Third Sunday Nature Trail - 17th July 2011

Hi!

This month's  Third Sunday Nature Trail will be held on 17th July 2011.

Place : Neelasandra Kere surrounding Neelasandra/ Ramasandra/ Koppa village.

Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, a cap, water bottle,rain wear,binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot) and snacks is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around four to five hours .

Meeting place : Near Koppa Gate

Time : 6.30 am

To reach the meeting point, at Bannerghatta Police Station junction take left and come on Jigani Anekal Road. After about 5 kms from this junction you will see a couple of prominent granite yards on your left side. One of them is Metro Stones and next to it is Pearl Stones.We shall meet in front of Pearl Stones.

Google Map Coordinates : 12.797803, 77.612770

People who like to travel by bus can take any bus going towards Jigani, Bukkasagara, Anekal ,Haragadde, Mahatlingapura  via Bannerghatta Road .Get down at Koppa Gate bus stop and walk backwards for around 150 meters.

We recommend car-pooling between participants. While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach Bannerghatta Circle. If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available.

Call me at 9845383882 or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm .

See you all.

Geetanjali

Kaggalipura Road-19th June 2010-Birdlist

Due to my travel, I had missed out the trails on previous two months . Hence, it was really nice to meet up with few new faces and few old friends. PK helped us a lot with detailed notes and behavior patterns of  few raptors and flycatchers. Spiderman Vittal  shared so much info about the spiders and other insects (And with lot of patience of course). And thanks to Jayaram, who knows the terrain of Bannerghtta so well .He led few of us to the Suwaranamukhi temple .We enjoyed the hot hot bhajji  at the temple.The star of the trail of course was Apoorva ( I hope I got the name right!). This young kid did this long trail without any fuss and always enthusiastic and eager to learn from the experts. It was a long trail, with good sightings of birds,few mammals in the distance, Insects,Skinks, Rock Agamas, Millipedes, Butterflies, Spiders....all in all a great Sunday well spent!!

Here is the list of birds, thanks to Vaibhav,Prashant and Vittal.

Babbler, Yellow-billed
Babbler,Yellow-eyed
Babbler, Jungle
Barbet, White Cheeked
Barbet,Coppersmith
Bee eater, Green
Bulbul, Red-vented
Bulbul, Red-whiskered
Bulbul,White-browed
Bushchat, Pied
Bushlark, Indian
Bushlark,Jerdon's
Cormorant, Little
Coucal,Greater
Crow, Jungle
Crow, House
Cuckoo, Pied
Cuckooshrike,Large
Dove, Laughing
Dove,Spotted
Drongo, Black
Eagle,Black
Eagle,Bonelli's
Eagle,Short-toed
Flameback,Black-rumped
Flameback,White-naped
Flowerpecker,Thick-billed
Flowerpecker,Tickell's
Flycatcher,Tickell's Blue
Grebe,Little
Heron,Pond
Iora, Common
Kite, Black
Kite, black Shouldered
Kite,Brahminy
Kingfisher, White-Throated
Kingfisher, Blue
Koel, Asian
Lapwing, Red-wattled
Malkoha,Blue-faced
Munia, Black-headed
Munia,Scaly-breasted
Myna, Jungle
Myna, Common
Oriental white eye
Owlet, Spotted
Prinia, Ashy
Prinia,Grey-breasted
Prinia, Plain
Parakeet, Rose ringed
Robin,Indian
Robin,Magpie
Sunbird,Purple
Sunbird,Purple Rumped
Swallow, Red Rumped
Swift,House
Tailorbird,Common

Thrush,Blue Rock
Tit,Grey
Treepie, Indian
Treeswift,Crested
Wagtail,White-browed
Weaver,Baya
Woodshrike, Ashy

Here are the beautiful pictures of the birds captured by Vaibhav
http://bangalorecaptured.com/2011/06/19/kaggalipura-a-treasure-of-bannerghatta/

Enjoy the amazing macro shots by Saandip
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saandipng/sets/72157627004754206/

Here is the glimpse of few shots by Dr.Sanjeev Managodi
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150231525749801.330168.818509800

Jayanta Banerjee has captured the pictures so well here..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20047960@N00/

Third Sunday Trail - 19th June 2011

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.

This month's Third Sunday Trail will be held on19th June 2011.

Place : Road connecting Bannerghatta Circle to Kaggalipura till the second forest gate.

Meeting Time : 6.30 AM

Meeting place : First Small water body

Wikimapia Coordinates for the meeting place: 12°49'22"N   77°34'36"E 

Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, a cap, water bottle,rain wear,binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot) and snacks is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around four to five hours .

