Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Dear oh dear !

Dry Forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Forest View, from the parking lot at Kanheri

Vivek Belhekar had good luck. Last couple of times he went to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, he saw copious amounts of deer. So we decided to go together, with my camera and the 200-400, to capture these buggers. The plan was to reach today morning early (0730hrs) at park opening time. Yesterday at the naka Percy and Raju decided to join us. So all came over to my place to sleep so that we could leave early.

Like the fools we are, we spent the night watching a third grade movie (spidie 3) and slept late. But got up early 'nuff to reach on time.

Only to find a large number of "morning walkers". A breed which thinks it is doing something morally superior and which exudes this superiority from all the sweaty pores of their wet bodies. But they scare the deer. We visited an artificial water hole which had no water. And no deer. Then recalling hearsay we headed inside to the first check post. There is another artificial watering hole here. We sat down for half an hour listening to the jungle. But no deer came our way. I am sure they were laughing their assess off about how a few funnily dressed people were waiting vainly for a glimpse at them. We saw a couple of rocket tailed Drongos. We saw a bright yellow bird with a loud voice. Belheker said it was called 'haldya' in Marathi.

So we took another walk in the opposite direction - in the dry stream bed. We saw a lizzard, the only wild life so far. Then we travelled up to Kanheri to take in the majestic Dry Forest.

But the deer, they was shy.


Raju and Percy at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Raju and Percy : in wait of the deer


Dry Forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park
The sun baked harsh dry forest of the Sahyadris


Dry Forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park


Lizzard, Sanjay Gandhi National Park


Lizzard, Sanjay Gandhi National Park
lizzard

1 comment:

Vivek Rao said...

Great photos as always! And a funny write-up. Loved the sun baked sahyadris wala and percy and raju wala photos best.