Western Ghats. December Brecht Verhelst* & Jessika Soors

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1 Western Ghats December Brecht Verhelst* & Jessika Soors OVERVIEW With two weeks available to take a short holiday in December 2017, we opted for South West India: nice weather, great food, affordable travel, a manageable list of targets and a chance to see a tiger or leopard. All of this came true! What makes SW India interesting is an ancient mountain chain extending from the southern tip of the subcontinent north to Mumbai, called the Western Ghats. These are home to a good number of endemic species, mainly found on the humid west slopes and on the high plateaus. An interruption in the mountain chain, the Palghat Gap, creates interesting differences between the N and S ranges. A few species are shared between the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, where similar climatic conditions prevail. In addition, this region hosts a number of localized wintering birds from the Himalayans and North India. December is a good month to go, because the dry season has started, wintering birds have arrived and the landscape is still nice and green. We did a lot of birding, but also included some more relaxed holiday activities, such as a boating trip on the Kerala backwaters, and spent some time looking for mammals in Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves. We managed to see all Western Ghats endemics except for the Nilgiri Pipit, which we dipped, and the recently split Travancore and Banasura Laughingthrushes, which we did not include in the itinerary. We also got most Western Ghats- Sri Lanka targets, including the difficult Sri Lanka Bay Owl, and saw all localized winterers except Kashmir Flycatcher and Wood Snipe. Mammal sightings were excellent, including a tigress with three cubs showing well, and a leopard on the same morning at Bandipur. *brechtverhelst@gmail.com

2 THANKS TO... Lieven de Temmerman for general tips and tricks and Hans Matheve for compiling bird sounds. The Indian birders for the vast amount of information they make available through ebird. PROGRAM 9/12: Departure from Brussels, arrival Mumbai 10/12: Flight Mumbai-Kochi, transfer Kochi-Alappuzha, house boat on Kerala Backwaters 11/12: House boat on Kerala Backwaters 12/12: Transfer Alappuzha-Thattekad, Thattekad birding 13/12: Morning Urulanthanny, afternoon rain 14/12: Morning Urulanthanny, transfer Thattekad-Munnar, birding Pallivasal cardamom plantation 15/12: Erivakulam NP, transfer to Green Spaces B&B, walk in forest nearby 16/12: Morning around Pothamedu, transfer Munnar-Chinnar, guided walk through Chinnar 17/12: Search for Spot-bellied Eagle-owl, transfer Chinnar-Coonoor, train Coonoor-Ooty 18/12: Dodabetta peak, botanical garden, Cairn Hill 19/12: Botanical garden, transfer Ooty-Mudumalai, night drive Mudumalai 20/12: Morning birding Mudumalai, night drive 21/12: Morning walk Mudumalai, transfer to Bandipur, afternoon safari 22/12: Morning safari, transfer to Kakkayam reservoir, Kakkayam birding, transfer to Kozhikode 23/12: Flight Kozhikode-Mumbai, sightseeing and flight to Brussels

3 PRACTICALITIES Cost: Total trip cost was around 1500 EUR per person, including international flights and visa. Malaria: According to all websites we consulted this is not an issue in Western Ghats, so we did not take any precautions. Money: We withdrew from ATMs, 1 EUR = 76 INR. Once we changed cash at an exchange office, but these do not seem widespread. Phone/Internet: We bought a local SIM-card at Kochi airport. This was very useful since Wifi was not widely available at the places where we stayed. In India, SIM cards work in one state only, but data roaming in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was free (provider was Idea) but clearly less reliable than local SIM-cards. Power: All sockets worked with both European and UK plugs. Visa: We obtained an Indian visa at the embassy in Brussels for 136 EUR. Water: We drank tap water in most hotels and never had any problems. Weather: December is the start of the dry season. We had only one heavy shower, in Thattekad.

4 ACCOMMODATION Kerala Backwaters: We arranged a house boat on the spot at Alappuzha jetty for two nights, with Cathey Pacific Cruise (info@alleppeyhouseboatstrip.com, ), for 8000 INR per night, including meals. This was a private boat, with us as the only passengers, plus a captain and a cook. They took us along the network of canals, stopping here and there to allow us to go for a walk. We were very satisfied with the attitude of the staff, the route they took, the mooring spots for the night, and the amazing food. Comfort was OK but everything a bit old. Very important is to take a boat with an upper deck, so you have a good view and some private space to hang out. One morning we did an additional canoe trip through a village, which took two hours, and was good fun. This costed an additional 1000 INR. Thattekad: We spent two nights at Jungle Bird Homestay, run by Gireesh Chandran and his family (junglebirdhomestay@yahoo.com, , also whatsapp). Cost was 2800 INR per night, including meals. The guesthouse is very well situated right inside the sanctuary, and offers great birding within walking distance. The family is very warm and welcoming, and took good care of me when I got a nasty insect bite that inflated my entire arm. Gireesh family is particularly motivated to host keen birders (the homestay also features in Lonely Planet but they are less happy about the crowd that attracts). Comfort was good - we had a clean room with a nice balcony. Food was mostly very good. Gireesh and his mother offer guiding services see next section. Munnar Kaivalyam: We stayed one night at this small hotel 7km outside Munnar, for 4900 INR per night, excluding meals. The room was very nice, and the rate includes some activities like a yoga class which Jessika took. Food was not so great, and the manager a bit weird (he offered to drive me up in the morning and arrange a rickshaw but then forgot all about it and staff had to wake him up). The place is situated off the main road, down a very steep track, but they drive you up and down whenever you ask. About 2km down the main road, above Chithapuram junction, are some excellent tracts of forest and grasslands above, which we explored on our first evening (Pallivasal cardamom plantation, N, E). Munnar Green Spaces B&B: This place is about 10km from Munnar along a small forest road, set among some other resorts, in very quiet surroundings. We paid 3600 INR per night, excluding meals. Our room was extremely cosy, with a great terrace where they brought us dinner and breakfast. One disadvantage is that the walls are not very soundproof, but our neighbours were not too noisy. The staff was really friendly and spared no efforts to make us

5 feel comfortable. Food was perfect. We made a long walk through the forest and cardamom plantations nearby, and saw quite a few of our targets. The Pothamedu lookout lies along the road from Munnar to the Green Spaces hotel, and proved a very fruitful birding location.