We request all the participants to restrict themselves to walk on the road and not venture away from the road as lately there has been sightings of Leopard, Bears ,Wild Boars and of course Wild Elephants.

We recommend car-pooling between participants. While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach Bannerghatta Circle. If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available.

Call me at 9845383882 or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm .

Geetanjali

Third Sunday Trail-17th April 2011-Anekal Lake

Friends,

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around South Bangalore

This month's Third Sunday trail will be on 17th April 2011.

Place : Anekal Lake

Time : 6.00 AM

Meeting place :At the end of the Anekal lake near the signboard of Nisarga Restaurant.(That is if you are coming via Jigani Anekal Road) where you can park the cars on the side roads.

Wikimapia Coordinates for the Meeting Place:  12°43'12"N   77°41'24"E

Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, cap,snacks,water bottle,binocular ( if you have),camera ( if you like to shoot) and a note book & pen if you like to list the things that you see, is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around three to four hours.

We recommend car-pooling between participants. While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach Anekal. If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available.

Call Geetanjali at 9845383882 or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm or email me at itnatureclub@yahoo.com

Third Sunday Trail - Bird List

I must have passed through Hulimangala Mango Grove numerous times earlier .The road from here is the short -cut route to reach my daughter's school .I always admired this stretch and was hoping that one day I will have one of the Third Sunday Outings here. But I was little hesitant as there was virtually no road to reach the place from Koppa Gate. Few days back a friend went around to recce the place and found that the road is drivable now and we can have the outing there... The place did not disappoint us. Around 40 us enjoyed the last remains of the greenery around this place, which will be gone forever,once the owner of the grove decides to sell it to some builder to make a layout as is the case everywhere around here. The lands here are made barren either to make way for a layout or to rent it out to granite factories, which not only robs the greenery, the minute granite dust is polluting the whole stretch from Junglepalya to Jigani.

The bird of the day was of course sighting of Pied Cuckoo and Short-toed Eagle.Many in the group also spotted the Asian Paradise-flycatcher and also enjoyed the fly-catching act of the Asian Brown Flycatcher

And here is the list :


Barbet, White-cheeked
Barbet,Coppersmith
Bee-eater, Small Green
Bushcat, Pied
Bushlark, Jerdon's
Coot, Common
Cormorant, Little
Coucal, Greater
Crow, House
Crow, Jungle
Cuckoo, Pied
Cuckooshrike, Large
Dove, Little Brown
Dove, Spotted
Drongo,Ashy
Drongo, Black
Eagle, Short-toed
Egret, Cattle
Egret, Little
Flowerpecker, Pale-billed
Flycatcher, Asian Brown
Flycatcher, Asian Paradise
Grebe, Little
Heron, Pond
Heron,Purple
Hornbill, Indian Grey
Ibis, Glossy
Iora, Common
Kingfisher, Small Blue
Kingfisher, Pied
Kingfisher, White-breasted (White-throated)
Kite, Black(Pariah)
Kite, Brahminy
Kite, Black-shouldered
Minivet, Small *
Mynah, Common
Mynah, Jungle
Oriole, Eurasian Golden
Owlets, Spotted
Parakeet, Rose-Ringed
Pipit, Paddyfield
Prinia, Ashy
Robin, Indian
Robin, Oriental Magpie
Roller, Indian
Sandpiper, Wood
Shikra
Shrike, Brown
Sparrow, House
Sunbird, Purple-rumped
Swallow, Red-rumped
Swallow, Wire-tailed
Swift, Asian Palm
Tit, Great
Waterhen, White-breasted

Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback
Warbler,Clamorous Reed

Here is Deepa Mohan's blog post about the outing

http://deponti.livejournal.com/792144.html

Lovely pictures shot by Vaibhav are here

https://picasaweb.google.com/dump.vaibhav/4thSunday02#

And here is post which appeared in the blog of Bangalore Captured

http://bangalorecaptured.com/2011/03/22/shikaripalya-a-new-treasure/

Third Sunday Trail - 20th March 2011

Friends,


Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.


This month's Third Sunday Trail will be held on 20th March 2011


Place : Around Hulimangala


Meeting Time : 6.30 am


Meeting Point : Hulimangala Govt.School


Wikimapia Coordinates:12°48'48"N   77°38'15"E


Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, cap,snacks,water bottle,binocular ( if you have),camera ( if you like to shoot) and a note book & pen if you like to list the things that you see, is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around three to four hours.


We recommend car-pooling between participants. While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach the meeting point .If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available. 


