Leopards near Bhadra Reservoir

 

The previous trip to Bhadra had really blown my expectations of the place, so with a long weekend, I decided that it was definitely worth another visit to see if we could get another memorable trip here. The drive down was pleasant and I was prepared for the forest camera fees. It still feels unfair and given that it changes depending on the popularity of the spot makes it even more like a state sponsored fleecing exercise. The cottages still have some of the best views amongst all the JLRs though, overlooking the reservoir and this along with the increased sightings have made Bhadra wildlife sanctuary a more popular one which reflects in the higher prices.

 

The evening jeep safari started lazily with a few spotted deer, a monitor lizard, giant squirrels and a couple of raptors, but as the evening set in, things got more interesting as a female Malabar Trogon made an appearance and we found a leopard scurrying through at some distance. The next morning's boat safari was just as eventful, with another leopard watching us from the shore as we saw a few ospreys, grey headed fish eagles and great think-knees. No trip to bhadra is complete without watching the river terns on the island and despite the recent weather changes, there were quite a few terns fishing and hanging around the island.

After a few dips in the reservoir and some boating along the area, I spent the afternoon looking for birds in the campus. A lone tusker in the distance beyond the waters kept me company for a while and then a shama, leafbirds and a paradise flycatcher came down to the parking lot for a drink of water as the day grew hotter. That evening's jeep safari and the next morning's did not have any more larger carnivores, but we saw quite a few birds which kept the safaris fun. A crested serpent eagle swooped in for a kill which was hidden behind a log, a brown fish owl watched us lazily, while rufous woodpeckers went about their foraging without giving us a second glance. Malabar pied hornbills flew to their roosts in the evening and a few kingfishers flew by occasionally to keep us busy clicking photos. The trip was not as eventful as the last one, but despite that, it was still a fun trip to the backwaters.

Bhadra - 2022 Pics

Bhadra Tiger Reserve

Had a weekend off, so thought of heading out to one of the jungle lodges properties as a solo trip. However, most resorts required two people so got a colleague to join in. I wanted to avoid the more popular and expensive ones, so Bhadra seemed to be a good option, it was supposed to be scenic while sightings were lesser than the other more famous ones. The first shocker as I booked was the price additions of jungle entry fees and GST, while the 500 per safari for DSLRs with over 500mm lenses made it quite an expensive trip. Also the price on the cameras meant I could take only one in and had to shuffle lenses. One thing the costs have ensured though, is that crowds are thinner in the off seasons.

We arrived at the resort, late in the morning after a scenic drive. The rooms were ready and the first view from the room of the backwaters is a great way to start the trip. A short while later, we started off on the first safari. Despite the noon heat, there were quite a few birds around and we saw females of the paradise flycatcher and Malabar trogon in addition to multiple others. As the evening set in, we spotted a leopard that promptly jumped into the bushes to watch us patiently for an hour or so. The absolute surprise though was when as we were completing the safari, our guide spotted a pair of leopards sitting on the road. We watched them play and then run into the forest as another jeep came by.

The next morning boat safari was all about the flocks of terns on smaller islands and an osprey eating a fish. A couple of grey headed eagles, pratincoles, plovers and spot billed ducks kept us company as we moved around the backwaters. Post breakfast, the resort has a couple of canoes and paddle boats to play, or you could get in for a swim. There are crocodiles, but they stay away from the resort area. The resort itself has a lot of greenery where Indian pitta, shama, babblers, paradise flycatchers and other birds can be spotted. Evening safari had a buzzard, a few woodpeckers and a gaur in addition to the chittal, sambhar and barking deer. The last set of shots at night would be star trails over the backwaters.

The last safari was also quite eventful, as we came across a sloth bear early on which was digging up roots while a grey jungle fowl followed it around pecking on the dug up mud. The forest had a heavy mist which took time to clear, but the birds, especially raptors were visible in quite a number despite the low visibility. We saw multiple serpent eagles and buzzards, a falcon with a parakeet kill, jungle owlets, yellow nape, flame back and rufous woodpeckers hunting at  termite nest and white bellied treepies among other birds. As the sun came up pied and grey hornbills joined in. I had come down expecting a relaxing weekend with a few drives through the forest, but these safaris had some of the best sightings I have ever had.