[gd1418]

Thanks Deky

Originally Posted by deky

The three of us had a wonderfull time at Sariska. Though the weather was damp and awe full and not good at all either for photography or for wild life spotting but still we did not let it act as a dampener. We were thoroughly kept educated and entertained by GD sir's vast knowledge about the park and the wild life.

Welcome Prajesh and amazing captures.. We will and vey soon too.

Originally Posted by kpzen

Thanks GD and deky for the great day. It was a great experience, hope to catch the ST next time.

[gd1418]

20th Feb, 2011

As you all know that this visit was pre-decided & pre-planned, Prajesh (kpzen) arrived at my house at 05:45 in the morning and parked his car in my parking slot. In modern day condominiums you have allotted parking bays.

By 6 am we were rolling in my Scorpio. It had rained in Delhi/NCR the previous night and the sky was still overcast. Prajesh's doubt about the weather in Sariska was dismissed by me saying that 200 kms away it could be clear & sunny. How wrong I would be.

Well, the journey to Highway King, a motel on NH8 just about 8kms before Shahpura was covered in 3 hours. We stopped here for breakfast & tea. After this we would not get anything to eat till 6 pm.

Dhiraj (Deky) was to join us at the turning to Sariska road from Jaipur and we waited for his call. He called to say that he was stuck in a massive jam at the Shahpura toll. We had enough time on our hands. Prajesh utilised this time to get himself a cowboy hat. Finally at 9:45, he mentioned that in about 20 odd minutes he would be at the designated place. We left the motel driving slowly so that we reach the turning just in time. Within a gap of 3-4 minutes we all reached the meeting point and then proceeded towards the Tiger reserve.

While it was sunny at the motel, as we moved closer towards the forest we could see a cloud build-up in the horizon over the hills.

Reached the STR office and Harisingh was waiting for us with the entry tickets. Being a Sunday, there was a heavy influx of tourists and out of 16 jeeps, not a single gypsy was available. All had gone inside the forest. My driver Jagdish was unwell and hence wasn't available. We waited for the vehicles to come back as the first trip would end by 12. Soon enough a gypsy came and after the passengers got down, we boarded and were off to the Park.

Prajesh is ready for the 'kill' - the new cowboy hat



By this time the Sun had vanished behind the clouds and the sky was overcast, grey and dull. Went straight to the first waterhole where we had seen the crocs & storks on our last visit. Here we saw a jackal feeding on a sambhar carcass lying in the water. Harisingh informed that on Friday night ST-2 had killed this sambhar near the water and ate. After that the carcass was pulled in by the crocs and they too ate. Now the jackal was feasting on whatever was left. This animal nervously kept on eating, picked a juicy bone and ran to hide somewhere, came back and sat on the trail and then again in the water to resume feeding. Pictures would do a better justice to narration.

Himalayan Jackal














While we have read about so many things having aphrodisiacal properties, has anybody mentioned that rains too have the same properties? Well, it drizzled slightly and we heard a lot peacocks giving mating calls along with Male Sambhars & Cheetals. Moving further down this lake we saw this amorous male Blue Bull trying to frolick with this female.

Blue Bull & female Neelgai



A bit further saw this magnificient male Cheetal or the Spotted Deer ready for a rut.

Male Cheetal (Spotted Deer)



At an another waterhole saw this Red Vented Bulbul quenching her thirst.

Red Vented Bulbul



Moved further and reached the Kaalighati checkpost to rest & also to find out if any movement or sighting of the Big Cats had been reported or not. As usual saw Jungle Babbler upto its antics. In the previous post by Prajesh you shall much more better poses by the Babbler & the Treepie.

Jungle Babbler



to be continued.../-

[abheekg]

Guru Dutt sir, hats off to your amazing photography skills.

Your vast experience at Sariska is something that I would like to tap in as I plan a trip to this park sometime this summer. please pm me your number. Although I am not taking active part in the discussions due to a rather busy practice, I nevertheless read up all your postings from this park &elsewhere.

We must catch up and plan a meet (either in Sariska-your homeground or in Pench-my homeground) soon. We can also have Fazal saab join in.

AG.

[gd1418]

Thank you Abheek. A meet at either's den would be lovely and Fazalbhai's prescence would add to the spice.

We can have a mini TBHP wildlife enthusiasts' meet...

Originally Posted by abheekg

Guru Dutt sir, hats off to your amazing photography skills.

Your vast experience at Sariska is something that I would like to tap in as I plan a trip to this park sometime this summer. please pm me your number. Although I am not taking active part in the discussions due to a rather busy practice, I nevertheless read up all your postings from this park &elsewhere.

We must catch up and plan a meet (either in Sariska-your homeground or in Pench-my homeground) soon. We can also have Fazal saab join in.