For bus/route details to reach the nearest bus stop Koppa Gate ( around 3.5 kms from the meeting point ) you can log on www.tellmyroute.com


Pl. call me at 9845383882 to confirm.


Happy Birding,


Geetanjali

First 4th Sunday Trail near Somapura Gate

It was another lovely Sunday with Prarthana starting the Fourth Sunday Outings in Bangalore. Outskirts of Sarjapura Road, Somapura gate to be exact , turned out to be a great place for birding. Within a span of two and half hours we managed to spot more than 50+ birds. With the presence of Subbu ,the outing was very educative . The trail ended with a Prarthana hosting breakfast to all the participants in her beautiful house. Hope to be there again during the next outing

Third Sunday Trail - 20th February 2011-Ramakrishna Mission Campus,Shivanahalli

Oriental Honey Buzzard 

(Photo courtesy : Arun Ramu)

Awesome, spectacular,superb....these were the words used by Mahesh and Aniruddha to describe their trek inside the deep forest of Bannerghatta during the Third Sunday's trail. It was not planned at all for them.....when I was wondering as to how to manage the huge group of around 50+ nature enthusiasts, Swamiji suggested that we divide the group...those who want to return early can go for the shorter trails and others can go for the longer trail to Devrabetta. Anand,Priya,Aniruddha and Mahesh decided to go to Devrabetta and rest of us decided to move around the Ashram Campus.

Swamiji was briefing about the planned trek

Swamiji as always gracious enough to again host us for the birding, morning tea and breakfast on our return.He also announced the intended trek to Muttathi from Shivanahalli which need to be kept on hold for the moment due to rains. New dates for Devrabetta trek too will be announced soon. It was nice to see a number of children in the group who seem to have enjoyed this trail too.

Rufous Treepie

(Photo courtesy: Arun Ramu)

I humbly request all the participants who take part in the trails,please dont throw the wrappers / plastics around. Let us all be responsible as nature lovers. 

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Here is the combined list of birds seen at the Ramakrishna Mission Campus to Deverabetta.

Grey Fancolin

Grey Junglefowl
Whte-cheeked Barbet
Coppermith Barbet
Common Hoopoe
Indian Roller
White-throated Kingfisher
Green Bee-eater
Asian Koel
Greater Coucal
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Spotted Owlet
Rock Pigeon
Spotted Dove
Black-shouldered Kite
Brahminy Kite
Black Kite
Crested Serpent Eagle
Shikra
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Little Cormorant
Intermediate Egret
Cattle Egret
Indian Pond Heron
Golden-fronted Leafbird
Long-tailed Shrike
Bay-backed Shrike
Rufous Treepie
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Eurasian Golden Oriole
Black-naped Oriole
Small Minivet
Black Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
White-browed Fantail
Small Minivet
Common Iora
Blue-capped Rock Thrush
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie Robin
Indian Robin
Pied Bushchat
Common Myna
Great Tit
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Jungle Prinia
Grey-breasted Prinia
Tawny-bellied Babbler
Yellow-billed Babbler
Large Cuckooshrike
Ashy Prinia
Plain Prinia
Oriental White-eye
Common Tailorbird
Greenish Warbler(?)
Common Babbler
Jungle Babbler
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
House Sparrow
Indian Silverbill
Red-wattled Lapwing
Paddyfield Pipit
Lark ( ?) Was it Rufous-tailed?
Sandpiper (?)
Yellow-throated Bulbul(?)
Scaly-breasted Munia
Black-headed Munia
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

Pl. leave your comments if I missed out on any sightings

Here is Deepa's blog about the outing .....

http://deponti.livejournal.com/781650.html

And I leave you with these photographs ...enjoy...

Third Sunday Trail - 20th February 2011-Ramakrishna Mission Campus,Shivanahalli

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.

This month's Third Sunday Trail will be held on 20th February 2011.

Meeting point is Ramakrishna Mission School ,Shivanahalli at 6.30 am.

Wikimapia coordinates :  12°43'19"N   77°34'21"E

Trail route is Mission School to Plantation area and Bannerghatta Forest Patch behind the campus.

Comfortable clothing,Good walking shoes, a Cap, water bottle & snacks ,Binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot) ,is what you need.Free and open to all ages who can walk this trail of around three hours .