6 Chinnar: One of the strangest experiences ever! After we saw online that Chinnar has accommodation facilities right inside the park, we went to the Wildlife Warden s Office in Munnar to inquire about a booking. A grumpy woman quickly declared that we were too late to get to Chinnar in time (you need to arrive before 15:00), but after some convincing she agreed to book us a spot. There are cabins and a tree house on offer of course we went for the tree house! Cost was 4600 INR, which includes room, meals, entry to the park and two guided walks. Our arrival to Chinnar was not greeted with much enthusiasm and information about our destiny for that night seemed hard to come by. In the end we understood that we would walk 2km through the forest with all our stuff to the famous tree house, have dinner there, and come back the next morning. So we followed the guards into the woods, and soon spotted our tree nest. After a rather acrobatic climb, I got into some small cabin that looked more like a children s tree hut. On the floor were some sheets and smelly sleeping bags. No light or candles, but fortunately we had our torches. The guards left and soon came back with dinner. It got really funny when the guards announced that they would be staying there with us for the night, and that under no condition should we go down the tree. They also warned that mice would come up and cause big trouble. Well, what a night it was! The mice (we never knew what they really were. They sounded pretty big) did come, and they did make a lot of havoc! The guards did their best to limit the trouble, but made the noise even worse. And, needless to say, the strict ban on descending the tree created some sanitary complications Ooty - Colonel s Inn: We arrived a day early and found this very nice guesthouse within walking distance from the Botanical garden and town center. Very friendly owner, comfortable and clean room. Well-priced at 2500 INR per night, excluding meals. Ooty - King s Cliff: Nice colonial style hotel in the hills, 2750 INR per night, excluding meals. Quite far from the center, so not very conveniently located. First they gave us a pretty rundown room next to the ventilation system looking out on a mossy wall, but when Jessika complained they switched us to a great room with a view on the garden. After the difficulties they encountered serving us a few drinks we decided not to have dinner there, but walk towards a restaurant a few hundred meters down the road, where we had a nice meal. Breakfast was very good though. Mudumalai - Jungle Hut: A fantastic lodge, 9000 INR per night, including meals. Very friendly and professional staff, excellent room, beautiful setting, great and varied food. Maybe the best lodge I ever stayed at. Excellent birding on the grounds, especially in the large bamboo patch. They arranged two night and one morning excursion with Siddan, see below.

7 Bandipur Safari Lodge: Government-run lodge. At INR for a package including meals and two jeep safaris, this is one of the cheaper options to do the tiger reserve. Comfort and food are fine, but nothing special. The grounds are quite small, not a lot of birding to be done. Staff is friendly. Safaris were well organized and left on time. Residency Park near Kozhikode Airport: 2800 INR, excluding meals. Adequate for a late night arrival and some rest before heading to the airport. Staff was rather inefficient and they overcharged us for the taxi to the airport. GUIDES Thattekad Gireesh Chandran and his mother: Both are great guides, but Gireesh is more experienced than her. She usually does the areas closer to home and knows those well, while he took us to Urulanthanny, one hour away by rickshaw. Gireesh really enjoys the birding, and his enthusiasm creates a great atmosphere. He has another well-paying job and money does not seem to be his primary motivation. It felt like birding with a friend. Gireesh spends quite some time exploring new locations and looking out for day-roosts, and guides in Thattekad form a network that will inform each other when something good has been found. They don t like photographers who disturb birds. The guiding costs just 500 INR per person for a morning or afternoon, plus the cost of the rickshaw for going to Urulanthanny. Gireesh can be contacted on junglebirdhomestay@yahoo.com, (also whatsapp). Absolutely recommended!

8 Chinnar - rangers: No enthusiasm or knowledge of birds whatsoever, they are just there to make sure you don t get lost or trampled by an elephant. Two of them put in a good effort to search for roosting Spot-bellied Eagle Owl though. Mudumalai Siddan: Took us around in his car on two night drives and one morning. We successfully located all targets, although he did not seem to have very good spots for some secondary ones. He and his students appear to spend quite some time searching for birds, resulting in e.g. the difficult Nilgiri thrush. According to him, January-February is a better time for roosting owls (Spot-bellied Eagle Owl and Brown Wood Owl), because they stay close to the nest. Siddan was always in time and knows the species well, including most mammals (although he was unable to identify a Common Palm Civet). A shortcoming was that he did not have a binocular (he said school children broke his) or a proper playback device. He was friendly but quite commanding, something not all birders may like. His charge was 3000 INR for a 6-hr morning trip and 2500 INR for a 3-hr night drive. Siddan can be contacted through the Jungle Hut reception or on TRANSPORTATION We arrived to Mumbai on a direct flight from Brussels, and took domestic flights with Air India to Kochi (4200 INR/person) and back from Kozhikode/Calicut (4200 INR/person). We covered all transfers by taxi, which was always easy to arrange through the hotel or by just asking on the street. This was a fast and flexible way to travel, and none of the drivers

9 objected to occasional stops on the road. The rate was quite constant, around 25 INR/km. In total, we spent around INR on taxis. Locally, we took rickshaws to the birding spots. These cost around 15 INR/km. We also did a short stretch of the Nilgiri Railroad, declared world heritage, between Coonoor and Ooty. This took 1.5 hours and costs 20 INR. Tickets are limited, so you need to arrive in time to get them. The train took us through some pretty villages in joyful colours, but for the dramatic scenery you better book the Mettupalayam Coonoor stretch. DAY-BY-DAY REPORT December 10 th : We arrived to Mumbai in the middle of the night, and quickly found a restaurant just outside the airport. They served us a tasty meal, and by 5am it was time to board our flight to Kochi. From there, a taxi took us to the docks of Alappuzha where we wanted to rent a houseboat for a two day trip over the Kerala backwaters. This is a network of canals through rice paddies and small villages. After some asking around, we found someone who offered a boat at a reasonable price, checked it out and decided to go ahead. At 11am we left Alappuzha and installed ourselves on the upper deck, from where we had a great view on the activity on the water and canal banks. Numerous Brahminy Kites soared overhead, and we soon saw the first Indian Darters, Little and Indian Cormorants. Indian Pond Herons were everywhere, and White-breasted and Stork-billed Kingfishers could be seen perching on dead branches. The area seems important for wintering Barn Swallows, Whiskered Terns and Bluetailed Bee-eaters, which we would see in big numbers during the coming days. Stops for lunch and dinner allowed us to do some birding on the shore, where we would see mostly common birds, but a Brown Shrike and a Humes Whitethroat were nice. In the evening we moored the boat in the middle of a large expanse of rice fields full of Asian Openbills. Before sunset, a few flocks of Lesser Whistling Duck, Black-headed and Glossy Ibis flew over. December 11 th : An early morning walk produced some Grey-breasted Prinias, a female Watercock and a small flock of Baya Weavers. We continued our trip through the backwaters, and our captain took a really nice route, taking us through a diversity of landscapes. We made a trip by a canoe over some small canals through a village, which was quite interesting. Birdwise not at lot of new stuff today, but a River Tern was a nice treat. At the mooring spot for the night we had a Little Crake, a Lesser Flameback and a pair of Purple-rumped Sunbirds. December 12 th : The morning walk produced a large roost of Black-breasted Weavers. We soon got back to Alappuzha and left for Thattekad, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon we made a short walk up the hill behind the guesthouse, where we saw our first Flame-