AG.

[kpzen]

Sariska - The destination


Killer look.



Cuties.!


Beauty of colors

[gd1418]

KP, awesome. What an eye contact. Perfect lighting & pose. Words fail me...

Originally Posted by kpzen

Killer look.

Attachment 506206

[kpzen]

Thanks Guru ji!

Snipers @ Sariska !!

Nikon D40 with 70-300 VR Nikkor lens
Nikon D300 with 80-200 F2.8 Nikkor lens
Sony Alpha 200 with 75-300 Minolta lens (not in pic)

[deky]

Originally Posted by kpzen

Thanks Guru ji!

Snipers @ Sariska !!

Nikon D40 with 70-300 VR Nikkor lens
Nikon D300 with 80-200 F2.8 Nikkor lens
Sony Alpha 200 with 75-300 Minolta lens (not in pic)
Attachment 506307

Thank God, Our my lens would have such a big inferiority complex in front of these heavy duty ones

Excellent photo KP!!

[gd1418]

Dhiraj's camera & lens.

Sony Alpha 200 with the Minolta AF 75~300

[gd1418]

At the Kaalighati checkpost a few other gypsies too were parked and the tourists had gotten down to stretch their limbs & freshen-up. There was this gentleman with a Canon 1000D & a 18~55 kit lens taking pictures left, right & center.

Seeing Prajesh & Dhiraj get down with their cameras he came to them & started discussing about the functions of his camera. He had purchased this just before coming to Sariska. He wanted to know how to switch on the Liveview function of his camera. Prajesh escaped commenting - "this is a P&S". The fellow was crestfallen and said that it indeed was a DSLR.

In the meanwhile I got down and he came to me to ask about this function. Canon was as greek to me as it was to him. I tried fiddling with the menu and somehow managed to reach the Liveview settings that was disabled. I changed the setting to 'enable', but the Lv still won't activate. I gave up after sometime.

Now it was Dhiraj's turn. He very earnestly set upon it and after a few attempts managed to activate the Lv. These pictures shall explain.

Dhiraj (on the right & looking at me) helping out





Well, slowly the other gypsies started moving out again and we too headed to a different section in search of the Cat.



We saw this group of Sambhars & Cheetal at a salt pit licking salt.

Sambhars & Cheetals



Hmmm....salty, salty

Look at the long scar on the hind of this female sambhar. Seems it survived / escaped an attack either by a Leopard or Stripes



The chances of a sighting were getting dimmer by the hour. The sky was overcast and a drizzle had started that slowly increased in intensity. The waterproof plastic hood of the vehicle was put-on and now we had only the side-view. We saw deers, boars, peacocks & hens huddled in shade under the trees to escape from the rain.

Saw this lone forlorn wet langur

Langur



It was 5:30 pm and was getting dark & cold; time to leave. As we crossed the Kaalighati checkpost, the forest guard indicated that ST-4 has been tracked on the way to the Pandupol Temple road near Bhaironghati. Hari Singh, the guide asked about the plan of action. We asked what would happen if we come out of the forest later than the designated time. He said a fine could be levied and the minimum amount was Rs.250/-. It could go higher as well depending on the mood & whim of the ranger. The drizzle had stopped and the hood was folded.

We decided to risk it and raced towards Bhaironghati. The channel gypsy was parked there and so was the forest department's tracking vehicle. We too parked and queried. ST-4 was sitting in a depression just a few meters away and wasn't visible unless he decided to come out. We all waited for 10-15 minutes and then the channel guy & I agreed that even if he came out, the light conditions that were deteriorating by the minute wouldn't give us a good copy. We both left leaving the tracker vehicle parked there. They would wait till they had a visual as they would have to file a report and they didn't need any permission or permit stay that long.

We reached the forest gate at 6:30 pm apprehending that we would be fined and reprimanded. The ranger lifted the barrier without even glancing at us and we zoomed away to the parking.

Headed back home. The drizzle started again accompanied with lightning & thunder. As we crossed Thanagaazi and moved towards Viratnagar, the sky opened up. The rain fell in sheets. Dhiraj, who was following us in his car called to ask whether we were in Rajasthan or in some tropical place.

Till we reached the NH8 it rained, rather poured. Dhiraj turned left towards Jaipur & I to the right towards Gurgaon. Encountering intermittent drizzle, rain & traffic jam at Kotputli, stopped at the RTDC Midway at Behror to have some grub. Midway has deteriorated in quality & service. Prajesh & I both had one of their worst omellettes in life. I intend to complain to Mrs. Bina Kak, the Minister for Tourism, Rajasthan.

Encountered another huge jam near Dharuhera and reached home at 1 am. Prajesh picked his car from there & left for Faridabad. Received an SMS from him at 1:46 am that he had reached home.

