Birding Diaries�Carambolim Lake, Goa

Lesser whistling ducks

It�s a very hot morning in Goa. They say spring is in the air, but I can feel the bright sun burning through the skin as early as 630 am. However, I am an early bird and that in Goa is rather unusual. As I head out, all I see in my fifteen minute journey are two pups cuddled up in the middle of the road. The vada pav stalls are not yet open and I do not see a single local tea shop on the road. Soon civilisation gives way to large tracts of fields and then the waters fill my eyes. The Mandovi gives me company as I watch a few waders on her banks while a couple of pond egrets fly rather low. Even the fishermen have given themselves a holiday and the roads are empty.
I am not headed to a beach but to a little lake lost amidst the lone tracks of a railway station in a little hamlet. Carambolim or Karamali is a pretty village tucked away in old Goa. Its claim to fame is a railway station, a 500 year old chapel and a Brahma temple located close by. But none of them lure me.
Carambolim is still snoozing when I drive past its nondescript streets. Taking in the silence and the pleasant morning breeze, we stop by for a few minutes to cross a railway track. A lone train chugs along, taking passengers to either their dream destinations or to a comfort zone called home. The train slows past me and I cross over to a single lane that takes me into a palette of colours. There are the verdant fields on one side, nodding in glee to the morning breeze and a vast man -made lake on the other bustling with active bird life.

Standing under the shade of the tree, I see the train has paused in its journey, its blue compartments reflecting in the waters of the lake. Another train seems to approach from the other end and they pause for a moment as strangers glance at each other from either train before continuing with their journeys.
A flock of lesser whistling ducks announce their presence whistling out loudly as they frolic in the waters for a while, splashing before settling down. They are huge in numbers compared to the flock of garganeys that float quietly. I look at them through the binoculars as they curl up in the waters. The purple swamp hens strike several poses as they create a stark contrast in the marshland . An open stork bill stands quietly, getting a bit of tan, while the two jacanas � the bronze winged and the pheasant tailed are rather shy, the latter especially showing off its long curved tail before disappearing into the waters. A purple heron is in flight and lands near the flock of lesser whistling ducks. Coots and grebes lose themselves in the crowd.

We head to the other bank of the lake and who should be waiting there, but a bright glossy ibis, preening itself in the sun. A darter darts past while a grey heron stands as a statue. Puddles of water stand out in the green marshland as heads of ducks pop out of them. They fly across the lake, crossing from one side to another, whistling along .
I stand there for hours, forgetting the heat and hunger, longing for more time in the company of birds. The silence stands out as the birds call out in glee. I wonder how this little idyllic world is lost on man. That�s when I realize why Goa is not just a destination � it�s a state of mind.

Shigmo Festival�Goa

Over the weekend, I saw a different Goa � Cultural, mythical and colourful.  It was the Shigmo Festival.  It was the first time I had heard of Shigmo, a festival that originated in the villages of Goa as it celebrates the arrival of spring. Dances, floats filled the air as I was told that the pageantry moved from village to village. Each village performs during the festival, based on a certain theme .Goa Tourism is working on a promoting the cultural aspects of the state taking a cue from the others such as  Karnataka Tourism .While a detailed post is coming up soon, I am leaving you with a video from the festival in Panjim. And if you are looking for booking destinations right now, visit Make My Trip India and check out the packages.

Destination Goa for 2013

Goa to me has never been just a destination  - I refer to it as a state of mind. I have visited Goa in many seasons and yet, I have never been able to head there for a new year's eve celebration.  By the time we make our plans, Goa Hotels get overbooked, the rooms are full, there are no train tickets  and the flights are  more expensive than a return trip to London.

This time however, we have been trying to make our plans well in advance . I have been toying with the idea of spending a night in the forests of Goa or head to Ponda or live it up in old Goa.  But my friends want to party and they are insisting that we join them. I would ideally prefer a lovely vacation home somewhere atop a cliff near a beach , but I would look at places that are accessible as well and I want to be close to a beach. 

Hotels in Goa get booked almost as early as end November and  it is very difficult to get a room of your choice. There are always two ways of looking at spending a new years eve destination. Either you find a good budget hotel which offers you all the comforts of a resort and you spend your entire night at a party or driving from one party to another or you check in at a comfortable spa resort and chill and party away the night there. There is of course the option of heading to Ginger Hotels, which is located conveniently at Panjim. I refer to Ginger as a do it yourself hotel , but then my friends would prefer a resort .

