails and Button-Quails. There are several species of both reported here. Ranthambhore is also one of the few places that one can see all three of our Francolins – Grey, Black and Painted. No luck with any of the rare species today, and even the Grey Francolin are thin on the ground. I think chances would be better after the Monsoon breaks.
As we move forward the first of a series of steeply canted rock strata force our Driver to engage 4WD. Now the leafy trees are restricted to the lower valleys, while the rocky hills are clothed sparsely with Thor and Salai. We come across fresh Tiger spoor, also of young ones. Possibly the resident family of Route 1 is passing through here. The sun reflecting off the rocks is blinding and the heat is dessicating.
On our way back we stop again at Kundhal Kui. Soon a solitary jackal that we had seen earlier several kms away approaches for a drink. It is quite wary. It takes an age to finally get to the water. Then it does not want to get its feet muddy. It circumvents the pond to find a dry approach to the water. Then the water is too muddy in that place so it goes around again. Finally, he has to get all muddy and wet and manages to take a sip. But something startles it and he bounds off. However his thirst is too overpowering and he starts the whole process again…
Back at the Lodge the family is relaxing in the Pool. Later I browse through the Library while the boys play snooker next door. There are several books on Birds, Natural History and Shikar – many of which are now out of print. I could spend hours here, but dinner is served and the hot nans are beckoning.
13th May morning drive in Balas –
The family is keen on Tiger spotting so they are booked on a Gypsy in the Park. On the recommendation of the Lodge Staff I am at the Park Office at 4:45 am to try and book Route 3. They are allotted Route 2.
My early morning drive separately is to Balas, again in the non-core area of the Park further South. My solitary companion in the Gypsy today is Mohan Singh. Over the course of the next few hours in our conversations we are able to solve all the problems of the Park and safeguard all the Tigers ! He begins by telling me the story of Laxmi, the female leopard of Balas.
Laxmi was abandoned by her mother because she had a limp as a cub. She was brought up by the Foresters and later released in the wild. However, it appears she is unable to hunt even though the leg is now fully healed. She keeps coming back to the Forest Hut and to another point in the Reserve mainly to be fed, and sometimes with wounds when she gets roughed up in the Forest. Would I like to see her ? Yes. We are in luck because she has just come in. Anytime you look at a young wild feline from close is fantastic. She lolls about in the damp earth unconcerned, her coat shining in the soft light of dawn, those unblinking leopard eyes watching you from a few feet away.
We drive around the foothills and scrub. There are several Nilgai here. Then the sudden deep alarm call of a Sambhar. All the animals are alert now. In the dusty track Mohan points out the drag mark of an animal – there is a single deep and narrow rut where the antler would have trailed. Close by we also pick up the spoor of a Tiger. But the Park Rules state that you cannot get off the vehicle, so we reluctantly move on, even though it appears that a Tiger had just made a kill close by or else had returned to feed.
One of the special features of Balas is the escarpment of the Aravallis that forms an almost unbroken line as you drive along the edge of the Park. We have to find a narrow track that allows us to climb a steep gradient and access the crest of the escarpment. This is several hundreds of feet above the plains and the views are sweeping towards the West and South. In the far distance flows the river Chambal, with the odd hill of the Vindhyan Range rising from the lowlands. We observe several Grey-breasted Prinias on the way up. A solitary Indian Bushlark walks about on the open sandy ground.
The terrain here is quite different from the two areas we visited yesterday. For one we are much higher. The plateau is broken up with very deep ravines. At the terminal point again the views are breathtaking. The track ends abruptly at the edge of a chasm. Tall cliffs tower across the yawning gap. In the deep gorge down below huge boulders mark the ancient course of the water run-off from the mountains. Here tall trees and hidden pools provide shade and water for animals to lie up. I observe several Red-rumped Swallows flitting overhead. Mohan identifies the fresh scat I point out to him as that of a Sloth Bear. There are several caves here I notice.