10 throated Bulbuls and Malabar Grey Hornbills. Soon it was time to leave with Gireesh mother who took us to a shallow lake nearby. Here we had a Green Bee-eater, and a bit further on a Jungle Owlet perched in a dead tree. We entered the part of the Sanctuary located across the road, and Gireesh mother helped us to find some target birds. White-bellied Treepie was common there. We also saw many Golden-fronted Leafbirds, Indian and Black-hooded Orioles, a Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Dollarbirds, Indian Blackbird, Emerald Dove and a couple of Vernal Hanging Parrots. Afterwards she took us to the bridge over the Periyar river, where Ashy Woodswallows perched on the wires and flocks of Little Swifts hunted high up in the sky. On the way back to the guesthouse we waited for the Large-eared Nightjar that regularly passes there, heard it calling and had brief flight views. December 13 th : Today we would head for Urulanthanny, a small village about an hour away, deeper into the hills. The forest here is quite different from the riverside part of Thattekad: much more humid and lush. Initially the birding was a bit difficult due to the dense fog, and it took some time until we found our first good species: the diminutive Dark-fronted Babbler. We looked out along the stream for Blue-Eared and Oriental Dwarf-kingfisher, but these did not show. Gireesh then took us to a granite rock, and this turned out to be a really excellent spot. All we had to do was stand on top and watch birds move up through the surrounding trees. In just one hour we saw Malabar Woodshrike, White-cheeked Barbet, Crimsonbacked, Purple and Loten s Sunbird, Ashy and Bronzed Drongo, Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, Malabar Parakeet, Green and Nilgiri Imperial Pigeon, Orange and Little Minivet, Indian Swiftlet, Heart-spotted and Brown-capped Woodpecker, Malabar Grey Hornbill and more vernal Hanging Parrots and Dollarbirds. Malabar Barbet was calling but did not show. On the way down we spotted a nice perched Crested Goshawk, and had a female White-bellied Blue Flycatcher and our first Malabar Trogon. Gireesh took us to a known day roost of Sri Lanka Frogmouth, and after a little searching he relocated the pair. A fantastic morning, but more was to come! Gireesh had promised us to try the rare Sri Lanka Bay Owl that evening, and would show us its habitat on the way back. After we arrived in the area, he pointed out the type of trees where it could sometimes be found roosting. After

11 showing a couple of such trees, he moved on, but I saw something suspicious in one of them. I lifted my binoculars, and there it was: a Sri Lanka Bay Owl! Gireesh quickly came back and saw the bird, going all ecstatic, hugging me and being so happy. What a find! Some more birders would come to see it that day, even from quite far away. We got back to the guesthouse all happy and smiles, and set out for a brief walk until lunch would be ready. We took the road behind the guesthouse into the Sanctuary, and had some Black-naped Orioles, Southern Hill Mynas, Grey Junglefowl, a nice male Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher and fleeing views of a Black Baza flying off. Back at the guesthouse news came in that one of the guides had found a Brown-wood Owl, which we would try later that day. That left time for another short walk, and I headed back along the same track by myself. This time I saw a male White-bellied, a female Blue-throated and a pair of Tickell s Blue Flycatcher. Nice were also pair of Blue-faced Malkoha, two Orange-headed Thrushes, another Malabar Trogon and more White-bellied Treepies. We then left for the Brown Wood-owl, but a sudden heavy shower delayed our owl twitch. When it finally got a bit better we headed out into the forest but the owl had gone, probably to a drier place. Something in that forest bit me on the hand, and on the way back my whole arm started swelling very fast. It did not hurt so much but looked pretty scary. Gireesh then was so kind to take me to the hospital, where they gave me some injections and said that I would be fine. December 14 th : Since Urulanthanny had been so good, we decided to go here again. This time, only a few targets were left: Malabar Barbet and Grey-headed Bulbul. But first, we would check out a spot for Indian Pitta near Gireesh house. When we arrived, it was calling and it came in quickly upon playing the tape, perching high up in a tree. Once in Urulanthanny we headed over to the rock, with a nice mixed flock on the way including a male Blue-bellied Flycatcher, another Malabar Trogon and some Brown-cheeked Fulvettas. Activity was good again, with similar species as yesterday. A pair of Velvet-fronted Nuthatches put up a great show. Malabar Barbets were calling from 3 directions, but could not be seen. All of a sudden, a pair of Grey-headed Bulbuls flew right into the lonely tree on top of the rock. A species that can be difficult to connect with we were glad to have it in the bag. We now had only the barbet left, which would be more difficult but not impossible during the next days of our trip. As it was getting warmer, they went silent and we decided to give up and head back to Thattekad. The way down produced a nice Brown-breasted Flycatcher, a migrant from the Western Himalayas.