We have been recommended Pearls Oceanic Resort or the Golden Palms Resort and Spa. I am completely into spa destinations, so am wondering if we should head there and go to South Goa and then drive around for a few days. Given a choice, I would prefer a lovely Portuguese villa near the beach , where I can have my own private party and ring in the new year.

Its almost end of November and we are still not decided..what are your recommendations ?And while Goa is very much in our plans, this is a sponsored post for Make My Trip.

Alive is Awesome�Experiences in Goa

I have always said that Goa is not a destination , but an experience . It is a state of mind . I almost make an annual pilgrimage to Goa and I have had my share of �alive is awesome � experiences, which have been both touristy and offbeat.
1. Going bananas in Goa
Water scooter, para sailing, banana boats � Goa has been THE destination for water sports in India. It is not just the adventure activities, but there is something about the skies and the seas on this coast. I remember my first para sailing experience . I felt a strange sensation in the stomach as I was lifted above the shores and I took in the aerial view of the sea.

The ships looked dwarfed, the people seemed like Lilliputans. There was a sense of freedom as the winds would hit my face and blow me away. I held on to the ropes rather tightly and within seconds it seemed to be all over.  The water scooter has always been a perennial favourite, but trying the banana boat was rather an exhilarating experince . We would be thrown into the water several times and each time, I would come bobbing up to the shore grinning ear to ear

2. Crossing rivers and forests
They say the best views of the Dudhsagar Falls can be seen from the train which slows down as the milky white cascade deafens your ears and fills your vision . However, I believe that the journey is the destination. Driving to the falls was in itself an adventure . The jeep took us through the dense jungles of the Mollem National Park , where we crossed two full bodied rivers with no bridges or roads built on them. And while we drove on the bumpy almost non existent mud roads ,the jeep suddenly veered into a detour as we saw a board, that said � Devil�s Canyon. � We encountered a turbulent river flowing in a deep gorge with various rock faces staring right at us . The silence was eerie . There was not even a monkey around .

We continued our journey until we reached the waterfalls. And the setting looked out of the world though. A dense forest hemmed in with rocks while little streams and rivulets flowed around them . Tiny wooden bridges sprouted in the middle of nowhere . The trails led me towards one of the most spectacular water falls that I had ever seen in India. A railway line cut in the middle of the cascading waters as the roar of the falls silenced that of the moving train. This is where the Mandovi plunges to the depths , from a height of 600 metres, forming a milky cascade on the Karnataka �Goa border. The entire scene was a dramatic riot of colours. Bare bodied men and women were swimming around in a massive pool of blue green waters formed by the creamy white foam. We jumped in, letting the waters soothe us after our rather adventurous journey.

3.Birding in Zuari
There is nothing more mystical and beautiful than watching dawn break on a river bed. We drove through the dense forests at 4 am and watched the silhouettes of mountains give us company on our journey. As the winds gently caressed the waters, forming ripples, the river came alive and so did we. It was the wee hours of the morning, but I had never felt so awake before in my life. The birds perched on the nets left behind by the fishermen, as the boatman took us on a cruise on the river . The golden light of the sun stroked the river and we basked in the morning glow. As we sighted rare species of birds , I realized that you do not always have to experience high energy activities to get a sense of adventure. In that beautiful morning,watching a vibrant black capped kingfisher, showing off its shiny purple coat, I experienced one of those rare �alive is awesome� experiences

The force of the cascades - Feeling Alive is Awesome

There can be no other feeling more wonderful than dipping your feet in cold , running water and feeling the spray on your face as the cascades knock you down with force . Try bathing in a waterfall , when the rocks are slippery and the water almost lures you to a different world. There is nothing more exciting and energising in life .  You throw your hands in gay abandon and let yourself be purged by the milky white waters rushing through the cliffs in mountains and descending downwards to join a wayward river.

My earliest memory is a bath in the Courtrallam Falls, often referred to as the Spa of South India. With the Western Ghats bordering it, the mist of Agasthiyamalai in the background, the waters of Courtrallam is formed through several rivers that have their source up in the hills and they bring down with them medicinal properties. There are nine waterfalls in all here, but the three main ones are the Old Coutrallam, the Five Falls and the Main Falls. I was barely a child when I went to Courtallam as our native village is down South in Tirunelveli, barely an hour away .

During my recent visit, I drove down to another beautiful falls, called Manimuthar, an absolutely stunning scenic spot, lost to man . A few monkeys and some locals join me as I let the waters rejuvenate me .

