Wild Frames

My new Page!

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Sat, 21 May 2011 06:35:00 +0000

It's been such a long time since I've last blogged and it's good to be back now. I'm here with an update for all. I haven't been travelling much and that's why I haven't posted anything on my blog, but soon I will find the time to go outdoors for some fun photography. I had been concentrating all my uploads on my facebook account and after repeated requests from friends and family, I decided to make a page exclusively for my photography. I think this is a great start to showcasing my small albeit passionate photographic efforts to the world. I leave you now with this link which will take you directly to my page. Please do 'Like' it and keep visiting for updates on my photography and trips!

Aditya Kamath+Photography

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Namma Dakshina Kannada

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:51:00 +0000

Being away from my home town for nearly two years had grown inside me as a strong desire to visit the coastal towns of Karnataka again. After being postponed nearly three times, my trip was confirmed...Welcome to my journey, a journey through the frozen frames from my memory. Walking through the streets of Mangalore, hunting for interesting insects and flowers in my grandma's garden, watching the sun set behind the calm waters of a river, a fisherman bringing in the day's catch, birdwatching in the bends of the Kudhremukh Highway, shaking off the wriggly leeches, soaking in the cool and refreshing atmosphere in the mountains, watching the mist crawling towards us, playing in the rain along the edge of swollen stream. These are some of the prominent segments of my 'memory-playback'. Take a peek...

Lonely Pup

Brooms for sale

Juiced!

The vendor and his golden bajjis

Need just one coin

Tugging at the day's catch

Move on or fall prey to a high-speed coconut

Ixora flowers

A Lynx spider waiting...

Out of the darkness

Watching the clouds arrive

Even the sun sleeps...

Lush Forest

Chilly hills, rolling mists

Thirsty for blood

Conquered by the forest

Muscle in the mountains

A path leading into the unknown...

Moss on wall

A Basil flower

Rain = Fun, in Karkala

...and just as there is an end to everything that is enjoyable, I opened my eyes and the scenes in front of me dissolved. I was back into the future.

While in Oman..

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:50:00 +0000

A couple of days more and it would be the beginning of the end of May. In this part of the world, the mercury had just begun it's climb to the top. My family and I were in the lovely town of Khasab, located in Musandam peninsula in the Sultanate of Oman. Separated from mainland Oman by the UAE, Musandam is known for it's amazing coastline decorated with bold and beautiful mountains with fjords that hide many a surprise. It juts into the Strait of Hormuz facing Iran on the opposite side. Sometimes called the 'Norway of the Middle East', because the fjords here bear striking resemblance to those in Norway.

After driving for nearly five hours from Abu Dhabi we arrived in Khasab. We had been along the magnificent coast-mountains forming a wall on one side and the blue waters of the sea washing the white sand on the other. The afternoon heat had forced all the residents inside and the town bore a deserted look. Most houses here were very low with mud walls and all along the road there were at regular intervals, poles which indicated the levels to which the water filled the area during flash floods in the monsoons. We noticed the scars left behind by these floods on the compound walls of homes as withered plastering. After we refreshed ourselves at the hotel, we hopped in the car for a spin. Driving back towards the sea, we reached Bassa Beach. In soft evening sunlight light the mountains appeared as if they had been smeared all over with caramel. I could see the mountains as far the horizon, slowly fading away into the blue haze.

Bassa Beach

Not far away from the beach speed boats whirred past each other and the waves danced with one another. My mother spotted a bird quite close to the beach floating with the waves. We saw it float right onto the shell-showered beach. Soon a larger bird, a sea gull landed right beside it and coaxed it to fly. After a few failed attempts, the young sea gull finally burst into the air joining it's mother in the light, refreshing breeze.

Sea Gulls

Day two. We arrived at the harbour where the Dhows(Arabian boats) were ready to take tourists on a day-long cruise to see the fjords and the scenic coastline kissed by crystal-clear blue waters. The dhow was less of a boat and more of a royal palanquin, with comfy pillows a generous shade to shield us from the scorching sun rays and also included a restroom! As we left the harbour, we saw gulls and cormorants flying around, crashing into the water for a catch or just hanging around in flocks on precarious cliffs along the water. The Dhow chugged along, taking us into the interior to reveal more of the majestic mountains. Sipping a cup of tea, we lay back and allowed our eyes to do all the work, absorb the scenic treasure around us. The cool breeze, the rocking of the boat and the soft sound of the waves hitting the boat felt more like a lullaby and sometimes I felt myself being dragged off into a slumber.

The harbour at Khasab

A Dhow

Forty-five minutes into our cruise, we approached the first fishing village, Qasba. From a distance that we were allowed to look at it, the village looked desolate and I soon realised that the mid-day sun would have driven the inhabitants into the shades of their almost invisible houses which had perfect camouflage with the mountains behind them. Many boats just like ours had now grouped in a particular area. I could see that on other dhows people were all collecting on one side, all ready with cameras and camcorders, carefully looking into the waters. All of a sudden we heard cheers and whistles. People were clapping and the motors of all boats revved up. Dolphins! Many playful dolphins, brimming with energy were jumping all around the boats and the tourists, including us were going crazy just watching this show. Whistles and claps excited the dolphins and seemed like this recharged their internal batteries of enthusiasm! They were jumping out of the water while snorting out fountains of water, doing barrel-rolls and chasing the boats as if they were prey. For the next half-hour our minds were saturated with the memories of these dolphins. Leaving the dolphins behind, we proceeded with our cruise.

Indo-Pacific Hump-Backed Dolphins

Our next stop was Telegraph island. A tiny island containing nothing but the ruins of a few small buildings. During the British rule, this island used to be a transit for telegraph cables connecting Europe to India! Around telegraph island, the colour of water alternated between deep blue and emerald green. The water hid nothing, beautiful corals and fish were awaiting my first ever snorkeling attempt. So that is what I did, geared up and jumped into the water. My momentary fear of the depth of water didn't allow me to venture away from the safety of the boat's ladder. I looked down. I was astounded! I saw hundreds and hundreds of creatures. Fish with striking blue, red and yellow markings. Stony corals were everywhere and in between them were sea urchins and tiny jewel-like fish. Jellyfish floated around me and schools of other fish herded around our boat in search of tit-bits that our guide dropped into the water to attract fish. I had never in my life seen such an explosion of life around me and I was really excited. It felt like I was looking at a show on Animal Planet. It was a pity that I didn't have a water-proof camera at that time. The only camera was my mind. Our guide, Ahmed got us all back in the Dhow, promising to take us to an even better location for snorkeling. After about half an hour we came across a cliff and we were all asked to look at it carefully. After just seconds of studying the side of the cliff we all realised that it looked like a tortoise, exhibiting the creative role played by the forces of nature. All along the cliffs which overlooked the water, there were many crevices many of which were used by the local fishermen as makeshift closets! They had stored something in the spaces and carefully covered them with pieces of cloth.

Cliff-side shaped like a tortoise

Our Dhow, now joined by several other dhows slowed down to a halt and anchored at a safe distance from some low cliffs. This was our next and final snorkeling spot. I was ready, excited and waiting to jump into the water. The ladder was lowered into the water alongside the boat and as I stepped onto it. I froze, looking down into the water and all I saw was the murky blue depth. I am not a very good swimmer and the thought of drowning seemed to persuade me to remain in the boat but I jumped into the cool water. The only thing seperating me from the blue depths was my life-jacket. I still didn't have the courage to look down, so I began kicking my legs and this seemed to propel me towards the cliffs, where shallow waters perfect for snorkeling awaited me.