12 After breakfast we shared a taxi to Munnar with two English girls, and in a couple of hours arrived at the Kaivalyam hotel. First bird in the garden: Malabar Barbet! Getting lunch took frustratingly long, but by 3:30 pm we were on the road again. In the tea plantation along the entrance road to the hotel we saw a few Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, and our first Longtailed Shrike. We then took a taxi to a good-looking patch of forest near Pallivasal that I had spotted on Google Earth ( N, E). This turned out to be a shola (the local name for native evergreen forest) with a cardamom plantation in the understory. It proved a very good spot, where we quickly racked up Malabar Whistling Thrush, Indian Scimitar-babbler, a female Blue-capped Rock-Thrush, White-bellied Blue Robin (heard only) and Nilgiri Flycatcher. A path through the forest gave access to the grasslands above and the friendly old cardamom farmer showed us the way up. Here we saw our first Square-tailed Bulbul and Oriental White-eye, two species that would turn out to be very common in the next few days. The area looked good for Broad-tailed Grassbird too, but we did not have much time to explore it properly, as it was getting dark already and time to go back to the hotel. December 15 th : Today I would go alone to Erivakulam NP, while Jessika would stay at the hotel for a yoga class, after which we would meet up in Munnar. The manager who apparently had forgotten that he promised to drive me up at 6 am, finally turned up in his pyjamas and took me to the main road, where I quickly chartered a rickshaw. By 7:15 I arrived at the park entrance, where doors would open at 7:30. From there, you have to take a bus up to the grassland areas. Ticket sales only started at 7:50, and I had to wait another 30 minutes for the bus to leave. Very annoying! It was 8:30 when I got to the start of the trail, which is actually a concrete road. I had been recommended to look for the targets in the woodland behind the

13 toilets. This turned out to be a very crappy spot, full of rubbish and not even possible to walk through. But Palani Laughingthrushes were indeed easy to spot here, and a Malabar Whistling Thrush (I had had another one at the hotel that morning, this bird is really common everywhere). Not much fun there, so I headed up the trail. A Black Eagle flew past, Pied Bush Chats were everywhere. No sign of the pipit though. After a few hundred meters, I saw a Hindu shrine next to the road, with some nice-looking shola forest behind it. I quickly decided to go there, and bird the shola. Visitors are not allowed to leave the main trail, but in case of trouble I had the excuse that I wanted to visit the shrine. This turned out to be a good decision, with the added advantage that I would not be disturbed by the rapidly increasing numbers of visitors there. In that little forest I had another Indian Scimitar-babbler, a male Blue-capped Rock-Thrush, another Nilgiri Flycatcher and finally the gorgeous Black-and-Orange Flycatcher. A Nilgiri Langur was nice extra. When I left the woods I was shocked by the sheer number of visitors this placed gets incredibly crowded after 10 am. I decided there was not much point in staying any longer, took a quick look at the Nilgiri Thars on the rocks, and went back to the bus stand. I probably should have looked a bit longer for the pipit, but this was not a pleasant place for birding. Most birders who come to Munnar visit this place, because all targets are present, but I do not recommend it. You lose the best birding time waiting for the bus, and it is too crowded for a nice experience. We saw all targets elsewhere, except for the pipit, for which there must be other good sites around Munnar. After meeting up with Jessika for lunch and some souvenir shopping, we left for the Greenspaces hotel, where we would spend our second night in Munnar. This time we quickly left for a walk in the forest, which consisted mostly of similar cardamom plantations, but also a few areas with more natural undergrowth. Our main aim was to get proper views of the White-bellied Blue Robin. This did not seem to work too well, but we had Nilgiri Woodpigeon, Western Crowned Warbler and more Palani Laughingthrushes. People were harvesting the cardamom, an interesting process. Near the end of our walk, we suddenly heard the song of the robin. We played the tape and it soon came in, a gorgeous male giving cracking views. Just a little further, we had a small flock of Rufous Babblers in a tea plantation. December 16 th : Today s main target would be Broad-tailed Grassbird, one that many birders miss out on. They are supposedly easier during the monsoon season, when they are more vocal. We chose Pothamedu peak as a spot to look for it, because it was close, there were some sightings on ebird and it seemed feasible to hike up to the ridge. At 6:30, the rickshaw picked us up, and 15 minutes later we arrived at the viewpoint below the grasslands ( N, E). A small flock of Tawny-bellied Babbler was foraging in the roadside scrub, and a look into the rubbish-strewn scrubbery yielded a small covey of Painted Bushquail. Yet another White-bellied Blue Robin made an appearance. From the viewpoint it is possible but not very easy to hike up the ridge. After a bit of a struggle and some trying for the grassbird we finally got to a nice grassy area ( N, E). Until then, all we had were Ashy Prinias, Pied Bushchats and a few Common Rosefinches. But it did not take long

14 until a bird started calling in response to the tape. I climbed onto a big boulder to get a better view, and suddenly a Broad-tailed Grassbird sat on top of a grass stalk just meters away from me! A great observation of a difficult species! We had hoped to get our pipit here as well, but no trace of it. Back at the viewpoint, we saw a few Puff-throated Babblers. We went back to the lodge to have breakfast, packed our stuff and left for Munnar. At the Wildlife Warden s office in Munnar we arranged to spend the night at Chinnar sanctuary, and took off by taxi at the speed of light. It still took us almost two hours to get there the road is very curvy. After quite a tasty lunch at Chinnar checkpoint, the guard took us for a walk. The avifauna here is quite different from the areas visited before, and we quickly racked up a nice list of typical India species: Indian Peacock, Crested Treeswift, Bay-backed Shrike, Common Woodshrike, Yellow-billed Babbler, White-browed Fantail, Indian Robin, Common Iora, White-bellied Drongo, White-browed Bulbul, Jerdon s Leafbird. A surprising observation, which we only realized afterwards, was a Black-winged Cuckooshrike, which turned out to be extremely rare in this part of India. We spent some time on a watchtower that offers a great view over the sanctuary. The story of our night at Chinnar is covered under the accommodation section, and the evening was not very productive except for a Crested Eagle on the way to our treehouse. December 17 th : We had not seen our two targets for Chinnar yet and hoped these would materialize this morning: Spot-bellied Eagle Owl and Yellow-throated Bulbul. The guards confirmed that we would check out the spot for the former, so that seemed OK. The latter I had neglected to look up in more detail, and unfortunately there was no internet available so

15 I was a bit at loss where to search. The bird guide mentioned rocky slopes, but this habitat was not readily available in the riverside part of Chinnar where we were, and the guards did not seem inclined to let us roam freely. We spent the morning looking for the eagle owl, but without success, basically seeing nothing of interest, not even the Grizzled Giant Squirrel that should occur in the riverside forest. Too bad! The bulbul was nowhere to be seen either, and we left Chinnar quite underwhelmed. An afternoon stop would have done for this place. We again arranged a taxi, and made a few stops along the road at more rocky parts, still hoping to catch the bulbul. And suddenly it appeared: a gorgeous Yellow-throated Bulbul! After this, a long drive through the agricultural areas of the Palghat gap followed, which we spent mostly sleeping. The entry into the Nilgiri range was pretty impressive, a great mountain range rising steeply from the plains. We arrived in Coonoor, planning to spend the night and take the historical Nilgiri Mountain Railways train the next morning, but it turned out there was also a training leaving at 4pm, so we quickly bought tickets and finished the day with a funny train ride through the Nilgiri uplands. We got to Ooty just before sunset and installed ourselves at a guesthouse. December 18 th : We left at 6 am by rickshaw to Dodabetta peak, a place where most birders make a short stop to tick the Nilgiri targets. By the time we arrived, the entrance was still locked, but since there was nobody at the gate we just walked in. From there it is another 2-3 km to the top.

