It is 5.30 in the morning. Both Firoz and Sunil with 4WD Gypsy are geared to venture along with you into the fascinating ‘Ranthambore National Park’. Once again for a fresh rendezvous with its fabled residents – the photogenic ‘Bengal Tigers’.
Zone 3
As you enter the Gate of Zone 3 of this gigantic park, an impressive water body ‘Padam Talao’ lies on your left. An ancient structure within with a huge deciduous tree near it augments the Lake’s beauty even further.
Later, weaving your way through the muddy roads and trail paths of Zone 3, you find yourself set against a real bumpy ride. Ups and down are now intrinsic to this travel.
Soon you reach – Rajbhag Lake – another water body located within this Zone. The area here seems to be home to countless Crocodiles. Some of these amphibians are seen swimming over the lake’s surface and some lying on the land around. Presumably relishing Sun-Bath.
Meanwhile, groups of Spotted Deer are busy grazing the grass around while some water birds like Painted Storks, Spoon Bills, Open Bill Stork, Grey Heron, Eurasian Grey Thickness decorate the landscape with their attractive plumage.
Spotted Deers
Then the stunningly beautiful Indian Darter/Snake-Bird catches your attention. Purple Heron, Black-headed Ibis, Egret, and Pond Heron near a tiny rivulet too vie for your eye.
Zone 2
Sensing Tiger Sighting less propitious in this Zone, Sunil advises Firoz to turn the Gypsy towards Zone 2.
Once, in Zone 2 you pass close to an old swimming pool – ‘Khemcha Kund’. Here you see hordes of Hanuman Langurs with shiny black faces resting around. Endeavoring to attract mate, is a Peacock flaunting his blue, green and turquoise color iridescent feathers. Then this solo Wild Boar strolls in leisure as you pass parallel to his path.
Later, a herd of Sambha watch as you pass by; a Monitor Lizard crawls hastily near the tree trunk; a ‘Rat Snake’ slithers warily in the Meadows and surprisingly, its nemesis, a Black-Tailed Mongoose is not too far away from here. Without waiting to watch a possible Mongoose-Snake contest, you move ahead.
Sambha Deers
Monitor Lizard
Rat Snake
Rat Snake
Black-tailed Mongoose
Black-tailed Mongoose
Tigress Noori
The decision to come into Zone 2 proves sagacious. Moments later, at ‘Phootha Bhanda’, you spot Tigress Noori (T-105) resting under the shade of a huge tree.
Interestingly, Kumbha and Noor who were spotted a day earlier (as mentioned in Blog Day 1) happen to be her parents. So with alacrity you pull out your camera and begin clicking her pictures.
So Noori becomes the third Big Cat to be sighted in two days. Soon she gets up and walks slowly behind a trunk of another tree to get beyond your sight.
Tigress Jr. Indu
Just then a gypsy comes rushing towards you and informs of another Tigress sitting in a stream close by. So Firoz turns and instantly speeds towards the advised direction.
Here, ‘Junior Indu’ (T60) (daughter of Indu) is seen nicely cooling herself in the shallow water of this pond. With over half of her body soaked, Jr. Indu shakes and shifts in water intermittently. Then after taking a wide yawn she serendipitously gets out of the water and walk towards the woods.
Unsurprisingly, by now over half a dozen of gypsies have gathered to view this amazing spectacle. Thereafter, jostling for a place for a better view for their guests, they begin to shift incessantly. Interestingly however, care is taken to ensure that neither of the gypsies gets too close so as to scare her in any way.
Luckily she permits you her company for over a kilometer. In-between she walks in and out of the trail without inhibition. She then marks her territory by spraying scented urine over a few trees while on some she leaves her scratch marks. Job done! she then swiftly disappears into the forest.
As you return from the same route, you once again see Noorie. This time though she has moved a little ahead to make half of her profile visible. A few more clicks and you leave her to her solitude.
