Cicada Apocalypse – A Survivor’s Account
For the first time since 1803, two broods of cicadas synchronised their emergence. The next time this takes place, who knows if the human race will be around?
Tag: encounter
Pranayama with Bar-headed Geese – A Pilgrimage in Gadag
Bar-headed Geese are masters of pranayama, making use of atmospheric oxygen like few other birds can. In that sense, they are true yogis, and making a journey to see them is akin to a pilgrimage.
Romancing a Taiga Flycatcher in a tangle of pronouns
Walking by the woods on a wintry morning, I romanced a Taiga Flycatcher. We began a relationship. Two roads diverged – which would I choose?
Encounter: Northern Treeshrew in Arunachal Pradesh
Running into a Northern Treeshrew in Arunachal Pradesh can be exhilarating. This tiny mammal, resembling a pointy-nosed squirrel, is more closely related to primates.
Indian Nightjar, Sweet Child O’Mine
Nightjars own the dark. To spy one by daylight is a gift from the night. An Indian Nightjar with a baby by its side is a vision
TL;DR – White-naped Woodpecker Double Bill
Seeing one White-naped Woodpecker is exciting. Seeing a pair at work in the woodland is a bonus. And here’s a fun fact about the bird’s Latin name.
Encounter – African Coral-rag Skink
The harsh habitat of the Zanzibar coastline shelters a uniquely adapted reptile, the African Coral-rag Skink
Savannah Sprinter – A day at the office with the cheetah
You’ve seen it all before in television documentaries, but watching a cheetah stalk and hunt its prey in the epic theatre of the African savannah is a whole other trip!
In Borneo, we met the Colugo – the Flying Lemur that isn’t
Daytime wildlife spotting in the rainforest can be luckless. But then, walking the coastal trail at Bako National Park, we met the extraordinary Colugo aka the Sunda Flying Lemur
Encounter – Golden-bellied Gerygone
Mangrove forests are among the most inaccessible habitats. But it was one at Pranburi in Thailand that I met the Golden-bellied Gerygone singing its lush, soulful song
Encounter – The Hair-Crested Drongo
Glossy jet-black with iridescent highlights. And a tail so twirly it’s unmistakable. If you peer ever so closely, you can see the thin, thread-like hairs on the forehead. Meet the Hair-crested Drongo.
Encounter – Hoary-bellied Squirrel
Hailing from a family known as the ‘beautiful squirrels’, the Hoary-bellied Squirrel is handsome enough despite the plainness of its coat. To see this mammal in the wild, head for the forests of northeast India
Encounter – Anna’s Hummingbird
Meeting Anna’s Hummingbird, with its startling metallic pink head and dazzling green plumage, is nothing short of birding epiphany
In Rainbows – The Mindanao Gum Tree
Meet the only eucalyptus species native to the northern hemisphere, the Mindanao Gum Tree or Rainbow Eucalyptus, so known for the vibrant colored patterns left by its peeling bark
Encounter: God, Darwin, Ali and the Blue-capped Rock Thrush
In the foggy ruins of time, most memories can get blurred, or muddied entirely. But not a birder’s remembrance of a cherished bird. Every time I see the Blue-capped Rock Thrush, I am reminded of myself at twelve, a scruffy, itchy pilgrim gazing in rapture at a sprite, a vision, a gift of the forest. It’s a story that involves God, Darwin and Salim Ali — all playing significant bit-parts.