Blissful Anashi Nature Camp

Ah, so I'm finally getting to write here about my latest (a month back already) trip to Anashi Tiger Reserve. That I was longing to go out of Bangalore and eagerly waiting for my first camp with my BNHS Field Botany course members, I now can say that it was doubly worth the wait. And yes, to all those learnings in the field out there and the good times spent with the like-hearted people left me in a serene awe. Hopefully I have captured some of the key highlights here. 

Ravee and I left from Bengaluru and joined the team lead by our Botany teacher Swapna Prabhu (I call her Boss) in Belgaum. She had a good company of her BNHS colleague Mirium as well.  We reached Anashi Nature Camp on the late afternoon of the February 25th, 2012. Strong fragrance of Ixora pulled us to them inside the camp. And hence our 4 blissful days of field botany camp started and ended within a blink. Boss had organized the whole trip so perfectly that the nostalgia has taken over all of us so quickly after coming back from there! 

Following are some nostalgic glimpses of our camp: (the below lists are only based on the key highlights; the rest are updated in my flickr album)

First day after reaching the Anashi camp, we set out for a short walk in the evening. The trail was no longer than 2km and it was a cool and breezy evening. For me, personally, it was a first time experience with the group of Botanists and Botany enthusiasts. I absolutely was thrilled and excited to be with the team and learn loads of stuff. We saw some interesting trees along the trail and took some notes as well. The following are some of the interesting sightings for the day. 

1. Anashi camp was full of Oberonias in bloom.
2. Luisia macrantha
3. Entada rheedii
4. Terminalia trees
5. Dilinia Indica
6. Holigarna arnottiana
7. Cinnamomom trees

Holigarna arnottiana leaf appendages

Luisia sp

Oberonia sp

Second day was a trip to Ulavi which was about 25 km from our camp. As we started from our camp, first stop that we could not miss was when we saw the Flacourtia fruits. They were absolutely delicious and that set the right mood for the day. We had some amazing sightings and a great experience. It also ended in some fun that caused an hour of delay in getting back to the camp. Ulavi forest is very dense with huge evergreen trees reaching to the higher canopies. The tranquility of the place is at its best.  Back in the camp, evening was very pleasant and we all took a walk towards the Anashi village. The moment we saw the huge fig tree, we all tried to hug the same. It took 8 people to hug its trunk completely.  The following are some of the highlights of the day and amazing sightings:

1. Colebrookea sp
2. Artocarpus trees
3. Tree ferns
4. Southern Birdwing butterfly
5. Flying lizard (Draco). Was in trance observing it for a while.
6. Xylia xylocarpa
7. Flacourtia montana fruits
8. Drosera burmannii
9. Rotala sp
10. Wallichia (Palm) sp

Colebrookea sp

A viewpoint at Ulavi

The draco

Asclepias sp

Entada rheedii

Flacourtia montana fruits

Artocarpus fruit

After a serene early morning walk on the third day, we were taken to the place called Syntheri Rocks which was about 30 km from the camp. Kaneri was gorgeously flowing through the rocks and it felt heavenly  just to look at it flowing (although it was very hot). It was a beautiful day and we had a lovely time at the rocks. We returned back to the camp and were soon went into the classroom mode. Boss took us the 'typical' classroom session on different aspects. Leaf morphology was the highlight during the session. We were given some exercises to perform and all of us were very excited and best behaved like good students. After the session, we went out on our usual walk. It was a very long and absolutely enjoyable walk in the dark wood. Some highlights on the day three are as under:

1. Paradise flycatcher early in the morning.

2. We saw honeybees everywhere and it was yellow spots all over every place and everyone of us :)

3. Bombax malabarica and Bombax insigne trees.

4. Red ant nest

5. Fungi with fur like material all over the tree

6. A session on Bryophytes and Epiphytes

7. Sighted many Bulbophyllums on the rocks. Thanks to Ravee, we had some good learning on Orchids as well.

A dried stream behind the Anashi camp

Kaneri river at Syntheri rocks

Bulbophyllums on the rock

Fungi and fur like substance?

Habitat around Syntheri rocks 

Mirium and the honeybees 

It was supposed to be a five day camp; but Ravee and I could not get too many leaves and hence we decided to get back to Bengaluru after the 4th day's trail. We missed out on the morning walk on the fifth day. Fourth day we all reached the Kulgi nature camp and the plan was to do 2 trails around the camp. While we were on the way to Kulgi, we were surprisingly welcomed to a small water body where we sighted many interesting things. It was a beautiful small lake full of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphoides. After a nice short session on the aquatic plants at the lake, we headed out to Kulgi. Here are some of the key highlights of the day:

1. Disappointed to see the ash all over the forest and the leaf litter was burnt out completely because of the fire. 

2. Nymphaea lotus and Nymphoides hydrophylla.

3. Malabar giant squirrels.

4. Greater flame backed woodpecker couple.

5. Cassia grandis

6. Acacia (shikakai)

7. Bracket fungi and Fruticose lichen (small talk about them)

8. Multiple orchids species on every tree. Acampe predominantly on most of the trees.

Silhouette of a giant squirrel 

Nymphaea lotus

Cassia grandis

Paradise flycatcher

Tall trees of Kulgi

It was a blissful Anashi Nature Camp expedition for sure. It was absolutely fun learning for me - mixed with a great fun loving team and the serenity of Anashi - Dandeli forest area. After our second trail in Kulgi, Ravee and I headed back to Bengaluru in the night. 

