The Birds of the Deccan Grasslands

Baya Weaver

The grasslands and the surrounding regions were teeming with life. All these denizens asked from us was to leave them alone to their persuits. The budding nature tourism in this region is full of enthusiasm but it lacks the maturity of the conservationalist approach. There is a LOT of money coming in from well-to-do urban uppies with long lenses and expensive cameras and nothing to do on weekends.

This is a win win situation if and only if the mad headlong rush for money is replaced with a mature sustainable model. The short term goals and rivalry and the ensuing unethical practices must go.

Respect for nature is paramount.

Grey Francolin

Rain Quail

Rain Quail

Painted Sandgrouse

Painted Sandgrouse, male and female

Painted Sandgrouse, male and female

Painted Francolin (female)

Indian Courser

Paddy field Pipit

Crested Lark

Southern Grey Shrike

Purple Swamp Hen

Purple Swamp Hen

Red Nape Ibis

Bramhini Starling

Laughing Dove

Deccan Grasslands

The air was crisp and cool as we travelled to the hinterlands of western Maharashtra. The regions around the Ujjani dam used to be arid grasslands called ‘maalraan’. With the dam and irrigation much of the area is now under cultivation with sugercane being the primary crop.

But there are these isolated rocky regions where not much grows which have remained as grasslands and as havens for the Indian grey wolf, the fox and myrid birds. You also see blackbucks and chinkaras roam these lands.

Ghera Sudhagad | घेरा सुधागड | Kalekar's Campsite | Kondgoan Dam | कोंडग...

Wildflowers

The august sun shone through the broken clouds. It had just rained a few minutes back. The sada was green with life.

The wildflowers danced to the light breeze. They gave a soul to the landscape.

Authentic Popti from Pen - पेण ची पोपटी

Colours of March — Tekdi

The tekdi is a wondorous place. A small island of bliss in the middle of the encroaching city. With each season we see a new beauty of this oasis. The colours are different. The vibe is different.

These are clicked on a couple of overcast days is March.

Sunday Flower

“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him”
Voltaire

Sunday Flower

“It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true”
Bertrand Russell

Sunday Flower

“Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination”
Immanuel Kant

Vanaz Metro Station

A work on progress.

Drive to Mulshi

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Winter Morning on Mhatoba Tekdi

When I shifted to Pune about 11 years back, the winter mornings used to be super crisp and clear. The clearer the sky the colder the night - Percy's mama used to say. Over the last 4-5 years the Pune winters have been reduced to a week or two. The days are full of a white haze (smog mostly). So when rarely a day opens up crisp and clear, it is a joy to be outdoors.

The mighty Sinhagad far away.

Orange Sunset

Circular Bands

Kabaddi Kabaddi