As called up and said he, and a couple of college friends were going to the K.Gudi property of Jungle Lodges and Resorts , the temptation to visit this favourite property of ours, and also spend a little time with Chirdeep and Anirudh was too much to resist...so we quickly made our bookings and executed a quick sneak very early on the morning of the 3rd, accompanied by for whom the combination of Chirdeep, Anirudh, B R Hills, and a chance to drive the CR-V was also irresistible!

I will have to do a separate post on the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple at B R Hills, and one on Ranganathittu….there was just so much to see and I captured about 1/1000th of it on camera…!

Chirdeep had indicated that it was a kind of old boys’ get-together for them, and they would prefer to be separate…but we still managed to bump into each other at Kamath Lokaruchi on the highway! We did both the safaris together, though, and since I had not been able to meet him on his last trip, and his stay in Chicago has been extended further, it was nice to say hi to him. It was also a JLRNTP meet, with Chirdeep,Nahar and myself from the March 06 batch (Vikrant from our batch was in Blr and we couldn’t meet him, alas) , and Anirudh from the March 07 batch…and an INW meet as KM, myself, Amogh,Chirdeep, and Anirudh all post there!

We passed Mysore, seeing the landmark Chamundi Hill, with the Rajendra Vilas Palace perched in silhouette atop it, on the way:

We entered the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary,sorry, Sanctury….

And had to stop as there were so many birds in the trees around! We managed to get a picture of this beautiful female SMALL MINIVET...(note how, as usual, the head alone is in the shadow, to prevent me from getting the catchlight in its eye...what is it with these birds??) And there were these three BLACK DRONGOS, looking for all the world as if they were gossiping away to glory... When we finally moved on, we screeched to a halt almost immediately, to admire this CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE that KM spotted quite close to the road.. and a closeup: At journey's end, here's the temple at K.Gudi, just before one enters the JLR property: Note the tiger chasing the deer on the wall of the temple! And here are the elephants at K.Gudi camp, Kyatha and Kavita: After lunch and a nap, we took the evening safari and one in the morning, too, AND a trip to the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple, before leaving, coming home via Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary....here are some images from the safaris: CHITAL,or SPOTTED DEER: and the beauty of the males' antlers in the sunlight, against the green: SAMBAR, another variety of deer: And the MUNTJAC or BARKING DEER .... We spotted the GREY JUNGLEFOWL pair near the road (usual bird behaviour..when they spot DM and camera, they make sure that the eye is hidden and that they are facing away!) Narayan, our guide, actually reversed into the track where this female elephant was, as he had heard reports of her aggressive behaviour. She had another elephant with her, but as I was in the front of the vehicle, I only had a view of the backs of the others in the jeep! Here are some GAUR, or INDIAN BISON: And here's one OD'ing on grass! I spotted this lovely insect far enough away that I tried using the 300mm lens as a macro! And I took this pretty, though very common, wildflower: Here are a few landscapes: At the B R Temple, we saw this BLUE ROCK THRUSH; according to my "Grimmskipp", it's the winter male... And KM spotted this delightful huddle... We saw WILD BOAR, GOLDEN ORIOLES, SUNBIRDS, and lots of other flora and fauna which I didn't, or couldn't, capture on camera!

I am closing with this photograph of the sunrise through the thick mist as we drove off from Bangalore towards BR Hills , I thought of you!)

and I hope you enjoyed the e-trip to the Kyathadevarayanagudi area of B R Hills!