Thus, this Sariska trip came to an end. My daughter's exams are from 1st March till the 11th March. As soon as it ends, I plan to go again on the 13th March, and this time with the family in tow.

I've posted pictures what I clicked. I'm sure there are many more photographs that have been taken by Prajesh & Dhiraj that they will post here in due course of time.

Thank you all for staying & enduring this travelogue..!

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Look at the long scar on the hind of this female sambhar. Seems it survived / escaped an attack either by a Leopard or Stripes

Prajesh & I both had one of their worst omelette's in life. I intend to complain to Mrs. Bina Kak, the Minister for Tourism, Rajasthan.

GD Sahab,
Interesting and detailed write ups make your thread worth revisiting.

That scar also could be the result of a horny male, who this female wasn't receptive enough to.

Bina Kak should hear about that omelette through a formal complaint.

One feels so helpless when the dusk sets in faster than the speed of light and how we desperately to go to the lowest possible settings on the camera, hoping for one last, good shot before we drive out for that day.

This Alpha 900 in scratch less condition with a 70-400 zoom was for sale by my friend. Best thing about Sony is, you don't need IS or VR lenses as the system is built in the body. Reason for sale was, he is a Nikon guy like you, handling this along with a Nikon was too confusing on jungle shoots.
Regards,

[gd1418]

Thank you Fazalbhai for your comments. It could have been a failed horny male, but somehow I feel it was caused by a claw.

Bina Kak is on FB and I intend to write to her there.

The 70~400 is a very unusual range. Like Olympus, Sony too has image stabilisation built in the camera body. This makes their lenses a bit cheap. I've been using a Nikon since '82. Any other brand of camera and I am totally at sea.

Rgds/gd1418

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

GD Sahab,
Interesting and detailed write ups make your thread worth revisiting.

That scar also could be the result of a horny male, who this female wasn't receptive enough to.

Bina Kak should hear about that omelette through a formal complaint.

One feels so helpless when the dusk sets in faster than the speed of light and how we desperately to go to the lowest possible settings on the camera, hoping for one last, good shot before we drive out for that day.

This Alpha 900 in scratch less condition with a 70-400 zoom was for sale by my friend. Best thing about Sony is, you don't need IS or VR lenses as the system is built in the body. Reason for sale was, he is a Nikon guy like you, handling this along with a Nikon was too confusing on jungle shoots.
Regards,

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Thank you Fazalbhai for your comments. It could have been a failed horny male, but somehow I feel it was caused by a claw.
Bina Kak is on FB and I intend to write to her there.
Rgds/gd1418

GD Sahab,
It could not have been a cat, because...a claw mark that deep would definitely have accompanying claws ripping the skin, in line and 2 inches apart even if not so deep there would be there.
What do you say?
Bina Kak should know about the omelette's anyhow.
Regards,

[deky]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Midway has deteriorated in quality & service. Prajesh & I both had one of their worst omellettes in life. I intend to complain to Mrs. Bina Kak, the Minister for Tourism, Rajasthan............

.........I've posted pictures what I clicked. I'm sure there are many more photographs that have been taken by Prajesh & Dhiraj that they will post here in due course of time.

Absolutely correct, not just omelettes, the food standard generally has gone down, even after revamping the place.

Coming back to Sariska, I have a feeling that this will be the Tiger reserve to visit in the coming years. The agencies are on an overdrive to protect the 4 tigers remaining in the park and have put lots of stringent measures. Moreover its pretty easily accessible from the capital and lies almost in the center of the golden triangle.

Now for some photos from my side.

[gd1418]

You have a point though. Have already posted on her FB.

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

GD Sahab,
It could not have been a cat, because...a claw mark that deep would definitely have accompanying claws ripping the skin, in line and 2 inches apart even if not so deep there would be there.
What do you say?
Bina Kak should know about the omelette's anyhow.
Regards,

Great pictures Deky. With the impending arrival of the T-7, a 5 year old male from Ranthambhore who has strayed into the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary due to a territorial skirmish, at Sariska there would be two males and the number of tigers 5. This would be interesting and Sariska is the Tiger Reserve that is going to become hot.

The prey base here is very healthy and dense as there were no predators to keep them in control. Today it is reported that Sariska has about 50-55 Leopards and 4 Tigers.

Originally Posted by deky

Absolutely correct, not just omelettes, the food standard generally has gone down, even after revamping the place.

Coming back to Sariska, I have a feeling that this will be the Tiger reserve to visit in the coming years. The agencies are on an overdrive to protect the 4 tigers remaining in the park and have put lots of stringent measures. Moreover its pretty easily accessible from the capital and lies almost in the center of the golden triangle.

Now for some photos from my side.