16 It was still quite dark, but a first goodie was a Black-and-orange Flycatcher sitting next to the road. Very pretty bird, probably our favourite Western Ghats endemic. We continued up, tried for the pipit in several places, but to no avail. Apart from two Black-winged Kites and a few Grey Junglefowl, the area was dead quiet. Further up, we had two more B-and-O Flycatchers, and spotted the first Nilgiri Laughingthrushes. The latter turned out to be very common at the still empty stalls near the visitor s area at the top, where we also had a few more Nilgiri Woodpigeons. Other than that, Dodabetta peak was not very interesting nor beautiful, and we did not to bother spending more time there. We returned to Ooty and after breakfast I went to check out the Botanical Garden while Jessika took a look at the town. The garden had mostly common birds, but after an hour I suddenly found myself eye-to-eye with a Nilgiri Robin! It immediately flew off and I was not exactly satisfied with the views I got. It did not come back that morning. In the afternoon we took a rickshaw to Cairn s Hill, but as soon as we got there Jessika started feeling ill, and decided to go back to the hotel. I continued into what looked like good shola habitat with a decent trail through it. Like Dodabetta peak in the morning, it was totally quiet though, nothing singing or moving. In the next three hours I racked up a total of four species, all common stuff. The only highlight was a group of 5 Nilgiri Langur. How different was the birding north and south of the Palghat gap: in the south forests were alive and full of bird song, whereas in the Nilgiris everything was quiet and skulking. December 19 th : After yesterday s frustrating birding in quite artificial places with little success, we decided to take it easy the next morning, enjoy breakfast and take a short walk in the Botanical Garden to have another go at the robin. That would kill our last chances for the pipit, but we were ready to accept that. At the Botanical Garden the robin took a while, but eventually it came in to playback and gave brief, obstructed views through the understory.

17 We departed for Mudumalai, stopping on the way to check out a nice-looking grassy field annex wetland at Thalainkundah for the pipit. Not there. By lunch time we got to the Jungle Hut in Mudumalai, or home for the next two nights. The reception was very friendly and welcoming, and we met a Birdquest group who had successfully found the Nilgiri Thrush, a potential split from Scaly Thrush (it looks quite different though) and one of the most difficult targets in SW India! I spent most of the afternoon in the bamboo patch collecting spider webs in my hair, hoping to catch a glimpse of the thrush, while Jessika enjoyed the sun at the swimming pool. No thrush, but White-rumped Shama, Forest Wagtail, Black-naped Monarch, Tickell s Blue and Paradise Flycatcher were all quite enjoyable. No worries, the bamboo patch would still be there for two days to come. By the evening, Siddan arrived and would take us out to look for nightjars and mammals. The areas below the hill of Bokkapuram turned out to be very productive: in no time we found Indian, Jungle Nightjars and Savannah Nightjars, which all gave great views. Spotlighting in this area also yielded 3 Blackbucks and a Dhole. We drove on to another area past Masinagudi, spotting two Sloth Bears next to the road. In a small coffee plantation we had good views of Indian Giant Flying Squirrel, and met an another guy who had been spotlighting in the area and just saw a Tiger. Upon our return at the lodge, I went to check out the ponds, where a Brown Fish Owl sat on a stone in the water on the lookout for prey. An Indian Scops Owl completed the evening.

18 December 20 th : The day started with a search for the Nilgiri Thrush in the bamboo patch. Unsuccessful, but we had great views of Indian Pitta and Orange-headed Thrush. After an hour or so, we decided to go for some other birds, and quite easily located a singing Malabar Lark on the Bokkapuram hill, which gave great views. Next was a pair of White-bellied Minivet along the road to Masinagudi, which took a bit more searching. We returned in time for breakfast at the lodge, where a Blue-bearded Bee-eater was giving a show. After a bit more searching for the thrush, Siddan received a call from one of his students who had located one in a bamboo gully further up. We drove over, and quickly found the bird, or rather birds, as there turned out to be two Nilgiri Thrushes! The rest of the morning was not so productive: we just flushed a Jungle Bush Quail. With all main targets in the pocket, we took it easy in the afternoon, relaxed by the pool and went for a walk. By night we took another drive through the reserve, this time a bit less productive, the only highlights being two Small Indian Civets, a Common Palm Civet and a glimpse of an Indian Porcupine.

19 December 21 st : We made an easy morning hike towards the Bokkapuram hill, with no noteworthy birding. After breakfast we prepared to leave for Bandipur, about an hour away. We got there way too early, so had a power nap. Our first safari started at 3 pm, and we left full of expectation and excitement. The drive was quite uneventful though. Bandipur does not look very nice nowadays, as it is completely overgrown by the invasive lantana. As we drove along, large strips were being cleared by caterpillars and fires. Not exactly my idea of pristine nature. Sightings included a Common Hawk-cuckoo, a roosting Brown Fish Owl and a Stripenecked Mongoose. A bit underwhelming, but when you are trying to see a Tiger it s all or nothing. December 22 nd : Today we would have another go at the cats, cover the 5-hr ride to Kakkayam, try for Wynaad Laughingthrush, and then have another 2-hr ride to the airport. Quite ambitious! The Safari left at 6, and by 6:20 we were inside the reserve, this time in an area slightly less affected by the lantana plague, and therefore a bit more open. It did not take long until we spotted a Leopard sitting on the road pretty far away. Unfortunately we did not have the smartest driver and, as soon as we had a brief look through our binos, he quickly started speeding towards it. Against all his expectations, it quickly disappeared into the bush. Nice observation, but with a more careful approach it could have been a lot better. On the way back, a pack of four Dholes showed very well at close range. We left the area and moved to another part of the reserve. Here we encountered another jeep that had just seen a Tiger with cubs come to drink from a waterhole. They were not to be seen anymore, but at that point our driver decided to compensate for his earlier mistake with the leopard, and cleverly moved on a hundred meters to a point where we could look into an open space at the back of the waterhole. First I saw a small, scruffy head looking at me, a Tiger cub! Wow! Very soon two more appeared, and finally the mother joined them. Through a gap in the bush, we were able to observe them for almost a minute. Fantastic!