When I meet up with the family back at the Lodge they are happy to have seen a Tigress on Route 2. My younger son is the hero of the trip because he located the Tigress, and none of the other vehicles saw the animal. I ask him how it happened. In a matter-of-fact tone he says -
“Oh, the Gypsy had stopped because of all the alarm calls. Then I saw three Cheetal with their tails up all looking towards something. I followed their gaze and saw the Tiger.”
That’s when all hell broke loose in the Gypsy.
They also saw several waders and other birds at the Lake. Oh, and there were 8-10 Painted Spurfowl in many of the ravines, they were just so common! I am happy for them.
And so we must say Goodbye to Ranthambhore for the moment. True to form I miss a turn on the way back to Jaipur and we take a half-hour longer getting back.
We drive down from Jaipur to the Sawai Madhopur Lodge (SML or Taj Lodge) in the afternoon of 11th May, 2010. SML is the old Hunting Lodge of the Jaipur Royal Family. My wife, two teenaged boys and I are happy to accept the invitation of RKVS and KrDS and spend two nights in this wonderful property.
We are welcomed by several Golden Orioles that fly over the lawns to and from the many tall Neem, Ashok and Ardu trees. As soon as we are shown our rooms the luxurious accommodation lulls the senses but I am determined to explore the 12 acres of gardens, orchard, and walkways before the sun sets. I am accompanied by the Deputy GM in our little ramble. We soon come across most of the usual suspects, and it is clear that several birds are nesting here. A heartening sign.
While we are observing a flock of Oriental White-eyes in the Tamarind trees, we disturb a raptor perched behind us. The light is still good but the Falcon(?) flies low and fast directly away from us, and I am only able to make an ‘educated guess’ based on its size, wing shape and general colouring – probably a Laggar Falcon or Peregrine Falcon.
12th May morning drive in Ranthambhore Park Route 1 –
Our first Game Drive is in a Gypsy and we are allotted Route 1. Other than the four of us, our companions in the vehicle are a very young couple from SE Asia, and the mandatory Naturalist and Driver. Route 1 is reputedly one of the driest Routes in the Park and I have inwardly resigned myself to the thought that wildlife would be thin here at this time of the year in the hot weather. In any case the 5 different Routes are supposed to be allocated at random to the various Gypsies and Canters that ply in the Park. It appears Routes 2 and 3 that also skirt the large lakes have been throwing up most of the tiger sightings these days. Our Naturalist appears somewhat puzzled when I say that I am quite interested in birds and other attractions of the Forest, and that we are not just here for the Tigers.
We enter the Forest through a Gate just beside an ancient Banyan Tree. The spread of the aerial roots and the span of this specimen is enormous and I am reminded of the giant Banyan near Jogi Mahal in another area of the Park. It is just past sunrise and even though most well-wooded areas are still cool, the heat is rising. The terrain is indeed dry. The natural waterholes are dust bowls. All the Dhok trees are leafless. However, old natural watercourses are defined by green Tendu, and the occasional stately Mahuwa and Gurjan. Surprisingly White-bellied Drongos are more common than Black Drongos. We count up to 10 individuals on and around one tree. Oriental Magpie Robins are displaying. Meanwhile we start to come across small groups of Sambhar and Cheetal. Our young couple have been very quiet, only communicating with each other in barely audible whispers thus far. However, when we stop to observe a pair of Spotted Owlets in their nest in the hollow of a dry tree, the girl suddenly springs to life, clutching excitedly at her companion and cooing in delight. In response, since we are quite close to the Owlets, typically one of the birds starts to bob and weave its head, sending her into further paroxysms of delight.
I have several target species for this trip, and since we are in fairly good forest I ask whether we can hope to see the White-naped Woodpecker and the Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker. The Naturalist says yes, but that they are fairly rare. We see several Black-rumped Flamebacks and Yellow-crowned Woodpeckers, but not any of the others. One other target bird soon appears. As we climb a steep track with a rocky ravine to one side, there is a rustle in the undergrowth, and out steps a female Painted Spurfowl. She is soon followed by the striking male as they pick their way though the boulders and bushes.
