Stripes of Wild India

[Kitsafari]

that was a hilarious account of your day 1 in Pench @@michael-ibk, although it was anything but!

 

so come on, let's get on with the day 2 now!

[Atravelynn]

that was a hilarious account of your day 1 in Pench @@michael-ibk, although it was anything but!

 

so come on, let's get on with the day 2 now!

That is my job. At least the morning of Day 2 is my job.

 

Pench, Drive 2, Morning

Oh what a difference a day makes—with the help of a 4-5 year old female tiger. Limping Tigress is her name, earned from a previous injury. Thankfully she no longer limps.

 

Brief sighting of Limping Tigress in Pench

 

It would also prove to be “Day of the Jackal” with sightings of 3 different pairs.

 

 

As we explored more of the 758 square km (293 sq mile) park, we also came to better understand Pench's well-deserved reputation for the beauty of its landscapes.

 

These painted storks are more of Rajan's handiwork.

We climbed up a tower for better views.

After taking in the views from atop the tower we had our breakfast up there and took some posed group shots.

Breakfast completed, it was back to "work."

 

The peahen is as elusive as the peacock is brilliant; I had not managed a photo of the female at a reasonably close distance until this one.

One member of the 3 pairs of golden jackals seen

Here's a pair

Rhesus Macaque

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon in Pench

Lesser Goldenback in Pench

Look closely for the Malabar Pied Hornbill

No need to look closely for the Green Sandpiper

Edited May 24, 2015 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

The tiger, the jackals, the stunning scenery, and even an appearance of the Plumheaded Parakeet (not photographed) made for happy campers as we headed back to the Tuli Tiger Tented Camp. When we checked in, the manager told us that Tuli Tiger Corridor tented camp was the finest tented facility in Central India. I could see why!

 

 

Just getting to the tent was an interesting experience that involved an optional golf cart ride for a distance of about 4 city blocks. Which brings me to the heat. Pench was hot. Like 100° F at midday. It was so hot that I took advantage of the golf cart ride because I did not want to risk heat stroke or dehydration.

 

I think the gentlemen would have enjoyed the opportunity to tool around in the golf cart at whatever its max speed was, for entertainment.

Hanging on for dear life

 

While golf cart racing or bumper cars was not an optional activity at Tuli Tiger, night drives were. We had heard about them from other guests who had not actually gone on the night drives because they found out about them when they were leaving. We eagerly asked about setting up one of these night drives.The manager discouraged us, stating, “You will not see any animals at all. Not even deer. It is just a social outing for the kids who like to go at night and maybe have some beers.” Good for them but no thanks for us was the consensus.

 

In contrast to the stifling heat outside--inside, the tents were whatever temperature you considered comfortable. The fan and two air conditioning units allowed for a range of pleasant temps. The luxurious big tub also was an effective cooling device, to which I can attest.

 

 

So I was sitting at the beautiful secretary desk in the luxury of my tent, writing postcards--both A/C units on and tuned in for a comfortable 28 C. (I like it warm.) I was in the middle of the postcard to my piano teacher when I heard an alarm that seemed to be coming from A/C Unit #1. I jumped up and raced to the unit, inspecting it to be sure it wasn’t on fire or anything. It seemed to be functioning fine, but just to be sure, I changed the setting to 30 C, so it would not have to work as hard.

 

I returned to my postcard duties. As I was signing off on the card to the two cats I care for, I heard the alarm again. “Oh no,” I thought to myself, “If the alarm is sounding at 30 C, there must be a problem. I better just turn this unit off so it doesn’t explode or something. And I still have A/C Unit #2.”

 

The cooling power of a single A/C unit was sufficient for me to complete the remainder of my 11 postcards, address, and stamp them. I had bought an even dozen postcards & stamps, knowing I’d have a spare. Several days earlier I had offered that spare I would not use to the gentlemen. I was just getting ready to head over to their tent with the extra postcard and stamp when the phone rang. It was Michael.

 

“May I come get that postcard you offered?”