20 Then it was time to go, and we got into the car for the very long drive to Kakkayam reservoir, a place I had found on ebird where Wynaad Laughingthrush was regularly observed. I hadn t checked if it was freely accessible, but trusted all would work out fine. By 3pm we finally arrived at the reservoir, which turned out to host some kind of ecotourism venture. The place was stunningly beautiful and quiet, set atop an almost vertical cliff face. We would have loved to spend more time here, and there was accommodation available. We made a walk towards the waterfall (not very spectacular), and had quite a few good birds on the way: Malabar Trogon, Indian Blue Robin, Orange-headed Thrush, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher. Two River Terns flew over the reservoir. With a bit more time, it should be possible to find most species present at Thattekad here as well. Unfortunately, the LT did not show. At 5:45 they asked us to leave since they would close the gates. We arranged a rickshaw to take us down. At that point I decided to take a last look at the bamboo outside the entrance. I played the sound of the LT, and suddenly lots of them started calling back! A flock of Wynaad Laughingthrushes was foraging right above me, and they came in to give great views. With this one in the pocket, we had scored all our Western Ghats targets except the pipit. Extremely happy with this incredible last day, we rickshawed down to Calicut airport BIRD LIST (WG END = Western Ghats Endemic, IND END = Indian Endemic, WG + SL = Western Ghats + Sri Lanka, IND +SL = India + Sri Lanka) 1. Lesser Whistling Duck: 50+ Kerala Backwaters, 40 Thattekad lake, 50 Bandipur 2. Indian Spot-billed Duck: 2 Kerala Backwaters, 1 wetland Thalaikundah, 10 Bandipur 3. Painted Spurfowl IND END: probably 1 female at bamboo Jungle Hut 4. Grey Francolin: 2 Bandipur 5. Indian Peafowl: 5 Chinnar, 1 Mudumalai, 4 Bandipur 6. Grey Junglefowl IND END: 6 Thattekad, 3 Pothemadu, 4 Dodabetta peak, few Mudumalai 7. Jungle Bush-Quail IND END: 1 male Mudumalai 8. Oriental Darter: common Kerala Backwaters 9. Little Grebe: 15 Bandipur 10. Great Cormorant: 1 wetland Thalaikundah 11. Indian Cormorant: common Kerala Backwaters 12. Little Cormorant: abundant Kerala Backwaters

21 13. Little Egret: common Kerala Backwaters, few Mudumalai, few Bandipur 14. Intermediate Egret: common Kerala Backwaters 15. Great Egret: common Kerala Backwaters 16. Cattle Egret: common Kerala Backwaters, few Kakkayam 17. Indian Pond Heron: abundant Kerala Backwaters, common elsewhere 18. Grey Heron: 2 Kerala Backwaters 19. Purple Heron: 3 Kerala Backwaters, 1 Thattekad 20. Night Heron: 5 Kerala Backwaters 21. Asian Openbill: common Kerala Backwaters 22. Black-headed Ibis: common Kerala Backwaters 23. Glossy Ibis: few large flocks Kerala Backwaters 24. Osprey: 2 Kerala Backwaters 25. Black Baza: 1 Thattekad, probably small flock 26. Black-shouldered Kite: 2 Dodabetta peak 27. Oriental Honey Buzzard: 2 Thattekad, 1 Munnar, 2 Chinnar 28. Black Kite: few Kochin, few Mudumalai 29. Brahminy Kite: common Kerala Backwaters, few Mudumalai, few Bandipur 30. Marsh Harrier: common Kerala Backwaters 31. Crested Goshawk: one Urulanthanny on both mornings 32. Shikra: 1 Chinnar, 1 Bandipur 33. Besra: 2 Munnar Green Spaces 34. Steppe Buzzard: few around Munnar 35. Crested Hawk Eagle: 1 Chinnar, 1 Mudumalai 36. Black Eagle: 1 Erivakulam, 1 Munnar Green Spaces, 1 Chinnar-Udumalpety road, 1 Mudumalai 37. Common Kestrel: 1 Erivakulam, 1 Mudumalai 38. Peregrine: 1 Mudumalai 39. White-breasted Waterhen: common Kerala Backwaters, few Jungle Hut, few Bandipur 40. Watercock: 2 females Kerala Backwaters 41. Little Crake: 1 Kerala Backwaters 42. Purple Swamphen: common Kerala Backwaters 43. Moorhen: few Bandipur 44. Coot: 1 Kerala Backwaters, few Bandipur 45. Greenshank: 5 Kerala Backwaters 46. Wood Sandpiper: common Kerala Backwaters 47. Common Sandpiper: few Kerala Backwaters, 15 wetland Thalaikundah 48. Ringed Plover: 4 Kerala Backwaters 49. Yellow-wattled Lapwing: 10+ during night drive Mudumalai 50. Red-wattled Lapwing: 4 wetland Thalaikundah, few Mudumalai, 4 Bandipur 51. River Tern: 1 Kerala Backwaters, 2 Kakkayam reservoir 52. Whiskered Tern: abundant Kerala Backwaters 53. Nilgiri Woodpigeon WG END: 3 Munnar Green Spaces, 3 Dodabetta peak 54. Green Imperial Pigeon: common Thattekad, Chinnar 55. Nilgiri Imperial Pigeon (Mountain Imperial Pigeon) WG END: 2 Urulanthanny 56. Collared Dove: 1 Bandipur 57. Laughing Dove: 4 border crossing Karnataka-Kerala at Wip