Tents at the Anashi Nature Camp

Dining hall

Walking in the woods

The energetic team

For more pictures of all the Flora and Fauna sighted, please visit my Flickr link here. 

Srik

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Mandalpatti

It all happened in a day, Including the one that caused me a week of house arrest. It was a place that I wanted to visit since a long time and there was that opportunity on that day to be there, serene, wild and weathered. 

Mandalpatti  is a magical beauty and an absolutely scenic place in Coorg. Stands mightily at 30th km from the place Somawarpet. The only disappointment and the only concern for all of us who care for nature is that there is a road till the peak. But the access to it, the canopy and the woods through which we pass through is unbelievably wild.

A lonely tree stands impressively welcoming all those and more.

One can see the whole range of the Western Ghats of Coorg

When it is about to set, It doesnt matter where we are, we will be blown away anyway

And I so much liked this view! 

One can camp here if they take permission from the forest department in Madikeri. We were lucky enough to get the permission and experience the wild in the night. The wind, like a monster consistently tried to knock us down the peak; but, it could not sustain the force when the other side was heavy enough with 5 hooligans. 

Just before the sunrise. 

Sun peeking out over the Kotebetta - the 3rd highest peak in Coorg. 

It is an absolute joy to see the woods in the early morning

It looked as if it was lit up with the golden flames of the morning sun.

 The flora and fauna were abundant. Many forms, many varieties. Some of which I had seen, and some were absolutely new. Whatever form they were in, they looked stunning when they were in full bloom. 

The forest office at the peak. The road connects till this point.

Colorful forest with tall trees, some in bloom. Some not. 

One of those wild flowers in full bloom.

Some orchids looked breathtakingly beautiful (Coelogyne sp)

Some more beautiful epiphytes (Dendrobium sp)

some wild flowers in style. (Sida sp)

It may look beautiful, mind you, dont play! 

One of the beautiful riverbed I have seen, One can stay here for any long!

If one wishes to go, take prior permission, take huge responsibility on your shoulders, not to spoil the place and not to be harmful for anything in Nature. Keep it clean, natural and beautiful. 

Srik

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Flora and Fauna - Sagarmatha National Park

It was a dream that took me to this wonderland. I was fortunate enough to have my eyes to witness the beauty of the place and experience its feel. The amount of aesthetic overload on my eyes was so overwhelming to me that, I could not stop myself capturing it through my lens and get them back to rejoice over it until I perish. As I write this I am getting nostalgic about those days spent in this dreamland.

Looked like valley of flowers!

Sagarmatha National Park was created in 1976 and has also been listed under the Unesco World Heritage Site, reflecting its importance as a preserve for rare Himalayan flora and Fauna. Flora and Fauna in this park is very dense and the bio-diversity is beyond ones imagination. Especially the floral variety. As I sailed into the park I started seeing many varieties of species beyond my expectations. I did expect to see a lot of rare variety of flora and it surprised me beyond my expectations. I am posting here some of the pictures that I captured through my lens during those days of wonderment in nature.

Satyrium nepalense - Ground Orchid

Impatiens

Fungi 

Although I could not spot much of the epiphytic orchids, I did spot many varieties of ground orchids. And at the lower altitudes, till up to Dole, the national park was full of trees mostly of Rhododendron and the Fir. They were so beautiful and welcoming that I felt as I was walking in the heaven. 

As I pierced in to the wonderland further, so far away from home, other than three of us, it was only the trees, those little colorful flowers, chirping birds flying around as if our presence was unnoticed and the constant hum of the Dudh kosi river, were good enough a company to me that I forgot myself completely for a few days. 

Fungi

Himalayan Crows

Once we gained the altitude, far away from where we started, deep into the mountains, closer to the Mt Everest, I could not believe myself on the variety of wildflowers on the grass slopes of the mountains. They were just an amazement and a curiosity for me. 

There were a lot of birds and I hardly could identify them. And because I was too tired while walking, I even missed clicking pictures of a few birds. But while coming back from the Everest base camp, I spent a good lot of time walking slowly and observing birds for most of the time. I saw a bird couple mating together, lost in their own world,without noticing my presence, allowing me to wonder for a while which made my day worthy enough. I even saw some of the nests and eggs and waited for some time wondering if I can see anything more. Like this, my journey continued in its own wonderment. 

Even though we did not spot many wild animals, TS spotted a Red Panda and I missed to see it by a few seconds. But while coming back, we were lucky to spot the Himalayan Thars.

Himalayan Thars

And like this, during our journey on those mountains, whatever I witnessed through my eyes, were just looking wonderful. I was spellbound by the beauty of the flora and fauna in the region. It is a place that can be called the 'true heaven'. I am glad, I was there. 

Even the grass looked utterly beautiful!

For more pictures, visit: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/srikanthap/sets/72157625272036718/

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