I swam for about five minutes and when I looked down, I was relieved to find that I had reached the shallows. The water was very clear and the fish seemed calm in the now warm water. The sandy bottom was covered by groups of sea urchins. A few coloured fish roamed in the quiet waters. I saw a sea-cucumber, sitting motionless on bottom. A few scattered, colourless coral grew in the barren shallows. I was surprised at the rather suppressed fish activity. I expected to see a large number of fish and coral just like I had seen about an hour ago at Telegraph Island. Nevertheless I was enjoying snorkeling. I occasionally took short breaks to rid my breathing-tube of water, that had sneaked in through the open end. By now, I had developed an appreciable appetite and swam back to our boat. Over a tasty meal, we shared our experiences with each other, the most popular topic being that about snorkeling. After lunch we began retreating to open sea, on the way visiting another fishing village. Watching the rays of the setting sun play behind the towering peaks, seeing the birds return to their roosts, we left the fjords behind us and came back to where we had begun our cruise.

A Fishing Village

The following morning saw us seated in a 4x4 Nissan Patrol, driving towards the mountains around Khasab with our guide Salah. He didn't speak much English, but did a great job by regularly drawing our attention to things of interest during the mountain safari. The road was surprisingly smooth only until we arrived at the foothills. From then on, what we were driving on bore little resemblance to a road. Stones with sharp edges lay on the path and much larger boulders were used as a substitute for a wall along the edges of the cliffs. As we drove higher into the mountains, it became increasingly clear to us that there might be no creature that could survive here. The barren landscape was punctuated by brown boulders, jagged cliffs, grasses and a sort of short tree.

Mountainous road

A Valley

We were wrong. We were puzzled to see goats jumping clumsily on the sides of cliffs that hung hundreds or even thousands of feet up in the air. Then we realised to whom these numerous goats belonged to. At some places along the road, there were houses built out of crude materials having small fences lined by barbed wire. These houses belonged to the mountain-folk. From then on, we were seeing many of such houses. We were climbing further and we came to a halt on a plateau with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The terrain was rugged, and in between the rocks grew small, thick, spiny bushes. Salah was standing on some rocks looking at something and then called us to him. What we saw on the rocks were ancient drawings. They included drawings of goats, people on horseback, figures holding weapons. We didn't know how old they were or who had drawn them, but they hinted at the lifestyle of the people that lived here in the early ages.

Rugged terrain

Thorny bushes

Ancient drawings

Getting back into the car we drove for many more kilometers until we reached a valley where the sea-water touched the foothills.This was a beautiful location called as Khor Najd. Far below I could see boats anchored at the shore while out in the water Dhows just like the one we had been on were going on their usual rounds, reminding me of the wonderful time I had had the previous day. This was our last stop in Musandam.

Khor Najd

A Gecko among the rocks

That afternoon, we left for Abu Dhabi. We retraced our path, driving past some of the most beautiful coves and beaches that we had ever seen. Every second took us further away from Khasab and all the while I felt like abandoning the thought of going home and turning back towards Khasab. Now, back home, as I was writing this post, my mind was for brief moments teleported to this place and it magically felt as though I was just there.

Green Desert

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Would you believe me if I said that rolling lawns and plush flowers lined the roads of Abu Dhabi and Dubai? I think not, in fact I've already had many of my friends ask me if what I said is true. Many think that there is nothing but undulating desert here, but is it true? Read on and you'll know.

At half-past-three on that Thursday afternoon, started the wait for our flight, which seemed to be eternal. We boarded our flight and prepared ourselves for the four hour journey. The dimming sun accompanied my view as we began to ascend. In about three and a half hours, we were already well into our descent towards Dubai. Soon the land started glowing with dots, weaving together a sort of map. Roads and settlements were clearly outlined by the street lights. As we descended further, I could see vehicles and houses, their swimming pools and then suddenly, touchdown! We had landed at Dubai. We stepped for the first time into the new, Terminal 3. I had never seen something so big and vibrant, all this was just one terminal! It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie to me. The walls were all white, and the pillars, were large and made of polished metal. There was so much glass here that if it were all stacked, it might have collected to form a pile, sky-high. The Terminal was very large and it didn't look one bit plain. The lights were the main ingredients in decorating the vast spaces that were carved into this structure.

Entering Dubai Duty Free at Terminal3

The garden at Terminal3

The ceiling, bright with well-placed lights reminded me of galaxies floating in space. The famous Dubai Duty Free shopping area looked like a mall. And for those of you who'd like to be among nature, there is a space dedicated to you. A garden with trees, plants and a small stream also waits for people to relax in. If you fear getting lost here, fear no more, there are help desks everywhere. Terminal 3 let me feel like a King. I wasn't out into Dubai yet, but I was enjoying it's warm welcome!

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E was my home for the following 10 days. This beautiful city is in a young but rapid stage of growth, in height as well as in area. It's wonderful location next to the blue sea adds to it's showcase. The skyscrapers, hugging the sky can be seen almost everywhere in the city. The roads are very wide and the cars here ride with the wind.

A road in Abu Dhabi

The lawns which carpet the road-sides are pillared with trees and beneath every patch of shade, is a bench, at the sight of which one is reminded of intoxicating sleep. During the weekends, people shed their 'load' of tension, over a picnic or a barbecue lazing on the lawns. The sea with it's striking colour is spectacular. As you rest on a bench along the waterfront, you seem to realize that time has stopped and that the blue void of the calm water just won't let go of you. You can sit for hours gazing at the sea, contemplating why the sea seems to end at the horizon far away.

An inlet of the sea, Abu Dhabi

But then, if your the kind of person who enjoys shopping, there are plenty of malls to scour. The first mall I visited was Marina Mall at Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Inside, we were welcomed by hundreds of other shoppers, all busy with the 'chore' of shopping. The mall has a unique tent-like shape and is a shoppers' magnet. We roamed, not knowing which direction to walk in. Shops were everywhere and almost every other corner looked similar to the previous one. By the time we had done seeing all the shops, half-a-day had passed by, and we hadn't even visited all the shops.

Inside Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi

In this mall, IKEA and CARREFOUR are the stores which will kill your time like crazy. If you get into these mega-sized stores, there is no coming back for a long time. IKEA offers great home-making solutions, while CARREFOUR has everything from electronics to fresh food. I'd like to call it, the "Everything-you-get store". If you still have time left after plundering these two stores, you have another 398 stores to visit. There are plenty of cafes here and you can enjoy a latte as you surf on the mall's wi-fi. Once your done sniffing every shop here, it's time to finish off the rest of the malls in Abu Dhabi. The other malls I visited were not in any particular way different from each other but I guess only an avid shopper can make out the difference. Abu Dhabi Mall, Khaladiya Mall, Al Wahda Mall, are some malls for you.

There are several other shops other than the malls which can be found scattered all over the city. You can either catch a city bus or a taxi to hop from place to place. To catch the action of the sea, you can visit the Corniche area. There are benches and lawns along the sea and you can sit here as long as you like looking at the yachts and speed boats playing out at sea. At some parks near the Corniche you can even hire a tricycle or a bicycle and ride along the waterfront. There are docks at several locations and they might take you for a ride into the sea, never asked.

Dubai

Welcome to the fun side. The spirit of joy cocoons Dubai and fun is embodied in many forms here. As soon as we entered Dubai we were welcomed by a bloom of high-rise architecture. The roads ever longer and 'ribboned' with bridges and flyovers. Each building had a stranger shape than the other and there seemed to be a competition between each for the the higher position. Far away towards the sea, I could see the top of a building almost blending with the clouds behind it. It seemed interestingly familiar. As it revealed itself, I was filled with wonder. It was the Burj Al Arab, a building that I had always wanted to meet in person. We included that in our schedule and decided to visit later.

