Tunisia 2009

In Search Of A Wild Tiger; A Log of Our South India Travels

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Following are links to plates that were composed following a February - March tour in search of a wild tiger and other sights in South India. Each plate includes one or more pictures selected from among the 600 photos taken during this excursion. They have been chosen primarily for their interest rather than for their photographic elegance. Unless noted otherwise, all photos were taken by either Jacquie or Don Sorby.

Bangalore
   Outlook from hotel room in Bangalore
   Traffic along the Bangalore to Mysore highway
   Countryside from Bangalore to Mysore highway
   Fruit eating bats in a roadside ficus tree
   Interesting rock formations

Mysore
   The Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel
   South Gate to Palace of the Mysore Kings
   Golden temple just inside the South Gate
   Main entrance to Palace of Mysore Kings
   North entrance to the palace grounds
   The Palace of the Mysore Kings
   The Palace with vacationers in foreground
   Itinerant magician works his tricks at the hotel

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
   Pond beside walk into the sanctuary
   Map of the Ranganathuttu Bird Ssnctuary
   Bats hanging in a clump of bamboo
   Example of nesting site in dense vegetation
   Plover nest on a rock in the Cauvery River
   Egret chick and an adult on a nest
   Openbill storks shading nest with their wings
   Openbills in various stages of nesting
   Four species of birds show in one photo
   Two pictures show spot-billed pelicans
   Nesting cormorants and two darters
   Nesting streak-throated swallows
   Portrait of Black-crowned Night Heron
   Portrait of Eurasian Spoonbill (unusual view)
   Portrtait of a Great Thick-knee
   PortraIt of a Grey Heron
   Portrtait of an Intermediate Egret
   Portrait of a Painted Stork
   Portrait of a Purple Heron
   Portrtait of a River Tern

Nagarhole Game Reserve; Kabini River, Day 1
   Great cormorants, little egrets and others
   Herd of chital, the most common deer of India
   Sambar buck alone and a buck with three does
   Indian elephants
   Bonnet macaque monkeys
   Small herd of wild boar
   A stripe-necked mongoose prowls the shore
   Portrait of peafowl in full display
   Portrait of two groups of Indian cormorants
   Portrait of a wooly-necked stork

Nagarhole Game Reserve; Kabini River, Day 1 (continued)
   Portrait of a purple heron
   Portrait of a black-crowned night heron
   Portrait of black-headed ibis and little egret
   Portrait of a gray heron
   Portrait of a great egret wading at water's edge

Nagarhole Game Reserve; Rajiv Ghandi N.P.
   Morning game drive
   Early morning village roadside scene
   Village scene, a bit later in the day
   Rules for the Rajiv Ghandi N.P.
   Chital buck is velvel watches the safari vehicle
   Two langur monkeys sit on the ground
   A lone langur sits high in a roadside tree
   A herd of gaur wild cattle grazes near road
   A young gaur looks askance at photographer
   Lesser spotted eagle (slightly blurred)
   Mid-day bird walk
   Wild chili pepper plant
   A small wild rat peers out from its nest
   Indian cattle standing beside the Kabini River
   Afternoon game drive
   Two adult elephants with 3-4 month baby
   Injured adult member of the trio of elephants
   Elephants after a mock charge at the vehicle
   Crested Serpent Eagle in bamboo clump
   An Indian roller poses for a photograph
   Photo of sloth bear excerpted from Wikipedia®
   Bengal tiger, photo 1. Mission accomplished
   Bengal tiger, photo 2
   Bengal tiger, photo 3 and, gone!

