Watching BBC Earth -David Attenborough documentaries expands one’s bucket list for travel making it a rather large bucket.   One of these involved stories of  Salmon Runs, Grizzly Bears, Orcas, Whales painted a vivid picture in my head and also planted an “ah, how wonderful it would be to experience this one day !”  idea into… Continue reading Fiords and Temperate Rain Forests of South East Alaska on a Boat.

“How does one conduct one’s life in the open when every move of yours becomes the subject matter of a reality show where there are dozens of prying paparazzi whose only mission is to see you and photograph you? “ This must be the question on every Tiger’s mind when they have to emerge out… Continue reading Unwavering Focus

“Sir, Keep your Chota lens ready, she is likely to come out any minute !” he said to us and sure enough within a few minutes Sharmili , the venerable grand old lady of Bijrani zone in Corbett, appeared through the forest woods, walking at a languid pace and after grooming her claws on a… Continue reading The Tiger Trackers !

He emerged like a ghost out of the darkness of the night –  a beacon of hope when all everything seemed lost . I had been desperately bailing out water from beneath the boards of the Boat, handing out containers filled with water to my fellow birders who were hauling it out of the boat! … Continue reading The Pelagic Adventure

  South Georgia Voyage Notes 8; The Oakum Boys Party. Imagine a birthday party with thousands of kids blowing their party whistles simultaneously, or the noise from Chepauk cricket stadium on the morning of the first day of an India /Australia cricket Test match, where almost everyone is blowing and a party whistle. That’s what… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes – The Oakum Boys !!

South Georgia Voyage Notes – 7:  I was attacked by a Sheathbill! On every single landing, there was one species that was largely ignored by all of us photographers and that was this  snow white, often scruffy sometimes even mangy looking bird with a pale pink bill and was marking its pesky presence at every… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes – Sheathbill Attack!

  South Georgia Voyage Notes -6 – Wildlife Focus A significant occupant of the landscape as seen in any beach landing were the massive, uncouth Elephant Seals. The guttural noises emanating from them filled every beach just like their massive frames filled the beach front. For these occupants, the mating season had just started and… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes- The Seal Factory on the Beach

South Georgia Voyage Notes – 5 Apart from looking out for Seabirds in flight, the on board watch was always on for Whales, Dolphins and Icebergs. Though I imagine the number of bergs and their size would not be comparable to the ones closer to the Antarctic Peninsula, still we saw a few cool ones… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes- Bergs and Fins

South Georgia Voyage Notes – 4: In the whole voyage, there were just three days when we had perfectly sunny weather during the golden hour. While the overcast skies and snow had its own charm from a photography perspective, a clear morning sky with a great sunrise were rare, and one had to use these… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes- Sunny weather at a Premium

SG Voyage Notes – 3. Wildlife Species Focus – The Gentoo Penguin. If at all waddling can be made to look elegant, it is the Gentoo who can pull it off. One of the four varieties of Penguins found on the Island, they are the surest, busiest and probably the most curious towards presence of… Continue reading My Polar Voyage Notes- The Gentoos