A long list of places were waiting to be visited by us, but time was a barrier to it all, so the only option was to visit popular spots. One structure which is just so prominent in Dubai's skyline is the also the tallest building in the world. It is the Burj Dubai. Still under construction, it has already surpassed Taipei 101, previously the world's tallest building.

Burj Dubai

As we approached Dubai, I could see this building, standing high above the rest of the city, as we neared, I was left awed by it's 2,684 foot exoskeleton. I could see that it's needle-like top was still being completed. Cranes were dangling from this area and were hardly noticable from their height. It's so high, that I've seen it's top sticking out of clouds! Hat's off to Dubai and it's beanstalk.

Malls in Dubai do not merely serve the purpose of shopping, they are modern monuments and are home to the unbelievable. So there is no reason why you shouldn't visit malls in Dubai on the pretext of not shopping. The designation 'Largest' attracted my attention and we first visited the Dubai Mall, which is the largest mall in the world. Outside, I couldn't make out how big it would be. As we walked towards the entrance, cars with all types of posh names and equally stunning looks stopped for a brief moment and drove away. A lone Ferrari stood under the sun at one end and no camera spared a shot. As we entered, a blast of cool air streamed across us and we were inside. We walked further and we were left open-mouthed like the others at the sight of the largest in-mall aquarium. It was almost two floors high and extremely long.

The Aquarium, Dubai Mall

It was as if a section of the sea had been pinched off and placed here. A large shark patrolled the blue water, while shoals of 33,000 creatures of varied shapes, colours and sizes floated around. Flashes were going off everywhere as people wanted a shot of the underwater traffic on their cameras. Still amused, we walked by tons of shops only to be surprised again, we had arrived at an ice rink with hundreds of skaters skimming over the ice below. I later got to know that this Olympic-sized ice rink could accommodate 2000 skaters.

The ice rink, Dubai Mall

We soon had begun to realize that even a day wouldn't be sufficient to completely see the mall. Ok, so we passed hundreds of other shops out of the 1200 and then we were out. Well there was much more to see but we were saturated by fatigue and had to rest. We ended our day at Dubai by a visit to another popular mall, Deira City Centre.

The next visit to Dubai was a few days later and this time we visited the famed, Ibn Battuta Mall. Truly a mall worth visiting. This, one-of-a kind mall is named after the famous traveller and explorer, Ibn Battuta. It consists of six main courts after the countries he had visited, China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalusia. It was like entering into a different world. Looking up towards the roof, we found the sky painted and the floor was like a neatly paved footpath. There were street lights inside and the buildings along the streets inside were infact the shops. It was like a city with people minding their work.

Glimpses of Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai

We were in Andalusia and there were exhibits of some ancient inventions. Some corridors were decorated with ancient-looking lanterns and the painted sky changed to a roof with interlocked wooden beams. It's a pity that at the time of visiting this mall, we were unaware of the six main courts of this mall and we unfortunately visited only the Andalusia part of the mall. It was in this mall that I first confronted the popular Japanese dish, Sushi. At first I was very excited, but soon I made a mess of it all, I had no knowledge of using chopsticks so I resorted to using a fork and knife. The tasteless fish was complimented by a few strong flavours. I plucked at a lump of green stuff and put it in my mouth along with the fish. In the next second, my whole gut was fuming and my eyes watered, as if I had swallowed a piece of burning coal. I realized I had pinched off a bit too much of Wasabi a paste of some herb which is unbelievably hot. Then there were other herbs with the soy sauce all stinging my taste buds. There was some rice rolled in Nori (dried sea weed). Altogether, the sushi was a wonderful war of tastes.

We then headed towards the sea, towards the Burj Al Arab. When we were close to the beach, from behind the tree-line rose the Burj Al Arab, it stood high above us. Not remembering it to be so close to land, we drove towards the beach, craving for a better view. There it was, standing well into the water.

The Burj Al Arab, Dubai

It was ginormous and this was why it gave us the feeling that it was hiding behind the trees on the other side. The calm, blue sea extended towards the horizon. One my left was the the Burj Al Arab, on my right, some type of island was being constructed in the sea. Must be another addition to Dubai's collection of man-made islands, I thought to myself as we walked on the soft sand. I was looking at the horizon, which was as straight as ever and glowing blue. I followed it until the monotony was broken by a structure far away at sea. I soon recognized it to be the Atlantis, a mega-sized resort, located on the edge of the Palm Jumeira, a man-made palm-shaped island. I wanted to visit, but time was now as tight as a knot and so enjoyed it's view from the beach.

I recommend a visit to the Dubai Creek Park. Well, it's one place where you can relax, or enjoy a nap without any kind of city-related disturbance. It's rolling, lush green lawns are a treat to your eyes. You'll forget that you even were in a city.

Dubai Creek Park

It's quite big and has a science museum and also a Dolphinarium. Various types of cycles are available for hire. You can hire a four-seat cycle or a two-seat and take it for a ride around the park. The Dolphinarium has many shows in a day and you can watch the Dolphins flip like frisbees and also see the act of fur seals. By the time we were done with the park, the sun had already set and we made our way to the exit. By now, you must itching to ask me about the weather right? Well, at this time of the year the heat is on and is very hard on you, but lucky for us, it had rained two days before our arrival and so the weather was unusually cool.

The ten days had run their course and it was now the end of my trip. The next day I made the last journey of my trip, from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, to head back home. In the two hours that it took me to reach Dubai, memories from all corners of my mind were flooding to me. Dubai and Abu Dhabi had entertained me for the ten days that I had spent over there, but it wasn't enough. I had seen only the tip of ice berg and I wanted to see more. It was hard to leave, considering the fact that I had much more to explore. Time had whizzed past and within the blink of an eye, I was back where I had started. I looked up at the night sky, thinking I had woken up from a relishable dream. This was the end of another of my many journeys, a dream I will never forget. I had to record this somewhere, so I began typing.

I should tell you:

* It's very, very hot during the summer and the mercury can touch 50 degrees.
* Unless your roaming outside, you won't need to bother about the heat, because almost every building here breathes with an air conditioner.

* Terminal 3 is exclusively for Emirates passengers, so you won't be able to see it if you're not flying with Emirates.

* There are many tour operators in Dubai who will organize tours to famous and popular places in the city. One such tour operator is the Big Bus Company.

* Lastly, drink lots of water :)

Metal Birds - Aero India 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Welcome to Aero India 2009. It is one of the best air shows in the whole of Asia! I had an opportunity to see this amazing aerobatic fiesta and yes...I was extremely excited. On the morning of the show, we were standing in the rather long and spirit-dampening, security-check queue. While waiting, I had my first spotting of the Black-winged Kite. It is truly a beautiful bird and it's eyes were captivating.

We were afraid, we'd be late for the take off of the first plane. We did miss it. From above, the SARAS flew into our view, doing what I thought was it's best, going around in circles. Now, we felt the urge to see the next plane take off. The queue now seemed to be growing thinner and shorter. Just when we thought we would be in time for the next take off, a Light Combat Aircraft Tejas(LCA) took to the skies. It started performing some neat tricks. Sorties, a few roaring fly-pasts and it was all the LCA Tejas had to offer. We were just in time for the F16. This plane might well have been the star of the show. Flying in at no.3, this was one of my favourite fighters, at the show. Standing under the Air Traffic Control tower, we had a great view of the take off. The F16 is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, an American company. This was the first time this plane had participated in the show. It's arrow head-like body and sleek design was what captured my attention. It was exciting to see this plane fly. Even though I wasn't moving, adrenaline was in my blood. It was a desire to fly this amazing piece of technology. The way it thundered past us, was enough for my heart to beat faster.