How to reach Shivanahalli ? Take the Bannerghatta Road from the Bangalore City. Cross the Bannerghatta National Park - the road curves to the left at that place near the Bannerghatta Police Station. Proceed further towards Jigani Industrial township. Halfway, on the right handside you will see the Ramakrishna Mission, Shivanahalli hoarding. (You will also notice a Swamy Ayyappa temple hoarding). Take a right turn there and drive for about 10 kms. Do not take any side roads (rare and few) that you will come along . Travelling through the Bannerghatta National Park reserved forest, you will have to cross the Ragihalli village to come over to Shivanahalli. The Ramakrishna Mission is located at the entrance of the Shivanahalli village.

We recommend car-pooling between participants. While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach.If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available.

You can confirm your participation by calling me at 9845383882. or Mahesh at 9448384472.

See you all,

Geetanjali Dhar

Third Sunday Trail-16h January 2011 - Check List

HSBC Bird Race meant that almost all the birders will be taking part in the event...at least that is what I thought...I wasn't taking part due to an engagement nor was Mahesh, hence decided to explore the Haragadde area for the trail. I wasn't expecting more than five or six people including myself, but it was nice to see a small group of around fourteen turning up for the trail.

Haragadde is a small village close to Jigani Industrial Estate , on the way to Anekal.A quick search on google says that the name Haragadde came from "Haruvara Gadde" which means fields of Brahmins. The village was referred as "Khagapuri (town of cranes)" in puranas. It must have been so nice if those cranes were to be seen now....Haragadde of the Kalyug is becoming increasingly a dumping ground for the industrial units surrounding the village.Entire lake is being fenced now to check on the illegal fishing and encroachments.Right now, the lake is drying up except in patches where there is water,yet on the previous day on my recce I had seen many ducks, which were not to be seen on Sunday.

Our birding began on a foggy note..apart from the regular sightings it was good to see the Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and two spotted owlets on two different trees.A Marsh Harrier gave good photo ops. for people with Big Lens with several aerial actions. The trail was rounded off with the sighting of River Terns at Harapanahalli Lake and of course breakfast at good old Lotus restaurant.

Here is the check list of birds :

1) Red Avadavat
2)White-cheeked Barbet
3) Common Babbler
4) White-cheeked Barbet
5) Blue-tailed Bee-eater
6) Green Bee-eater
7) Red-whiskered Bulbul
8) Red-vented Bulbul
9) Pied Bushchat
10)Common Coot
11) Little Cormorant
12) Greater Coucal
13) Large Billed Crow
14) Spotted Dove
15) Black Drongo
16) Spot-billed Duck
17) Cattle Egret
18) Intermediate Egret
19) Francolin ( Call)
20) Eurasian Marsh Harrier
21) Indian Pond Heron
22) Purple Heron
23) Common Hoopoe
24) Bronze-winged Jacana
25) White-throated Kingfisher
26) Common Kingfisher
27) Black Kite
28) Black-shouldered Kite
29) Asian Koel
30) Red-wattled Lapwing
31) Black-headed Munia
32) Common Myna
33) Eurasian Golden Oriole
34) Spotted Owlet
35) Rose-ringed Parakeet
36) Paddyfield Pipit
37) Plain Prinia
38) Oriental Magpie Robin
39) Indian Roller
40) Common Sandpiper
41) Brown Shrike
42) Indian Silverbill
43) House Sparrow
44) Purple-rumped Sunbird
45) Red-rumped Swallow
46) Wire-tailed Swallow
47) Purple Swamphen
48) River Tern
49) White-browed Wagtail

And also an unidentified warbler, though it gave us several opportunities see it, but hardly sat still to id it properly...

Third Sunday Trail - 16th January 2011-Haragadde Village

Hi!

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.This month's Third Sunday Trail will be on 16th January 2011.

Place :Around Haragadde Lake and Village 
Meeting Time : 6.30 AM
Meeting place : Haragadde Bus Stop (Wikimapia coordinates 12°45'50"N   77°39'14"E)


Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, a cap, water bottle,binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot)  and snacks is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around four to five hours . 

Please note that there is no bus connectivity in the morning to Haragadde.( www.tellmyroute.com) Whoever is opting to travel by bus can reach Jigani and join the others who will be coming by their own vehicle.While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach the meeting point. If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available. 

Call me at 9845383882 or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm .

Happy birding



Geetanjali

Third Sunday Trail- 19th Dec 2010

I think this is the first time I am posting about the last trail so late..... and can be easily excused as I was travelling and now back in Bangalore , catching with my pending works and of course "Face Booking".

I missed the outing terribly because Deepa,Vittal were there and of course with Subbu around, I am sure the group must have learnt so much from him.

Here are the links to the blogs and the pictures.

