Gulakmale and Thotti Kallu (T K) Falls, 280517

May 29, 2017

IMG_3985

Sivakumar Mallya, Sudha Iyengar, Janhvi Vyas, Aadya Umesh, Suma Seshadri, Kavitha Umesh, Jayashree Govindarajan, Rishov Biswas, Ramaswamy G S, Padma Ramaswamy, and I, went to visit Gulakmale kere (lake) and T K Falls.

Because of the heavy rain,we started in cool, cloudy and misty weather. Here is the Champakadhama temple at Bannerghatta…an old temple that appears to be lost in the mists of time.

IMG_3990

The mist was everywhere.

IMG_4022

We first stopped at the small pond near the path to the Bhavani temple:

IMG_4011

Having spotted some Baya Weavers,

IMG_4024

We moved to Gulakmale kere,

IMG_4035

where we watched a colony of these birds on a date palm.

IMG_4073

IMG_4077

Aadya faithfully documented all that she saw, and as usual, sketched, too. Here’s her sketch of the Baya Weavers’ nest:

IMG_4083

Even as they built their dwellings, a White-rumped Munia arrived to try and occupy them.

IMG_4099

Nature, as a teacher, gave me a geometry lesson.

IMG_4046

The sky slowly cleared

IMG_4095

We then went to T K Falls, where the water had been released due to heavy rain over the Suvarnamukhi river, resulting in a beautiful cascade:

IMG_4103

I took a video of the scene a little further downstream where we crossed to the Muniswara temple area:

Wildflowers were everywhere.

Cleome monophylla, Spindle Pod

IMG_4115

Tarenna asiatica, Asiatic Tarenna:

IMG_4134

Chinese lanter tree

IMG_4041

Hibiscus lobatus (very tiny)

IMG_4062

Grewia damine

IMG_4175

Cadaba fruticosa - Indian Cadaba

IMG_4164

I found a very good website to identify wildflowers,

here

There were plenty of birds, like the

Ashy Prinia on the Marsh Glory

IMG_4028

Cinereous Tit

IMG_4101

Coppersmith Barbets

IMG_4089

Purple-rumped Sunbird

IMG_4135

Southern Coucal

IMG_4110 Many butterflies delighted us.

Crimson Tip

IMG_4156

White Orange-tip

IMG_4159

Blue Tiger

IMG_4054

Plain Tiger on Stachytarpeta

IMG_4056

Common Crow

IMG_4058

Here are three pathologists, one senior banker and one Jobless Person:

IMG_4189

On the way back this beautiful Brahma bull (even though a little emaciated) looked majestic.

IMG_4192

Here we all are, about to tuck into brefus at Udupi Banashree on Bannerghatta Road

IMG_4208

Gulakmale bird list:

here

T K Falls

here

Butterfly list

Blues, various Cerulean, Common Crimson Tip Crow, Common Cupid, Plains Emigrant, Common Emigrant, Mottled Gull, Common Jezebel, Common Leopard, Common Orange-tip, White Pansy, Lemon Rose, Common Rose, Crimson Tiger, Blue Tiger, Plain Tiger, Striped Yellow, Common Grass Yellow, Spotless Yellow, Three-Spot Grass

FB album

here