 

“Why yes,” I replied. “And what a coincidence I was just on my way over to give it to you.”

 

“I hope I did not disturb you earlier,” Michael apologized. “I came over to your tent twice to pick up the post card. Maybe you were in the shower both times when I rang the doorbell because you did not answer.”

 

I immediately started to laugh and explained I had thought his doorbell ringing was my air conditioning alarm. I never expected the luxury of a doorbell in a tented camp!

 

I gave Michael the postcard & stamp combo, then I turned A/C Unit #1 back on, and all was well.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Atravelynn

[janzin]

Wow Pench is definitely looking better than it did on the first grumpy drive What a great tiger sighting, and all those jackals! We are also planned for Tuli Tiger Corridor, a lot more luxury than we need but it looks lovely. I have to say that having a tv and a/c on safari seems so bizarre, lol. But a/c certainly welcome if its 100 degrees! I think it should be somewhat cooler at end of February...at least I would hope so.

 

I'm getting very excited!

Edited May 24, 2015 by janzin

[Atravelynn]

Wow Pench is definitely looking better than it did on the first grumpy drive What a great tiger sighting, and all those jackals! We are also planned for Tuli Tiger Corridor, a lot more luxury than we need but it looks lovely. I have to say that having a tv and a/c on safari seems so bizarre, lol. But a/c certainly welcome if its 100 degrees! I think it should be somewhat cooler at end of February...at least I would hope so.

 

I'm getting very excited!

There are also cottages that are less fancy. I believe we got an upgrade from WWI. Tuli Tiger has a similar setup in Kanha with cottages and the more luxurious tented camps. I stayed in the cottages at Tuli Tiger in the Kisli section of Kanha on my first trip and those were very nice too. I believe A/C was available, but no need in the cooler Kanha. Right, end of Feb you won't need the golf cart, but you might just enjoy the ride.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Atravelynn

[graceland]

Well I am just screamin' at the tiger photos@ sublime

 

nice tented camp. crazy guests playing with 4 wheelrs love it.

 

hhmm,Lynne @@Atravelynn, I havent received my post card yet

 

I wasted by beautiful in room tub at Mara Plains;; hope you got a soak in.

 

This is a GREAT report - a keeper!

 

Thanks to all...

 

 

so...where do I sign up, and who is gong

[Atravelynn]

Well I am just screamin' at the tiger photos@ sublime

 

so...where do I sign up,

 

I'm sure Vikram could sign you up in a moment. Maybe we could share a scream at tiger photos some day if you promise not to steal my passport. Aren't you the G&T girl? That was my celebratory libation too. Using the various lodge's signature lime-ade was a nice variation on that classic drink.

 

hhmm,Lynne @@Atravelynn, I havent received my post card yet

 

Give it a couple of years. Postcards I sent in Sept 2010 arrived to each and every recipient in Sept 2012. Patience, patience.

[Atravelynn]

Our first morning at Pench was very rewarding. But @@michael-ibk's comment of "Pench...decided to go all out the next day and totally kick ass. It did, wait for it," inidcates there was much more to come in the afternoon, once we'd had our fun in the golf cart, our soaks in the tubs, and our writing of postcards.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Atravelynn

[Treepol]

@@Atravelynn thanks for the latest instalment. I was fascinated o see the tiger in the long grass and trees - those stripes surely are effective camouflage.

 

At last you saw a plum-headed parakeet - congrats, I'm hoping for this one as well as slaty-headed.

 

Tuli Tiger Corridor looks very comfortable, I think I wil be very happy there!

[elefromoz]

@@Atravelynn, Pench is very "open", has it been cleared, old farming land? Love the Jackals, particularly the pair running. Can't believe your tiger sightings, three passionate wildlife travellers must be bringing x3 the luck. You're making it look like there's a Tiger at every turn. Numbers are supposed to be up, you'd believe so reading this report. Lucky you.