22 58. Spotted Dove: common Chinnar, Mudumalai, Bandipur 59. Grey-fronted Emerald Dove: 1 Thattekad, 1 Kakkayam 60. Ashy-Headed Green Pigeon (Pompadour Green Pigeon) WG END: 3 Urulanthanny 61. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon: 5 Mudumalai 62. Vernal Hanging Parrot: common Urulanthanny, few Munnar lookout, 1 Mudumalai 63. Ring-necked Parakeet: common Kerala Backwaters, Bandipur 64. Plum-headed Parakeet: few Thattekad, common Mudumalai, Bandipur 65. Malabar Parakeet WG END: common Urulanthanny, Chinnar, Kakkayam 66. Common Hawk-cuckoo: 2 Bandipur 67. Asian Koel: 1 Chinnar, 1 Bandipur Safari Lodge 68. Blue-faced Malkoha IND + SL: 2 Thattekad 69. Greater Coucal: 1 Chinnar 70. Sri Lanka Bay Owl (Oriental Bay Owl) WG + SL: 1 found roosting at Urulanthanny 71. Brown Fish Owl: 1 fishing in pond Jungle Hut, 1 roosting Bandipur 72. Indian Scops Owl: 1 calling Thattekad, 1 seen Jungle Hut 73. Oriental Scops Owl: 1 calling Mudumalai, heard only 74. Spotted Owlet: 1 Mudumalai 75. Jungle Owlet: 1 Thattekad 76. Sri Lanka Frogmouth WG + SL: 3 Urulanthanny at known roosts 77. Great Eared Nightjar: 1 in flight Thattekad 78. Jungle Nightjar IND + SL: 2 Mudumalai night drive 79. Jerdon s Nightjar IND + SL: 1 Mudumalai night drive 80. Indian Nightjar: 2 Mudumalai night drive 81. Savanna Nightjar: 1 Mudumalai night drive 82. Indian Swiftlet WG + SL: common Urulanthanny, Mudumalai, Kakkayam 83. White-rumped Spinetail: few 10s at Mudumalai 84. Asian Palm Swift: ca. 20 in Kerala Backwaters 85. Little Swift: many over bridge Thattekad, 1 Mudumalai 86. Crested Treeswift: common Chinnar, 1 Mudumalai 87. Malabar Trogon IND + WG: 2 Urulanthanny, 1 Thattekad, 1 Kakkayam 88. Hoopoe: 1 Chinnar, few Mudumalai, 1 Bandipur 89. Indian Roller: 1 roadside Udumalpetta, 2 Bandipur village 90. Dollarbird: common Thattekad, Urulanthanny, 1 Munnar Green Spaces 91. Kingfisher: 3 Kerala Backwaters, 1 Thattekad 92. Stork-billed Kingfisher: common Kerala Backwaters, 1 Thattekad 93. White-breasted Kingfisher: common throughout 94. Blue-bearded Bee-eater: few Mudumalai 95. Green Bee-eater: few Chinnar, Mudumalai, Bandipur 96. Blue-tailed Bee-eater: common Kerala Backwaters 97. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater: few Kaivalyam tea plantation, 1 Chinnar 98. Malabar Grey Hornbill WG END: common Thattekad, Urulanthanny 99. White-cheeked Barbet WG END: common Thattekad, few around Munnar, few Kakkayam 100. Coppersmith Barbet: common Chinnar, Mudumalai 101. Malabar Barbet WG END: few Urulanthanny, around Munnar 102. Brown-headed Barbet: 1 Chinnar 103. Heart-spotted Woodpecker: 1 Thattekad, 1 Urulanthanny

23 104. Indian Pygmy Woodpecker (Brown-capped Woodpecker): 2 Urulanthanny, 1 Chinnar, 1 Mudumalai 105. Yellow-crowned Woodpecker: 1 Chinnar, 1 Mudumalai 106. Lesser Yellownape: 1 Thattekad 107. Streak-throated Woodpecker: 1 Mudumalai, 1 Bandipur 108. Common Flameback: 2 Urulanthanny 109. Lesser Flameback: few Kerala Backwaters, Thattekad, Mudumalai 110. Greater Flameback: 2 Urulanthanny, 2 Cairn Hill 111. Indian Pitta: 1 Thattekad, 1 Jungle Hut bamboo 112. House Crow: abundant Kerala Backwaters, present throughout 113. Large-billed Crow: 1 Kerala Backwaters, common highlands 114. Rufous Treepie: common Kerala Backwaters, Thattekad, Bandipur 115. White-bellied Treepie WG END: common Thattekad 116. Black-hooded Oriole: few Kerala Backwaters, Thattekad, Urulanthanny 117. Black-naped Oriole: 2 Thattekad 118. Indian Golden Oriole: common Thattekad, Urulanthanny, Chinnar, Mudumalai, few elsewhere 119. Black-winged Cuckooshrike: 1 Chinnar 120. Black-headed Cuckooshrike: 1 Bandipur 121. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike: 2 Urulanthanny, 5 Ooty botanical garden 122. White-spotted Fantail IND END: 1 Mudumalai 123. White-browed Fantail: few Chinnar, Mudumalai, Bandipur 124. Small Minivet: common Urulanthanny, few Chinnar, Mudumalai 125. White-bellied Minivet IND END: 2 Mudumalai 126. Orange Minivet (Scarlet Minivet) WG + SL: common Urulanthanny, 2 Munnar Green Spaces 127. Black Drongo: common Kerala Backwaters, few Bandipur 128. Ashy Drongo: common Thattekad 129. Bronzed Drongo: common Thattekad 130. White-bellied Drongo: common Chinnar 131. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo: common throughout 132. Black-naped Monarch: few Jungle Hut bamboo 133. Common Iora: few Thattekad, Chinnar, Mudumalai 134. Indian Paradise Flycatcher: 1 Thattekad, 1 Chinnar, 1 Jungle Hut, 1 Bandipur Safari Lodge 135. Asian Fairy-bluebird: 1 Thattekad, 1 Chinnar 136. Jerdon s Leafbird IND + SL: 1 Chinnar 137. Golden-fronted Leafbird: abundant Thattekad, Urulanthanny 138. Brown Shrike: singles here and there 139. Long-tailed Shrike: singles here and there, common around Bokkapuram 140. Bay-backed Shrike: few Chinnar, Mudumalai, Bandipur 141. Malabar Woodshrike: 10+ on both mornings Urulanthanny 142. Common Woodshrike: few Chinnar, Mudumalai 143. Ashy Woodswallow: few Kerala Backwaters, Thattekad 144. Blue Rock Thrush: 1 female Mudumalai 145. Blue-capped Rock Thrush: 1 female Pallivasal cardemom plantation, 1 male Erivakulam