When we stop for a while with the other vehicles at the terminal point by a small waterbody, I realize with a shock that this is the only water we have seen in the past hour in all of the forest. A solitary Wild Boar is in close proximity to a solitary Eurasian Thick-knee. There is the usual assortment of common birds near the water, but also a pair of Crested Buntings and a few Chestnut-shouldered Petronias. We wait for several minutes in the Gypsy close by since this is one of the beats of a resident Tigress and her two cubs. There are no alarm calls in the vicinity so we know it is an unlikely stakeout. But our patience is rewarded when two Paradise Flycatchers soon appear in the trees. A juvenile with long brown streamers and an adult with white streamers. Even though we see several more of the species later, it is this first sighting which is most enchanting. Both birds are calling and in song. The adult is then chased off by a Black Drongo, both birds involved in a high-speed aerial pursuit, dodging through the trees with their black and white tails fluttering gracefully. This is also a likely spot for the Indian Pitta, but they only migrate in here some weeks later.
As we wind our way back, the sun is higher and the first of the raptors have started riding the thermals. We observer a circling Red-headed Vulture and several Oriental Honey-Buzzards. A fruiting Banyan has attracted several Plum-headed and a few Alexandrine Parakeets. We stop in an open area beside a dry waterhole to look at some Yellow-wattled Lapwings. While I am scanning the scrub trying to find an Indian Courser, there is a commotion next to the vehicle and a Monitor Lizard wriggles off at speed in a cloud of dust.
When we are back on the main road (that leads to the Temple and Fort), we stop to scan the rocky cliffs. Though there are several nests on high ledges (easily located by the whitish streaks from droppings down the cliff face), only two are occupied by Long-billed Vultures.
Back at the Lodge, rejuvenated after an excellent breakfast, I make a leisurely survey of the extensive grounds. In the area behind the Swimming Pool with scattered bamboo clumps and several closely packed trees I spot a male Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher and marvel at its splendid blue and orange plumage.
12th May afternoon drive in Kundhal –
In the afternoon we are booked to visit the Kundhal area. This is in the non-core area of the Park and I am looking forward to my first trip here. Wisely the wife and boys opt out as the sun is fierce. Just as we are leaving in the Gypsy I am joined by one of the young Staff at the Lodge.
As it happens Kundhal is adjacent to the area we explored in the morning on Route 1. We connect with a few Chinkara in the dry scrub very close to the entrance. Soon we are into a flat grassland. There is a waterbody here which is replenished daily from a nearby borewell. Naturally in the middle of the afternoon this scarce source of water is a magnet for animals and birds. We approach ‘Kundhal Kui’ and park quietly a short distance away. We are under a mostly bare Flame of the Forest tree from which a couple of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons explode away. I look up at the scraggly leafed branches and fail to see any more of these birds until they actually take wing. We count 10 birds and they were amazingly camouflaged in this impossibly inadequate cover. There are the usual Vultures and Buzzards squatting where the Sambhar and Cheetal have churned up the margins of the pond into a muddy quagmire. Crested Buntings and Ashy-crowned Sparrow-larks hunt through the damp areas. I am able to observe a pair of Sirkeer Malkoha for several minutes. One individual lowers his head, extends the tail low to the ground and scampers forward with quick steps. He then raises his head straight up with bill vertical and makes a curious sound. Possible breeding behaviour I wonder ?
We move through the grassland and scrub. I keep a sharp lookout for Quails and Button-Quails. There are several species of both reported here. Ranthambhore is also one of the few places that one can see all three of our Francolins – Grey, Black and Painted. No luck with any of the rare species today, and even the Grey Francolin are thin on the ground. I think chances would be better after the Monsoon breaks.
As we move forward the first of a series of steeply canted rock strata force our Driver to engage 4WD. Now the leafy trees are restricted to the lower valleys, while the rocky hills are clothed sparsely with Thor and Salai. We come across fresh Tiger spoor, also of young ones. Possibly the resident family of Route 1 is passing through here. The sun reflecting off the rocks is blinding and the heat is dessicating.