[Big_Dog]

Excellent, and probably one of the funniest TR's on here with michael's tiger madness!
The Limpin tigress is a beauty, and I've never been one to turn down a jackal!

[TonyQ]

I am enjoying seeing Pench - glad you saw the tiger and the jackals are beautiful.

That is quite a tented camp!

[Galago]

@atravelynn Your photos are stunning! So you were in the posh bit at Tuli! We were just in the ordinary rooms - and they are really quite ordinary but, having said that, when you're up at 5am, it's not a big deal. However, the beds there were like boards and I ached all over, so was quite glad we only had two nights there. Perhaps the posh tents had better beds? Anyway, here are a couple of pics I took at Pench. I walked over to the rough ground by the bridge that leads over to the tents and it was just covered in butterflies. This is Common Crow and Plain Tiger. Both names do not fit the butterfly - go figure!

[janzin]

@@Galago really happy to hear that you had many butterflies at Pench, great photos! I specifically asked to stay at lodges with lots of grounds and opportunities for birds, butterflies, dragonflies etc. to shoot in between safari times. What month were you there?

[Atravelynn]

Beautiful butterflies @@Galago. That reminds me that Michael saw a Bird of Paradise and was trying for a photo. No photo, and I got only a glimpse. @@janzin, Galago was there when we were, maybe just before or after our stay. So that would be mid-March.

@@elefromoz, the openness I think has to do with the habitat, which is not so much Sal forest, but Teak trees.

[SafariChick]

Pench paid off nicely in the morning - beautiful tigress - glad she is no longer limping! Such lush lodging, wow - and such a funny story about the AC and the doorbell! Pench is very lovely, and in some shots it did seem to remind me of a golf course! Can't wait to hear about the afternoon!

[Galago]

@janzin I was at Tuli Tiger in Pench 29 & 30 March. The evening we arrived it had rained hard and then it rained the following morning as well. I found the butterflies at lunchtime on rough ground and there must have been some sort of minerals that they were after because there was around a hundred or so. As they were feeding it made them a bit easier to photograph. Satpura (the following 4 days) was also good for butterflies, as was Forsyth Lodge.

[michael-ibk]

@@janzin

The butterfly explosion galago was able to watch was probably a result of the rain - I don´t remember too many at Pench. Chitvan Lodge in Kanha is a good place for them, when I was there in Nov 2012 we did a walk to the river and saw dozens of different species.

@@elefromoz

Some of the clearings are floodplains, the Meghdoot dam has given rise to a large water body of 54 squkm in the park. After monsoon when the water recedes this is paradise for herbivores. Additionally, many grasslands are anthopogenic in nature, these are areas of relocated villages.

Our tiger luck this morning was really owed to Rajan. He suggested we should get up earlier and try to be the first in the lane so we drove off already at 05:15 and were the first car at the gate then. A good decision, because I think only the first three cars (including ours) got a good sighting of the Limping Tigress, she was gone very soon after the cars arrived.
(She was found very soon after park opening, just checked my photos, 06:24 to 06:26). Cars disperse quite quickly in Pench, there are only 35 in the morning and 25 in the afternoon. Drive times are 06:00 to 10:30 and 15:00 to 18:30

@@Galago

However, the beds there were like boards and I ached all over, so was quite glad we only had two nights there. Perhaps the posh tents had better beds?

They were, beds were very comfy. I confess I found Tuli Tiger a bit too much over the top, but that´s personal taste. I really don´t like having a TV on a trip like this, I avoid the news a 100 percent. But easy solution - the TV was in a cupboard, and I could just close it. Problem solved. The only lodge which does not provide bottled water for free. They told us they would supply it for the breakfast package but it was very sensible of us not to trust in that. There was one water bottle per person, but just 200 ml. An amount which vaporizes just from looking at it in the intense heat. But don´t want to give the impression that I didn´t like it - of course Tuli Tiger was a very good place to stay, ideally located.

[Kitsafari]

Tigers were just lining up for you three! That is a lovely tigress and beautiful jackals. How big were the jackals ? They look larger than the black backed jackals in africa.