Deepa as usually was super fast in posting on her blog

http://deponti.livejournal.com/757265.html

Here is the one from Ramakrishna Shenoy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52168393@N02/sets/72157625630202480/

This is from Priyanka Varma

http://www.flickr.com/photos/priyankavarma/

Ramesha JS posted his photographs here

http://rameshjs.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/nature-walk-on-jigani-lake-bund_dec-iii-sunday-bird-watch/

Sushil's beautiful pictures are here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sushilkatre/sets/72157625520618571/

Vinayak Vardi has this one share

http://picasaweb.google.com/107045994115050230460/BirdingIndia#

Third Sunday Trail-19th December 2010

Hi!

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.This month's Third Sunday Trail will be on 19th December 2010.

Place : Jigani Lake
Meeting Time : 6.30 AM
Meeting place : Jigani Lake
Wikimapia Coordinates :12°47'12"N   77°38'15"E


There are many buses to Jigani Bus Stand from K.R.Market as well as Majestic. One can get down at Jigani Bus Stand, walk towards the Jigani market and you will see a Shiva Wines board on your left. Turn left there and ask for Jigani Kere. Its just few meters away from this turn.
Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, a cap, water bottle,binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot) rain wear for unexpected showers and snacks is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around four to five hours . 


Call Siubir at 9731395620  or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm .

Happy birding,

Geetanjali

Third Sunday Trail - 21st November-List

The road from Mahatlingapura to Harohalli has been a favourite one for long drives with lots of greenery with paddy fields and forest patches around it..hence, I knew it will be a good place for birding too....so instead of the earlier plan of going to Harohalli Lake, Mahesh and myself decided that we should opt for the open landscape around Urganadoddi for this month's trail...of course Mahesh missed this excellent spot of birding as he had to go for his honeymoon trip.

It was nice to see a mix of amateurs and experts in the group of around 28 of us. Vittal ,as usual has been so helpful with his knowledge and expertise specially about the spider and insect world.

Also thankful to Arun Ramu and others who could pool others in their vehicles so that all of us reached the place without much effort...and we wound up the session by having our breakfast at good old Lotus ( Sorry Vittal, you missed this ....)

Here is the list of birds :

1) Scaly-breasted Munia

2) Indian Silverbill

3) Red Avadavat ( A pair)

4) House Sparrow

5) Paddyfield Pipit

6) White Browed Wgatail

7) Purple Rumped Sunbird

8) Jungle Babbler

9) Common Tailorbird

10) Unid. warbler

11) Ashy Prinia

12) Plain Prinia

13) White Browed Bulbul

14) Red vented Bulbul

15) Red Rumped Swallow

16) Great Tit

17) Common Myna

18) Indian Robin

19) Pied Bushchat

20) Blue Rock Thrush

21) Black Drongo

22) House Crow

23) Large Billed Crow

24) Eurasian Golden Oriole

25) Oriental Honey Buzzard

26) Pallid Harrier

27) Black Shouldered Kite

27) Red-wattled Lapwing

28) Rock Pigeon

29) Laughing Dove

30) Spotted Dove

31) Rose-ringed Parakeet

32) Coucal

33) Pied Cuckoo

34) Green Bee-eater

35) White-throated Kingfisher

36) Indian Roller

Here are the pictures taken by Arun Ramu

Here is the link to photos taken by Ramakrishna

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52168393@N02/sets/

Here is the link to pics taken by Saandip

http://www.flickr.com/photos/saandipng/sets/72157625333479547/

Durairaj's link of the pictures taken during the trail

http://www.flickr.com/photos/durairaj/sets/72157625357230051/

Third Sunday Trail-21st November 2010

Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.

This month's Third Sunday Trail will be on 21st November 2010.

Place : Road connecting Urganadoddi to Harohalli ( Wikimapia Coordinates :12°44'17"N   77°36'16"E

Meeting Time : 6.30 AM

Meeting place : Bannerghatta Circle ( Nr.Police Station)

Comfortable clothing,good walking shoes, a cap, water bottle,binocular ( if you have), a camera ( if you like to shoot) rain wear for unexpected showers and snacks is what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to all ages who can walk the trail of around four to five hours . 

Please note that there is no bus connectivity in the morning to Urganadoddi. Whoever is opting to travel by bus can reach Bannerghatta Circle and join the others who will be coming by their own vehicle.While confirming participation please also indicate your contact details and the route you will be taking to reach Bannerghatta Circle. If traveling in your own car, please do indicate if any spare capacity is available. 

Call me at 9845383882 or Mahesh at 9448384472 to confirm .