Waterfalls either come with a fancy name or they do not have a name at all. In Kodaikanal, the tourists are familiar with Silver Cascade, but deep inside the mountains is a fall that has taken the world of advertising by storm. This waterfall was one of the earliest to be branded and we walked through rain and hail to experience the force of the cascades.

Recently I visited Goa and saw an entirely different side to the beach country. Goa is not just a destination � it is a state of mind. I travelled into the deep forests in Goa and hiked around and came upon this cascade of waters. Not all waterfalls are famous or have a name, but sometimes its the experience that you remember. We spotted snakes and birds and listened to the hooves of gaurs who thumped around the rocks as they left. In Mollem, we crossed two rivers and a wildlife sanctuary and climbed up rocks to see the milky white Dudhsagar Falls , but that will soon be another post.

One of the most gorgeous waterfalls  down South is the Athirampally Falls bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The mist, the spray, the foam, the rainforests, the mountains in the background � Athirampally is absolutely gorgeous as she takes a fall into the valley below. We hiked up and crossed the border and saw the Vazhachal Falls gently tumbling down the rocks.

And finally the Chitrakoot Waterfalls in Chhattisgarh. Now, this is an experience I can never forget. The fury of the cascading waters was echoing in our ears as we woke up to see the massive waterfalls greet us from our rooms.

We took a boat and went right below the massive waterfalls and let ourselves be completely drenched . The spray hit us, the foam blinded us and the sound was absolutely deafening, but what an experience ! Something that needs to be soaked in.

More alive is awesome experiences include Shimsha in Karnataka ( I am yet to visit Jog), the Corbett Falls up north and of course, the Hogenakkal Falls in Tamil Nadu . 

2011 Flashback - Kingfishers of Goa

 I was birding in Goa, January last year and was lucky to have spotted many varieties of the kingfisher - white breasted, the black capped , the stork billed , the not so common kingfisher and the white collared kingfisher besides other birds.

The photography credit for both these photographs goes to the husband . 

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Where would you like to be this Monday ?

Maybe on a snake trail in a forests like I did in Goa . Here is a green vine snake that I saw in the creepers . Do try spotting the snake in the last two pictures - must give it to Ramesh, our guide . 

Birding in Goa - Woolly necked stork

Spotted a pair of woolly necked storks in Goa recently when we went on the boat safari. Although I had seen them earlier in Kabini, this was the first time I was seeing them this close 

Birding in Goa - Chestnut tailed starling

We were birding in Goa, when I saw a pair of chestnut tailed starling on a tree stump. This particular bird was looking down at the other, perched on a lower stump when I took the picture..loved its expression though. 

Skywatch - Birding in Goa - Sunbirds

I parked myself in front of the powder puff plant to take photograph these elusive sunbirds. The bird however was shot in silhouette, but managed another picture which showed a bit of its brilliant colours

For brilliant skies around the world , do visit Skywatch

Birding in Goa - Pond heron basking in the sun

We were driving down a small lake when I saw this pond heron basking in the sun - just loved the background so much that i stopped and took this picture

Where would you like to be this Monday ?

We went on a three hour boat safari on the Zuari to look for some birds and found more than 30 species of birds . It is a great place to spot the five varieties of kingfishers and we were lucky to see at least three of them closely. 

Bathed in dawn - River Zuari

Goa - A morning on the Zuari river

We were waiting for some foreign tourists to join us on the boat safari on the Zuari to see some wildlife. The placid waters, the fog, a hint of dawn and the morning lethargy are what struck me about this view..If only time stood still..

For more amazing skies around the world, visit Skywatch 

Nutty about them !

These are irresistible -  my most favourite nut and I cant stop with one ! I went to a factory in Goa were these cashews were processed - will share that story soon, but until then, lust on them .

Birding in Goa - Meet the state bird of Goa

As an amateur birder, I enjoy sighting variety of birds and listening to their calls . I do learn to id them, but sometimes just watching  their behaviour is enough to make me lose sense of time . I am no bird photographer nor am I am expert, but my travels have taken me to several birding destinations like this trip to South Goa, which is where I saw this beautiful bird.

Meet the state bird of Goa - the ruby throated bulbul - just loved this bird !See it again if you like..I took this picture in Bhagavan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary

Check out the red throat here.

Ive just signed up for Project 365 and one needs to post a picture a day - however I will alternate between posts and pictures..

Where would you like to be this Monday ?

The mystery tour sponsored by Nokia has just ended and I am back home finally , but I wish i was at the Dudhsagar waterfalls, which I had visited over the weekend as part of the tour.

The lights of Goa

Recession and now terror, the lights in Goa's Palolem beach may dim, but will never fade away...Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.

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