I had taken a couple of days leave, so was able to spend 3 days in the midst of nature.
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I reached Masinagudi (Bokapuram) around 7.30 pm after a 4.45 min drive from home. As the manager was handing over the keys at the main resort, he warned me that there were 5 elephants hanging around the machaan where I was going to stay. I switched on all the car lights and proceeded towards the machaan that is a couple of hundred metres away – totally secluded. As I was getting down I saw this big tusker standing closeby - its tusks were dazzling in the high beam. Anyway, Elephants usually don't approach when the engine is running and lights are on, so I unloaded all my stuff while keeping a wary eye on the creature.
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Went for a drive to Wild Haven (needed to hand over something to the owner) and came back after enjoying the campfire. Parked the vehicle near the main resort (I can’t relax during the night when my vehicle is parked below and there are elephants moving around – I have had some close shaves) and took a ride in the resort jeep to the machaan. Before going to sleep, I sat for a while enjoying the jungle sounds. Woke up a few times during the night since a couple of elephants decided to hag around below my machaan for a few hours, continuously making snorting and squealing noises, with occasional trumpets. One time I think they were about 20 feet away. I was glad that my vehicle was not parked below. Wasn't really worried about safety - figured that if they have left the structure alone for so many years, they will do so that night. Was also too tired to get up and peer through the window. Incidentally, an elephant tried to bash up my SX4 - that was parked below - a few years back at the same place. I was forced to clap and shout (which I wanted to avoid because I didn't want it to start tearing the machaan down) when it was just 1 feet away from my vehicle (swaying its trunk, about to push the vehicle).
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Next day, I drove 9 km to Wild Haven and spent the day there. Was able to stalk and get some close-ups of babblers and a chameleon. The babblers allowed me to get close after they got used to me, and the chameleon initially froze and hoped that I wouldn't be able to see it. When it saw that I was not moving off, it gave me a disgusted stare and scampered off.
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A few langoors came inside the resort. Usually they are found a few hundred metres away in the thick bamboo forest, and avoid the dogs in the resort. Maybe they are becoming bolder.
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Went for a short evening drive through a local village. Peacocks were roaming in the fields unconcerned. Deers were crossing the road. People were winding up work and preparing for the evening (not too many folks move around outside after dark due to the elephant threat). Was a peaceful experience.
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The last day, I drove to Kabini. Went till Gundlepet and then after a few kms took a left towards Handpost Circle. The road passes close to Nugu Sanctuary. In spite of my vehicle, I was forced to slow down in the last stretch before Hand Post Circle. The last 10 kms before Kabini Jungle Lodges was bad as well.
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When I had called JLR, I had been told that the boat safari was still on. But after reaching I got to know that there is no safari, but a boat ride to a temple. I had no interest in that. so decided to take my vehicle and do a self-drive safari on the Manthanwady Road that passes through the jungle.
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It started pouring as I left with a guide who sat on the passenger seat. I was disappointed since I knew that animal movement would drastically reduce due to the rain. To reach the jungle checkpost, one needs to go through a road that can be called an offroad trail. Though it is supposed to be a highway. I seldom slow down on bad roads, but this time I was crawling in 1st and 2nd gear.
Driving through the rain, we saw some elephants, sambhars and Serpent Eagles. Quite a few Serpent Eagles in this forest (this part of Nagarhole). I was telling the guide how disappointed I was with the safari ban, and that I wanted to see a leoppard badly, when he asked me to stop the vehicle. What sharp eyes!
Can you see anything?
So there was this female leopard, sitting about 100+ metres away on a branch. It was raining, so I couldn't stick my lens out. Light was also bad, so had to increase ISO to get some shots. THe shots were taken with great difficulty - full zoom, body twisted, trying to ensure that no water went inside the lens (the window was down, and rain was wetting my seat as well as the window controls). Did the best I could.
We then drove till an elephant camp and turned back. The leopard was till sitting there. Once a few more vehicles stopped, it jumped up and went inside foliage.
Went back and drank some strong coffee. It had become pretty cold - a strong breeze was blowing across the water.
The evening wildlife film was good - about wild dogs of Bandipur. Really liked the ambience of the Viceroy Lodge.
Next day. I again drove on the same jungle road with some folks who wanted to accompany me. Once, we stopped for a few minutes because the monkeys were giving alarm calls. But no cat emerged.
Drove back to Bangalore after breakfast. Took a roundabout route after Mysore through Bannur to hit Malavalli (NH 209) even though Mysore Road would have been the shorter route.