Why to go Valley School ?

I have more than 100 visits of Valley School, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore but never get bored off with the place. It still have a lot to offer. Its one of the best places when you want to rest yourself.

Initial days, I used to rush at this place to cover maximum ground. But now, I just visit the place to have some birding and lot of calmness. Here are some of the snaps of the place and some of the birds, some of the butterflies around.

Oriental White Eye

Common Gull

Grey Francolin

Oriental White Eye searching the nest

Tawny Coaster

Orange Tip

Lemon Pansy

Common Sailer

Lemon Pansy

Red Tip in Valley School

Jerdon’s Bushlark in Valley School

Pea Blue in Valley School

Common Gull in Valley School

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5 Things to Do in Lalbagh

Lalbagh being in the center of the City, it is quite accessible and always crowded. Even Government is trying to increase the ticket costs and the current cost is:

1. Person Entry : 10 Rs.

2. Camera Entry: 50 Rs.

No fees, before 9 AM and after 6 PM. Camera case is quite ambiguous before 9 AM and after 6 PM.

Now, what to do in Lalbagh. First of all, its a botanical garden and if you are not interested in plants, trees, lakes, birds, flowers, its merely a place to sit and talk.

1. Enjoy Flowers. It has a rose garden and other flowers like Dahlia, Cosmos will be available in the summers.

You can enjoy some of the blogs on flowers day.

Pink Rose

White Rose in Lalbagh

Red Rose in Lalbagh

Pink Rose collection in Lalbagh

Flowers at Lalbagh

2. Enjoy Hunting – Its a very rich place with lot of fishes. So, you can often see a good killing/hunting scene around it. Snakes, Pelicans, Kites, Cormorants are often can be seen in action.

Checkered keelback water snake with a Kill at Lalbagh

Checkered keelback water snake with a Kill at Lalbagh

Keelback Snake gulping a big fish at Lalbagh

3. Enjoy Birding:

A Spot-billed Pelican flying

Pond Heron with a kill

4. Enjoy Nature/Photo shoot – Its a great place to witness sunrise, sunset and the transformed clouds. Provides all kind of background for good photo shoot.

Sunset in Lalbagh

A beautiful view of the lake

5. Butterflies – If you are interested in shooting butterflies or gaining knowledge about it. Great place again !!

Common Yellow Grass on Dahlia

Green Tailed Jay on Dahlia flower

Have Fun, Do Visit. Highest no. of people use it for running/jogging/walking and worth a place to do exercise. It provide one of the coolest stretch to do so.

Do, drop us your comments and anytime you want to join us for Lalbagh trail.

Bangalore… a city that outshines others Indian cities

Bangalore… a city that outshines others Indian cities

Is Bangalore just an IT city? For many of us it’s just a city with many job opportunities for everyone. I came to Bangalore with the same perception. But gradually, as time passed, I realised what this city offers to one and all. This city is a mix of cultures and traditions. Bangalore has not lost its charm even after the development of IT sector. People like us, with hectic weekdays, find peace in some of the places that are within the vicinity of Bangalore.

Bird watching and photography is our passion. Many of us are aware about the famous birding spots in Bangalore. It is difficult to find such nice birding areas in other commercial cities. Thus people staying in Bangalore are keen to spend their weekend in the lap of nature. The birding spots found here can be marshy grasslands, mountains, dense forests, lakes etc. So, most of the birds can be spotted here. I leave my home at dawn with the hope of finding birds in their natural habitat. But still it seems to be a very small list of places where I have been and there is much more to see and enjoy. One of my favourite birding area is Hoskote lake. Hoskote is near to where I stay. Hoskote has different habitats for different birds. That is why it is an amazing place for all bird fanatics.

The wet grasslands in Hoskote are suitable for a variety of birds like Munia. Many winter migrants can be seen here. A large variety of Kingfishers are near the lakeside to catch a prey.

Tricoloured Munia (also called Black Headed Munia)

Common Kingfisher

Jacobin Cuckoo

Marsh Harrier

Indian Silverbill or White-Throated Munia

Siberian Stonechat (female)
          It is a Winter Migrant.

I have given one of many reasons to love Bangalore. There are many such things that I wish to write. I am still trying to unravel the other side of Bangalore that is picturesque. My upcoming journeys would cover more of Bangalore city and places near to it. Stay tuned!

Biodiversity in outskirts of Bengaluru

Preserving nature and wildlife has always been a priority of Karnataka government. I am grateful to the Karnataka government because they care about nature and its species. I and my husband are a nature lover and enthusiast. We always find time to be close to nature. Bengaluru is centrally located to many major spots of biodiversity which are within a range of 300 km. We have a hobby of bird watching and photography. Bengaluru is close to Western Ghats, so lot many migratory birds can be found in locations at the outskirts of Bengaluru. Karnataka government has preserved the biodiversity by keeping a check on the poachers and people who are trying to destroy wildlife and nature.

Karnataka government has been very supportive in making wildlife, a major tourist attraction. The people who are staying in and outside Bengaluru can’t miss the safari ride in Bannerghatta National Park followed by a visit to the zoo. The most wonderful thing about this place is to find a variety of reptiles, birds and animals which people usually don’t know.