Lockheed Martin F16 Super Viper

Next up was the MiG 35, all the way from Russia. Considered as an aerobatic monster, it did not fail to satisfy the 'hungry' audience. Out of all it's amazing, eye-opening moves, the best was the Cobra. The MiG 35 began to fly, nose pointing upwards and suddenly it's engines were dead! Someone whose never seen this before might think the plane is going to crash, but no...the plane now started falling towards the ground, and suddenly with a burst of it's twin engines, flew back into forward motion. It was a heart-throbbing move.

Mikoyan MiG-35

Then came the IAF Jaguar. It did some stunts and was followed by the Eurofighter Typhoon, another first-timer at the air show, from Germany. It also had a big bag of tricks and it managed to end every one, with a loud roar.

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Boeing F\A-18F Super Hornet was next. This amazing fighter is from America and apart from the regular moves, it had a special feature, it had the ability to fold it's wings when not in flight. This indicates that it is a plane from the seas, I mean it is used in the navy.

Boeing F\A-18F

Leaving the runway behind, the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI took off. This was the loudest engine I had heard that day and was truly great watching the plane do it's thing. Being a cousin of the MiG-35, even the Su-30 MKI showed off it's cobra move albeit, I feel, the MiG was better at it.

Sukhoi Su-30 MKI

Just when I was used to seeing so many different planes, there came the helicopters. The ALH Sarang team, an aerobatic team consisting of four helicopters, decided to show us that helicopters were as good as the planes. Thier moves were complimented by loud cheers and applauses.

ALH Sarang

The next machine to take off was the largest plane that I had ever seen. It was the Boeing C-17, from America. This gigantic plane, lifted it's whale-like body into the air and everyone's eyes were glued on it, till it crossed their part of the sky. It was spectacular, it was humongous and it was unbelievable. Watching this colossus perform challenging maneuvers was exciting. It was nothing like the other fighter planes. When you looked at the fighters, they would quickly disappear into the blue of the sky.When you looked at the C-17, your vision was completely filled by the 'awesomeness' of this giant, wherever it flew.

Boeing C-17

The sun was now inching towards the horizon and faces showed faint signs of fatigue. Just when everybody thought it was time to pack their bags, came the show-stoppers. These planes were different from the multi-role fighters, they weren't as sophisticated and didn't even posses guns or missiles. The Suryakirans were here and loud cheers could be heard from every corner. Their amazing flexibility in flight and cool maneuvers, attracted the applause and whistles. A trail of coloured smoke followed their every move. Their formation was the stimulus for cameras to point upwards.

The Suryakirans

The show had finally landed to an end. The planes were back inside and the two and four-wheelers started. People were pouring out of the Air Base like ants from a hole. This was an experience very different, one not to be forgotton. It touched the long forgotten dream of becoming a pilot. I am waiting for the next...

A feast in the dark

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:35:00 +0000

I stood under the tree, the light from the sun was growing dimmer and dimmer. Just before the sun could disappear, there came a party so wild, it engulfed the tree. A colony of fruit bats had just arrived and they were feasting off the figs, of the tree I was standing under.

The Cluster Fig Tree had been fruiting for a few days and these Short-nosed Fruit Bats would come every evening to get their share of nature's produce. Every bat would circle around the tree until it found a fig of it's choice. Then, it would head straight towards those figs, cling on to them and with a few flaps of its leathery wings, would get a fig loose and fly away with it's prize. This happened till every bat had a fig to call it's own. The tree seemed lifeless for sometime then, came one bat followed by another and then another, until the whole colony was foraging again. I tried taking a few shots, but they were too fast, and I could shoot only a wing or a blur somewhere in the corner of the photograph. So, I decided to watch them instead and photographed only what they were after, plump and juicy figs.

Indian Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx)

Luckily, I was able to get a close-range shot of this winged beauty. A bat, after escaping from a crow, hid among a few palm leaves in my backyard. It was roosting low enough for me to stand on a stool and take a few shots.The Short-nosed Fruit Bat is a small bat and is a frugivore ( eats fruits). It is usually attracted by aromatic fruits( just like the Cluster Figs near my home ).

Cluster Figs

Plump & Juicy

I have also recorded this bat feeding on the fruits of the Golden Cane Palm, which is widely planted in gardens. Also I have seen them feed off the Jamaica Cherry Tree.They feed on the pulp of fruits and are also known to feed on nectar and pollen.

Fruit bat dropping

The above photograph shows bat droppings. You can say that in the particular area that It was found, the bat probably eats figs. It's because you can see numerous, small fig seeds in the droppings. These bats usually roost in small groups in trees or under leaves. They are important vectors of pollination and many fruiting trees also depend on them for seed dispersal.

Buds of a Golden Cane Palm

These bats are amazing and it's quite exciting to see one from close. Thats because I(and most others) am used to seeing bats fly in the sky and not face to face. Hope they are never forced to leave the locality I live in.

Tip: If you'd like to find bats yourself, you can try this. Find a tree which is fruiting at night and has a distinct aroma. You could also look for trees flowering, after dusk. Go there at around 15 minutes to 6:00pm or just before the sun goes down. You might just be able to see these small fruit bats fluttering around. Just be careful and watch out for dropping waste. The bats sometimes spit out seeds along with fruit pulp, this might land on your face :)

If you'd like a list of quite a few flowering trees in Bangalore, here's the link. It was compiled by Mr.Karthikeyan, a noted Naturalist.

http://wildwanderer.com/flowers/Flowering_Trees_consolidated.pdf

Mountains & Mangroves

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:18:00 +0000

Before I begin, I'd like to thank my Parents, my Uncle and my friend Mr.Shiva for making this trip happen.

Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary

The cold wind blew across my face as my friend Mr.Shiva and I rode towards the mountains. The sun had just begun it's journey towards the sky and life had just re-started after the long pause of night. The sky was clear and sun was bright. We were heading towards Kudremukh for birding and Mr.Shiva had brought his beast-of-a camera along with him. Before we hit the ghats, we got to see some great birds, many of which were first-timers for me. We spotted the Pompadour Green Pigeon, Green Leaf Bird, etc.

Magical mountains

Once we were on the ghats, the chill increased ever more. The slopes were covered with thick vegetation, and the trees grew so tall, you would have to turn your head all the way till your back to see the end. Birds? Well, we didn't get to see many birds, but ofcourse we could hear them. Birds calls from faraway and near, mixed together, to produce music better than the best rock and roll on my player. This music seemed to fit in perfectly with the energetic sunlight and the ticklish chill. We kept riding towards the Hanuman Gundi falls, and constantly kept a watch for any signs of activity in the trees. There were many Blue Tiger moths flying around and there were so many in number, that they appeared like falling leaves.

Blue Tiger Moth

Ocassionaly we did get to see the Giant Malabar Squirrel, which is as big as a cat. It's call was as loud as a horn in the vast jungle. As we stood at a corner, we got to see some warblers, which for most of the time were hidden in the bushes, some macaques( monkeys) and others birds. At some point of time in our journey, we were surprised at the strange absence of many birds on such a sprightly day. Then we spotted a Fairy Blue, a spectacular bird with a dark blue coat with a few strokes of bright blue, also we got to see the Ruby Throated Bulbul. We rode on till we came to a clearing in the forest which overlooked a huge valley.

