Into the wild: 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

A homage to my first wilderness getaway...

Some journeys teach you, some journeys energize you, some fulfill your deepest desires, others awaken you…and then there are some journeys that are just made for you! Well, this was one such path I did tread on that left me with a zillion questions and yet flatteringly satisfied. No early bird plans, no itinerary, no hullabaloo, just a blind shot in the dark, a bit of luck to add on and not to mention the fulfillment of a long pending truce with the tooth fairy! It was one of those trips where wanting to get away from the daily grind, you have a couple of places in mind, you hit google and luckily manage to get reservations for the best available spot, which given the holiday season would have been impossible to get booked into. Felt more like I had had a sip of Felix Felicis….all ye Harry Potter fans ought to know what I am talking about and for the rest that’s a luck potion!

Nope had never heard of this place before or what treasures it held and before I knew it, I was on my way there. Sometimes when certain things are meant to come to you, they will or in my case you are just taken there.

Tucked away beneath the foothills of the Nilgiris, bordering the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, “Jungle Retreat” offers a slice of homely wilderness where you don’t just go visiting the jungle, but learn to live as a part of it.

Chital Family on a silent walk

Cushioned the furthest into the wilderness, Jungle Retreat stands literally true to it’s name. Surrounded by a mountainous terrain, vast expanses, hidden cottages, tree houses and a pool that doubles up as a watering hole, no visible fences or concrete walls, just a couple of rooms here and there that seem to dissolve into the background and you are completely on your own

Tiny iridescent green fly / Long legged fly (Condylostylus)

Small is big during the rainy season!

Common Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus)

It's crazy sometimes when some things just happen the way they do and in the end it all weirdly fits in beautifully like a jigsaw puzzle in the most outwordly insane fashion! All of a sudden you find yourself doing things that you never thought you were capable of. Reminds me of a saying - "Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves again"! So true.....

Here's to an experience that made me feel just that!

The Common Lime or the Mariposa del Muerte, is a widespread Swallowtail which mostly finds it's home in citrus plants. It is also referred to as the Butterfly of Death hailing from the Old World now spread to the Caribbean and Central America. (Reference - Wikipedia)

Sitting pretty

Home Treasures - Chasing Butterflies...!

I saw it all of a sudden on the floor of my terrace garden as i went about my daily ritual of watering the 100 odd pots i play fairy god mother to! Being used to chasing butterflies or rather hopefully waiting for some pretty winged thing to come visit the plants when i laze around in my terrace, this came as a surprise because instead of perching on some flower, it was sittting blissfully on the terrace ground sunbathing. As it remained still for a while, i initially thought that it was hurt and then noticed a string of hair around it assuming that it might probably be entangled in it. While wondering what to do and not wanting to miss this golden opportunity i ran inside to get my camera not to mention feeling a little guilty about wanting to take pics of a butterfly that was probably in pain or on the verge death! It was in the same stationary position when i got back. One of the prettiest guests to have come venturing into my garden, i couldn't help but feel sad at the thought that it might be hurt.

So i edged a little closer hoping to unentangle it, just when it took off and landed in a nearby pile of dried leaves and caterpillar poop i had swept into a corner that morning. Yes you heard it right, i have had the honor of growing 3 Oleander Hawk Moth caterpillars the last couple of weeks much to the utter dismay of my mother as it ate up all the flowers and leaves on the pink Oleander plant. But that's what caterpillars do right? - Eat, eat and then eat a little more! I strongly disagree with anyone who calls them ugly wriggly creatures because for me just watching them grow seemed more of an ennobling experience. Although my mom did have a fair point, i must say, my heart did go out to the caterpillars as i knew the leaves would grow back in time - but now that bit calls for a separate post!

Sheer flower power

"Some moments are meant to be cherished, others just captured"

Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)

Stigma & Stamen of a Sun Rose (Cistus albidus)

Some mist, a bit of dew and a few millipedes!

Reminiscence of illusions... - Part 2

Monday, May 14, 2012

Koel Diaries

Finally managed to get some decent shots of one of my favourite bird's- The Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus). There's just something about this bird that is so intriguing- Is it it's echoic song?..It's poetic voice?...It's sharp look?..The haunting red eye?...The elusive female?..It's parasitic nature?..The male's constant koo-Oooo or the female's kik-kik-kik?..Is it irate or just koooooing away or calling out to it's mate?...The way it opens it's yellow beak and call's out in a shrill voice as though if we didn't listen to it right now then we'd be doomed!?...I honestly don't know but it just has this innate quality that draws you to it! It's quite difficult to spot as it tends to sit still most of the time and it's call is the only give away. Even more difficult to spot is the female because of it's plumage and they do seem like a little shy to me to come out in the open when compared to the male. But finally today I saw the female for the second time (the first time I didn't even know it was the female till I poked into my field guide later) and managed to get a shot of both the male and female together.

Here's to my ode to the Koel........

Asian Koel Male