On our way back we stop again at Kundhal Kui. Soon a solitary jackal that we had seen earlier several kms away approaches for a drink. It is quite wary. It takes an age to finally get to the water. Then it does not want to get its feet muddy. It circumvents the pond to find a dry approach to the water. Then the water is too muddy in that place so it goes around again. Finally, he has to get all muddy and wet and manages to take a sip. But something startles it and he bounds off. However his thirst is too overpowering and he starts the whole process again…
Back at the Lodge the family is relaxing in the Pool. Later I browse through the Library while the boys play snooker next door. There are several books on Birds, Natural History and Shikar – many of which are now out of print. I could spend hours here, but dinner is served and the hot nans are beckoning.
13th May morning drive in Balas –
The family is keen on Tiger spotting so they are booked on a Gypsy in the Park. On the recommendation of the Lodge Staff I am at the Park Office at 4:45 am to try and book Route 3. They are allotted Route 2.
My early morning drive separately is to Balas, again in the non-core area of the Park further South. My solitary companion in the Gypsy today is Mohan Singh. Over the course of the next few hours in our conversations we are able to solve all the problems of the Park and safeguard all the Tigers ! He begins by telling me the story of Laxmi, the female leopard of Balas.
Laxmi was abandoned by her mother because she had a limp as a cub. She was brought up by the Foresters and later released in the wild. However, it appears she is unable to hunt even though the leg is now fully healed. She keeps coming back to the Forest Hut and to another point in the Reserve mainly to be fed, and sometimes with wounds when she gets roughed up in the Forest. Would I like to see her ? Yes. We are in luck because she has just come in. Anytime you look at a young wild feline from close is fantastic. She lolls about in the damp earth unconcerned, her coat shining in the soft light of dawn, those unblinking leopard eyes watching you from a few feet away.
We drive around the foothills and scrub. There are several Nilgai here. Then the sudden deep alarm call of a Sambhar. All the animals are alert now. In the dusty track Mohan points out the drag mark of an animal – there is a single deep and narrow rut where the antler would have trailed. Close by we also pick up the spoor of a Tiger. But the Park Rules state that you cannot get off the vehicle, so we reluctantly move on, even though it appears that a Tiger had just made a kill close by or else had returned to feed.
One of the special features of Balas is the escarpment of the Aravallis that forms an almost unbroken line as you drive along the edge of the Park. We have to find a narrow track that allows us to climb a steep gradient and access the crest of the escarpment. This is several hundreds of feet above the plains and the views are sweeping towards the West and South. In the far distance flows the river Chambal, with the odd hill of the Vindhyan Range rising from the lowlands. We observe several Grey-breasted Prinias on the way up. A solitary Indian Bushlark walks about on the open sandy ground.
The terrain here is quite different from the two areas we visited yesterday. For one we are much higher. The plateau is broken up with very deep ravines. At the terminal point again the views are breathtaking. The track ends abruptly at the edge of a chasm. Tall cliffs tower across the yawning gap. In the deep gorge down below huge boulders mark the ancient course of the water run-off from the mountains. Here tall trees and hidden pools provide shade and water for animals to lie up. I observe several Red-rumped Swallows flitting overhead. Mohan identifies the fresh scat I point out to him as that of a Sloth Bear. There are several caves here I notice.
When I meet up with the family back at the Lodge they are happy to have seen a Tigress on Route 2. My younger son is the hero of the trip because he located the Tigress, and none of the other vehicles saw the animal. I ask him how it happened. In a matter-of-fact tone he says -
“Oh, the Gypsy had stopped because of all the alarm calls. Then I saw three Cheetal with their tails up all looking towards something. I followed their gaze and saw the Tiger.”
That’s when all hell broke loose in the Gypsy.
They also saw several waders and other birds at the Lake. Oh, and there were 8-10 Painted Spurfowl in many of the ravines, they were just so common! I am happy for them.
And so we must say Goodbye to Ranthambhore for the moment. True to form I miss a turn on the way back to Jaipur and we take a half-hour longer getting back.