The vast expanse

The view was spectacular! The mighty mountains of the Western Ghats stood proud, the sunlight brightening every peak. The shola forests were clearly visible, seen as patches covering the grass, growing on the mountain slopes. This peaceful scene reminded me of a mother's lullaby, enough to soothe anyone's senses.Riding further, we passed the falls and stopped at a bridge and lo and behold, we got to see three rare birds. A Nilgiri flycatcher, a Rusty-tailed flycatcher and a Black Eagle. I was fascinated by the size of the Black Eagle. It glided majestically, high over the tree tops and quickly disappeared behind some trees. It now remains a memory in my mind and a pretty good photograph in Mr.Shiva's camera :D . After spending a good amount of time in the Hanuman Gundi falls area, we headed back to Karkala, the place from where we had started. On our way back, we decided to go to Chitrapu in the evening. This was my most awaited trip yet and all thanks to Mr.Shiva.

Chitrapu...mangroves

Located near the small, sleepy town of Mulki, is an area bustling with winged migrants. This locaton is an estuary(where the river meets the sea), and has vegetation chiefly consisting of mangroves. This place is famous among local nature enthusiasts for it's winter visitors.

Path leading to the shore

On this trip we were joined by Mr.Avinash another friend of Mr.Shiva. The path that led to the shore of Chitrapu was slushy and lined by mangroves. It was quite an interesting experience, because getting my feet covered by brackish, muddy slush was a first- timer. To my surprise, I saw little Fiddler Crabs scuttle into their holes.

Fiddler Crab (male)

This was the first I had seen these crabs and I was very excited. They were small yet were beautiful with their intricate designs, they looked like tiny dolls. I wasn't able to get many photographs because they were too impatient and escaped at the slightest movement. However, I was able to shoot one, which was showing off it's oblong and unsymetrically large claw.

Shore of Chitrapu

As soon as I entered the shore, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the place, water almost everywhere and in the middle were sand banks, laden with birds, they were full till the edge. At a little distance from us into the estuary were fishermen, working with their nets, they floated along with their boats. On the sand banks, as if the activity wasn't less, Lesser Sand Plovers scurried from place to place. A few Western Reef Herons foraged and the Oystercatchers, well, they had their eyes focused into the shallows. On one bank, two mongooses patrolled as if to check if everything was all right.

Crossing a stretch of water

To catch all this action, we had to walk through the slushy mud and had to cross stretch a of water to get to a sand bank from where we had a good view of all that was going on. A few locals warned us to return by dusk, as the waters of high tide would return and drown the sand banks. It is a fantastic place where everything was controlled by the tides.

Sand Bubbler Crab

On the sand banks, when we walked, the sand suddenly came alive. Hundreds of crabs would disappear to the saftey of their lairs. It was like a chain reaction, where one crab would intimidate all other crabs to run.

Boatman by the sun

The sight of the setting sun was magical. Everything was preparing to halt again and so were we, to depart. I never felt like leaving the place. I felt that I had so much more to do there. Looking at the last of the setting sun rays, we left.

If you love looking at water birds, this is one great place for you. In the month of December, you will get to see loads of migratory birds. The mangroves host an array of creatures, like molluscs, crustaceans, birds, and a few mammals. Chitrapu is a fine example which portrays the scenic beauty of southern coastal Karnataka.

For more photographs that I have shot, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adityagkamath/

For photographs which Mr.Shiva has shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shivanayak/

Creatures spotted:

Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary:

1. Pompadour Green Pigeon

2. Small Minivet

3. Wire-tailed Swallow

4. Green Leaf Bird

5. Golden Oriole

6. Chestnut-headed Bee Eater

7. Malabar Giant Squirrel

8. Golden Langur

9. Greenish Warbler

10. Racquet-tailed drongo

11. Ashy Drongo

12. Ruby-throated Bulbul

13. Fairy Blue

14. Jungle Crow

15. Red-whiskered Bulbul

16. Little Egret

17. White-breasted Kingfisher

18. Honey Buzzard

19. Yellow-browed Bulbul

20. Rusty-tailed Flycatcher

21. Nilgiri Flycatcher

22. Black Eagle

23. Lorikeet

24. Purple-Rumped Sunbird

25. Common Tailorbird
26. Malabar Parakeet
27. Golden Oriole
28. Black-hooded Oriole

Chtrapu:

1. Indian Roller

2. Common Kingfisher

3. Red-watled Lapwing

4. Unidentified Pipit

5. Western Reef Heron

6. Osprey

7. Lesser Sand Plover

8. Oystercatcher

9. Little Heron

10. Red Shank

11. Indian Pond Heron

12. Mongoose

13. Sand Crabs

14. Hermit Crabs

15. Unidentified Gulls

16. Osprey

17. Pacific Golden Plover

18. Brahminy Lite

19. Black Kite

20. Ruddy Turnstone

21. Blue-tailed Bee Eater

22. Greater Sand Plover

23. Command Green Shank

24. Terek Sandpiper

25. Grey Sandplover

26. Black-headed Gulls

Directions: Well, I'm not very good at giving directions, but I will tell you how you can get there. Mulki, is a town located around 30km from Mangalore. So, you can take a bus from Mangalore and arrive at Mulki Bus Satnd. Now from here, you can ask any autorickshaw to take you there. Remembr to ask them to take you to 'Kandlavana' meaning mangrove forest. Say you're going from Mulki towards Mangalore, then you'll have to take a right somewhere on the highway to go there. There is no sign board which indicates the way and you'll have to ask someone to tell you the exact route. Chitrapu is not a tourist place, and not many people other than nature lovers and photographers visit this place. Happy Birding!

Here is a satellite photograph of Chitrapu:

View Larger Map

Closer to my lens...

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:15:00 +0000

Have you ever wondererd what lurks behind that bush, what moved behind that leaf, what whizzed past your ear? Welcome to the world of little things, a little kingdom hiding itself from most of us.

If you have seen my other photographs, you must have noticed that I mostly shoot closeups. That's because I use a point-and-shoot camera with a poor zoom capacity. Nevertheless, I thank my camera (especially my parents for the cam), for it has helped me come closer to the little creatures that hide from us.

Potter Wasp

I think while looking for nature, people tend to focus more on larger creatures like birds, or tigers or elephants, etc. What most of us forget is that apart from the large creatures, there is a huge variety of small creatures, be it wasps, dragonflies, beetles, butterflies, etc. that are magnificent to look at. They have their own big role to play to maintain a balance in nature.

Globe Skimmer dragonfly

When I find a small creature and fix my lens, I'm always facinated by it's size and it's complexity, be it in the form of it's colours, or shape of the body. How this small beauty works is another fascinaton.

Unknown dragonfly

Ladybird

Common Palmfly

Handmaiden Moth

Not only have I been attracted towards tiny bugs, but I also like shooting anthying that I can shoot from close proximity to my lens. This includes inanimate objects like leaves, bark, water droplets, etc. Here are a few more photographs.

Bark of a Pine tree

Droplets on rose leaves

Shooting in macro not only gives me satisfaction, but has also helped me realize that 'Size dosen't matter'.

Karkala Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:10:00 +0000

I had recently visited Karkala and the experience I had was totally different from what I had during other visits. In a span of three days, I was able to see lots on natural activity. From shooting moss on walls to crabs at Malpe Beach, I did it all.

Compound walls in Karkala were generally built of mud which were then given a waterproof coating to protect them from the rain. Old mudwalls have several patches, where the mud layer is exposed. From these grow various types of plants, ferns and mosses. This particular plant(in picture) is one of them and in Konkani it is known as 'Cats' nails', this is because it's leaves look like tiny nails.

Mushrooms are found on dead wood. The fruiting body called basidiocarp, is the umbrella-shaped structre we see above the ground, but the 'heart' of a mushroom is actually present inside the wood where it is growing. It is called mycelium and is cobwebby in appearence.Direct sunlight will destroy the fruiting body but the fungus inside the wood will live and germinate again.

You can find butterflies of all shades and sizes here in Karkala and if your lucky you might find rare beauties too. This one below is supposed to be

a very rare butterfly in South India.