Nagarhole Game Reserve; Kabini River, Day 2
   Fisherman using a coracle stop by for a visit
   Male elephant kicking at the ground
   The elephant demonstrates what he is doing
   A herd of chital feeds beside the Kabini River
   A grey jungle fowl rooster "struts his stuff!"
   Portrait of a red-watteld lapwing
   Portrait of an osprey and an ashy woodswallow
   Portrait of Spot-billed ducks
   Portrait of a changeable hawk eagle
   Portrait of a white-bellied sea eagle
   Several Indian cormorants occupy a snag
   Nesting cormorants, species unknown
   A great egret is reflected in the calm water
   A darter perches in a lakeside tree

Bandipur Game Reserve
   An elephant family passes close to vehicle
   Indian pond heron
   A herd of cattle lounges beside a water hole
   Indian pond heron forages outside our room
   A gaur calf peers through foliage
   A female gaur crosses close to the vehicle
   A close-up of a very large, almost black bull
   Langur monkeys climbing a dead tree
   Portrait of a grey jungle fowl rooster
   Portrait of a crested serpent eagle

Bandipur to Tranquility Resort
   "Blood sucker" lizard at Bandipur
   An elephant herd welcomes us to Kerala

Tranquility Resort to Kochi
   View of coastal plain from highlands
   Lush hotel garden
   Musicians lead small parade of the religious
   The religious leader or a holy man?
   Riders on the elephant; what's the purpose?
   The mahout leads and cares for the elephant
   View from our room of the docks in Kochi
   Old Cochin waterfront and small boat sailing by
   Typical boat sails down the harbor

Old Cochin Tour
   St. Francis Church in Old Cochin
   Very old gravestones at St. Francis Church
   A snake charmer plying his skills
   Remnants of Fort Cochin from the early 1500s
   Chinese fishing rig
   The complete Chinese fishing rig in operation
   Stones on a rope add to the counterbalance
   Fishermen lsnding area near the market
   A vendor displays a small shark that is for sale
   Other things on display in fishermen's market
   A kitty peers intently at some fish lying before it
   Colonial period buildings at Ft. Cochin

Taj Malabar Hotel, Kochi
   Two freighters off-load cargo near our hotel
   Small boats shuttle by the Taj Malabar Hotel

Kochi to Periyar
   Two roadside signs that lack credability
   Bus riders queu at a stop beside the highway
   A busy street in a large country town
   Sidewalk vendor with sandals for sale
   Three young women in colorful saris
   Nuts of an unknown kind drying in the sun

Kochi to Periyar (continued)
   Cocoa beans ready for further processing
   A checker board appearing field in a tea plantation
   Eucalyptus trees provide shade to a tea plantation
   Shielded tree starts on a tea plantation
   Representative guest units at the Spice Village
   Our cottage at Spice Village

Periyar National Park
   View of drought-depleted Lake Periyar
   A small frog that resides at Lake Periyar
   Aborigonal residents of Periyar N.P.
   Raghu explains growth of a strangler fig
   A snack bar in the park is shaped like a tortoise
   A quiz about the sex of a ficus tree
   Four elephants amble along the shoreline
   A large gathering of gaur beside the lake

Periyar N.P. to Kumarakom Resort
   Spice Lodge staff bids us goodbye
   Sample views of Periyar town
   A small shop that sells good plantaion chips
   Vehicles stopped at the state border to pay tax
   Pauline's treasure wrapped in feathers
   Pickers in a plantation of young tea bushes
   Street side markets in a busy town
   Guest cottages at the Kumarakom Resort
   The main swimming pool on the lake shore
   Swimming pool for our room at L. Kumarakom
   Our open air bathroom and toilet
   Reverse of the open air bathroom and toilet
   The Kumaracom Resort from the evening cruise
   A fisherman sets his lines for the night

Kumarakom Resort & Kettuvallum Cruise
   Ornamental displays of flowers and leaves
   Canoe loaded with bananas floating on "creek."
   A magpie robin poses for photographs
   A kettuvallam described
   Docking the kettuvallams
   Kettuvallams for hire tied up along the slough
   Crabs and tiger prawns for sale
   Temple under construction beside slough
   The hammer and sickle flag flies above a dock
   A Christian church of unknown denomination
   A small shop with "Ice Cream Corner' sign
   A deteriorated kettuvallam under renovation
   A slot cut in wall for a leaning palm tree
   A woman does her laundry in the slough
   Boys setting up a cricket match
   Example of dense vegetation along the sloughs
   Fishing nets piled on the shore awaiting owners

Continued on next page (click here)