Lunch Break
It is past afternoon. A nice shaded spot near a pond seems to be an ideal location for lunch. Even while grabbing morsels you keep eye on avians around. No sooner you get to see one, you don’t miss grabbing their pictures.
So there is Paradise flycatcher (male and female), Blabbers (also called seven sisters), Golden Oriole, Little Green Bee Eater, Brahminy Starling (Mayna), and a Black Crowned Night Heron that add to your picture repertoire.
Sunil and Firoz now decide to try their luck in Zone 4. So while on the way to Zone 4 you come across Neelgai also called Blue Bull, followed by Grey Frankulins, a Treepie, and then Grey Patrees.
Tiger No.5 in Zone 4
At ‘Malik Talao’ in Zone 4 you get lucky once again. A Male Tiger is cooling himself submerged in the water albeit at a distance. Sadly there is no way to get close to him. So the only option is to use the power of the 200-500mm camera lens. So you zoom completely and capture his shots.
Krishna’s Cubs
Atop hillock at “Lambhi ka Nala”, a couple of Gypsies are seen stationed. Their occupants are busy looking down the cliff. A clear indication of something interesting occurring there.
As you join them, you are excited to see another Stripped Cat in the vast pastureland below. This one seems to be trying to relax over the dry grass. He is a male tiger, as per Sunil, and is one of the three grown-up cubs of Tigress Krishna (T 57).
Amidst taking his pictures you see his female sibling too come out and join him. Delightfully, the third one is also not far behind. Soon the three of them, (numbered T11, T12, T13) are seen in the same meadow.
Of these three, the camaraderie between the two is unmistakable. These two play between themselves for a while before settling down close to one another.
Since your perpetual quest for more stripped cats isn’t yet satiated. ‘Ye Dil Mange More’ continues to reverberate in your mind. Despite having already seen six today, you now turn to a different spot to test your unfailing luck.
Voila!! Lucky yet again!! There’s is one more for you here ….. the seventh on a platter in a single day!!
Tiger No. 9 and 7th of the day
A sight to behold as you observe this beautiful Male Tiger on the rocks at a place called “RD Daggar”. This one makes the 7th sighting of the day.
This one seems to be happy with your presence. He allows you to take his pictures from close quarter and even at eye level. Shots that arguably are any wild life photographer’s delight.
It turned out to be some extremely exciting moments as you took his pictures at leisure. (Regretfully the tiger’s identity could not be confirmed either by Firoz nor by Sunil.)
Finally, as you plan to leave the forest for the day, a mid-sized smart-looking Bear crosses your path. And before you move out of the gate, the sight of a rare ‘Sand Grouse’ adds to your luck. Signing ‘Sayonara’ on seeing you move out? Maybe ……
Just like the day before, you are dropped back at your resort with a promise to meet the next day, same time, same place and to venture into the same forest with same mission – ‘Spot A Tiger’.
Anonymous
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Anonymous
All pictures buatiful sir
Anonymous
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JAGGI GUPTA
Good Job..patience building up.Desire to keep shooting frequently is the feel of photographer .Good luck.
Anonymous
Good photographic
Arun Kataria
It’s Deja Vu- Arun Kataria
Sushma lehri
Anonymous on July 7, 2019 at 2:00 am
Very beautiful pictures of tigress Noori , Jr. Indu and Krishna Cubs and other tigers.
In addition to it it is bonus to capture so many varieties of beautiful birds. These birds you can see only in rich forest.
Excellent job !
Anonymous
Very beautiful pictures of tigress Noori , Jr. Indu and Krishna Cubs and other tigers.
In addition to it it is bonus to capture so many varieties of beautiful birds. These birds you can see only in rich forest.
Excellent job !
Anonymous
Superb
I also visited Ranthambhore but your visit is unique & so much impressive.
Anonymous
Nice pics, well narrated – Murty Joka
Anonymous
Captured nature at its best! So lucky to witness these so closely!! Great!!!