Banded Royal (Eliotia Jalindra)

Chestnut Bob

The Chestnut Bob is a very small butterfly from the family of Skippers. Extremely fast in flight, you have to be very alert while tracking it. It is disturbed by the slightest shake. When I clicked this photograph, it took to the air and I ended up with this lovely shot.

Usually at Malpe beach, Udupi (more info) I get to see only large crowds of people enjoying the sun and sand but this time I got to see something I had never seen before, large crowds of Hermit Crabs.

Hermit Crab

There were thousands of these crabs along the beach and they were all moving into the sea.This crab is compared to a hermit living in solitude in a cave, hence the name Hermit Crab.These crabs make shells of marine molluscs(mainly snails) their home and as they grow, keep changing their shells and sometimes also fight with eachother for the right shell. They live in colonies of about 100 indivisuals.

These lizards are very common in Karkala and can be found hiding in thick vegetation and scampering from bush to bush.The are known as Forest Calotes. This fellow was peeping at me from behind a branch, as if curious to know what I was upto.

Shades & Scenes

Coastal Karnataka, espically Mangalore and the surrounding areas have a beauty of their own. At different times of the day the playful sunlight gives each scene a different outfit. Here are some vibrant scenes...

Sunrise Over Gurpur River, near Mangalore

Gurpur is a small but beautiful village between Karkala and Mangalore. The Gurpur river flowing through it is extremely beautiful. From the bridge above it you can see everthing waking up as the sun flashes golden rays.

Railway Bridge Over Nethravathi River, Mangalore

Sunset at Malpe Beach, Udupi

To sum it all up, Karkala, Mangalore and the neighbouring places are full of surprises. Each time I visit, there is always something new to see, feel and enjoy.

Birds seen:

1.Common Sandpiper

2.Common Kingfisher

3.Little Cormorant

4.Plum-headed Parakeet

5.Indian Treepie

6.Indian Pond Heron

7.Ashy Drongo

8.White-browed Wagtail

9.Sall Green Bee-eater

10.Large Cuckoo Shrike

11.Brahminy Kite

12.Common Crow

13.Little Egret

14.Lesse Whistling Teal

15.Black Kite

16.Rock Pigeon

17.Asian Koel

18.Purple Moorhen

19.White-breasted Kingfisher

20.Small Green Barbet

21. Lotens Sunbird

Natural Jewels + Karkala

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:15:00 +0000

Karkala, described as a beautiful location in my earlier post, has it's own share of beautiful insects. As mentioned in my earlier post, Karkala is home to some spectacular nature hotspots which in turn are homes to an array of wonderful insects. During my stay here, I have photographed some striking insects.

Weaver Ant

Weaver ants, unlike most other ants, have adapted to living life on the edge. These ants build fist-sized nests made entirely of leaves, glued together using the sticky silk produced by their larvae. While building nests, these highly social creatures arrange themselves into wonderful formations, together positioning and folding leaves. Weaver ants have a really nasty bite and it is so because they spray formic acid as they bite. When disturbed, their nest swarms with hundreds of ants ready to pounce on the intruder. Once they hold on to something(like your skin), it is quite difficult to free yourself from them.

Frog hopper

Froghoppers are insects which feed on plant sap. When they are in their young form, froghoppers, otherwise known as Spittle bugs make a covering around them with froth which they produce. Their covering is often mistaken to be human spit. When disturbed, froghoppers shoot off to escape.

Dragonflies and damselflies, creatures we often ignore while enjoying nature at a water body. The colours and patterns that enrobe them, many-a-times fail to attract us. There are so many of types, that each one promises to be different from the other, both in shades as well as shapes. I have a collection of photographs which exhibits a small population of these winged beauties of Karkala.

Dragonflies

Long-legged Marsh Glider

Crimson-tailed Marsh Hawk

Blue Marsh Hawk

Common Clubtail

Granite Ghost

Ruddy Marsh Skimmer-male

Damselflies

Blue Grass Dartlet

Golden Dartlet

Yellow Bush Dart

River Heliodor

Emerald Spreadwing

Karkala is home to many more of these six-legged beauties, and as I photograph them, more and more just keep coming!

Rediscovering Karkala

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:09:00 +0000

Hiding near the foothills of the Western Ghats, neighbouring the west coast of India, Karkala, a small town close to Mangalore, has lots to offer. The tropical climate, abundant vegetation and a variety of creatures, make it an ideal location for nature lovers. After all these years, it was now that I truly realised what a paradise nature had turned Karkala into. This summer stay at Karkala, opened a new door of appreciation for this place, in me.

The paddy field

I started off by visiting one of the many paddy fields that dot Karkala. Recent showers of rain had moderately flooded the fields. Hovering low over the fields were hundreds of insects, pond herons regularly bobbed their heads from between the paddy stalks. Streams that lined the fields contained small schools of fish, quickly darting in all directions, as we disturbed their path. As we were about to leave, a curious, young boy who was following us for a while now, wanted to take us to a pond, which he claimed was abundant in insects. The pond was a great delight to us all. As we approached the pond, a common kingfisher took off from it's perch. Dragonflies and damselflies of all colours and sizes flew about. Hidden in the vegetation, white-breasted water hens called as they rummaged for food. After shooting photographs to my satisfaction, we left the field.

The Gommateshwara Statue

The view from the hill

Karkala is probably most famous for it's very own archaeological splendour, the Gommateshwara Statue. This 46-foot statue stands on a low hill, which needs to be ascended using a flight of 200 or more rock-cut steps. A wonderful experience welcomes you once you are on the hill. One feels as if one is on top of the world. Just before sunset is the best time of the day to visit. On one side, the high mountains of the Western ghats seem to disappear into the evening light, on the other, the bright sun illuminates the canopy of coconut groves and the scattered low hills. The view from this hill is amazing. Auto Rickshaws can take you here from anywere in the town. If your hungry after your trip here, there are a few shops at the foot of the hill, which over the years have become famous for their food. A gourmet, called 'Charmure Pachhadi' in Konkani, is a take away, mainly containing puffed riced which is flavored with grated raw mangoes, lemons, chilli powder, carrots(grated), oil, salt and other natural flavourings. This is one tangy dish you cannot miss. Likewise, a visit to Karkala is incomplete without a visit to the Gommateshwara Statue.

Durga

About 5-6 kilometers away from Karkala's bus stand is splendid location locally called ' Durga '. Set amidst a forest, this is actually a stream with rapids. During the rainy season, it is impossible to enter the water because of the sheer force of the water. During summer, it has a more peaceful look, with thin channels of water flowing from between the boulders. The marshy areas along with the dense vegetation at the edge of the stream attract spectacular dragonflies, damselflies, beetles and other critters. The streams form tiny ponds at many places which contain fish and snails. Many types of kingfishers, wag tails, drongos and other rare birds visit this place. The sound of the streams is quite soothing. The best time to visit this place is late morning, not only because the lighting conditions are perfect, but also because there are local people around and a few which buses ferry people between the centre of the town and here. There are no street lights in this part of Karkala, as it a forest and leaving before it gets dark is ideal.

Malpe Beach

Malpe beach, a popular weekend hangout is situated about 40 kilometers from Karkala, near Udupi. From Karkala's bus stand, many local buses go to Udupi, from here, Malpe beach is just 4 kilometers away which can be reached by hiring an auto rickshaw. This is the closest beach near Karkala where one can soak up the sun. I visited Malpe Beach on a Sunday and the whole shoreline was crowded, we were lucky to find a somewhat secluded spot. The sun rays were in the right angle, to set that perfect mood. A few camels roamed about, their masters offering joy rides. Once in the water, the waves were the main source of fun. The sky had many fliers, brahminy kites, black kites, and crows.You can't call this a serene location, rather, it's the crowd and the waves that push the tempo and this place is all about fun and excitement.