 

That's so funny about the a/c and door bell. And a phone in the rooms? That's luxurious versus the African accommodation. But I have to agree Tuli tiger tented camps look ver appealing!

[michael-ibk]

@@Kitsafari

 

Yes, I thought so too, they are definitely bigger.

 

Again it was very hot in the afternoon - 40 + Celsius! We met our Kanha friends Liz, Mike and Andy again at the gate, and then entered the forest again. We were very relaxed, the morning had been very rewarding and we were fine with seeing "the usual stuff".

 

 

 

We didn´t stay too long in the forest, after less than an hour we approached a flood plains area again.

 

 

This was a fantastically beautiful place, looking a bit like a golf course - only with lots of mammals on it:

 

 

 

 

Chital and Wild Boar were everywhere.

 

 

 

 

The flame of the forest trees gave us a nice background.

 

 

Purple Heron

 

 

 

Sunder of Wild Boars in the distance.

 

 

 

Nilgai enjoying the orange blossoms.

 

 

And there´s my Plumheaded-Parakeet!

 

Just when I was trying to take pics of a Bee-Eater our park ranger told the driver to move on. When he saw my questioning look he just said "It´s Tiger time, Sir."

[michael-ibk]

And Tiger time it was. We drove to one of the waterholes we had already visited in the morning and waited there for a while, just us and one other car. And sure enough, after a short while Rajan went "TIGERTIGERTIGER!":



The Limping Tigress again! She didn´t stand there too long, after less than a minute she decided to cross the road.








Not more than 20 ms from our car! Happyhappyhappyhappy!




In classic Tiger mode she didn´t even look our way. Just fleming a bit once.




What a beauty!




But even beauties have to do very mundane things.




Then she was relaxing a bit, chewing on something we couldn´t make out, and just looking gorgeous!










"What, are you looking at me?"




Then she had enough of the heat and approached the waterhole.




Humans always go toes-first, for Tigers it´s the backside.















And then she was gone - a magical sighting! She had been almost all ours for 15 minutes. (Just shared with one other car.)

[elefromoz]

And again, are you sure you guys didn't have a huge rib-eye steak attached to your vehicle, the Tigers just love you! The fourth photo is just so beautiful, showing a huge paw, gorgeous face and autumn leaf stripes. Awesome.

[michael-ibk]

@@elefromoz

 

Don´t tell anybody about the steak-trick. We loved them, too! And thank you, that is one of my favourite pics from this trip.

 

We didn´t really care about what was happening next, we were far too busy chatting about how awesome this sighting had been and how lucky we were when ...



... THIS happened! :)



No 20 minutes had passed since Langdi, the Limping Tigress had left - and now HE made his grand entrance:



The Rajakasha Male, a dominant tiger still in his prime, a magnificent cat.



He knew what he wanted and headed straight to the waterhole and crossed the road right behind us.











Backside first of course.











What happened then was a bit weird, it seemed like we were observing the beginning of an "against all odds" lovestory.



The Tiger and the Tree.



"Darling they are all watching, should we really ... I mean...?"



"I don´t care Tree I LOVE you!"



Seriously, no idea what he was doing here. Maybe he was checking for urine markings or territorial scratches from rivals, but he was enjoying the rubbing part way too much.

Tiger time was over now. On our way back to the gate we even missed another sighting, we were minutes too late for three tiger brothers. But who cares after two joyful sightings like that.

 

And so, this evening it was:

 

"Pench ROCKS! It´s India´s best kept secret! Fantastic, and really no wonder they filmed that "Spy in the Jungle" series here, what better place to go to? Really a shame we only have two nights here, maybe we could add one? Or two? After all how could Tadoba ever hope to keep up with that?"

 

And Pench smiled.

[Kitsafari]

Oh he's a stunner. Beautiful double parallel stripes on his body, and the split in his ear.

 

How could Tadoba disappoint with triple the luck you three had conjured up?!

[SafariChick]

wow wow wow!!