India February 2024: Uttarakhand, Corbett, Birds and Mammals

[michael-ibk]

A great report Tony, thanks so much for sharing. I might just blatantly steal your itinerary and operator, this really seems to be a trip we would thoroughly enjoy ourselves!

[xelas]

A trip report that I have really enjoyed, for its variety of wildlife and scenery. Ditto to what Michael has said; India might be our next Africa 😁.

[Kitsafari]

what a wonderful trip you had with many splendid sightings. Thanks so much for sharing. your itinerary sounds like the perfect one for those of us who prefer quieter parks. 

 

Could you elaborate more on why you did not think the hide at Birder's Den was good? Am I right to presume you were comparing with seeing a bird in its more natural situation than being fed and called in?   

 

 

[TonyQ]

@janzinthank you, and I agree with you. Your trip report was one of those that made us look at doing this trip!

@Zubbie15thank you

@michael-ibk@xelasthank you. We really enjoyed the trip and thought the itinerary was ideal for us. If you want any more details, feel free to message me

@Kitsafarithank you. I think I didn't communicate well enough about out hide experience at BIrder's Den. Firstly, I think the hide was very good. It was well set up with a good range of branches/perches for the birds. Thought had been put in to where to put food to make the setup seem more natural. Light was generally fine. We enjoyed seeing the birds in more detail, and they are much easier to photograph. There were four or five species that we only saw from the hide.

The issue was us! We enjoyed the hide, but we enjoyed biding outside more! Being out in the countryside, seeing the landscapes, the villages, and searching for birds  we found more satisfying. If we were to visit again, we would still visit the hide, but also make sure we spent a lot of time outside! (Some photographers only go to the hide, and we know we wouldn't enjoy that sort of trip)

[Kitsafari]

7 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

@janzinthank you, and I agree with you. Your trip report was one of those that made us look at doing this trip!

@Zubbie15thank you

@michael-ibk@xelasthank you. We really enjoyed the trip and thought the itinerary was ideal for us. If you want any more details, feel free to message me

@Kitsafarithank you. I think I didn't communicate well enough about out hide experience at BIrder's Den. Firstly, I think the hide was very good. It was well set up with a good range of branches/perches for the birds. Thought had been put in to where to put food to make the setup seem more natural. Light was generally fine. We enjoyed seeing the birds in more detail, and they are much easier to photograph. There were four or five species that we only saw from the hide.

The issue was us! We enjoyed the hide, but we enjoyed biding outside more! Being out in the countryside, seeing the landscapes, the villages, and searching for birds  we found more satisfying. If we were to visit again, we would still visit the hide, but also make sure we spent a lot of time outside! (Some photographers only go to the hide, and we know we wouldn't enjoy that sort of trip)

 

 

thanks for elaborating on it! 

I share the same sentiment - I couldn't spend all the time in a hide on a birding trip. It's useful for really rare and really difficult birds especially in dense tropical jungles where you probably have zilch chance of seeing them, but going outside to see more of other birds is very satisfying too. 

[Galana]

On 6/8/2024 at 5:14 PM, Zubbie15 said:

makes me wish I could get into birds! It just never works. 

Careful what you wish for.  It gets to your system and is incurable. Enjoy your immunity whilst you still can.

 

Caught up @TonyQas my wee machine has limited battery life so have done it in one swell foop.

Nothing you have shown me disappointed and I feel a repeat coming on.

Even looking at @KaliCA's experience in Kanha's Krowds did not totally dampen my enthusiasm (BUT it came bloody close.

 

thanks for sharing your trip in this way and taking us all along for the ride.

I would love to see another Yellow-throated Marten as well as the one you captured.

[Soukous]

On 5/24/2024 at 2:16 PM, TonyQ said:

We were in stone cottages

 

they are new. They were being built when I visited. They look a lot nicer than the cabins.

[Soukous]

16 hours ago, Soukous said:

They look a lot nicer than the cabins.

though I still do not understand why Sumantha provides hot running water but no showers. I thought the new cottages would address this.

[Soukous]

Thanks for a super report. Your bird sightings were exceptional and certainly make me want to go back for another visit.

[TonyQ]

@KitsafariI agree!

@Galanathank you - I am sure you would enjoy another visit!

@Soukousthank you. The stone cottages at Vanghat were very nice. The showering/washing methos was not a problem. I wonder if a problem with consistent water pressure leads to them using the "bucket method"?

(Alert - I know nothing about plumbing or heating) I am sure you would enjoy another visit

[Zim Girl]

Enjoyed reading this report @TonyQ.  Great variety of places visited and birds seen - wonderful!