The Charriot

Pulling of the Charriot

The most famous temple in Karkala is the Padu Thirupathi Temple, where Lord Venkatramana is worshipped. This temple has a charriot festival which is held anually. The massive charriot, hundreds of years old(and I mean hundreds!) is beautifully decorated during this festival. The festival is a 5-day long celebration and on the 5th day(at midnight) hundreds of people pull the charriot through the main street of Karkala. Thousands of people flock to watch this spectacular sight. I myself was there and I visit Karkala every year during this festival.

There are many more places in Karkala where one can see nature in full bloom. The lakes Ramsamudra and Anekere, are 'the' places to see water birds, especially Anekere, where large aggregations of water birds can be seen. Karkala, a tiny wonder, is a place not to be forgotten.

Getting there:

Descent buses from Bangalore go to Karkala. The journey takes about 8 hours. I usually travel by Vishal Travels or Sugama Tourist.

Where to stay:

The best hotels to stay in Karkala are Hotel Sagar and Hotel Prakash, they are close to main bus stand. Hotel Prakash is a new hotel and the rooms and pretty good, although I don't stay in a hotel in Karkala, I've seen the rooms.

Others:

There are quite a few ATM's in Karkala and a few are close to the main bus stand of Karkala. Carry hats because sometimes the sun can bake you. During the rainy season, it's quite sensible to carry rain coats and umbrellas.

Trekking in the hills

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:55:00 +0000

The last weekend took me about 60 kilometers from Bangalore, to a quite serene, hilly location. To be more specific, this area was somewhere behind Nandi Hills. The terrain was rugged and the vegetation comprised shrubs and bushes with thick branches. Small hills were scattered almost everywhere. Some hills appeared as if they had been sprinkled over by rocks and boulders, just like dry fruits over a sundae. Others, appeared lush green because of the thick vegetation that covered them. A few low trees, unevenly distributed in the area, provided much needed shade.

Semi-dry terrain

Lush green hills

The trek began at around 9:00 am, the sun was staring down at us. The terrain, at some places comprising sand, stones and rocks was quite slippery. Wild flowers were in full bloom and insects of all sizes buzzed around them. The absence of many birds, inclined my interest towards flowers and insects. Some hills like the one above were covered in a blanket of thick vegetation. With a closer look at these plants, I found that they were lantana plants. It appeared as if their flowers had flashy colours spray painted on them. Other flowers belonged to small weeds which were found scattered everywhere. Collectively, all the flowers looked like a broken cascade of colourful shades.

Wild Flowers

I spotted a few ' Small Green Bee Eaters ' which were gliding from branch to branch, periodically darting into the air for a snack. A sluggish-looking ' Indian Roller ', was perched on a wire. It took to the air, giving me a glimpse of it's rich blue hues. Every glance inside a bush revealed a hidden dove, probably a ' Spotted Dove '. Around every corner, ' Indian Robins ' hopped around. On many tree branches, ' Purple Rumped Sunbirds ' and ' Tickell's Flower Peckers ' could be heard. The whistling melodies of bulbuls could be heard in bushes, as they foraged. In the air, mynas called to one another as they flew in couples.

As we trekked, we crossed many dry streams and then, came across a small pond, where we refreshed ourselves. A glass of refreshing lime juice was enough to bring me back on my feet.I began exploring the pond.Finding a green patch of very small plants beside the tank, I began studying it. It was an area where excess moisture had accumulated, turning it into a ' mini marsh '. I stepped on the plants to try and find creatures. As I stamped the marsh, little frogs jumped out in all directions to avoid my foot. I managed to get a photograph of one of them. A dragonfly hovering low over the pond, was trying to lay it's eggs.

Frog

Walking further, away from the pond, I found a small hole in the ground, about 3 cm in diameter, which was lined with leaves and twigs and covered on top with a thin web. When i peeked inside, I saw a spider scurry deeper. I didn't know what spider it was but, the design of it's lair gave me an idea of it's hunting habits. Presumably, this spider waits for it's prey to wander very close to it's well-camouflaged home and then, springs out with great speed to catch it. There were many small locusts around. Under some rocks I also found lizards, called Rock Agama, which would come up on the rocks to bask in the sun. A few large Garden Lizards were also clinging on tree trunks.

A spider's hole

Rock Agama

I was satisfied with this trek, not many people are allowed to trek here. As the trek came to an end, I began gazing into the vastness of this beautiful place. Far away, hills continued to crowd the area. I could hear the call of a ' Grey Francolin ', slowly, being absorbed into the evening air. The sun, now behind us, was preparing for it's descent into the horizon, lighting up the tips of the hills in it's path. The vastness of this area, had a charm of it's own.

Insects...bright & beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:26:00 +0000

Here are some of the insects that I have photographed. Their behaviour, colour, and size is what fascinates me the most. Since I have a point and shoot camera with not much zoom to spare for the birds, I was forced to love insects.

Ground Skimmer(male)

Ground Skimmer (female)

These tiny flying wonders are my favourite dragonflies. They are very tiny and like basking in the sun. It took a long time for me to get a good photograph of these dragonflies. They are very sensitive and fly away even if a small disturbance is caused. From what I have seen, these dragonflies fly very close to the ground and when disturbed, settle down very close to their former position, provided the disturbance isn't continuous.

_________

Grass Demon

This bold and beautiful butterfly is from the family of skippers. It feeds on plants like turmeric, torch ginger, white ginger, etc. Like most other skippers, it's larva folds the edge of it's host leaf, around itself and forms a covering on the underside of the leaf. Like I said earlier, it is a bold butterfly and isn't frightened easily.

__________

Red Pierrot

Red Pierrot Larva

This tiny butterfly belongs to the family of blues. It is a little larger than an average thumb nail. As beautiful as it may seem, those flashy colours it sports on it's wings, is actually a warning to predators. It is a poisonous butterfly. Don't worry, not to us humans, but mostly to birds. This butterfly likes basking in the sun and is very sensitive to disturbances.

_________

Crab Spider

This little guy (spider) is an ambush hunter. Crab spiders have the ability to merge very well with their surroundings. It's really tough to spot this spider unless, you are really close to it. You will realize why its called a crab spider, when you will see it in it's ready-to-strike pose, because you'll notice that it very much resembles a crab. It's front legs are positioned in manner quite similar to the pincers of crabs.

________

Rice Swift

This is another beautiful and tiny skipper. It flies close to the ground and is really fast, so fast that you will only see a brown flash as it flies by. It does not fly straight and since it has a skipping flight, characterized by jumping-like moves in the flight, you can't predict where it'll be.

It prefers small flowers and is really very sensitive to disturbances. I was lucky to get the photograph which is posted above.

________

Green Long-Legged Fly

This insect, from my point of view, is a flying jewel. It is a small fly and is often found resting on large leaves under bright sunshine. Under the sun, it glistens just like a jewel. It waits for small, soft body insects to fly by and then ambushes them. This beautiful fly, although not very big, helps us, by keeping away small pests. It is easily disturbed and is extremely fast in flight. One could consider this insect to be a, 'Pesticide on Wings'.

I will be thankful to those who will point out any errors in my articles.

Backyard Nature Hotspot

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:18:00 +0000

My backyard

Welcome to my backyard!

It consists of a tiny little garden and a few trees. A mini forest, birding heaven, insect paradise, you can call it anyone of these. Everyday when I step out into my backyard, I am greeted by the creatures that make it their home.This is the place where I forget all the stress of the day and get lost in this 'urban' natural beauty.
To a person who isn't much interested in nature, my backyard would seem to be a quiet location, almost cut off from the fray of vehicle honks, a tranquil location. A nature lover will view it from a different perspective. To a nature lover, my backyard would look like a place full of insects, birds and mammals all doing their daily activities. Even with so many different types of creatures around, I find the insects and the birds most fascinating.

