Author: Ravi Kailas Borneo, the Earth’s third largest island, and home to among its great rainforests, was high on my bucket list of places to visit, for its reputed natural history splendours. Happily I managed a foray in August 2014, to a tiny corner of the island, in the Sabah province of Malaysia and wasContinue reading “Borneo, The land of dipterocarps, August 2014: A pictorial report”
Tag Archives: Birdwatching
Spiti Valley, including Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, September 2019: A trip report
Author: Ravi Kailas Breathtaking (a touch of altitude sickness induced pun intended), the apt adjective for my visit to the high altitude, the trans-Himalayan cold desert region of Spiti, in September last year. As is typical on my trips, the focus was on the region\’s wildlife and I had great hopes for plenty of HimalayanContinue reading “Spiti Valley, including Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, September 2019: A trip report”
Backyard birding in Chennai gets a fillip at this time of the year
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) A couple of days ago, looking up towards the sky, around dusk, to see (mostly) flying foxes, parakeets, egrets and pigeons, from a mid-city Chennai terrace, a falcon, an unusual sight in these parts, zipped across overhead, snatched a small bird (or bat), with its talons, (spectacularly) mid-flight, before disappearing fromContinue reading “Backyard birding in Chennai gets a fillip at this time of the year”
Himalayan Serow and Brown Wood Owl at Pangot: Report
Author: Ravi Kailas Dates: 7th to 9th June 2019 Himalayan Marten, among the highlight mammals of the trip A brief summer visit to Pangot (2000m) a tiny village surrounded by temperate broad-leaved forest in the Kumaon Himalayas, was productive for a sighting of the uncommonly seen Himalayan Serow, as well Himalayan Goral and Himalayan Marten,Continue reading “Himalayan Serow and Brown Wood Owl at Pangot: Report”
Binoculars for nature-watchers: an introductory guide
Authors: Ravi Kailas & Ganesh KR (ficustours@gmail.com) The sheer pleasure of observing nature through a pair of fine binoculars is pretty near unparalleled, a feeling akin to the extension of your own vision, only more vivid and magnified several fold, placing you in the midst of the occupants of the distant scene. Binoculars have been indispensableContinue reading “Binoculars for nature-watchers: an introductory guide”
Manas NP, Assam: A Trip Report from a visit in December 2019
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Dates: 11th to 15th December 2019 What was meant to be a very brief visit to Manas last December, turned out longer, thanks to the intricacies of India’s vibrant democracy and politics. I could have, after 2 nights here, travelled as planned though, to Kakoijana Reserve Forest, then onward to Kaziranga NPContinue reading “Manas NP, Assam: A Trip Report from a visit in December 2019”
Lesser Frigate Bird and colourful reefs, Phi Phi Islands, January 2020: Trip Summary
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Dates: 21st to 24th January 2020 One magical morning looking from Phi Phi Don, looking towards Phi Leh Report A brief holiday in the Phi Phi Islands (off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea) with some incidental birding (inevitably!) and snorkelling, has proven worthy enough for a shortContinue reading “Lesser Frigate Bird and colourful reefs, Phi Phi Islands, January 2020: Trip Summary”
Great Indian Bustard, Grey Hypocolius, Desert Cat and other wildlife of Kutch & DNP: Trip Report
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) A birdwatching oriented guided trip to the thorn forests and grasslands of Kutch, the salt pans of the Little Rann of Kutch and the sandy Thar Desert of Rajasthan produced superb birds like Great Indian & MacQueen’s Bustards, Grey Hypocolius, White-naped Tit, Marshall’s Iora, Grey-necked and Black-headed Buntings, Laggar Falcon (amongContinue reading “Great Indian Bustard, Grey Hypocolius, Desert Cat and other wildlife of Kutch & DNP: Trip Report”
Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf, Indian Fox and other wildlife of Gujarat, March 2020: Trip Report
Author & Naturalist: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) A brief, mammal watching oriented guided tour to the salt pans of the Little Rann of Kutch and the tropical grasslands of Velavadar produced carnivores galore – including Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf, both foxes and Jungle Cat, most with pups/cubs, among the easier to see ungulates. In Velavadar, itContinue reading “Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf, Indian Fox and other wildlife of Gujarat, March 2020: Trip Report”
Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher in the backyard: A Record
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Peeking out of the window this morning, on the usual reflex to check the fruiting Peepal tree in the vicinity, found this welcome addition to the mix of activity – a Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher, a winter visitor from the Himalayas/passage migrant through the Chennai area. This obliging individual (typical of itsContinue reading “Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher in the backyard: A Record”
Ficus Wildlife and Natural History Tours 