24 146. Malabar Whistling Thrush IND END: present throughout in highlands, 1 in bamboo Jungle Hut 147. Nilgiri Thrush (White s Thrush) WG END: 2 near Jungle Hut 148. Orange-headed Thrush: 2 Thattekad, 2 bamboo jungle hut, 1 Kakkayam 149. Indian Blackbird IND + SL: 1 Thattekad, 1 Ooty botanical garden, several bamboo Jungle Hut, common Mudumalai 150. White-bellied Blue Robin WG END: 1 Pallivasal cardemom plantation, 1 Munnar lookout, 1 Munnar Green Spaces 151. Nilgiri Blue Robin WG END: 1 Ooty botanical garden on both mornings 152. Indian Blue Robin: 1 male Pallivasal cardemom plantation, 1 female bamboo Jungle Hut, 1 female Kakkayam 153. Oriental Magpie-robin: common throughout 154. White-rumped Shama: 1 bamboo Jungle Hut 155. Indian Robin: common Chinnar, Mudumalai 156. Pied Stonechat: common highlands, few Mudumalai, few Bandipur 157. Grey-headed Flycatcher: common in highlands 158. Asian Brown Flycatcher: 1 Chinnar 159. Rusty-tailed Flycatcher: 2 Urulanthanny 160. Brown-breasted Flycatcher: 1 Urulanthanny, 1 Munnar Green Spaces, 1 Chinnar 161. Black-and-orange Flycatcher WG END: 1 male Erivakulam, 3 Dodabetta peak 162. Verditer Flycather: 2 Urulanthanny, 2 Mudumalai 163. Nilgiri Flycatcher WG END: common around Munnar 164. White-bellied Blue Flycatcher WG END: 2 Urulanthanny, 1 Thattekad, 1 Kakkayam 165. Tickell s Blue Flycatcher: 2 Thattekad, 5+ in bamboo Jungle Hut, 1 Bandipur Safari Lodge 166. Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher: 2 Thattekad 167. Malabar Starling (Chestnut-tailed Starling) WG END: common Urulanthanny, Thattekad, Bandipur 168. Brahminy Starling: common Mudumalai, Bandipur 169. Jungle Myna: common Kerala Backwaters, Bandipur 170. Common Myna: common throughout 171. Southern Hill Myna WG + SL: common Thattekad, Urulanthanny, Munnar Green Spaces 172. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch: 2 Urulanthanny, 4 Ooty botanical garden, 1 Jungle Hut 173. Great Tit: common throughout except Kerala Backwaters 174. Barn Swallow: abundant Kerala Backwaters, few Mudumalai 175. Hill Swallow: 1 Mudumalai 176. Red-rumped Swallow: 5 Mudumalai, few Bandipur 177. Grey-headed Bulbul WG END: 2 Urulanthanny 178. Flame-throated Bulbul WG END: common Urulanthanny, Thattekad 179. Red-vented Bulbul: common throughout 180. Red-whiskered Bulbul: common throughout, especially highlands 181. Yellow-throated Bulbul IND END: 1 road north of Chinnar 182. White-browed Bulbul IND + SL: common Chinnar, few Bandipur Safari Lodge 183. Yellow-browed Bulbul IND + SL: common Urulanthanny and around Munnar, 1 Kakkayam

25 184. Square-tailed Bulbul WG + SL: common around Munnar, abundant near Green Spaces 185. Grasshopper Warbler: 1 Erivakulam 186. Zitting Cisticola: 5 Kerala Backwaters 187. Plain Prinia: common Kerala Backwaters and Chinnar 188. Ashy Prinia: few Pothamedu and Ooty botanical garden 189. Blyth s Reed Warbler: common throughout 190. Tickell s Leaf Warbler: common in highlands 191. Tytler s Leaf Warbler: 1 Munnar Kaivalyam 192. Western Crowned Warbler: 2 Munnar Green Spaces 193. Greenish Warbler: common throughout 194. Green Warbler: few Urulanthanny 195. Humes Lesser Whitethroat: 1 Kerala Backwaters 196. Broad-tailed Grassbird WG END: 1 showing well Pothamedu peak 197. Common Tailorbird: few Urulanthanny, Chinnar, Mudumalai 198. Oriental White-eye: very common in highlands 199. Wynaad Laughingthrush WG END: flock of 30 near entrance gate Kakkayam 200. Nilgiri Laughingthrush WG END: common on Dodabetta peak, few in Ooty botanical garden 201. Palani Laughingthrush WG END: few Erivakulam, Munnar Green Spaces 202. Black-headed Babbler WG + SL: 2 Urulanthanny, 1 Pothamedu lookout, 1 Kakkayam 203. Tawny-bellied Babbler: 10 at Pothamedu lookout 204. Puff-thoated Babbler: 3 at Pothamedu lookout 205. Indian Scimitar-babbler IND END: few Munnar Pallivasal cardemom plantation, 1 Erivakulam 206. Rufous Babbler WG END: 6 Munnar Green Spaces 207. Jungle Babbler: common Thattekad 208. Yellow-billed Babbler IND + SL: common Thattekad, few Mudumalai, few Bandipur 209. Brown-cheeked Fulvetta: few Urulanthanny 210. Malabar Lark WG END: 1 Mudumalai 211. Thick-billed Flowerpecker: 1 Urulanthanny 212. Pale-billed Flowerpecker: 1 Chinnar 213. Nilgiri Flowerpecker (Plain Flowerpecker) WG END: common Urulanthanny, Ooty botanical garden 214. Purple-rumped Sunbird: few Kerala Backwaters, Urulanthanny, Chinnar, Mudumalai 215. Crimson-backed Sunbird WG END: common Urulanthanny 216. Purple Sunbird: few Urulanthanny 217. Loten s Sunbird IND + SL: few Urulanthanny, Chinnar 218. House Sparrow: common throughout 219. Chestnut-shouldered Petronia: 10 Mudumalai 220. Black-breasted Weaver: few hundred Kerala Backwaters 221. Baya Weaver: common Kerala Backwaters 222. Forest Wagtail: 1 bamboo Jungle Hut, 2 Kakkayam 223. White-browed Wagtail: 1 entrance Erivakulam, 2 Jungle Hut 224. Grey Wagtail: common in highlands, Mudumalai 225. Yellow Wagtail: few Kerala Backwaters 226. Paddyfield pipit: few Mudumalai