The escape to Mysore & BR Hills...

"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before." ~Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays

 

On one Friday evening, with nothing much to do in Bangalore; I planned an escape to Mysore and BR Hills! I left Bangalore at 8-30 pm and took off to Mysore. No hotel bookings, no firm plan, no one with me...I decided to hit the road and plan en-route. I reached Mysore at midnight, and found a place to stay, and post breakfast, headed to Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary, on the outskirts of Srirangapatna!

This was my first birding trip, so was ready to be pleasantly surprised, and I was. I decided to book a boat just for myself so I wouldn’t be bothered by anyone, and had the freedom of movement. It was a 45 min ride and was a brilliant experience. There were several species of birds like Egrets, Painted Storks, Kingfishers, several fruit Bats and many crocodiles in and around the river. I got many shots of birds in action. My best experience was to see a huge croc fly out of the water and catch a bird in mid-air. This was too fast to capture, and all I got was a few shots as the croc took the bird down into the water.

The next stop was BR hills! Pure magic is what the place was all about! The drive up the hills, the outstanding weather, the stay and food! I only stayed for one night, but it was a great experience. I visited the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple, and enjoyed the various views and sights the place offered.

My next stop was to see the Gagana Chukki & Bhara Chukki waterfalls. The poor rains in Karnataka had taken its toll on these wonderful falls. They were a shadow of their true and original self. Nevertheless the beauty of the place stood out.