Tigers

Lion

Red Eared Tortoise

 

One of the major spots for birding and wildlife is Nagarhole National Park and Tiger Reserve. It has an excellent count of carnivores, herbivores and birds. The ecosystem cycle is well balanced because Nagarhole has major number of Herbivores. Nagarhole National Park is very near to Western Ghats and so we can find the highest count of birds in Nagarhole and places near to it. All avid bird watchers must visit Nagarhole followed by a Safari ride in the morning or afternoon.

Peacock

Wild Boar

Hill Myna

Grey Langur

Spotted Deer(male)

Every weekend is a time for us to explore something new and different. Nature is like a puzzle. We learn more by exploring it. Nature has its own secrets which we are trying to unravel by going closer and closer to it.

Mangalajodi – Bird Report

I personally believe one of the best marshy lands in India. Mangalajodi provided me a list of 101 species. More than types of species, I was surprised by the no. of one species. It is a great birding spot and should be a “Must visit” list of Orissa Tourism.

Enjoy some of the shots.

Brahminy Shelduck

grey headed lapwing

Whiskered Tern

Peregrine Falcon

Cinnamon bittern

Glossy IBIS

Godwit fight for food

Greenish Sandpiper

Ruff

Kentish Plover – Juv

Black winged Godwit

Marsh Sandpiper

Black winged Godwit – Fligt

Greenish Sandpiper

Streaked Weaver

Openbill Stork

golden plover Juv

whiskered tern

Northern Pintail – Pair

Northern Pintail in flight

Northern Pintail in flight

yellow bittern

Purple Moorhen rushing for building nest

yellow wagtail

northern shoveler

Northern Pintail – Male group

Northern Pintail – Why it is called “Pin” tail

Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail – Female Gang

ID required

ID required

Pheasant Tailed Jacana

clamorous reed warbler

Asian Pied Starling

brown crake

Purple Heron

clamorous reed warbler

Common Snipe

black tailed godwit

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Kanwar Lake – Bird report

Blog is not related to Bangalore. Just writing it for Nature Lover. Kanwar lake (Villages says Kabar Lake) is the largest freshwater lake of India. My 3 weeks back visit stun me. Birding period was very small. I did 1.5 hrs of birding only. Some of the snaps from the lake.

Wild Cat

Tawny Eagle

Tawny Eagle and White throated Kingfisher

Tawny Eagle (2)

Small Green BeeEater

Siberian Stonechat

Siberian Stonechat – Male

Bluethroat (2) – Male

Bluethroat

Greater Spotted Eagle

Greater spotted Eagle

Grey Headed Lapwing

Indian Spotted Eagle

Lesser Adjutant

Bluethroat – Female

Bluethroat – Female 2

Bluethroat – Female

Black Headed IBIS

Black Drongo

 

Birding report from Bannerghatta and Kagalipura area.

Birding duration: 2 hrs.

Interesting spots:

1. Booted Eagle (Dark Morph) – In Kagalipura.

2. Common Kestrel – In Kagalipura.

3. Black Headed Cuckooshrike

4. Shikra chasing Red Wattled Lapwing.

5. Pair of spotted owlet still in the old Banyan tree in Bannerghatta.

Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite – All set for attack

Find out – How many ?

A miss dive

rufous treepie

Turtle

Booted Eagle

Common Kestrel

Shikra

Small Green bee-eater

Pied Bushchat

A huge agama

Pied Wagtail

Little Cormorant

A beautiful flower

pied kingfisher with catch

Ramanagara – Official Vulture Sanctuary

This is the first time I have noticed black eagle around Ramnagaram. Indian Vultures were 10 in count. Egyptian Vultures were 3 in count. 2 short toed Snake Eagle.

I can see a board calling it Ramanagara as “Vulture Sanctuary”

Enjoy some of the shots. Do drop comments.

Egyptian Vulture in flight.

Indian Vulture

Short toed Snake Eagle

Black Eagle and Brahminy Kite acrobat

Black Eagle

Black Eagle

Tailed Green Jay

Tailed Green Jay

Indian Vulture and Black Kite

Indian Vulture and Black Kite

Ragihalli Birding – Bannerghatta

A delight to see Jungle Nightjar (though not able to manage the shot of this lovely guy) and Plum-headed Parakeet. Enjoy some of the pictures taken.

Ashy Prinia

Flameback Woodpecker

Golden Fronted Leafbird

Laughing Dove

Male Plum Headed Parakeet

Plum-headed Parakeet – 2 females and 1 male

Red Vented Bulbul

Pair of Spotted Owlet

White throated Kingfisher

Zitting Cisticola

Shimoga Birding – Western Ghats

common iora

Misty at jog falls

Cotton pygmy goose

Flame-throated Bulbul

Hill Myna

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Purple rumped Sunbird

Racket tailed Drongo

heart-spotted woodpecker

bicolored frog

Hill Myna

Asian Paradise Flycatcher – Female

Juv. Orange Minivet

The land is calling “Malenadu” (Land of rain). Please enjoy some of the pictures taken near Jog falls (second largest waterfalls) and some of the mystical view of Jog falls itself.