My backyard consists of a tiny garden and a few large trees. The garden is dominated mostly by insects while the trees house an array of birds. Some birds are either present all the time in the trees or visit the trees only at a particular period of the day. Early in the mornings, when the sun is just rising, the Red-whiskered bulbuls whistle while they forage among the tree branches. They are very active and stay together as a couple. They calls are sometimes so shrill, that you could compare the calls with the crowing of a rooster!
Then come the Small green barbets, as they hop from one branch to the other, they look like little fluffs of green-coloured cotton. They are always after the tender jack fruits and the tamarinds, which hang as if ready to be picked by them. When all is silent, their calls can be heard from quite a long distance. The Ashy drongo, my favourite bird, can be seen sitting on the outermost branches of high trees, during dusk and dawn. It is a visitor from the Himalayas and I have found that four such birds share the area of my backyard and the areas surrounding it. It constantly swivels it's head, trying to aim at flying insects. Suddenly, it dives into the air, disappearing behind the tree branches and after sometime , from nowhere it returns to it's former position with it's prize, probably a bee, which it carefully rubs onto the branches before consumption.

As the day progresses, the tailor birds enter the scene. Constantly calling out to one another, the couple search low branches and thick bushes for grubs. Birds such as Great tits, Purple rumped sunbirds, Rose-ringed parakeets, spotted doves and the rock pigeon visit my backyard. Occasionally I get to see the shikra, flying at low altitudes, just above the tree tops. It gives out it's bone-chilling call, sending all the Three-striped palm squirrels into panic . My backyard was also a temporary home to some fantastic birds, which you don't get to see in the midst of the city. Some of these birds are, Indian pitta, Blue-capped rock thrush, Asian paradise flycatcher(male and female) and Red-throated flycatcher. All these birds have stayed for about 2-7 days. Red Pierrot

At night, the Barn owl prowls the skies, pulling it's dark shadow-like figure along with it. This bird is magnificent. It is fairly large with brown markings on it's wings and has a beautiful white body. The trees at my place also used to be a home to some spotted owlets. Unfortunately, they now don't
live here anymore. Ground Skimmer (female)

As for the insects, they prefer to stick to the bushes and shrubs in the garden. Their activity on an average is maximum during early noon. One can see different types of wasps, flies, bees, butterflies and many other insects. Rice Swift

Two of my favourite insects are the Green long-legged fly and the Leaf cutter bee. The green long-legged fly has a flashy, metallic green-coloured body. It waits on large green leaves for small
soft-body flies to fly by.

Brahma Kamal flower

The leaf-cutter bee, a small solitary bee, looks around for tender but stiff leaves. It then neatly cuts a portion of a leaf in the shape of an oval and carries it away to build it's nest. It's a beautiful sight to see it cutting leaves. The bee, I have noticed prefers rose plant leaves.
Leaf-cutter bee

All these creatures make my backyard a wonderful place for me to be in. The is as close to nature I can get from my home. The photographs might give you the idea.

Devrayana Durga

noreply@blogger.com (Aditya Kamath) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:14:00 +0000

Date: 7 October 2007

The sun must have been shining the brightest that morning. Only white fluffy clouds dared to come out. Well the traffic was daring too. Before we hit the Tumkur highway, the rural areas lining the road, offered us traffic which was even worse than that of the city and we had no choice but to accept it. It was 9:30 am when we had left our home. Some people would oppose the idea of leaving for a nature hot spot at such a time. Even I wanted to leave early, but due to some reason, we were delayed. Although we had left a bit late for a place 75km away form our home, I was still excited to see the rich flora and fauna of that place.

Devarayana Durga is a huge hill in the Tumkur district. It is surrounded by forest 48 square kilometers in area. The boundaries of this forest are made of small villages and fields. At the top of the hill is an ancient temple. The fascinating thing about this place is that beside the temple on top of the hill is a natural spring which never dries up! Below the temple is the source of this spring. It is a very narrow and dark cave which permits only two people at a time. At the end of the almost vertical cave is the water’s edge. It is almost impossible to see in that cave even with a torch, unless it is powered by a high intensity bulb. The priest who sits at the end of the cave with his lamp adds to the strange but great experience one would have while in the wet-walled cave. If you ask him (priest), he will splash the water in the cave, the sound of which would give one, the idea of the depth of the water at that point. Outside, one will see many monkeys playing the fool around. Well they are actually fun to watch. Little monkeys can be seen playing on dangerously steep slopes of the hill. One might think they would fall down and thus break every bone in their body, but they have mastered the art of climbing and may fall once in a blue moon.
The view from the temple atop the hill is unimaginable. The few lakes which are present at the foot of the hill look like little puddles of water and the enchanting hills look like sand castles. The scene will turn an adult into a child and will test his/her imagination to a great extent. Also one can see the twisting and turning roads which helped one get to such a height. The descent from the hill is also an unforgettable experience. The road sides are filled with wild vegetation and herbs. This rich vegetation entertains thousands and thousands of birds and insects. Bees and butterflies keep poking at the flowers to get their daily bread.

Two of my friends and I decided to walk to a lake where our families were planning to relax. As we walked through the forest, the eerie sounds seemed to soothe our ear drums. The butterflies were enjoying the diffused sunlight falling from between the branches of the rather irregular canopy. Dragonflies hovered above our heads, displaying their acrobatics. There weren’t many birds around. This must have been the effect of the afternoon heat. During the walk we found a chameleon. I was excited, because this was the first time I had seen one. Unfortunately it was dead. Some vehicle must have run over it. After walking for about one and a half kilometers down the road, we finally reached the lake.

The lake was a tiny little wonder. Towards one side, the bank of the lake was heavily covered with mixed vegetation, comprising of some Eucalyptus trees, Cassia trees and some thick bushes. We found some very interesting creatures there. Under a rock we found some frogs, that were probably cooling off in the mud until the rains would hit. To our surprise we also found a scorpion resting in its burrow which we had accidentally destroyed. However it didn’t show signs of anger nor did it move. We then carefully placed the rock in its former position. As the sunrays grew dimmer, some new creatures appeared. We saw small green bee eaters gliding from tree to tree in search of tit bits. We even saw damselflies laying their eggs in the water. They had bright blue colours which could attract anyone’s attention, if they would fly by.

The variety of birds, insects and plants amazed me. Here are some of the creatures and plants I saw there.

Birds:

Red-Vented Bulbul
Small Green Bee Eater
Ashy Prinia
White-Breasted Kingfisher
Indian Robin
Greater Coucal
Unidentified Raptor

Butterflies:

Blue Tiger
Small Grass Yellow
Common Wanderer
Psyche
Small Salmon Arab
Common Mormon
Common Jezebel
Unidentified Blue

Dragonflies and Damselflies:

Crimson Marsh Glider (female)
Unidentified Damselfly
Wandering Glider

Others:

Unidentified Scorpion
Unidentified Frog or Toads
Dead Chameleon

The sun was setting and we began our journey back home. The only part of the journey which disappointed us was a stretch of road which wasn’t asphalted. Rocks jutted out from all sides and it posed a serious threat to the good condition of our vehicles. The experience we had at Devarayana Durga was amazing.

Food: According to me, it would be sensible to carry food in case hunger would attack. There is no restaurant near Devarayana Durga. If you want to treat yourselves with snacks, on top of the hill, near the temple there are small stalls selling confectionary, snacks and coconuts.